IE International Short Film Festival is a chance for filmmakers across the globe to participate in a new approach to filmmaking. It's a chance for current and future artists to find their voice, to tell their stories, to show them to an international and diverse audience, and to showcase their talents to businesses across the world looking for innovative and creative content makers.

The festival brings together artists and businesses so they can collaborate and build on their resources to make greater things together.

IE Film Festival is for storytellers across the globe. Not everybody has expensive equipment, not everyone has access to professional teams and not everyone has the connections to spread their message; but anybody has the capability to tell a good story, and that’s all we need to convey a message, to inspire and to make a change.

Our ultimate goal is to bring different voices together to tell and hear stories. Because all you need to change the world, is a good story…

Categories:

• Official Selection: This category is for all fiction films regardless of their genre or category. The films have to be made by an aspiring filmmaker and be no longer than 15 minutes and have the technical requirements mentioned on the festival’s site.

• Out-of-competition selection: All movies submitted to the festival will be automatically considered for this category. The movies in this group will not compete for a prize but will get a chance to be screened to an international audience.

• Unheard stories: There are millions of people around the world with a voice who are left unheard. The Unheard Stories category is devoted to showcasing movies that highlight minority stories, raising awareness about issues faced by them or celebrating their way of being.

Awards & Prizes

When you enter into the OFFICIAL COMPETITION, your short film is automatically for the following awards.

• Best Director
• Best Short
• Best Production
• Best Cinematography
• Best Screenplay
• Best Editing
• Unheard Stories Award

Awards will be given in the form of a certificate and cash prizes. The amount of each prize will be announced shortly.

Rules & Terms

There is no age requirement or preferred academic background. Anyone with an interest in film and who fulfills the rest of the terms is eligible and welcome to submit their films.

**PERSONAL VERIFICATION WILL BE REQUIRED! APPLICANTS MUST ATTACH A PICTURE OF A VALID ID.**

Any submission without these criteria will be disqualified from the festival.

CRITERIA

- Films should have a run time of 15 minutes or less (credits included).

- All the films made after January 2020 are eligible to enter the festival

- Submissions must be in a fiction short film format. Works such as documentaries, artwork showcases, music videos or games will be disqualified.

- If the submission is in a language that is not English, it must have English subtitles.

ADDITIONALLY:

- We ask you to also include a registration sheet, a poster of the short film, and any additional photos or marketing material.

- There are no limits to the number of movies any individual can submit

If you are planning to submit your film to our special categories please read each category's regulations carefully. IESFF has the right to disqualify any film due to being overly obscure, vulgar and/or offensive.

If your film is selected for the festival, you are required to submit a Quicktime ProRes file and a DCP of the short film.


COPYRIGHT
All movies submitted to the festival should conform to copyright laws and uphold the rights required for all the content used in the film. This content include (but are not limited to): All the music used in the films, content, and also actors and actresses. The filmmaker must be ready to submit any necessary documentation to prove ownership or the right to use any of the items above and the festival will get in contact with the filmmakers in case of any confusion.

Any film that violates these principles will be disqualified from the festival.

FORMAT
All foreign language entries must have English subtitles. Projects must be submitted through an online screener (online screener is the preferred method; we recommend using Vimeo or YouTube and password-locking your film).

Works-in-progress are also eligible for submission but the final version has to be submitted one month before the festival.

You will receive an email upon completing the process. In case of any problems you can contact us through our website at IESFF.org or our email: ieshortff@gmail.com


DEADLINES
The final deadline for the submission to the festival is February 1st, 2023 and the deadline won’t be expanded beyond this date.

The final version of the work-in-progress film should be submitted by April 10th, 2023.

You will be notified of acceptance by March 31st, 2023.


CATEGORIES

*Please note that films selected for any of the following categories shall be notified as "Selected", with those considered in the final round before selection being notified as "Finalist"*

Official Selection: All movies that adhere to the general regulations and are less than fifteen minutes can be submitted in this category.

Unheard Stories Category: Movies in this category are about people, cultures, or situations in the world that don't get enough coverage to be known, heard, or understood.

PRESS MATERIALS
IESFF is a great opportunity to showcase your talent to filmmakers, students and companies across the globe. So if your film is selected, use the press kit function of FilmFreeway to submit all the relevant data.

PHOTO/VIDEO/PUBLICITY RELEASE
By submitting to IE Student Film Festival, you are agreeing that in case of acceptance, IESFF may use your film for promotional materials and in photos and videos of the closing ceremony.
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  • Jason Ruddy

    What a fantastic experience. IESFF is up there with the best festivals for presentation, programming and its professionalism. My film was lucky enough to be selected and then go on to win Best Short. I was honoured to be part of this festival and hope to be part of it again in the near future.

    June 2023
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  • Paula Espinoza

    Even though this was only their second year, I was surprised by the level of works presented and the organization of the gala. I am very happy to have been considered for this festival as a winner and definitely encourage creatives to sign up!

    May 2021
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  • Jack Walton

    Brilliant film festival full of lovely people

    May 2021
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  • Panfred Reed

    Incredibly great-full to the IE student film festival for selecting our film, and awarding us BEST EDITING! Thankyou!

    February 2019
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