GENERAL ELIGIBILITY
Entrants must fully comply with these rules and regulations in order to be considered eligible for acceptance to the Ripley County Film Fest 2026.
- 2026 Ripley County Film Fest Submission Deadline: April 1, 2026 by 5:00pm.
- Eligible films must be between 5:00 minutes and 30:00 minutes in length.
- Eligible films must have been completed after 2020.
- Entries must be in English or have English subtitles.
- The submitting party must be either the producer or director of the film and have ownership of and/or the rights to film and have the authority and permission to submit this film to the Ripley County Film Fest.
- Films that require a screening fee are not eligible. Honorariums will not be offered and cannot be demanded after submission for consideration.
- All films MUST be submitted via a digital file (MP4 or MOV). No Blu-rays, DVDs or 35mm prints will be screened at the Festival. Submissions must be submitted as an online streaming video via a participating submission platform called FilmFreeway.
- Each submission must be accompanied by the applicable submission fee of $35 for non-students or $20 for students along with their online entry submission form on FilmFreeway. Entries without payment will not be considered. A filmmaker may submit more than one film, however, each film is a separate entry and requires separate submission fees and entry forms.
- Please Note: The Ripley County Film Fest Committee does not waive entry fees. It is the opinion of the Ripley County Film Fest Committee that the practice of waiving entry fees hurts the integrity of the competition. The same rules and entry fees should apply to all applicants so no one film is favored over another.
- All fees are non-refundable. If a payment is disputed by an entrant for any reason, the entrant may be subject to any transaction fees or similar amounts incurred by the Ripley County Community Foundation in connection with the dispute.
- A submission does not guarantee that a film will be selected to be part of the Ripley County Film Fest. The Ripley County Film Fest Committee has the sole and exclusive right to determine which films to host for public viewing and reserves the right to not show/play/feature a submitted film for any reason, or no reason at all. This includes at any time before or during the event. Refunds will not be issued. Films that are selected to screen at the Ripley County Film Fest may not necessarily be selected to be “in competition” for awards purposes.
- Confirmed films cannot drop from the Ripley County Film Fest lineup once the filmmaker contract is signed. If, for some reason, after acceptance (but prior to the public announcement of the festival line-up) you choose not to screen with the Ripley County Film Fest, you must contact the festival immediately. Attempts to cancel a screening AFTER the official announcement cannot be acknowledged and the film will screen from the available copy on hand. Any title breaking its filmmaker agreement and pulling from the lineup once confirmed will be liable for any and all damages incurred by the Ripley County Community Foundation, Inc., and/or allowable by law.
- This agreement and all subsequent agreements shall be governed by Indiana Law.
PERMISSIONS, ORIGINALITY, & INDEMNITY
- The Ripley County Community Foundation is hereby granted the right to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at the Festival for promotional purposes.
- Submission of entry is considered legal permission to screen your film during the festival upon acceptance.
- Films must be the original work of the applicant(s). If a film is based upon another
person’s life, upon a book, or other underlying work, applicant(s) must secure any
and all necessary rights, permission, and licenses to make such adaptations prior
to submission.
- Applicants are solely responsible for obtaining all necessary rights and
permissions for third-party materials included in their films, including but not
limited to music, trademarks, logos, copyrights, and other intellectual property
rights. By submitting a film, you represent that you have secured all necessary
rights.
- The submitter shall indemnify and hold harmless The Ripley County Community
Foundation, its against and assigns, and the Ripley County Film Fest 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.
RULES & TERMS FOR SUBMISSIONS
- The Ripley County Community Foundation has no obligation to disclose any of the following information: i) identities of screeners or judges; ii) notes, feedback, or information relating to the submitted project; and/or iii) details regarding the submission review or selection process.
- Accepted films will be notified via email or contact address provided in the submission form, no later than May 31, 2026.
- Filmmakers will be required to submit a consent form ensuring the absence of any legal or rights issues, and indemnifying the Ripley County Community Foundation of any and all liabilities that may arise out of screening with the Ripley County Film Fest.
- Upon acceptance, filmmakers (or primary contact) will provide the following by the dates specified by festival organizers:
- Required: An exhibition version of the film in (MP4 or MOV) or Quicktime
with a resolution of at least 1080p, encoded using H.264 or ProRes.
- Optional: DCPs may be supplied for in-person screenings of features and will
be used when possible, but the above formats are required.
- For jury and press purposes, an online digital version of the exhibition
version of the film must be available through the end of the festival.
- Films selected for awards will be announced by June 6, 2026. The judges’ decision is final.
- The Ripley County Community Foundation, through its Ripley County Film Fest Committee reserves the right to switch the entry genre or otherwise assign a category to fit programming needs and interests.
- Films may be any genre but must meet content standards suitable for a
public movie theater. When filling out your submission form and categorizing
your film, below are the genre options.
- Action
- Animation
- Comedy
- Crime/mystery
- Drama
- Horror/thriller
- Musical
- Romantic Comedy
- Science Fiction
- Other:
- While some nudity and strong language are permissible, the content should not be excessive or gratuitous. The Ripley County Film Fest Committee reserves the right to review each submission and determine if the content, including but not limited to, level of nudity, language, or other mature content is appropriate for a general audience and can opt to not show a film if it does not meet the Ripley County Community Foundation’s standards. Final decisions regarding eligibility will be made at the festival's discretion.
- Eligible films which have been submitted for consideration will go through a judging process and are screened by at least one member of the selection committee.
- Winners receiving cash prizes are solely responsible for payment of all applicable local, state, and federal taxes.
QUESTIONS?
The Ripley County Film Fest Committee is happy to answer any questions you may have! Please email Megan Cutter at mcutter@rccfonline.org or call the Ripley County Community Foundations office at 812-933-1098.
