🎬 ZotFest is an annual student-led film festival at the University of California, Irvine. The festival is organized by FADA (Film-Arts-Drama Alliance at UCI) which provides filmmaking opportunities to students of all majors.

Our mission is to showcase, support, and celebrate the creative talents and cinematic achievements of UC Irvine’s student filmmakers.

You're invited to join us on May 30th for the official screening of the top selected films created by UCI students. Immediately following the screening, we will celebrate and honor their exceptional work at the Golden Anteater Award Ceremony.

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Eligibility for Zotfest submission REQUIREMENTS:
• ZotFest accepts narrative, documentary, experimental, and animated short films created by UCI students.
• Films must not exceed 15 minutes in total runtime, including opening and closing credits.
• All films must be submitted by April 27, 2025. Late submissions will not be accepted under any circumstances.
• Films must have been completed in either 2024 or 2025.
• Submission Fee: A $15 non-refundable fee is required for each submission. (See opportunity for discount in FAQ below)
• The submitter must have been an enrolled student at the University of California, Irvine during the 2024–2025 academic year.
• The film must be submitted by the director (maximum two films per director); if unavailable, at least three enrolled UCI students involved in the cast or crew can co-sign and submit on their behalf.
• Submissions must be in English or include English subtitles.
• All submissions must adhere to community standards and university policies. Specific content will be a mark for disqualification. (See additional details in FAQ below)
• Submissions must be exported in one of the following formats, all at 1080p resolution:
- DNxHD 36 or DNxHD 70
- ProRes 422
- H.264 codec

Failure to meet any of the above requirements may result in disqualification.

Submitters will be notified of their acceptance status for ZotFest by May 5th, 2025.

Follow along with Zotfest updates with our Instagram: @fadauci
Questions can be directed to our email: fadauci@gmail.com

Thank you and we hope to see you there! 💛💙

Awards & Prizes

The 26th Annual ZotFest will present Awards in the following categories -

BEST PICTURE - "GOLD ANTEATER"
BEST DIRECTION - "THE GOLDEN VISION AWARD"
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - "THE GOLDEN FRAME AWARD"
BEST SCREENPLAY
BEST LEADING PERFORMANCE
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
BEST EDITING
INNOVATIVE VISION AWARD
PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD

Rules & Terms

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

How do I submit to ZotFest?

Click on the submission button on the right side of our FilmFreeway page. Navigate the form, submit all relevant information, and pay the submission fee.
*NOTE: Not all submissions will be selected for screening. Only a curated selection will be shown and nominated for awards.

Include your first and last name in the submission, and have your student ID present in the resume section of your FilmFreeway account. Also, include a functioning UCI email address on the form for further contact.

Only the director of the project is allowed to submit and can submit only up to 2 films. However, if the director is unable to submit the film, a minimum of three enrolled UCI students from the cast or crew can co-sign the submission.

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Are there any content restrictions for submissions?

We ask that all submissions adhere to ZotFest's content guidelines.

Explicit content such as nudity, graphic sexual material, or excessive violence is not permitted, and the use of firearms is prohibited in any context. Additionally, submissions must not contain any content that promotes hate or discrimination or violates anyone's human rights.

While films may explore serious or sensitive subject matter, they must do so with clear narrative intent and artistic responsibility without promoting hate or harm.

Zotfest reserves the right to disqualify any film deemed inappropriate for public screening or misaligned with our community standards. If you're unsure whether your content is suitable, feel free to contact us for clarification.

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Does my film have a chance at winning any of the listed awards?

Yes, all accepted submissions are eligible for award consideration. However, we cannot guarantee that every accepted film will be nominated or receive an award.

All nominated submissions must have a UCI student involved in their production to be considered.
(Ex. the Best Sound Design candidate must have a UCI student as sound designer, the Best Performance candidate must have UCI students as actors, etc.)

Awardees are allowed to keep the physical trophy presented to them.

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Is there any discount/coupon/waiver for the submission fee?

Yes—if your film was a ZotFilm project submitted for the Fall or Winter Gala or created for Winter/Spring ZotFilm, you're eligible for a $5 discount.

To claim the discount:
Email Christian (cblara1@uci.edu) with the subject line: ZOTFEST COUPON.
Include the following in your message:
- Your full name
- Film title
- The ZotFilm quarter and year of your project

No other discounts or fee waivers are available.

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Can I submit my film to any other film festivals?

Yes. However, please be aware that some film festivals prohibit submissions that have already been screened elsewhere or posted online.

*NOTE: ZotFest does not publish your film online without your explicit permission.

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TERMS AND CONIDITIONS:

1) By submitting to ZotFest, you grant us the non-exclusive right to screen your film during the festival and use excerpts and stills in the case of any promotional materials for the FADA social media or website.
2) By submitting your film, you affirm your compliance with ZotFest’s Content Guidelines. Anything that violates those guidelines will be disqualified.
3) Your submission does not guarantee selection or nomination. All decisions made by the ZotFest programming department and any additional judges are final.
4) All submission fees are non-refundable, regardless of outcome.
5) ZotFest and its affiliates are not liable for any loss, damage, or claims arising from the submission, screening, or promotion of your film.