Lake Placid Film Festival: October 2023
SHORT FILM COMPETITION - "Your Shorts are Showing"

The Lake Placid Film Festival is the best walkable boutique film festival in the East. It's an opportunity for filmmakers to showcase their short films and to learn from film industry experts in our Filmmaker Educational Seminars, while networking with like-minded filmmakers.

The top 30 Shorts Finalists will be screened at the Lake Placid Film Festival on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023. Films will be promoted on our social media and website channels during and after the event.

Your entry includes a weekend of perks and parties!
*Two Free All-Session passes for you and a guest to panels, shorts, and feature films
*Free entry to the Opening Reception
*Free entry to all Educational Seminars including Catalyst Episodic Showcase, NY Spotlight and more!
*Free entry all weekend to the Filmmakers Lounge & daily networking opportunities
*Filmmaker Awards party, Adirondack-style

Our film industry judges include film critics, directors, and screenwriters. Your short will be judged on originality, directing, writing, performance, structure, sound, and other film quality categories.

Throughout the years, Adirondack Film has featured and hosted Academy award-winning directors such as Guillermo Del Toro, John Sayles, Milos Forman, Norman Jewison, and Martin Scorcese. Notable attendees have included actors Debra Winger, Kyra Sedwick, John Favreau, Matthew Modine, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Cliff Robertson, Peter Riegert, Steve Buscemi, Tony Shalhoub, Patricia Clarkson, Campbell Scott, William Defoe, and others.

PAST WINNERS:
“...a wonderful opportunity to share my film and have a quality in-depth conversation with an engaged audience” -Ryan O’Leary
“...the love, appreciation, and respect that the festival’s organization showed for its filmmakers and their audiences was obvious throughout the entire event” -Mark Burns
“...you fall in love with the space…with Lake Placid. And the more creative people I can talk with, the better. Sitting by the fire with other filmmakers is great” -Marco Baratta

Awards & Prizes

Lake Placid Film Festival 2023 "Your Shorts are Showing" Awards include:

Best Narrative
Best Comedy
Best Documentary
Best Student Film
Best in Festival

The top 30 Finalists will be screened at the Lake Placid Film Festival on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023, and the five Best awards will be presented during the Filmmaker Awards party Saturday evening, October 28th.

Rules & Terms

*Films must be complete with a total running time of a minimum of 2:00 minutes and a maximum of 15:00 minutes, including titles and credits.
*Films with runtimes over 15 minutes will be disqualified.
*All films must have been completed, and completed within three (3) years of the year of the Festival. In other words, to qualify this year, your film should have been completed no earlier than 2020.
*All film submissions must go through FilmFreeway: digital submissions only. No DVDs or Blu-rays will be accepted.
*If using Vimeo, provide a “private” link with permission to download
*If using YouTube, set it to “unlisted” and provide a link
*Films must be in English or have English subtitles
*No limit to the number of submissions per filmmaker, but each submission requires an entry fee
*No refunds or fee waivers
*All filmmakers will be notified on September 10, 2023 through Filmfreeway. The top 30 FINALISTS' films will be screened in Lake Placid on Friday, October 27, 2023.

*FILMMAKER RELEASE: Adirondack Film (AF) and the Lake Placid Film Festival (LPFF) are granted permission and the rights by the submitter, whether an individual or corporation, to use excerpts, quotes, stills, titles, photos, and footage for promotional purposes prior to, during, and after the LPFF. In addition, we are granted permission and the right to use photos, footage, and other materials gathered during the event for promotional purposes in perpetuity. Promotion may include, but not be limited to websites, e-communications, social media, TV, internet, radio, and print sources. The submitter provides Adirondack Film with indemnity and is released from any/all liabilities, losses, damages, claims, and expenses relating to any trademark, copy-write, credits, publicity, and screening. You will be added to Adirondack Film e-mail lists to be updated on all activities

*Adirondack Film and the Lake Placid Film Festival reserve the right to modify schedules, venues, and other events of the Lake Placid Film Festival 2023.

**(SPECIAL NOTE: We will not grant FEE WAIVERS or RULE EXCEPTIONS)

16 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • 1990s Films

    Susan and the entire team at Lake Placid and Adirondack Film were amazing hosts! We were so happy this was our first festival to attend. Everyone made us feel welcome and the whole schedule of events was perfect for us.
    Thank you again for an experience we will never forget! Hope to see you again next year.

    November 2022
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  • Adrian Pacini

    Excellent festival, put on by people who have a great appreciation for independent films and independent filmmakers. We were really honored that 'Dear June' was selected for the festival - thanks again!

    October 2022
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  • Rich Allen

    Lake Placid is an ideal spot for a film festival. The movie theaters so close to hotels and eateries and main venues for all thats going on. The people were terrific. Communications and staff were really great.

    October 2022
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  • Tasha Hardy

    Great festival with a lot of opportunities and connections for filmmakers. Very communicative staff and just a wonderful experience all around; I highly recommend it! :)

    October 2022
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  • Matthew Vincini

    One if the best festivals I’ve been to. So many great films to watch, seminars, and great networking time over the course of almost 4 days. And to top it all off, all located in the beautiful town of lake placid. Great caring staff who truly care about you and your film. Will definitely be submitting again!

    October 2022
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