Long Island Cinema Festival

● The Long Island Cinema Festival accepts submissions via FilmFreeway only.
● There are no budget limits and no premiere requirements.
● Films of all lengths and genres are eligible for submission.
● Submission categories are intended to organize entries for review and programming purposes. Award categories and recognitions are determined separately and may be presented at the Festival's discretion based on the number and quality of submissions received.
● Specific genre breakdowns and award categories may be adjusted, combined, or withheld at the Festival's discretion based on the number and quality of submissions received.
● The Festival is a curated event with a limited number of public screenings. Not all selected works are guaranteed a public screening. Selection as an official selection constitutes full recognition by the Festival regardless of screening status.
● Episodic and serialized submissions, including pilots or standalone episodes, are evaluated based on the submitted episode only and may be programmed within short film blocks or curated screenings at the Festival's discretion.
● Music video submissions must be original works with a runtime of 10 minutes or under. Animated music videos are eligible. The submitter confirms they hold rights to all music used in the submission.
● For produced films, screenplay awards are evaluated based on the storytelling as presented in the finished film. Scripts are not reviewed as part of produced film submissions.
● The Breakthrough Screenwriting Competition is dedicated to unproduced work and is evaluated separately from produced films. Submissions are evaluated based on the written screenplay itself.
● The Legacy category is open to films completed prior to the Festival's standard eligibility window and is intended to recognize exceptional work from past years. Legacy selections are evaluated separately from current-year submissions and may be programmed at the Festival's discretion.
● Standard festival submissions must have been completed within the two years preceding the Festival year. Films completed outside this window should be submitted to the Legacy category.
● Final screening schedules, programming decisions, venue assignments, and award determinations are made at the sole discretion of the Festival.
● By submitting, filmmakers grant the Festival permission to use submitted materials, including stills, clips, titles, and descriptions, for promotional and marketing purposes related to the Festival.
● By submitting a film, the submitter confirms they have the legal authority to submit the work and authorize its exhibition at the Festival if selected for screening.
● The Festival does not claim ownership of submitted works.
● Submission fees are non-refundable.
● The Festival reserves the right to make changes to the schedule, venues, and programming as necessary.

FAQ

Will my film screen if selected?
The Festival is curated, and while not all selected works are guaranteed a public screening, all official selections receive full recognition.

How are screenplay awards judged for produced films?
Produced screenplay awards are evaluated based on storytelling as presented in the finished film; scripts are not reviewed.

How is the Breakthrough Screenwriting Competition judged?
Breakthrough Screenwriting submissions are unproduced works and are read and evaluated on the screenplay itself.

Can genre categories be combined or adjusted?
Yes. Genre breakdowns and awards may be adjusted based on the number and quality of submissions.

What is the Legacy category?
Legacy recognizes exceptional films completed prior to the Festival's standard eligibility window and is evaluated separately from current-year submissions.

What are the requirements for music video submissions?
Music video submissions must be original works with a runtime of 10 minutes or under. All music rights must be held by the submitter. Animated music videos are eligible.