The Mystery Box Film Challenge is a film challenge for all who love to make films. Participants get items/prompts that they have to use in their film. Like the television show Chopped on Food Network but for filmmakers.

Filmmakers have roughly 2 months to complete a film using the items/prompts which will be announced online and listed here. Those who submit finished films will have them premiere at the Northeast Pennsylvania Film Festival followed by a short Q&A and small awards presentation. So are you up for the challenge?

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Check back soon for the 2026 Mystery Box Film Challenge requirements!

Best of Show Award

Finalists are provided with a laurel which may be used for their own marketing and promotional materials.

Best of Show Winner will be given an award certificate, winner laurel, and cash prize.

1.) Submission Requirements

ITEMS/PROMPTS: Filmmakers must use ALL items/prompts in their film which are listed above to create a new short film for the challenge.

PG-13 RATING: Films should align with the PG-13 rating. R or NC-17 films will not be accepted. This is for a general audience.

5 MINUTES IN LENGTH: Total time includes your credits and titles in the film. Cannot go beyond 5 minutes. Can be shorter than 5 minutes. These will be short films.

2.) Technical Specifications

Films should be 1920 x 1080 (aspect ratio 16:9) full HD, 24fps. The film may be in other aspect ratios & resolutions, as long as it fits within the 16:9 1080 24P display. H.264 is the preferred codec with a MP4 or MOV wrapper/file type.

3.) Eligibility Requirements

All entries must be either in English or subtitled in English. Dialogue lists are not accepted.

Entrant confirms and warrants required legal authority to submit the entry to the Mystery Box Film Challenge and to use all music, images, and content in the entry.

4.) Official Rules

• Films Must Be Created for This Challenge
All films must be made specifically for the Mystery Box Film Challenge. Pre-existing or repurposed content is not allowed and will result in disqualification.

• All Required Elements Must Be Used
Each film must include all required items and elements provided above. Any film that fails to incorporate these requirements will be automatically disqualified.

• No Public Screenings Before the Festival
Films may not be shown publicly or online before the Northeast Pennsylvania Film Festival. This includes private screenings, preview screenings, and online previews. The goal is to encourage in-person attendance and preserve the premiere experience. Early public release will result in disqualification.

• Public Release After the Festival
After the Northeast Pennsylvania Film Festival has concluded, you are free to share and distribute your film however you choose.

• Promotion and Sharing by Mystery Box Film Challenge and NEPAFF
By submitting, you grant the Northeast Pennsylvania Film Festival and Mystery Box Film Challenge the right to share and promote your film on our YouTube channel and social media platforms. If you do not want your film to be posted or promoted after the festival—especially if you plan to submit it to other festivals—you must notify us in writing as soon as possible.

• Right to Disqualify
We reserve the right to disqualify any film for any reason, including but not limited to failure to follow the above rules.

5.) General Information

All finished films submitted for the challenge by the deadline will be screened at the Northeast Pennsylvania Film Festival as long as they meet all submission requirements.

The challenge organizers will screen the films first to determine if they meet the requirements for the challenge. Then our selected judges will screen the selected films that meet all the requirements to determine the Best of Show Winner for the Mystery Box Film Challenge.

Refund of submission fee will not be given if your film does not meet our requirements above and/or is not accepted as part of the Mystery Box Film Challenge.

Entry fee is used for marketing purposes and for the cash prize.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • A wonderful fun competition that has gives a generous amount of time to make a film under their constraints. The organizers were very communicative and were even kind enough to mail us a care package along with our award. Working with the NEPA film festival, this is a great celebration of indie filmmaking.

    May 2025
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Jack we are so glad you participated this year!

  • Trisha Hosac

    We had a blast at The Mystery Box Film Challenge and NEPA Film Festival. We will 100% be participating again next year!

    April 2025
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    Response from festival:

    We are so glad you had fun and can't wait to see your future projects!

  • Jessica Coulter

    Really enjoyed myself and loved having to include the list of items for the short film. It pushes you as a creative and seeing the other entries was so much fun. There was so many amazing short films. It was inspiring to see and to experience other create masterpieces.

    April 2025
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    Response from festival:

    We are so glad you enjoyed the challenge!

  • Amanda Drevenak

    My son’s first time submitting a movie! This experience was fun and rewarding at the same time. He loved to see all the different types of entries! We will do it again!

    April 2025
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    Response from festival:

    We are so glad your son participated! We look forward to seeing more of his work!

  • Fun Film Festival! - Vinnie Langdon III, American Actor & Film Director

    September 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Vinnie! So glad to see your films every year!