Online screeners are preferred until notification of acceptance, at which time a .mov or .mp4 version will be requested.
• All general and student film submissions must have been completed after June 15, 2023. Best of Jax films must have been completed after January 01, 2023. More information on Best of Jax films is below.
• All films must be in English or have English subtitles. Non-subtitled foreign language films will not be considered.
• All clearances must be obtained for exhibition.
• Only the Producer, Director, Screenwriter, or someone closely connected to the film may complete the application. Schools may submit films on behalf of student filmmakers in the Student Category.
• Only completed entries will be accepted. This includes the non-refundable entry fee paid to the order of JFF, a signed and completed entry form, and an online screener. Filmmakers may apply electronically via FilmFreeway.
• Films submitted in previous years will not be accepted for submission.
• The programmers at JFF actively pursue the best in American independent and world cinema for the annual festival. Films that have been released on video or DVD, have been widely screened on television or cable, or have been released theatrically preclude the festival from accepting those films for competition. Feature narrative entries that appear in their entirety on YouTube or Vimeo or other video exhibition programs will not be accepted. Exceptions are sometimes made for such films to be programmed at the festival out of competition but are determined on a case-by-case basis.
Film Categories for Competition:
• Feature-length films (narrative or documentary) must be 45 minutes or longer.
• Short films (narrative, documentary, web, animated) must be 44 minutes or less.
• Student film submissions must have proof of enrollment. Student films may not exceed 30 minutes.
• Please only submit to one category. Festival staff will make sure your film is in the correct category.
Although JFF is a competitive festival, some films may be included in the program in a non-competition section.
Selected filmmakers may expect the following:
• Filmmakers whose films are accepted for competition will be notified by email by approximately January 10th, 2024.
• All filmmakers with a film in competition will receive two filmmaker passes, giving all access to all events and screenings (subject to availability) at 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 at the designated festival site. Any films with more than two filmmakers in attendance are asked to contact the festival.
• JFF promotes the schedule of screenings via media including newspapers, emails, television, and radio. JFF encourages filmmakers to help promote their films by promoting their screening(s) to industry professionals, distributors, the press, and the general public. (Please contact The Festival for more info)
• For entries selected to the 2024 Film Festival, an exhibition version of the film in proper format (MOV or Mp4) must be received by JFF no later than March 5, 2024. JFF exhibits films in mov and mp4 formats. Failure to comply with technical specifications may result in the removal of the film from the festival competition.
• Filmmakers may not install banners or posters at the theaters without the official authorization of JFF.
• The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations. The individual or corporation submitting this film additionally grants the Jacksonville Film Festival the right to one or more public screenings of the entry during the dates of April 12-14, 2024. Entries that are not completed or available for screening must pull their entry prior to January 10, 2024, or the film will be screened as entered.
Local/Jacksonville Filmmakers
• If you are looking to submit a film for the in-competition portion of the festival, the film must be a Jacksonville premiere and cannot have been in another Jacksonville festival or played in a local theater. Films that have premiered outside of Jacksonville will still be considered.
• Films submitted to “Best of Jacksonville Award” do not have to be premiered but must be completed after June 1, 2023.
• Jacksonville filmmakers are also asked to contact the Jacksonville Film Festival (filmmakers@jacksonvillefilmfestival.com) before submitting.
• Filmmakers in this category will also be notified January 10, 2024.
• If selected, they will also receive the two filmmaker, all-access passes.
Final Notes:
Please include a synopsis or description alone on one page, (one paragraph, appropriate for quick reading) with the film submission. You should also include a cast and crew list on two pages maximum, (if possible). Include contact information.
There is no limit to the number of entries you may submit. A separate entry and entry fee must accompany each work.
The Jacksonville Film Festival reserves the right not to choose a winner from any of the following categories: Animation, Student, Feature, Documentary, Short, and Best of Jacksonville.
The management of the Jacksonville 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.
Questions: Please visit the website at www.jacksonvillefilmfestival.com or email: filmmakers@jacksonvillefilmfestival.com.
Good Luck!
JFF can provide comments about specific films after the festival event wraps up.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
By your submission of a program to the Jacksonville Film Festival, you authorize us to use your program in all promotions for the festival. This would include encore presentations after the festival to which accepted.
