The 20th Annual Sioux City International Shorts Film Festival

SCIFF is the longest continuously running shorts film festival in Iowa. Our festival has evolved over the years to a four-day-event held in downtown Sioux City. Often over a third of our entries are from international destinations. SCIFF is a shorts festival with films not exceeding 30 minutes in length.

Each year, we create a panel and workshops devoted to a special category, and this year the SCIFF theme is Adaptation: Cinematic Transformation.

We love meeting filmmakers so we work with you to attend once your submission has been accepted. When you arrive, we'll provide you with a comprehensive packet about the festival and the city, and you'll have access to the Filmmakers' Lounge -- a quiet space stocked with snacks and beverages as well as a congregating place where you can connect with and other filmmakers. And our audiences love meeting you, too; you will find they appreciate your hard work and will enjoy engaging in discussions with you.

As part of our educational outreach, we invite short films from high school students in the Midwest (Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Minnesota). High School films will be screened on Saturday, October 4, 2025 at 10:00am.

The Sioux City International Film Festival strives to promote independent film in a tri-state area including parts of Iowa, South Dakota, and Nebraska. We have over 175,000 people living in the immediate area and we market to thousands more living nearby.

Screening categories are subject to change based on entries received. While we do not currently have a category for animated films, we welcome animated films in all genre categories.

NOTE: We DO NOT pay for any screening fees nor offer any compensation for any film that is submitted and/or accepted for competition in any of our award categories. If there are any questions or concerns about our festival rules, please reach out via email: submissions@siouxcityfilmfest.org.

Awards & Prizes

Best Documentary • $500 First Prize and a Siouxsie Award
Comedy • $500 First Prize and a Siouxsie Award
Horror/Thriller/Sci-Fi/Fantasy • $500 First Prize and a Siouxsie Award
Drama • $500 First Prize and Siouxsie Award
Best of the Fest • $500 Prize and a Siouxsie Award
Best Music • Custom Guitar from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Best Adaptation • Custom Award
Audience Choice • Siouxsette Award*

*Certificates will be awarded to the audience choice for each film genre block.

Rules & Terms

We accept only short films, defined as no longer than thirty (30) minutes. All subject matter is acceptable.

Submissions must include your email and street address. Selection notifications will be sent via FilmFreeway to the email address provided when you submit. Once submitted, a film cannot be withdrawn.

Submissions may be screened more than once during the Festival. We reserve the right to determine when films will be screened. NOTE: We DO NOT pay for any screening fees nor offer any compensation for any film that is submitted and/or accepted for competition in any of our award categories. If there are any questions or concerns about our festival rules, please reach out via email: submissions@siouxcityfilmfest.org.

Sioux City International Film Festival reserves the right to utilize any accepted film for exhibition at the Festival for promotional purposes in perpetuity.

The person submitting the film warrants that they are authorized to commit the film for screening and understands and accepts all the rules and terms.

The person submitting the film shall indemnify and hold harmless Sioux City International Film Festival and Siouxland Institute of Film, Inc. (our parent nonprofit corporation) from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, fees and costs, including attorney fees, that arise out of failure of the person submitting to have all rights needed to submit the film.

If your film is selected for screening we will need a DCP or PRORES equivalent video file for conversion to DCP for theatrical distribution. We accept DCP and Prores or equivalent files for conversion to DCP for exhibition at the Festival. Films delivered on DCP must be available to download or be delivered on a flash drive with a non-DCP backup. All DCPs must be DCI compliant. All DCPs must not be encrypted. ProRes file backup copies must be provided for all theatrically exhibited projects. Please note that these specifications are subject to change at any time.
22 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Crescent Pictures

    What a treat to be able to screen our film, Steps, at this amazing fest. The crowds were great, the hospitality was top notch, and the programming was wonderfully curated. Thanks so much to the team, can’t wait to be back!

    October 2024
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  • Paper Horse Pictures

    Participating in the Sioux City International Film Festival was a fantastic experience. Although we couldn’t attend due to scheduling conflicts, we were thoroughly impressed by the festival’s exceptional support and dedication to both the films and the filmmakers. Their professionalism truly made an impact.

    October 2024
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  • Gabriel Caro

    The people of Sioux City Film Festival are so compassionate and friendly. Their is a real sense of community there that this Festival fosters, and as one of my first film festivals, I couldn't be happier with the experience! It was an honor to receive audience choice, and a privilege to be surrounded by such gifted filmmakers, each on their own journeys.

    Thank you so much for having me, and hope I get the chance to go again one of these days!

    -Gabriel Caro
    Filmaker/Animator
    The Dark Frog Experiment

    November 2022
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  • Michael Sertic

    What a terrific group of people, and what a fine event! Mandie, Adam, Greg, Leslie, Julie and the entire SCFF staff, from the head of the festival to the interns, could not have been kinder or more hospitable. This is a group of people who genuinely care about film, filmmakers, and their community. I truly cannot say enough kind words about them!

    Bill Marsilii, Writer/Director, GUNPOINT

    November 2022
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  • Forrest Karbowski

    I was very pleased to attend the Sioux City International Film Festival with my short film "The Resemblance." We felt truly welcomed and in good company with the excellent selection of films, as well as a slate of informative and entertaining workshops. This is a festival that cares about films and filmmakers, and I'd be happy to return.

    October 2022
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