Welcome to the 9th annual FilmQuest Festival!

Gaining raves as one of the very best festivals in the country, genre or otherwise, for its quality of selections, great events, bevy of attending filmmakers, the highly coveted and prestigious Cthulhu Trophy, and as one of MovieMaker Magazine's "50 Bloody Best Genre Fests in the World" (2021 & 2019) and four-times named one of their "Top 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee" (2022, 2021, 2017, 2015), and also as one of Dread Centrals "Best Horror Festivals in the World" in both 2022 and 2021, FIlmQuest celebrates the majesty and might of genre filmmaking in the realms of fantasy, horror, sci-fi, and the beyond (including action, thriller, western, kung-fu, and more). The 2022 season will continue this great tradition of celebrating the world's greatest genre filmmaking in our beautiful home of Utah!

FilmQuest has been designed specifically to cater to the empowerment of the filmmaker through various events, awards, swag, connections, and more. In creating the festival, we thought long and hard about what it is that makes a festival great. We asked ourselves the tough questions. What we’ve come up with is, we believe, a festival experience that is the kind most filmmakers dream about.

The Juries will award our filmmakers in over 45 individual categories. Our selection committee is also made up of a group of industry professionals from various fields, such as directors, actors, producers, professors, writers, animators, casting directors, and more.

Want more? We will also be hosting exclusive parties, panels, and more! So get involved today and consider becoming a part of one of the most exciting film festivals to emerge on the circuit in years! We look forward to seeing your submissions!

We encourage you to explore our website (www.FilmQuestFest.com) for new information and updates as it comes, including more info on what to expect, the celebrities who will be involved with FilmQuest, our events, parties, workshops, panels, and more!

Prepare for Fantastic at FilmQuest, one of the world's most exciting and beloved genre film festivals!

Awards & Prizes

We’ve created a festival that gives away awe-inspiring awards, fills your bag with the swag a pirate would be envious of, connects you to other filmmakers and celebrities in ways that encourages future collaboration, and offers an event to explore that will be talked about for years to come in FilmQuest.

We have the FilmQuest Cthulhu trophy designed specifically for FilmQuest and manufactured by the same company who makes the Golden Globes, making what we are sure will soon become one of the most coveted awards on the festival circuit. And this is just the beginning. The trophy will be available for over 20 categories, with high quality plaques available to the rest.

More prizes and awards are added frequently, so stay tuned and don't miss out on FilmQuest!

Rules & Terms

TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR ENTRY SUBMISSION : All film submissions must be postmarked by August 29, 2022. All submissions must be complete, with all of the items on the checklist order completed to be considered for the submission. All submissions received after August 29, 2022 will be considered for next year's festival unless otherwise notified. Notification of acceptance into the 2022 film festival will occur no later than September 9th, 2022. If accepted, a screening print or digital copy must arrive at FilmQuest's office not later than October 1, 2022. All screeners must be clearly labeled. These screeners will become the property of FilmQuest unless a self-addressed, self-stamped package is provided with original submission.

All entries selected into FilmQuest grant FilmQuest the right to use any footage from the screener, and all submitted publicity photos and any other materials sent to us pertaining to this entry for FilmQuest's promotional purposes, without limitations. Complete press kit for films will be requested only after acceptance. All prints must be picked up after the screening and signed for by the filmmaker.

ELIGIBILITY : We will accept films completed after January 2020, unless otherwise noted. We will accept films that have previously screened in other festivals. Entry fees are non-refundable, and may be paid in the form of Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Discover, check or money order paid in US dollars, only through a US affiliated bank. A $2.00 processing fee will be added to all credit card payments.

Locally made and produced Utah films are strongly requested, and in most cases required, to give FilmQuest its local Utah premiere. If the film premiered before FilmQuest, it will have needed to have held its most recent local screening at least 6 months prior to FilmQuest's announced dates. Failure to meet these requirements will likely prevent the entry from selection into the festival.

SCRIPT ELIGIBILITY : Scripts must be bound and formatted correctly. Feature film script length should be at least 40 pages and not over 180. Shorts scripts at least 2 pages. Scripts will not be returned. All scripts must be accompanied with a synopsis in the submission info. We also accept digital script submissions either via FilmFreeway or email.

