The Grand Motoring Film Festival has established itself as a must-attend event in the motoring community, celebrating the intersection of the automotive and cinematic arts. This year’s festival, held to coincide with the internationally acclaimed Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance, will include film screenings, panel discussions, vehicle displays and an awards program to honor the year's top motoring films.

Bringing automotive aficionados and film enthusiasts together to showcase and recognize the most outstanding work created by independent filmmakers, journalists, students, production companies and advertising agencies, the Grand Motoring Film Festival is uniquely positioned as North America’s premier motoring film festival.

And you are invited to ride along.

Grand Motoring Film Festival is actively seeking out bold new cinematic explorations of the automotive arts, regardless of length or format, for our annual Film Festival and Hangar Night events. Priority will be given to films that have yet to premiere and would debut during the festival. Consideration for the Feature Presentation will be weighed based on availability of the featured vehicle, filmmaker or subject.

Grand Motoring Film Festival finalists and winners will represent the best documentaries, web videos, brand films, TV shows and more, and entries across the landscape of automotive cinema are invited to submit. If your film shares our love of horsepower, make plans to join us October 31st - November 3rd on Hilton Head Island!

Films and videos will be reviewed by an esteemed group of judges representing film and television, automotive, and media industries with awards to be given out on October 31, 2024. Among judges announced so far, you’ll find luminaries like former editor and publisher of Autoweek Dutch Mandell, Pixar Animation Studios Creative Director of Franchise Jay Ward, “Death Race 2000” star Simone Griffeth, Silodrome.com founder and senior editor Ben Branch, Creative Director at Hearst Autos Tara Klein, and a noted automotive industry veteran Michael Harley.

Now in our eighth year, the Grand Motoring Film Festival Headliner Event and Awards Program will be held Thursday October 31 at Hilton Head Island’s world-class Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, with a VIP welcome reception, awards program, and featured film screening. Additional screenings and Q&A sessions with filmmakers to be announced.

Categories:
Documentary (Short & Feature)
Narrative / Drama (Short & Feature)
Brand / Image Film
Journalism & Factual Entertainment
Student Film
Drive Film (Short driving films under 6 minutes)
Best in Show (Will be selected from finalists)

Additional Special Awards - TBA.
Independent Achievement and Spirit of Motoring selected from entries by jury.

Trophies per category.

Filmmakers must apply electronically via FilmFreeway.

By submitting to the Grand Motoring Film Festival (GMFF), you agree to the following requirements by the date(s) designated by the Festival:
• All submissions must have been completed after January 1, 2022 unless a waiver is granted.

• All clearances must be provided for screenings and exhibition.
• Only the Producer, Director, Screenwriter or someone closely connected to the film may complete the application.
• Only complete entries will be accepted. This includes the non-refundable entry fee paid to the order of GMFF, a signed and completed entry form and an online screener.
• Filmmakers whose films are accepted for competition will be notified by email by approximately September 17, 2024. All the privileges due filmmakers will be specified in this correspondence.
• GMFF promotes the schedule of screenings via media including newspapers, emails, television and radio. GMFF encourages filmmakers to help promote their films by promoting their screening(s) to industry professionals, distributors, the press and the general public.
• The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screenings, and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations. The individual or corporation submitting this film additionally grants the Grand Motoring Film Festival the right to one or more public screenings of the entry during the dates of October 31 - November 3, 2024 and additional screening through Oct. 31, 2025.
• Student films must have been completed after January 1, 2022 and proof of enrollment is required.
• All films submitted that are 5 minutes or longer should include EPK materials including a trailer, poster artwork, synopsis, filmmaker bios, cast and crew list, production stills, screen grabs, titles and/or information from the film for promotional purposes to use online, broadcast, and in any print media or campaigns connected with the event.
• All filmmaker finalists will receive two VIP passes, giving free access to all events and screenings (subject to availability) during the Festival. These passes are non-transferable and must be worn at all times in clear view. Passes are not sent by mail, but must be picked up in person on site.
• Filmmaker finalists who confirm attendance prior to Oct 15, 2024 and attend the Grand Motoring Film Festival event on Oct. 31, 2024 event may also receive two general admission passes for the 2024 Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance Nov 1-3. These passes are non-transferable, must be picked up in person on site, and will not be sent by mail.
• For finalists and screened films: vehicles brought and displayed in support of a film also have the opportunity to display at the show-field during the Concours d'Elegance.*

The management of the Grand Motoring Film Festival reserves the right to decide all questions regarding rules and regulations. Submission of a film constitutes that the filmmaker accepts the rules and regulations set forth herein. GMFF reserves the right to update our terms and conditions.

General Information:
• Feature-length qualifies as films that are 40 minutes or longer.

• Short film qualifies as films that are 39 minutes or less.

• There is no limit to the number of entries you may submit. A separate entry and entry fee must accompany each work.
• The GMFF reserves the right not to choose a winner from any of the competing categories listed in the description and to make adjustments to the categories or reassign films to different categories that may be better suited. For example a documentary 'Super-Short' category may be added.
• All films must be in English or have English subtitles. Non-subtitled or dubbed foreign language films will not be considered.

*Contact executive director for more information.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Great festival! Had a great time showcasing my film and being a part of the awards ceremony.

    November 2023
  • Pam Miller

    What a well run, great experience. Met so many creative filmmakers - I would not miss this event ever.

    November 2022