- Hertfordshire Film Festival 2025 took place at Watford Palace Theatre on Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th April 2025.
- The festival featured screenings of selected films entered by young people aged 11-25.
2025 Submissions Criteria:
- Submissions are open to anyone aged 11-25 currently living, working, or studying in Hertfordshire with a story to tell through film.
- We welcome submissions from individuals or groups of friends, youth and community groups and schools, colleges, and universities.
- The following types of films will not be considered: training videos, music videos, behind the scenes 'making of’ films, trailers, extracts of longer films, incomplete films, straightforward recordings of arts (or other) events, film clips made solely for the purpose of curriculum learning (such as record and playback), video diaries (unless part of a story), or vox pops.
- If you are submitting a youth/community or school project, most of the people involved in the production must be aged 25 years or under. Although we understand these projects are often mentored by adults, the production must be predominantly led by young people and young people must have devised or written the script/story. Young People must also have been involved in the technical side e.g. using camera/sound equipment and been involved in the edit. Any support from anyone older than your age category must be declared on your submission.
- Film entries must be submitted to one of two age categories: 11-17s and 18-25s, and most people working on the film must be within the age range for the category you are submitting to.
- Submissions that do not have a clear connection to Hertfordshire will not be accepted and the lead contact should either live, work, or study in Hertfordshire to qualify.
- Any support or help on the film by anyone older than the category age you are submitting to must be declared on your submission form, but all aspects of the filmmaking process should be led by young people in the relevant age bracket, including involvement in the edit.
- Any use of AI must be declared on your submission and should not form a core part of its creative voice. Any use of AI as a tool in the filmmaking process should be made clear and credited in your film.
- Short films must have been made after February 2022 (the date of the previous Hertfordshire Film Festival). Any entries made before this date will not be accepted.
- Filmmakers are welcome to submit up to a maximum of two films, provided they all meet the submission criteria.
- Previous submissions to either the Watford Young Filmmakers Festival or Hertfordshire Film Festival will not be accepted.
- Films submitted to the 11-17s category must be no longer than 8 minutes in duration, for for the 18-25s category no longer than 15 minutes.
- All entries must be received digitally.
- Submitting your film to Hertfordshire Film Festival is FREE.
- The submission deadline is Friday 17th January 2025 at 1pm. Films submitted after this date/time will not be accepted.
- Not all films entered will be shortlisted and/or screened.
- A panel of professionals from the film and creative industries will select entries from those submitted for screening at the festival and their decision is final. Their decisions will be based using the following criteria:
The Idea - Is your idea original, and creative? Keeping it simple often works best.
The Story - Does it have an engaging narrative that captures an audience, without using shock factor or adult themes for effect?
The Visuals - Do the appropriate use of camera angles, framing, movement, lighting, costume, props, and locations all work to strengthen the narrative?
The Sound - Are the sound effects, music, and dialogue clear, and do they add to the narrative? (The unauthorised use of copyrighted music or sound will mean we cannot select your film.)
The Audience - How engaging is your film to an audience, and is it suitable for screening at Hertfordshire Film Festival? (For example, if you are submitting a film in the 11-17 category, then your film content must be appropriate for viewing by the whole of this age range.)
- Successful entries will be informed by no later than 5pm on Friday 28th February 2025. If we have not been in contact with you by this date/time, then your film has not been selected for screening at this event.
- If we are unable to proceed with the event due to unforeseen circumstances or government advice, Hertfordshire Film Festival reserves the right to either cancel and postpone the event, or to produce the event in accordance with advice, e.g. as a digital only event. In this eventuality, we would give as much notice as possible to filmmakers whose work has been selected and to audiences that have booked for the event.
- It is your responsibility to obtain all permission and releases from all persons (or the parent/guardian of any young persons) appearing in any associated photos/still images.
- We strongly recommend using royalty free images, music, and sound in your film. It is your responsibility to ensure you have the right to show the film to a public audience (i.e. you have secured all music and image rights). You must obtain composition rights for the use of copyrighted music and recording rights if you are using a copyrighted recording before submitting your film. If you do not have the permission to use the music/images in your film, then you cannot submit the film for the festival. You should also consider that there may be opportunities for your work to be screened beyond the festival and you may need to secure additional permissions for your film to be screened.
- Please make sure the spelling of all the names of cast/crew are correct on your submission.
- In submitting your film and by signing the entry form you agree to all the Hertfordshire Film Festival rules and regulations and confirm that all the information in the form is true and accurate.
