FOR ADDITIONAL NEWS OF THE 11TH ANNUAL SHORT FILM COMPETITION, GO TO THE SHORT FILM COMPETITION PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE!

Begun in 2014, Mountain Shadow Film Society currently has hundreds of active members. Our goal is to bring the best in international and independent filmmaking to Walnut Creek (EastBay/San Francisco). We screen films otherwise unavailable in local commercial theaters. This includes award-winning short films along with feature films, periodic live presentations by the filmmakers themselves, and opportunities to engage other film enthusiasts.

Our Annual Short Film Competition has become an exciting addition to our program, presented each September to Society members, their guests and the general public. The final program includes 8-12 Finalists, with a total running time of approximately 90-100 minutes in the program.

Awards & Prizes

ALL selected Finalists will receive the same $150 cash award! Audience balloting will determine Laurels for 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place, with remaining Finalists receiving Finalist Laurels.

While selected Finalists cover their own required travel expenses, we do offer free weekend overnight accommodations and local transportation for those requesting it (including any traveling companion). In addition, we provide meal events for the Finalists to enjoy, including an After-Party!

Rules & Terms

Finalist agree to present their film in person at two screenings at our Walnut Creek theater venue (Saturday afternoon and evening, Sept. 20th).

IMPORTANT NOTES:
1) License release: Entrant to grant Mountain Shadow public performance rights to their film, to be included on the secure video link, free of charge. (The secure video link will be disabled after the shows.) Applicant further declares their work has taken care of all necessary permission use of any copyrighted material (e.g. music) used in their film. There are also other events for the Finalists to enjoy, including a Reception prior to the screenings, a Saturday brunch and Saturday night After Party.

Submission Fee: For the tenth year in a row, and — in keeping with our mission to support independent filmmaking -- there is NO SUBMISSION FEE. Criteria for submissions:

Submissions: Short Films (running time: 2 Minutes – 25 Minutes)

Categories: Animated, Live-action/ Narrative, or Documentary

How recent? The film should NOT have been completed any earlier than January 1, 2023. Films completed earlier than Jan. 1st, 2023 will not be considered.

Prior release restrictions: The film should not have been broadly screened in any commercial venue or public media (local PBS, for example): Prior festival screenings OK.

License release: Applicant grants Mountain Shadow public performance rights for its two shows, free of charge. Applicant further declares their work has taken care of all necessary permission use of any copyrighted material (e.g. music) used in their film.

Finalists will be selected by a Jury comprised of Mountain Shadow Film Society members and professional filmmakers (non-contestants).

All submissions selected as a Finalist will be notified by Aug. 8th, 2025.

Submission window opens: May 1, 2025

Submission window closes: July 15, 2025

Event Date: Sept. 20, 2025 Two identical shows: 3:30 PM & 7:30 PM.

48 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Margo Chakinis

    Mountain Shadow’s Short Film Festival was great. It was wonderful to talk with peers who are creating things similar to you. The host of the festival was extremely accommodating. The attendees were wonderful to talk to and interested in each project.

    March 2026
    Helpful
  • Ronan Furuta

    Mountain Shadow was an excellent festival. It was well organized, and communication from the festival was very helpful. The festival's filmmaker events were very personal and provided a great opportunity to meet and chat with others. The range and variety of their programming made the screenings enjoyable to attend.

    Thank you for a wonderful event! Ronan Furuta – A School of Trout

    September 2025
    Helpful
  • Zack Abdulbaki

    The Mountain Shadow Film Society provided such a memorable and rewarding experience. The day felt both professional and personal, with plenty of opportunities to connect with fellow filmmakers and audiences.

    The Q&As, the “Meet the Filmmakers” reception, and the celebratory after-party all added to the sense of community that makes this festival stand out.

    I’m grateful my film was included as a Finalist and would highly recommend Mountain Shadow to any filmmaker looking for a festival that combines professionalism with genuine warmth and community.

    — Zack Abdulbaki, filmmaker of HELIUM

    September 2025
    Helpful
  • Cole Aylaian

    Great event, lots of communication from and the coordinators, honored to have been selected!

    September 2025
    Helpful
  • Colton Dillard

    This film festival was such an incredible experience! There's clearly a lot of passion and authenticity put into each film by the filmmakers. The hosts were so hospitable and worked really hard to make it feel special.

    September 2025
    Helpful