The Little Falls Smartphone Film Festival is an international film festival dedicated to content shot on a smartphone or tablet, all within the Mohawk Valley in Upstate New York. No longer is expensive technology a barrier to creativity. The mobile phone has expanded the scope and freedom for filmmakers, providing limitless possibilities in the palm of your hand. The festival will encourage filmmakers to share the stories they have captured on mobile devices and give them a platform to exhibit these stories to a broader audience.

The festival is in June 2026, and submissions will open in May 2026 via FilmFreeway.

Awards & Prizes

There will be at least five winners, with additional possible categories for Audience Favorite, Kids Best Work (for filmmakers 16 and under), Finished on Mobile (must be shot AND edited on a mobile device or tablet) and others that we are considering.

Rules & Terms

You must film with a mobile phone or a tablet. You can use accessories such as microphones, stabilizers, filters, removable lenses, etc. Drone footage is permitted in moderation (no more than 5% using a drone is acceptable). Twenty minutes maximum, including credits. All shots must be within the Mohawk Valley of Upstate New York. We want to highlight the area’s rich heritage and unique look. Only MP4 or MOV formats can be submitted. All audio-visual forms are accepted: fiction, documentary, and all genres, too: romance, horror, science-fiction, western, drama, period, thriller, Z movie, comedy, action, war film, music video, etc., as well as stop-motion, time-lapse, etc. Films using motion-capture techniques and/or special effects added during editing are welcome, as long as the images were filmed using a mobile/tablet device. Unfortunately, films comprising only graphic animations without any live action are not permitted. Special effects can be added during editing. Brands cannot be shown explicitly onscreen, but in the urban landscape, there are many brands, and it is not forbidden to use them in the film. Multiple people can be involved in making the film. The entry form allows you to list all members of your team and their roles, including any co-producers and directors. If you want to use any music in your film, you must hold the appropriate rights or have been authorized to use it by the author or its rights holders. You may be required to prove this if requested by our team. You can enter as many films as you like. However, only one film per director can be shortlisted for the competition. When registering more than one film, please use the same information for each one.