Calling all Colorado filmmakers!

The Grand Mesa Short Film Festival is now accepting submissions for its 6th Annual Short Film Festival, taking place April 9–10, 2027.

Nestled at the base of the breathtaking Grand Mesa in Cedaredge, Colorado, the Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center invites you to join us for a weekend celebrating the creativity and talent of filmmakers with a strong Colorado connection. Films must be created by filmmakers who currently live in Colorado or have a clearly defined connection to the state.

The festival is dedicated exclusively to short films and welcomes submissions from all genres and styles, including narrative, documentary, animation, experimental, and more.

This is a wonderful opportunity to share your work with an engaged audience, connect with fellow filmmakers, and celebrate the art of cinema in a welcoming community setting. Awards will be presented in recognition of outstanding filmmaking.

To learn more and submit your film, visit: https://filmfreeway.com/GrandMesaShortFilmFestival
There is no submission fee!

Awards & Prizes

"Award certificates given. Recognition of filmmakers announced on GMAEC.org and social media."

Rules & Terms

ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH FILMFREEWAY.COM

SUBMISSION CRITERIA: FILMMAKER OR FILMS MUST HAVE A COLORADO CONNECTION.
NO SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED PAST THE DEADLINE DATE.

FILMMAKERS MUST submit the following with their film(s) to be considered.

1. WRITTEN BIOGRAPHY - MAXIMUM 35 WORDS
2. WRITTEN FILM SYNOPSIS - Maximum 35 words
3. POSTER OF FILM, WITH FILM NAME AND DIRECTOR'S NAME, IN
11X17 FORMAT.
4. INDICATE GENRE OF FILM(s): documentary, drama, comedy,
action/adventure, animation, musical, fantasy, sci-fi, etc.

VIDEO RUN TIME: 4 MINUTES MINIMUM / 20 MINUTES MAXIMUM

FORMAT: VIDEO MUST BE IN "Landscape" format AND MP4 video format

CONTENT: No inappropriate behavior IN ANY FORM may be utilized in
the film.
Examples:
*Physical abuse or threats.
*Use of derogatory, explicit, or discriminatory language, gestures
or actions.
*Any form of harassment, racism, or sexism

We reserve the right to revoke any film.
We are a family focused venue.

All content used in the short film must be either owned or
licensed.
If any copyrighted material is used in the film, the participant
must have permission and submit a copy to the GMSFF
Organizers.

APPLICANTS: Applicants of any age may submit films for the festival.

IF APPLICANT IS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 A PARENT OR GUARDIAN MUST CONSENT ON THE ENTRY FORM.

DISCLAIMER: This is a juried film festival. We reserve the right to refuse or
revoke any film. All decisions are final.

Festival committee reserves the right to use a 30 second extract
of the film for promotional purposes.

No early or late submissions will be accepted

*PLEASE SUBMIT ALL FILMS THROUGH
http://FilmFreeway.com/GrandMesaShortFilmFestival

10 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • STEVEN Hinricher

    It was fantastic! Most definitely recommend filmmakers from Colorado to submit to and attend the festival.

    April 2026
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  • Moses A. Velasquez

    This was my 2nd straight year being apart of this wonderful establishment. The energy and vibe is super warmly embracing and everyone's desire to express with each other and enjoy one another's efforts and creations..This is what community is about.

    April 2026
    Helpful
  • Rose Movizzo

    This festival was a delightful experience. Everyone working the festival made the filmmakers feel highly appreciated and right at home. It was a pleasure to attend such a warm, welcoming festival in the beautiful town of Cedaredge.

    April 2025
    Helpful
  • hunter burns

    What a great festival! High attendance and great programming. Thank you for giving our film The Séance Best Fantasy film! We can't wait to submit again!

    April 2025
    Helpful
  • Frank J Fazzio

    We’ve been fortunate to attend festivals around the world and receive many awards for our films — but our time in Cedaredge, Colorado at the Grand Mesa Short Film Festival was truly a hidden gem! The staff, tech team, and volunteers made us feel right at home and created an experience we’ll never forget. Thank you for honoring our documentary short — we’ll see you next year! Frank and Martha Fazzio

    April 2025
    Helpful