Lucky Reel Short Fest, produced by Jus’ Our Luck Films, is a curated, non-competitive showcase celebrating short-form storytelling.

The festival presents a focused cinematic experience featuring short films, music videos, trailers, and select works-in-progress, thoughtfully programmed into a cohesive screening.

Lucky Reel Short Fest operates on a curated, invitation-based submission model, with projects selected based on creative alignment and programming needs. Submission availability may be limited or closed early once capacity is reached.

The program highlights Houston-based filmmakers alongside invited creators from around the world. This is a cinematic-only experience with no Q&A sessions or panels, designed for audiences to fully immerse themselves in the work.

Awards & Prizes

Lucky Reel Short Fest does not offer awards or prizes. The event is centered on showcasing work, expanding audience reach, and creating meaningful engagement between filmmakers and viewers.

Rules & Terms

Non-Competitive Event:
Lucky Reel Short Fest is a non-competitive screening event. Films are selected for exhibition and audience engagement only. No awards or prizes are given.

Eligibility / Accepted Submissions:
We accept short films, music videos, and trailers for upcoming projects. Submissions may have screened elsewhere or be publicly available online. Projects must have been completed within the last FIVE years, and all submitted work must be original content created by the submitting filmmaker(s).

No Submission Fees:
There are no fees to submit to Lucky Reel Short Fest.

File Requirements:
All submitted and screening files must be in MP4 or MOV format.

Ownership & Original Content:
By submitting, filmmakers confirm that they are the original creators of the work and hold or control all rights to the submitted project, including music, images, and likenesses. The film does not infringe on any third-party rights, and all content must be original or properly licensed.

Screening & Promotion:
Filmmakers grant Lucky Reel Short Fest permission to screen the submitted project at the event and to use clips, stills, and project information for promotional purposes (website, social media, and event marketing only).

Technical Responsibilities:
Filmmakers are responsible for providing screening-ready files by the requested deadline. Lucky Reel Short Fest reserves the right to make final programming decisions and to decline any submission that does not align with the event’s mission, eligibility, or technical requirements.

Recommended Screening Specifications:
To ensure the best presentation, selected filmmakers are encouraged to provide screening files with the following specs:

File Format: MP4 or MOV

Video Codec: H.264 (preferred)

Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) or higher

Frame Rate: Original frame rate preferred

Aspect Ratio: 16:9 (other ratios accepted if intentional)

Audio Codec: AAC

Audio Channels: Stereo (5.1 accepted if available)

Audio Level: Properly mixed, no clipping or distortion

Files should be clear and fully playable for audience viewing.