Founded in Minneapolis in 1999, Sound Unseen began as a groundbreaking “films on music” festival and quickly became one of the country’s most respected niche film festivals. Celebrated by Moviemaker Magazine as one of the 20 Great Film Festivals for First-Time Moviemakers and One of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World, Sound Unseen has spent more than two decades championing bold filmmakers and unforgettable stories.

Sound Unseen Austin is the official Austin edition of this long-running festival. Now in its sixth year, the Austin festival builds on Sound Unseen’s national legacy while bringing its own creative energy to one of the most influential film and music cities in the world.

Past Austin selections include Linda Perry: Let It Die Here, Finding Her Beat, Fanny: The Right to Rock, The Redd Kross Story, and Cyndi Lauper: Let the Canary Sing. The festival has welcomed filmmakers such as Keri Pickett, Marcus Pontello, and Andrew Reich, along with musicians and special guests including Emily Wolfe, Mama Duke, and The Harvest Thieves.

Sound Unseen Austin showcases standout documentaries, narrative features, short films, music videos and music-driven stories, with a warm, filmmaker-first ethos and year-round screenings.

Press coverage includes The Austin Chronicle, KUTX, FOX, CBS, Deadline, Rolling Stone, and more.

Why Submit:

• Premiere in one of the country’s most influential film cities
• A festival known for championing first-time and independent filmmakers
• A direct connection to a 25-year legacy and national brand
• High engagement from Austin’s creative community
• Competitive feature jury with strong visibility
• Real opportunities for press and industry attention
• A filmmaker-first, welcoming environment

Awards & Prizes

Sound Unseen Austin presents awards in two categories:

• Feature Competition
A three to five person jury selects the winning feature from a slate of five to nine films. Feature films must not have U.S. distribution at the time of acceptance.

• Short Film Award
A jury selects one winning short film (documentary or narrative). All short film entries must meet festival eligibility requirements.

Winning films are announced during the festival.

Rules & Terms

1. Preferred premieres include Austin, Texas, U.S., North American, or World premieres.

2. Films must be at least Texas premieres to be considered for Competition.

3. Previously submitted films are not eligible.

4. Films must have been completed on or after August 1, 2025.

5. Films with a Texas theatrical or virtual release prior to or during the festival are not eligible, except in rare cases.

6. Submit screeners via private, password-protected link.

7. Entrants must hold all necessary rights and permissions.

8. Entrant permits the festival to use clips for promotional purposes.

9. All films must be in English or subtitled in English.

10. Student films must include proof of student status.

11. No screening or rental fees for films submitted or granted fee waivers.

12. Closed captions are strongly encouraged.