A free-to-attend film festival that highlights the best short- and feature-length documentary and narrative films in a place that recognizes that filmmakers and film fans DO make history—this is Longleaf. This weekend festival screens films that demonstrate a Tar Heel State connection, through the people involved in making them or through their subject. Of course, we hold near and dear all (current and former) Longleaf Official Selection filmmakers.

The North Carolina Museum of History serves as home base for Longleaf Film Festival, which celebrates the vibrant community of independent film in our state and beyond. We invite you to be part of Longleaf and help us share films in a place that tells the stories that connect us all.

Awards & Prizes

All narrative festival submissions are eligible for the $500 Judges’ Choice--Narrative award. All documentary festival submissions are eligible for the $500 Judges’ Choice--Documentary award. All films entered in the Middle and High School Student Film category are eligible for the $300 Best Student-Made Film award. Additionally, all original posters submitted with film entries will be considered for the $200 Best Poster 2019 prize. Filmmakers may opt out of consideration for this prize. Other prizes may be awarded as listed below.

Animated Film
One prize may be awarded for each of the following subcategories:
• Best Overall

Documentary Feature
One prize may be awarded for each of the following subcategories:
• Best Overall

Documentary Short
One prize may be awarded for each of the following subcategories:
• Best Overall

History+
Entries must reflect or depict a topic in history from a unique perspective of insight and accuracy. One prize may be awarded for each of the following subcategories:
• Best Narrative
• Best Documentary

Middle and High School Student Film
One prize may be awarded for each of the following subcategories:
• Best Narrative
• Best Documentary

Music Videos
One prize may be awarded for each of the following subcategories:
• Best Overall

Narrative Feature
One prize may be awarded for each of the following subcategories:
• Best Horror–Sci-Fi
• Best Comedy
• Best Drama

Narrative Short
One prize may be awarded for each of the following subcategories:
• Best Horror–Sci-Fi
• Best Comedy
• Best Drama

Original Film Poster
One prize may be awarded for the following subcategory
• Best Overall

Rules & Terms

The list and the rules.

Longleaf Film Festival has 8 categories for entry:
• Animated Films, (shorts or feature length between 1 and 90 minutes total running time)
• Documentary Feature (between 40 and 90 minutes total running time)
• Documentary Short (between 1 and 39 minutes total running time)
• History+ films (narrative and documentary films, features and shorts, between 1 and 90 minutes total running time)
• Middle and High School Student Film (between 1 and 20 minutes total running time)
• Music Videos (between 1 and 8 minutes total running time)
• Narrative Feature (between 40 and 90 minutes total running time)
• Narrative Short (between 1 and 39 minutes total running time)

Eligibility to enter Longleaf!
To be eligible for selection and awards for Longleaf 2019, filmmakers and/or films must have a North Carolina connection and/or be a former Official Selection filmmaker. Connections include:
• film was made in North Carolina and/or;
• filmmaker or key production member (screenwriter, cinematographer, producer, documentary subject or lead actor) lives here now and/or grew up in the state and/or attended college or university here and/or;
• the submitting filmmaker is a former Longleaf Official Selection filmmaker and/or;
• the story or topic is a North Carolina subject.
Visiting friends and family or regularly vacationing in North Carolina is NOT sufficient for entry. We do encourage entries from out of state and around the world, if they demonstrate that Tar Heel Tie-In.

Other rules and requests
• Longleaf Film Festival reserves the right to refuse films depicting excessive nudity and/or gore.
• Longleaf Film Festival holds no responsibility for lost films.
• Longleaf Film Festival does not pay screening fees.
• We accept films that have screened at other festivals and venues, however we encourage premieres! Please, let us know if your film will be a premier (including a North Carolina premier) screening if accepted.
• Because we want to promote your film as part of Longleaf and we expect Official Selections to NOT screen in the month prior to the festival, within 60 miles of Raleigh.
• And, of course, we expect your film to be available for screening during the festival.
• You must include your snail mail address on your FilmFreeway entry.
• Except for middle and high school student films (see that category), films submitted for Longleaf 2019 must have been made between January 1, 2017, and March 1, 2019.
• Longleaf Film Festival reserves the right to not award a prize in any category.
• Longleaf Film Festival reserves the right to award prizes outside of the category of entry.
• All submissions to Longleaf 2019 will be handled through FilmFreeway. No manual submissions will be processed.
• Once a submission is accepted to the festival, a digital screening version of the film must be provided to the Longleaf Film Festival.

GENERAL TERMS and CONDITIONS
I (the entrant) have read and agree to all Longleaf Film Festival rules and procedures. Further, I warrant that I am the owner of the submission; I have not infringed upon or violated any copyright, privacy rights, or publicity or similar rights; I have obtained all rights, licenses, or necessary permissions thereto; I will indemnify the Longleaf Film Festival against any claims related to this submission; I will hold the Longleaf Film Festival harmless for any damages, costs, liabilities, and expenses related to the submission, screening, and use of this entry; I limit and liquidate all claims to no more than the cost of the entry fee; and I expressly grant the Longleaf Film Festival permission to use, broadcast, or publicly display clips of the submission (or its film or sound components) for publicity, teaching, and other related purposes.

Signature of Acknowledgment: ___________________________________________________________
Date of Acknowledgment: ________________________________________________________________

25 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Thomas Parrish V

    Outstanding festival, organized, get venue.

    June 2018
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks so much!

  • Camden Watts

    Longleaf is a great place to share your work and meet filmmakers. They are so hospitable and always looking for ways to grow and improve the fest. I look forward to it each year!

    May 2018
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks Camden! We appreciate your work and support.

  • mark playne

    Great film festival. Good curation of films. Communication from start to finish was a pleasure.

    May 2018
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks, Mark, for your kind words.

  • Raymond Wallace

    Longleaf was a fantastic festival, and one if not the best film festival experiences I've had. They screening locations were top notch, the film selections were always interesting, and it's open and free to the public format brought in a diverse audience with fantastic interactions. Truly a great North Carolina film festival!

    May 2018
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  • Becky Bulebush

    I had a wonderful time screening my short film at Longleaf's 2018 festival. The venue was lovely, the films were fantastic, and the staff was amazing. Sally is a marvelous administrator and keeps in touch in an extremely timely manner. It is obvious that she and the rest of the staff love their jobs. The festival was a joy to be a part of. Here's to coming back year after year!

    May 2018
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks so much Becky! We enjoyed your film, you, and your family.