AWARDS ELIGIBILITY: Only films that have been completed and released after January 1st, 2021 will be eligible for awards. These rules are in compliance with the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences standard for Oscar Qualifying. Films completed and released before this date will still be eligible for acceptance and screening at the festival, just not major awards consideration.

PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT : I, the undersigned, represent and warrant that I have full legal right and authority to submit the heretofore mentioned film/video project for consideration by FilmQuest, and that all necessary consents, licensing and approvals have been obtained with respect thereto. I agree to hold FilmQuest and its sponsors harmless in any and all matters pertaining to the consents, licenses, and approvals of heretofore film/video project. I understand that my submission is in no way a guarantee of acceptance or nomination into and at FilmQuest. No one from FilmQuest or its sponsors has guaranteed me admission into the festival. I, the undersigned, have read the terms and conditions appearing herein, and agree, without exception, to all the terms and conditions stated.

For FULL rules and conditions, please visit our website at www.FilmQuestFest.com
254 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Kenny Breslin

    Filmquest is by far the best festival I have had the privilege of attending. Jonathan, Jonna & crew do a stupendous job of putting the whole thing together. They create an environment that is welcoming & friendly to new and seasoned filmmakers alike. It is 100% worth making the trip to Utah because the experiences you have while you're there are unimaginable. I made many friends at the festival that I still hang out with on a regular basis back in LA to this day. I hope i'm fortunate enough to attend this festival every year from here out, because it really is that great. Oh, and if you're looking for a genuine networking experience, you can't find better. Everyone at film quest walks away with at least 1 person (usually more) that end up working with in the future. And the best part? It's all natural thanks to those who put so much time and effort into organizing everything. Thank again & see ya soon ;)

    June 2022
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  • Jessica Sherif

    Such a fun festival!! It was wonderful being a part of such a wonderful selection of films, and the festival was so communicative and supportive throughout. I highly recommend submitting to FilmQuest!

    May 2022
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  • Tyler Fruge

    FilmQuest is nothing short of a phenomenal experience. Jonathan Martin and his team work so hard at creating a fun, inclusive, and educational space for genre filmmakers. I can't recommend this festival enough.

    April 2022
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  • Presley Paras

    Like my rent, this is long overdue. Jonathan, Jonna, Jenny & Co 100% backed all the hype behind FQ and this was during a new variant wildin out! I felt safe, welcomed & informed. Schedules were communicated clearly (and often) while the networking events never felt forced. FQ assembled a group of talented filmmakers focused on building a community, whom I’ve even met at other festivals! While you always have a few chasing the awards, the blessing is to be included amongst such carefully curated films. The shorts were dope & different, seriously – bless up. While FQ didn’t have stadium type seating, I loved their music box theater as the intimate setting forced greater interactions amongst creators. Plus right next door, you had two restaurants you could choose from to carry on those convos. While they had a green room for filmmakers, I never got to visit it as it seemed away from the action. However, I found everything centrally located and was able to connect/market my films with others. FQ was so good, I’d make a film just to come back. PS - The Merch is the fresh.

    February 2022
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  • Aric Johnson

    BEST FEST I'VE BEEN TO. PERIOD. You need to understand: this is so much MORE than just another film festival - it's like a convention for indie filmmakers! • First, it's better organized, managed, and produced than many much larger, long-standing incumbents. Jonathan and Jonna have pulled off the impossible: a seamless and smooth, professional and elegant festival, that somehow maintains the warm, welcoming feeling of a family reunion. We were only bummed we weren't there for the whole week! • Second, FilmQuest is more than just a showcase festival. The scheduled content and workshops were outstanding - actually helpful! And while other fests talk about networking, at FilmQuest the activities and the environment means that even introverts like me meet amazing folks, and make meaningful and lasting connections. I found my tribe. •. I'll be attending every year from now on - and I'm honestly inspired to finish a project this year good enough to get in. What could be better than that?

    January 2022
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