At the Hello From Fargo Film Festival, we celebrate local filmmakers, because we firmly believe in the power of independent storytelling and the limitless possibilities it holds. By submitting your film and/or screenplay, you become a part of a North Dakota filmmaking community that embraces originality, innovation, and creative expression. Our festival aims to foster an environment where emerging talents can flourish and established filmmakers can experiment with bold ideas, together supporting the Fargo filmmaking community.

Our founder and director, Eric Player, firmly believes that life in Fargo and the Dakotas is not limited to a singular narrative but is a mosaic of individual dreams, struggles, and triumphs. The festival serves as a platform for emerging and established filmmakers to share their unique perspectives and narratives that resonate locally, and in turn by expressing their individuality, their work will find a connection to audiences worldwide.

PLEASE NOTE: PER RULES AND TERMS, SCREENPLAYS ARE ACCEPTED IN ANY GENRE FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, BUT THE LIVE FESTIVAL IS ONLY OPEN TO NORTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, AND MINNESOTA-BASED FILMS AND/OR FILMMAKERS. PLEASE CONTACT US DIRECTLY IF YOU ARE UNSURE WHETHER YOUR FILM QUALIFIES. REFUNDS ARE NOT GIVEN.

The Hello From Fargo Film Festival represents a genuine desire to support you: the North Dakota/South Dakota/Minnesota independent filmmaker. We understand the challenges you face in securing funding, distribution, and simple exhibition for your projects. The festival is now in its fifth year, and the goal continues to be growth and the cultivation of a robust network of industry professionals, investors, and mentors who can nurture, and collaborate with, emerging talents. Through screenings and networking events, the festival is fast becoming an invaluable launchpad, propelling the careers of promising filmmakers and amplifying their voices.

Our first two years were screened at the Fargo Theater. in 2024 and 2025, Hello From Fargo screened at The Spirit Room in downtown Fargo. We are excited to return there this year.

Awards & Prizes

Every Official Selection is eligible for an award. Awards may include some or all of the following:

Best of Show - Narrative
Best of Show - Documentary
Best of Show - Feature Screenplay
Best of Show - Narrative Short
Best of Show - Documentary Short
Best of Show - Screenplay Short
Audience choice - Honorable Mention
Audience Choice - Runner Up
Audience Choice - Actor (Male or female)
Audience Choice - Writer
Audience Choice - Producer
Audience Choice - Director

Final breakdown of awards and categories dependent on number of entries.

Rules & Terms

Eligibility:

The Hello From Fargo Film Festival is open to filmmakers from around the world, however, they must conform their entries to the theme of the festival, which is the promotion of films and filmmakers from the Upper Midwest states of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota.

Films of all genres, including narrative, documentary, animation, and experimental, are welcome, as long as they stick to a Minnesota/Dakota subject matter or setting, and in particular themes addressing the Fargo-Moorhead area. Other films are eligible if they are produced or funded or crewed by a substantial element and membership of the North Dakota/South Dakota/Minnesota community.

Films must have been completed within the last two years. Films previously entered may re-submit.

Films that have been previously screened publicly or are available online are eligible for submission, as long as online content is made unavailable during the month of the festival.

Unproduced scripts are welcome, and screenplays of all genres are welcome. Screenplays are not constrained by geography or subject in the same way as produced films are.


Submission Process:

All submissions must be made through FilmFreeway.

Filmmakers are required to provide a secure online screener of their film for the selection process. We accept links to streaming platforms (e.g., Vimeo, YouTube) or password-protected video files (e.g., Dropbox, Google Drive) as part of the submission.

Non-English films must have English subtitles.

Screenplays should be submitted in .PDF format via online submission platforms.

Please provide a detailed specification and a logline or an overview when you are submitting a film and/or screenplay.

Deadlines:

The festival has specific submission deadlines that are announced on our official website and submission platforms. Early submissions are encouraged to take advantage of discounted entry fees.

Late submissions may be considered on a case-by-case basis, subject to availability.


Entry Fees:

The Hello From Fargo Film Festival charges an entry fee for film submissions.

Entry fees vary depending on the submission deadline. Early submissions generally enjoy lower fees. Festival Alumni may submit at a discount.

The entry fees are used to support the festival operations, including programming, screenings, promotions, future investment, and events. No refunds are possible.


Selection and Notification:

Films will be reviewed and selected by our programming team.

Filmmakers will be notified of the selection results via email by the specified notification date.

Only "Official Selection" selected films will be included in the in-person festival program.

If a film is selected, the filmmaker must provide a high-resolution screening copy in the requested format and specifications (e.g., DCP, ProRes, Blu-ray) within the given deadline.

Filmmakers are responsible for the shipping costs and ensuring the screening copy during transit.

If necessary, subtitles must be provided in English for non-English language films.

Rights and Permissions:
By submitting a film, the filmmaker confirms that they hold the necessary rights to screen the film and have obtained all required permissions for the content, including but not limited to music, images, and intellectual property.

Hello From Fargo Film Festival reserves the right to use excerpts or images from the submitted films for promotional purposes.

Awards and Certificates:

Film awards will be determined by a designated jury or panel of judges.

The decisions of the jury are final and binding.

Awards and certificates will be presented during the festival's closing ceremony.

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Publicity and Promotion:

Filmmakers agree to allow the Hello From Fargo Film Festival to use their film's title, trailer, stills, and filmmaker information for promotional purposes, including but not limited to the festival's website, social media, press releases, and printed materials.

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These guidelines and rules and regulations are subject to change, and filmmakers are advised to review the most recent version available on the website and submission platforms before submitting their films. The Hello From Fargo Film Festival aims to provide a fair and inclusive platform for independent filmmakers to showcase their work and reserves the right to interpret and enforce the rules and regulations as necessary to ensure the integrity and success of the festival.