Space Coast International Film Fest is a hybrid awards and showcase event based on Florida’s Space Coast, recognizing traditional narrative cinema, AI-driven cinematic storytelling, and non-AI surf films rooted in real-world ocean and coastal culture.

We are looking for films with clear story, cinematic intent, character, movement, tone, and emotional impact. We are not looking for trailers, sizzle reels, mood reels, experimental pieces, abstract visual art, or AI eye candy without narrative substance.

The festival recognizes three lanes of filmmaking: traditionally produced narrative films, AI-assisted or AI-generated narrative films with serious cinematic storytelling, and surf films made from real-world surf, ocean, or coastal culture.

AI is welcome, but story comes first. AI films are judged as films, not as technology demonstrations.

Surf films are accepted as a separate non-AI category. This category honors real-world surf, ocean, beach, waterman, and coastal culture films from around the world.

Selected films are not required to screen publicly. The festival includes online judging and awards recognition, with a small in-person Space Coast showcase planned for select winners and jury-selected films, subject to filmmaker permission, venue availability, and final programming needs.

A small in-person Space Coast showcase is planned for select winners or jury-selected films, subject to venue availability, filmmaker permission, and final programming needs. No film will screen publicly without filmmaker permission.

No film will be publicly screened without filmmaker permission.

Independent cinema from Earth’s launchpad.

Awards & Prizes

Main Competitive Awards:

Winner, Best Traditional Narrative Short

Winner, Best Traditional Narrative Feature

Winner, Best AI Narrative Short

Winner, Best AI Narrative Feature

Winner, Best Surf Film

Special Jury Awards:

The Launchpad Award

Best Horror Film

Best Science Fiction Film

Best Comedy Film

Best Drama Film

Best Thriller Film

Founder’s Choice Award

The Launchpad Award is a special jury award honoring a film that explores spaceflight, aviation, aerospace, launch culture, astronauts, mission control, engineering, exploration, or the human cost of reaching beyond Earth.

This award is for grounded space, aviation, and aerospace storytelling rather than fantasy science fiction. Eligible films may come from any category, including traditional narrative, AI narrative, or documentary-style surf/coastal submissions if the subject matter fits.

All eligible submissions are automatically considered for The Launchpad Award at no additional cost. The award may be presented at the discretion of the jury based on the quality and relevance of submissions received.

All eligible submissions may be considered for applicable special jury and genre awards at no additional cost. Genre awards may be presented at the discretion of the jury based on the quality and eligibility of submissions received.

Founder’s Choice Cash Prize:

For the inaugural season, Space Coast International Film Fest will present one Founder’s Choice Award with a $250 USD cash prize.

All eligible submissions are automatically considered for the Founder’s Choice Award at no additional cost. Only one Founder’s Choice cash prize will be awarded.

The Founder’s Choice Award will be selected by the founding jury for strong storytelling, cinematic ambition, originality, and a clear sense of purpose.

Prize payment will be issued after the winners announcement and completion of the festival season. Payment may be issued by PayPal, Wise, Zelle, or another mutually agreed electronic payment method. The winner is responsible for providing accurate payment information. Any taxes, transfer fees, currency conversion fees, or payment platform fees are the responsibility of the prize recipient.

If the winner does not respond within 30 days of notification, or cannot provide valid payment information, the festival reserves the right to hold, redirect, or withhold the cash prize at its discretion.

Rules & Terms

1) Space Coast International Film Fest is a hybrid awards and showcase event with online judging and awards recognition, plus a small in-person Space Coast showcase planned for select winners and jury-selected films.

2) Selected films are not required to screen publicly.

3) Select winners and jury-selected films may be invited to screen as part of a small in-person Space Coast showcase. Public screening is optional and requires filmmaker permission. Selection does not guarantee public screening.

4) The festival will not upload, stream, exhibit, or publicly share full submitted films without filmmaker permission.

5) Submissions must be entered into the correct category.

6) Traditional Narrative categories are for non-AI narrative films only.

7) AI Narrative categories are for AI-assisted, AI-generated, or hybrid AI films that tell a clear cinematic story.

8) Surf Film is a non-AI category for real-world surf, ocean, beach, waterman, or coastal culture films.

9) Experimental films, avant-garde films, abstract visual pieces, mood reels, trailers, sizzle reels, demo reels, and non-narrative projects are not eligible unless specifically invited out of competition.

10) Music videos are not eligible unless they clearly function as narrative films with story, character, and dramatic movement.

11) Films with dialogue or significant on-screen text in a language other than English must include English subtitles.

12) Films requiring English subtitles must keep the subtitled version available throughout the judging period.

13) Runtime limits are based on total running time, including opening titles and end credits.

14) Submitters must own or control all necessary rights to the submitted work, including image, music, voice, performance, screenplay, and distribution rights.

15) By submitting, the submitter confirms that the film does not infringe on any copyright, trademark, privacy right, publicity right, or other legal right of any third party.

16) AI films must disclose significant AI use, including AI-generated video, voices, performances, music, images, dialogue, or other core creative elements.

17) By submitting, filmmakers grant Space Coast International Film Fest permission to use the project title, poster, stills, trailer, short excerpts, logline, filmmaker name, and submitted promotional materials for festival promotion, unless the filmmaker requests otherwise in writing.

18) The festival does not guarantee selection, awards, distribution, publicity, sales, representation, or career opportunities.

19) Submission fees are non-refundable. Non-selection does not qualify for a refund. However, the festival may review refund requests on a case-by-case basis for duplicate submissions, incorrect category submissions, eligibility misunderstandings, technical issues, or other reasonable circumstances.

20) Festival decisions are final.

21) The festival reserves the right to disqualify any submission that violates these rules, contains illegal content, includes unauthorized copyrighted material, or is submitted in bad faith.

22) Films created by festival founders, judges, staff, sponsors, or immediate family members are not eligible for competitive awards or cash prizes. Such films may be included only as non-competitive showcase or out-of-competition presentations at the festival’s discretion.

23) Submitters are responsible for providing a working screener link and keeping it available through the judging period.

24) All dates, deadlines, awards, and prize terms are subject to the festival’s published schedule and official communications.

25) By submitting, the submitter acknowledges and agrees to all festival rules and terms.