Shit in the Dirt doesn't care about imperfections - in fact, we embrace them. At our festival, we want to celebrate low-to-no-budget filmmaking by exhibiting films that appear amateurish in nature, yet are beautifully unique in their own way.

Shit in the Dirt curates a platform for independent artists to showcase their genuine, weird, and irreverent film projects. Through this, we strive to build an inclusive community that supports creativity and encourages the absurd.

Selected films will premiere on Friday, December 4th, Saturday, December 5th, and Tuesday, December 8th 2026 at the Apohadion Theater in Portland, ME.

Tickets will go on sale in Fall 2026. Additional screenings may be announced.

Awards & Prizes

Awards may include...

Best Acting
Best Animation
Most Incoherent Film
Most Coherent Film
Most Abhorrent Film
Best Editing
Best Ensemble
RAWR XD Award - Best Performance by an Animal
The Spirit of Shit in the Dirt Award
Best Film

Rules & Terms

- Film submissions are open between the dates of May 22nd and October 10th, 2026. Filmmakers will be notified on October 20th.

- Official film submissions may be no longer than 12 minutes and no shorter than 1 second. We are ideally looking for films between 15 seconds and 8 minutes long.

- Please make sure your film is made available to download on FilmFreeway.

- Films in any language are eligible, but should be subtitled if not in English. Subtitles should be printed into the submitted film file.

- Films made with a heavy reliance on the use of AI, generative or otherwise, will NOT be considered.

- By submitting your film, you are granting Shit in the Dirt permission to use the contents of your film to be reproduced in event screenings, recorded screenings, virtual screenings, and in promotional content: with proper credit given to filmmaker.

24 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Vadir Sottelo

    Being part of the Official Selection of the S*** in the Dirt Film Festival with the short film “The Resilience”, directed by Vadir Sottelo, is a great honor.

    The film explores the resilience of the body and identity in the face of oppression, using the language of horror and metaphor to speak about memory, dignity, and transformation. The Resilience embraces an unsettling and honest form of cinema, one that seeks not easy answers, but meaningful reflection rooted in the human experience.

    We sincerely thank the festival for providing a space for stories that take risks, challenge conventions, and give voice to the margins.

    December 2025
    Helpful
  • Gary Fisher

    Insanely inviting, fun festival with sold-out electric crowds. And really creative entertaining films!

    December 2025
    Helpful
  • Rives Elliot

    Very cool festival that showcases off-beat "diamond in the rough" films that you may not see anywhere else. Honored to have our SOV movie "Murder in the Park" as part of the Dec 2024 festival and to win both the "Best Film" and "Spirit of S*** in the Dirt" awards. Great communication

    January 2025
    Helpful
  • Simon Jones

    Loved being part of S*** in the Dirt Festival! Thanks so much for showing our film!

    January 2025
    Helpful
  • Brian T Shirley

    I'm really happy "Blather" was a part of the festival Dec 2024! Thanks again for having me, this is the second time ("Ancient Socks" was the first) and a great experience again!!

    December 2024
    Helpful