This is the first annual competitive film festival competition for PopCon but we are in our 7th year as a convention. PopCon Indy will be programming a full-lineup pop culture film festival. Filmmakers from around the world are invited to submit their feature and short films.

PopCon takes place July 10-12, 2020 at the Indiana Convention Center and will welcome dozens of special guests, including several big-name celebrities, YouTube sensations, gamers and creators from all aspects of pop culture. The international film festival will begin July 9th and then run through the end of PopCon July 12th..

The film festival will be honoring films of several pop culture genres, including sci-fi, fantasy, comics, gaming, anime, horror, internet culture, and thriller!

PopCon continues to bring some of the largest names in pop culture to Indianapolis each year, but the event’s true mission is to give creators – of all kinds – a platform to find new audiences. Instead of focusing on one specific fandom, PopCon flips the script on the typical con experience by focusing on all genres of pop culture fandom. The film festival is an obvious expansion of that mission.

The film festival will be in addition to all the other programming at PopCon over the event’s weekend. The 4th Annual PopCon Podcast Awards, the 7th Annual Ultimate Cosplay Championships, and hundreds of fan panels and workshops will be alongside video gaming, laser tag, escape rooms, state-of-the-art virtual reality offerings, and 24-hour board gaming. PopCon will also continue to have the best selection of vendors for fans to enjoy.

Tickets to the event can be purchased from our main website link on the left in the contacts section.

Awards & Prizes

"Best" Feature, Short, Actor, Actress, Director and SFX

Rules & Terms

Please read all rules and terms prior to submitting your film,

PopCon Film Festival is excited to consider your short film of 50 minutes or less or your feature film over 51 minutes in length within the categories of fantasy, sci-fi, action, anime, comics, gaming, internet culture, thriller, & horror.

Film must be submitted through FilmFreeway. If selected, acceptable screening formats are as follows: Blu-Ray, DVD or DCP. Digital is highly preferred.

We accept films produced after May 2017.

Please submit the version you want judged. We do not allow alternate versions to be submitted without being subject to another entrance fee.

By submitting your film to PopCon Film Festival you acknowledge and authorize use of material for promotional use which includes but is not limited to excerpts and images.
You also agree to hold PopCon Film Festival harmless from any and all claims, liabilities, losses, expenses and damages as a result of entry.

Premieres will be considered in final programming decisions.

All films not in English must have English subtitles.

Notifications will be made by May 22, 2020 via email or phone.

PopCon reserves the rights to disqualify any submission without refund and PopCon does not allow any refunds.

Films that have been acquired, produced, financed or distributed by any major motion picture studios or production companies will be screened out of competition. It is the sole responsibility of the submitting entity to attain all permissions required from the studio(s) or production company(s) prior to submission and screening.

By submitting, artists agree to all terms set forth in the rules.

Entering your film is considered giving the PopCon International Film Festival permission to screen your film during the course of the event.

PopCon International Film Festival is hereby granted the right to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at the Festival for promotional purposes.

The submitter shall indemnify and hold harmless PopCon and PopCon International Film Festival from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.