The Big Sandy Film Festival is a two day festival held at The Garden Theater in Louisa, Kentucky on August 15-17, 2025.

The 2024 call for submissions opens September 6, 2024 and will run through June 7, 2025.

All films that are officially selected for our program will receive two free all-access pass to the festival and 20% off additional passes up to 2 passes.

Gem of the Big Sandy - Best in Show
Appalachian Award - Best Film produced in or by Appalachians

Feature Film Awards
Best Picture
Best International Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Cinematography
Best Editing

Documentary
Best Documentary Feature
Best Documentary Short
Best International Documentary

Short Film Awards
Best Picture
Best International Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Best Animation
Best Experimental

Student Films (Eligible for all other short/feature film categories)
Best Picture
Best International Picture

1. There are no premiere requirements for your film.
2. Screeners must be submitted as an embedded video or a link to a file. If your film is password protected, please provide the password when submitting. We do not accept hard copies (DVD, BluRay, etc.). Films submitted via email or any other way will not be accepted.
3. Incomplete works will NOT be accepted.
4. Film submissions must have been completed after January 1, 2022.
5. Please ensure that the spelling of all names, contact info, and film details in your submission are accurate. The festival is not responsible for correcting misspellings in listings.
6. A press kit is preferred in order to create promotional materials for the festival.
7. By submitting your film, you agree to let The Big Sandy Film Festival create promotional materials including the name, poster, likeness, or stills from your film.
8. Films submitted to student film categories must include a copy of a current student ID or proof of current enrollment. Copies of student IDs can be uploaded to FilmFreeway or e-mailed to thebigsandyfilmfestival@gmail.com.
9. By submitting your film you acknowledge that you will not be entitled to any screening fees if your film is selected.
10. If your film is accepted into our program, you must deliver your film to as a ProRes or H.264 digital file.
11. By submitting, you confirm that you are duly authorized to submit the film to The Big Sandy Film Festival without the consent of any third party (or, if the consent of other parties is required, all of them are also signing this Agreement).
12. By submitting, you confirm that you have legal authority to submit the entry into the festival and that the film does not violate any copyright, trademark or other intellectual property right of any person or entity. Releases for music, images, content and talent must be obtained by the filmmaker. The Big Sandy Film Festival is not liable for copyright infringement or unauthorized use.
13. Submission fees are non-refundable.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • *Networking is only 3 stars due to this being their first year. I have no doubt that will rise as they continue!

    Our drive from Pennsylvania to Kentucky was long and beautiful. When we arrived my group and I were under the weather, but we still managed to have a very good time. The audience was enthusiastic, and we even went home with a trophy at the end of it all.

    Very excited to see how this festival grows, it will be on my submission list going forward.

    October 2024
  • I really enjoyed this festival it was great I got to meet a lot of interesting people ans look forward to attending it in the future.

    September 2024
  • Parker Croft

    We had a great experience collaborating with The Big Sandy Film Festival. Even though we couldn’t attend due to scheduling conflicts, we were really impressed by how much they care and the way they treat filmmakers with such respect. If we’re fortunate enough to have our next film selected, we’re looking forward to attending in person.

    August 2024
  • Stephen Wallis

    Wonderful People. Great Festival. A really pretty town to go with it all too. I'd recommend everyone to put their films in next year. It's well worth it and you'll have a blast.

    August 2024