The Mississippi High School Film Competition was created to promote the art of filmmaking to Mississippi High School students involved in film and television classes, film groups or individual filmmaking. The competition awards cash prizes to the students and their teachers. See the details below.
MISSISSIPPI HIGH SCHOOL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
1. Students must be currently enrolled in a Mississippi High School or participating in a home-schooled curriculum for Mississippi High School students.
2. Film entries must not exceed 10 minutes run time including credits. All types of films are accepted: music video, documentary, commercial, public service announcement, drama, comedy, action, etc.
3. Film entries should have minimal violence, little to no profanity, and no drug/sexual content.
4. Individual and group films are accepted.
5. Film entries must have been completed between Jan. 2024 and Feb. 2026.
6. Film entries must be in English or have English subtitles.
7. Films submitted to other festivals are permitted.
8. Students do not have to attend the festival in order to win an award.
9. All film entries will be judged on performances, production value and originality. Entries will be reviewed by members of the Mississippi High School Film Competition. Entries selected will be judged by an independent panel of judges. The decisions of the judges are final, and any winning entry found to have violated the rules and regulations will have to forfeit.
10. The entry fee is $10 per film. Films must be submitted digitally in mp4 format through the following website: https://filmfreeway.com/MSHighSchoolFilmCompetition.
11. Film Format Requirements from FilmFreeway: FilmFreeway accepts all major video formats in full quality HD up to 10 GB. We transcode videos for playback compatibility and performance and recommend that you use settings close to our output settings:
Maximum video bitrate: 2200 Kbps, H.264, mp4
Audio: 128 Kbps, AAC, 2 channel stereo
Aspect ratio preserved; maximum video height of 720 pixels
12. The deadline for entry is Feb. 20, 2026; the notification date is March 20, 2026.
13. Teachers or students must e-mail a completed entry form to the competition at mshighschoolfilmcompetition@gmail.com or to mscutturini@gmail.com. Or text a photo of the form to (662) 414-0257. Forms must name the sponsoring faculty member or parent.
For more information, contact Morgan Cutturini at mshighschoolfilmcompetition@gmail.com or at mscutturini@gmail.com or (662) 414-0257.
Mississippi High School Film Competition Indemnification Policies
Submission to the Mississippi High School Film Competition is acknowledgement that the filmmaker and sponsor have obtained any necessary clearances, licenses, approvals, etc. for audio and visual elements in the film, including non-original aspects of the film. The entrant grants the competition the right to screen the submitted film. Also, the entrant permits the competition to use the film’s title, images, excerpts from the film, etc. to promote the event through various channels including print, online, social media, radio and TV. All films selected for screening in the competition must meet the delivery requirements for the event including the file format, resolution, sound quality, and deadlines. Once a film has been selected for the competition, the entrant must grant the event the right to download the film from FilmFreeway. Failure to grant this right may result in disqualification of the film. The competition may cancel or postpone the event due to any unforeseen circumstances or force majeure events such as natural disasters, pandemic, or government regulations. In the event of a cancellation, the films will be screened online.
