The Marblehead Festival of Arts is considered by many to be the finest July 4th celebration of the arts on Boston’s North Shore [USA]. This year the Festival will be held from Wednesday, July 1 through Sunday, July 5, 2026.
We invite both aspiring and seasoned filmmakers to submit "family fare" films for our 2026 Short Film Festival. The Adult and Youth/Student films will be shown together in a 90 minute screening.
We show film genres [excluding horror, violence, graphic language or anything that may be unsuitable for a family audience] of Comedy, Drama, Documentary, Animation, and Music Video, ranging up to 15 minutes. We accept films from all over the world. Non-English spoken words should have English Subtitles that are legible.
Film Festival works are intended to show the many ways that film can be used as an art form to inform and express. They are not commercial films of the sort that you can find in your standard multiplex.
The Film Festival is an outdoor and indoor event that will hold its screenings outside at a local historic park and also indoors at a venue with appropriate movie projection facilities during the 59th celebration of the Marblehead Festival of Arts.
Films selected will be eligible for cash and other prizes. The selected films may also be screened at the Festival’s indoor Winter Short Film Festival in February 2027.
In the over-all Arts Festival, there are art exhibits; literary festival; street, children's, boat, kite and sand festivals; and performing musical artists among the many Festival activities.
Adult -
Best of Show: $125.00
Outstanding Work: $50.00
Honorable Mention: Ribbon
People’s Choice: Ribbon
Youth/Student -
Open to youth/students through Grade 12 (ages 18 and under)
Best of Show: Ribbon
People’s Choice: Ribbon
Other films may be recognized, which in the judges' opinions present unique techniques, with a Special Recognition Award.
