The Reno Tahoe Film Society is devoted to the advancement of outstanding achievement in cinema, creating opportunities for Filmmakers and Screenwriters, offering audiences amazing entertainment, financial success for our business partners and sponsors, and the enhancement of both the image and economic well-being of the Northern Nevada region. This is the motivation behind launching the Reno Tahoe International Film Festival in June 2018.

We want to be the festival of choice for independent filmmakers and new media producers from all over the world. We want to attract distributors and buyers due to our stellar exhibition of selected films; despite this being our inaugural year, we’ve already received some outstanding considerations.

It’s these goals that lead us to offer filmmakers significant cash awards and prizes, assign social media support to aid them during the festival in building their social media platforms and work with our sponsors to offer an exciting and innovative festival experience.

We believe the most powerful and wide-reaching art form on the planet is cinema. Cinema has the power to transform society and shape thinking. We want to be the platform of artistic tolerance and view cinematic works of all genres, no matter what nationality, in order to thwart censorship of storytellers and provide the arena to shine light on new talent and veteran pros based on their craftsmanship and cinematic achievement. We look forward to discovering new talent and celebrating seasoned pros with you at the inaugural Reno Tahoe International Film Festival.

Awards & Prizes

RTIFF Award Categories, Special Mentions & Cash Prizes

Jury Awards (20 awards)

Best Narrative Feature – $3,000
Best Narrative Short Film – $2,000
Best Documentary Feature – $3,000
Best Documentary Short Film – $2,000
Best Animated Feature – $2,500
Best Animated Short – $1,500
Best Experimental Film – $1,500
Best Director – Feature – $1,500
Best Director – Short – $1,000
Best Screenplay – $1,000
Best Cinematography – $1,000
Best Editing – $750
Best Sound Design – $750
Best Original Score – $750
Best Production Design – $500
Best Actor – $1,000
Best Actress – $1,000
Best Supporting Actor – $500
Best Supporting Actress – $500
Best Ensemble Cast – $500

Special Mentions (non-cash awards)

Special Jury Mention – Narrative – Diploma / Certificate
Special Jury Mention – Documentary – Diploma / Certificate
Special Jury Mention – Animation – Diploma / Certificate
Special Jury Mention – Experimental – Diploma / Certificate

Audience Award (1 award)
Audience Choice Award – $750

Rules & Terms

By submitting to the Reno Tahoe International Film Festival through FilmFreeway, you are stating that you are the owner of your entry and it is your original work. While we understand that you retain all rights to ownership of the work, you hereby give the Reno Tahoe International Film Festival permission to feature, advertise, display, in whole or in part, the work titled and described herein, for festival purposes including promotion. You also understand that your entry is valid only upon completion of the following conditions: (1) receipt of a copy of the work, (2) the processing of the entry fee by the festival organization, and (3) when the work is found to be original and owned by you or those you represent. All materials submitted will not be returned, and will become the archival property of the RTIFF.

DATES COMPLETED: All projects, with the exception of Animated projects, must have been completed after January 2024. Animated Projects must have been completed after January 2023.

Final placement of the accepted submissions into the film festival will be decided by the RTIFF Festival Programming Committee.