Join us for an evening of eye-opening entertainment as we celebrate the art of truly independent cinema in Charlotte, North Carolina and showcase the very best of original films from around the southeast and beyond!

Recognizing the contributions of independent filmmakers from all around the world, with a strong emphasis on locally and regionally produced short films, the Stranger Days Independent Film Festival strives to build community and establish positive connections by offering an outlet to artists often overlooked by the mainstream and providing viewers with an interactive experience in a diverse environment that is both welcoming and inclusive for all people.

The event will feature over six hours of film screenings, an awards ceremony honoring the very best in show, and a fully interactive film mixer afterparty in a fun, friendly, casual, and inclusive environment.

Life is Strange. Be Stranger.
#StrangerDaysFilmFest

All award winners will receive an official award certificate, with the grand prize winner of "Best in Show" also receiving a custom-engraved trophy.

Winners will be selected for the following categories:
- Adam York Memorial Award for Best in Show (overall best picture)
- Best Narrative Feature (best overall feature film)
- Best Genre Shorts (Comedy, Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Action, Suspense, etc.)
- Best Documentary (short and feature-length)
- Best International Film (short and feature-length, filmed outside the USA)
- Best Regional Film (short and feature-length, filmed in NC/SC, by NC/SC filmmakers)
- Best Micro-Short (films with a total runtime of 5 minutes or less)
- Best Arthouse/Experimental Short (for art, underground, and/or experimental films that don't fit into any traditional genre)
- Technical Awards (for acting, directing, cinematography, screenwriting, etc.)
- Audience Choice Award (as voted on by attendees during the festival - any screened film is eligible).

MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS ARE NOT REQUIRED!
Unlike some other festivals, ONE submission immediately enters your film into ALL applicable award categories!

We are an Official IMDb-Recognized film festival and will list all Award Winners and Nominees on our page following the event.

*Please Note: award winners must be present at the festival to receive physical awards; non-attending award winners will only receive a digital award - no physical awards (outside of the best in show trophy) will be mailed out to anyone.

**DO NOT CONTACT US ASKING FOR A WAIVER CODE**

INDEPENDENT FILMS ONLY.
This is a showcase of truly independent films. No major studio/major distribution/high-budget films need apply.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE OR ENGLISH SUBTITLES ONLY.
All films must be in English, or otherwise be fully subtitled in English.

SHORT FILMS PREFERRED (BUT WE DO ACCEPT FEATURES).
We mostly showcase Short Films (no more than 30 minutes in length). While we DO accept a few Features each year, we cannot accept many. This is due to time constraints set by the venue. We consider Short Films (30 minutes or less) and Feature Films (31 minutes or more).

FILMFREEWAY OR VIMEO HOSTED CONTENT ONLY.
Due to several cases of problems downloading selected films, we will no longer be accepting any films hosted on YouTube. Please host your film on FilmFreeway or Vimeo.

NO REFUNDS. NO RETURNS. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Once a film has been accepted, it cannot be withdrawn from competition. No refunds of any submission fees will be given for any reason, and no submitted materials will be returned for any reason. No exceptions.

NO UNSOLITICED WAIVER CODES. NO EXCEPTIONS.
We purposely keep our submission fees low so that as many people as possible can participate. Our event is free to attend, so submission fees is how we keep the event up and running. Furthermore, we respect and obey the laws of all countries. If your country does not allow you to spend money in the United States, we cannot allow you to participate in our festival.

**DO NOT CONTACT US ASKING FOR A WAIVER CODE**
(those who fail to acknowledge this will be permanently disqualified from our festival)

WE DO NOT PAY SCREENING FEES.
We do not pay screening fees for ANY films, and we never will. Don't even ask.
(those who fail to acknowledge this will be permanently disqualified from our festival).

OUR JURY/SELECTION COMMITTEE IS ANONYMOUS.
Our jury members/selection committee, made up of seven individuals from various and diverse backgrounds are completely anonymous - even to each other. This is to protect our jury members from any potential harassment, coercion, and/or backlash from their decisions, as well as to keep the judging process as fair and unbiased as possible. We will not reveal the identities of our judges under any circumstances. The Board of Directors do NOT vote in the selection process (but we DO see ALL of your emails, and the judges do not - so just something to keep in mind.)

Submission to the Stranger Days Independent Film Festival (SDIFF) will be considered to be an acknowledgement of, and agreement to, all film festival rules, and grants the SDIFF full authorization to screen the submitted film, as well as use materials from the selected film for any/all screening and/or promotional purposes during the year it was submitted, at the sole discretion of the festival directors. Event date(s) and location(s), while unlikely, are subject to change. Submission does not guarantee acceptance. Submission fees are non-refundable. SDIFF reserves the right to reject and/or disqualify any film at any time, for any reason. Selections, nominations, and awards are chosen by the selection committee and their decisions are final.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Loved the festival, awesome people!

    December 2023
  • Excellent festival with great communication. So honored to have been selected and thrilled to have won an award!

    December 2023
  • Honoured to be part of the official selections for this great festival.

    December 2023
  • Zack Fox

    A wonderful festival with incredible hospitality to the filmmakers and guest!

    October 2023
  • Thank you for screening my film Bill Murray Lost in Berlinale. This festival looks like one of those fun alternative film festivals with "weird people" and "well-intended-enthusiastic" filmmakers that I would love to meet. The festival takes place in VisArt Video - which looks like a vintage video store where I would not be surprised to see Quentin Tarantino working behind a desk. Lol I am happy when my film jumps dimensions and ends up in unexpected places just like Bill Murray himself.

    February 2023