Gen Con is the largest and longest-running annual event devoted to tabletop gaming culture in North America. The convention attracts 75,000 attendees and 538 exhibiting companies each year. During the convention, attendees choose from over 20,000 ticketed events representing a wide array of board games, card games, roleplaying games, seminars, entertainment events, and more. Gen Con takes place annually in the Indiana Convention Center and surrounding downtown hotel spaces in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Filmmakers from around the world gather to compete in the Gen Con Film Festival. Some travel from as far away as Australia and the United Kingdom to the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis for screenings, film panels, and the awards ceremony. Films from across the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Austria, Brazil, Israel, Spain, Japan, and Great Britain make it a truly international event.

The Gen Con Film Festival focuses on genres that appeal to our gaming attendees. These include, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Horror, Animation, Anime, Martial Arts, Gaming, related parodies and documentaries.

Awards & Prizes

Awards & Prizes
• The Ovid Award honors the most creative and interesting story among the Best Short Film entries, regardless of genre. The winner receives a $1000 cash prize, made possible by a generous anonymous donor.
• Cash prizes are subject to taxes and may require a W9 form.
Cash Prizes:
• Best Feature Film: $750
• Best Short Film: $750
• Ovid Award: $1000
Certificate Awards:
• Best Independent Series
• Best Animated Film
• Best Gamer Film
• Best Documentary Film
• Best Fantasy Film
• Best Sci-fi Film
• Best Horror Film
• Best Fan Film
• Best Comedy Film
• Best Student Film
Filmmakers are encouraged to attend and participate in film panels and discussions at the festival.

Congratulations to our 2024 Festival Award Winners.

Best Feature Film - Empire Queen and the Golden Age of Magic (USA)
Best Short Film - Dragon Fruit (Canada)
2024 Ovid Award - Black Dragon (USA)

Best Series - RPG All-Stars Guardians of the Gap (USA)
Best Horror Film - The Monitor (USA)
Best Comedy Film - Clone Cops (USA)
Best Sci-fi Film - Restraint (USA)
Best Animated Film - Truth Detector (USA)
Best Fantasy Film - Return to Hairy Hill (Canada)
Best Gamer Film - The Venus Gambit (USA)
Best Fan Film - Dr. Spiderwack's Mind-boggling Compendium of Fantastic Urban Beasts (USA)
Best Documentary Film - Arcade Gamer the True Story (USA)
Best Student Film - Carved In Stone (USA)

Rules & Terms

Eligibility
• Films must be related to gaming, sci-fi, fantasy, or horror.
• Obscene or defamatory films will be disqualified.
• Gen Con LLC can reject any film at any time for any reason.
• Gen Con employees, sponsors, and their immediate families cannot compete.
• No refunds for disqualified or rejected entries.
• The film must be original, and the filmmaker must have permission for any copyrighted or trademarked materials used.
• Fan films are not eligible for cash prizes, except for parodies.
• Films must be submitted in their final form and cannot be changed after submission.
• Submit a digital copy of the film in mp4 1080p h.264 format, preferably via FilmFreeway or Vimeo.
• Provide a brief 150-character film summary and a bio sheet for key staff (directors/writers).
• Submit at least three production stills (300dpi).
• Multiple films can be submitted, but each must have a separate entry form.
• If accepted, up to five 4-day badges to Gen Con will be given to the film’s production staff. Badges are provided per production company not per entry.
• Films that have won awards in previous Gen Con Film Festivals are not eligible for competition but may be submitted out of competition.
• By submitting, you grant Gen Con permission to screen your film at the event and make necessary copies for screening purposes.

69 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Eric Shook

    I had a great time at Gen Con! My science fiction movie called Oregonda was selected and shown at Gen Con. Two thumbs up!

    August 2024
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  • Benjamin Bartlett

    The FIlm festival was fun and I connected some great talented filmmakers that attended at the festival.

    August 2024
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  • Phillip Cordell

    Chuck and the entire Gen Con Film Fest team put on a fantastic festival. We were thrilled to host our World Premiere in front of such an enthusiastic crowd, and the access to the 70,000 other Gen Con attendees provides outreach opportunities that simply don’t exist with other Festivals. 10 out of 10 would recommend!

    August 2024
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    Response from festival:

    It was great hosting you and your crew for your world premiere! Glad to have been a part of it!

  • Dave Harlequin

    A truly exceptional and outstanding event. Great communication and amazing hospitality from the event organizers, fantastic crowds for the screenings, and tons of excellent networking opportunities. Among my personal top-rated film festivals all-around. I seriously cannot say enough good things about this one, and I will most certainly be submitting again!

    August 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks Dave! It was great hosting you. Hearing such praise from a fellow Film Festival organizer is humbling. Hope to see you again soon!

  • Harry Waldman

    Thanks for selecting "Bay For Blood" into your festival! The communication was clear and detailed, the film lineups were some of the best I have ever witnessed at a festival, the turnout was incredible (arguably the largest of all of the festivals I have attended), the panels were incredibly informative and the staff was really helpful. Chuck, the festival organizer was very friendly and approachable, which hasn't always been the case with some of the conventions that I have attended in the past. (some in which I never even met the festival organizer as the films felt like background noise to the actual convention)

    This is easily one of the best film festival experiences that I have had overall and I will definitely be submitting future projects to Gen Con Film Festival!

    August 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Glad you enjoyed being part of a record year for Gen Con. I really appreciate the positive feedback. Hope to see you again soon!