Welcome to the Indiana Independent Film Festival – Where Stories Come to Life!

Step into the spotlight and share your vision with the world! The Indiana Independent Film Festival is a vibrant celebration of bold storytelling, creative risk-taking, and the magic of cinema in its most powerful form — the short film.

We invite filmmakers from around the globe to submit their work and join a dynamic community of storytellers, dreamers, and innovators. Whether your film is dramatic, comedic, experimental, or somewhere in between, we want to see your voice on screen.

Hosted entirely online, our festival offers an accessible global stage where your work can reach a wide and engaged audience. Every season, our panel of industry-savvy judges selects standout films across multiple categories — and the winners receive official certificates, social media spotlights, and a place of honor on our website.

Submit your work. Make your mark. Inspire the world.
Let’s celebrate the art of filmmaking together.

Rules & Terms

About Screening
Selected winner films will be screened online on our official platform as part of the festival.
If any winner does not wish to participate in the screening, they must notify us before the event day.

1. Submission Format
All films must be submitted via FilmFreeway as a secure online screener (YouTube, Vimeo, or FilmFreeway upload). No physical media will be accepted.

2. Language
Films in any language are welcome, but non-English films must include English subtitles.

3. Completion Date
There is no strict production year restriction, but we encourage submitting recent work (preferably completed within the past 3 years).

4. Premiere Status
We do not require premiere status. Films that have screened at other festivals or online are welcome.

5. Genres
All genres and styles are accepted — narrative, documentary, animation, experimental, etc.

6. Multiple Submissions
Filmmakers may submit multiple entries, but each film must be submitted separately with its own entry fee.

7. Selection Process
All films are reviewed by our programming team and jury. Selected filmmakers will be notified by the listed notification date.

8. Online Screening for Winners
Winning films will be screened during the festival. The screening will take place on our online platform and promoted via our website and social media.
41 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Pepi ROMAGNOLI

    Thank you very much for the finalist award to my medium lengh, first time movie, Courtyard window.

    June 2026
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  • Mimi Garrard

    We are honored to be a part of your festival.

    Mimi Garrard

    May 2026
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  • Andromeda Graziano

    Dear Indiana Independent Film Festival,
    I and all on the Schumann team are all thrilled to have been given this recognition winning Best Dance Film with Schumann: a love story.
    It really does mean so very much to be seen, to be acknowledged, to be congratulated. There is a big team of people that made this film possible and an even greater number of people who donated to our crowdfunding campaign to make this film come to life so please know that this matters so very much to us.
    With thanks again and best wishes,
    Andromeda, Raul and all on the Schumann team.

    May 2026
    Helpful
  • Harriet Brennan

    It was so wonderful that The Master Puppeteer was awarded Best Comedy Short! This is a great honour and will spur us on in our future filmmaking.
    Everything about the festival was superb and we recommend it highly to all filmmakers.
    Thank you so much Indiana Independent Film Festival!

    May 2026
    Helpful
  • Davide De Gregorio

    What an honor to receive the award for Best Music Video. ✨
    A huge thank you to the Indiana Independent Film Festival, the jury, and to everyone who believed in this project from the very beginning.
    “Sexy City Lights” has been an incredible journey made of passion, music, vision and amazing people around it. Hopefully the song will continue to grow, reaching even more listeners and success in the US and around the world. 🇺🇸🌍
    Grateful beyond words.

    May 2026
    Helpful