The FairWinds Film Festival is dedicated to putting a spotlight on films produced, directed, written, edited, or the star and or supporting role played by a U.S. military veteran. Our mission is to have more veterans and civilians working together and building relationships.

2020 Award Winners:
Best Feature Film: Air Force veteran, Walter Haussner, "Eadie"
Best Short Film: Navy veteran, Doc Farrow, "Saved Rounds"

We greatly appreciate our sponsors of our annual film festival: Travel Far Productions, Art of Kip Wilmot, Expected End Entertainment, Words in Motion, Randall Lavern, and Leary Storyteller.

Awards (for Short and Feature):
- Best Film Award trophy/plaque
- The Best Film Award will also receive 10% of profits as a cash prize

FairWinds Film Festival is a platform where U.S. military members and veterans can showcase their creativity of film and storytelling to audiences around the country. We motivate veterans, military members, and civilians to work together, have a better understanding of diverse persons, motivate each other, learn from each other, and be able to network with multiple people throughout the industry. Film, storytelling, and acting is a few of the art channels where veterans can express creativity. Being able to express creativity and work with a diverse group of people helps veterans deal with social and mental issues they may be experiencing. It’s also a bridge for veterans and civilians to become closer.

The FairWinds Film Festival presents an annual festival program: feature films and short films, film and TV previews, special screenings, industry events, networking sessions, discussion panels and other events. We plan to host events in a different location each year, being able to travel to multiple locations and give each city an opportunity for economic growth.

The founders of the film festival are a military married couple, who encourages veterans to pursue their dreams while living an adventure.

1st place winners: Receive Best Film Award and 10% of profits from festival
2nd place winners: Receive a free illustration of a poster for a future film (by Kip Wilmot)

The festival welcomes all genres, including, but not limited to:
Action, Adventure, Animation, Art, Biography, Classics, Comedy, Comedy Drama, Crime, Culture, Dance, Dark Comedy, Documentary, Family, Fantasy, Film Noir, Flash, Health, History, Horror, Human Rights, Independent, Kids, LGBTI, Medical, Melodrama, Mystery, Nature, News, Parody, Postmodern, Realism, Reality, Religion, Road Trip, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Satire, Science Fiction, Silent Movie, Social Issues, Spiritual, Surreal, Thriller, Transgender, Underground, Urban, War, Western.

Awards (for Short and Feature):
- Best Film Award trophy/plaque
- The Best Film Award will also receive 10% of profits as a cash prize

Proof of U.S. Military Veteran status is MANDATORY with submission. Please email FairWindsVFF@gmail.com with proof of U.S. military service (veteran ID, driver's license, etc). Please DO NOT email any sensitive information such as SSN. Without veteran status, your film will not be considered and there won't be any refunds. Also, funds will not be applied to a future submission. Veteran status MUST be for one of the names associated with the following roles of the film (must match credit given in film):
Producer
Director
Writer
Editor
Star role
Supporting Role

Terms and Conditions

1. All filmmakers submitting a film to the FairWinds Film Festival (hereafter known as ‘Veterans’, ‘We’, ‘Us’ and ‘Our’), accept and agree to comply with the following Terms and Conditions. The FWFF is open to any film where a veteran is on the production role and or a star or supporting role of the film, from across the world.

2. FWFF only accepts online registrations and submissions to be assessed. We accept films in any language… However, films not made in English must have English subtitles.

3. The person submitting a film to FWFF is ‘You’ or ‘Your’ and you agree that your film may be screened at FairWinds Film Festival if it is selected.

4. All submission fees are non refundable.

5. How to Submit
- Complete and submit your online submission form
- Pay relevant Submission fee
- Films must be submitted via an online platform
- Email Fairwindsvff@gmail.com with U. S. Military or Veteran status proof

6. Applicant must supply:
-- Proof of Military Veteran status (DD214-with SSN blocked out, Veteran ID card, or
driver's license with "veteran")
– Production credits and contact details
– Media pack for promotional use by FWFF
– Film Poster (Optional)
– A short trailer of the film
-- A link to your film website (Optional)

7. All films will be accepted and assessed with the view to screening them at a FWFF event. All films included in the Official Selection will be screened at a venue.

8. Screenings are scheduled during the Festival at the discretion of FWFF. We undertake to make every effort to adhere to the published schedule program, however, FWFF reserves the right to alter this schedule and venue at any time for any reason. FWFF does not accept any liability for any costs claimed to arise as a result of a change in the scheduling.

9. Awards may be presented during the festival at the discretion of the organizers and the judges. All awards will be listed on our website.

10. By submitting a film, You grant us the right to screen Your film, copy and/or reproduce, modify, adapt and any part thereof, up to one (1) minute of the film submission. We may also use Your submission and any other promotional material/photo’s and/or information submitted by You to communicate it to the public in all media, including via our website and publicity materials, or to advertise and promote FWFF, events, its products and services, or all, and to showcase Your film.

11. You own the copyright to your film as its author and represent and warrant that You have (and will continue to have during the duration of FWFF and thereafter) all necessary licenses, rights, consents, and permissions we need to use Your film and You will provide evidence of such on our reasonable request.

12. We accept no responsibility for any damage, loss, liabilities, injury or disappointment incurred or suffered by any person as a result of submitting a film to FWFF and its curation and all related events. We take no responsibility for the information supplied by filmmakers to the FWFF.

13. You indemnify and hold harmless FWFF from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney’s fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening materials entered.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Andrew Bystrom

    I really enjoyed showing my film “Too Good to be Forgotten” at this Veteran’s Film Festival. It was great getting to view online all the other Veteran Films which were all free to the public. You can tell that FairWinds Film Festival love film and veterans. They did an excellent job in these trying times.

    October 2020
  • Great communication, very well managed. Will submit again!! Great connecting with these folks!

    October 2020
  • My film Al (a biography film about Al Gore) was included in the festival. I am proud to be part of it. It is a great festival.

    October 2020
  • Walter Haussner

    Fairwinds Film Festival was a wonderful experience. There was good communication and I appreciate the organizer's flexibility in making the film festival happen, regardless of the global pandemic. Thank you to everyone involved in the festival and to the judges for selecting EADIE as best feature film!

    October 2020
  • C. Nathaniel Brown

    One of my favorite festivals! I'm looking forward to this year's festival as well.

    August 2020