The ZONE Film Festival is a place for filmmakers from all over the world to share SCI-FI and FANTASY films with a diverse and varied audience. We hope to create a platform where these projects can reach the widest audience possible and have the deepest impact possible. To do so we have partnered with the LARGEST convention of its kind in the state of TEXAS, COMiCPALOOZA! With over 33,000 in attendance last year, almost 50,000 expected this year, a ton of celebrities, industry people, artists, writers, cosplayers, geeks, nerds, fans and now filmmakers, and film fans, this is the best possible venue to screen and promote your Sci-Fi/Fantasy films in front of a REAL and potentially very large audience!!!

IMPORTANT NOTICE!!! We Will NO LONGER ACCEPT FAN FILMS! If you have a Fan Film, please submit to our newest Film Festival "Extended Universes", which can be found here.

Award certificates for the following categories will be given:
Best Feature (40+min)
Best Mini-Movie (20-40min)
Best Short (20min and under)
Best Series Episode
Best Documentary Feature (40+min)
Best Documentary Short (under 40min)
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Ensemble Cast
Best Child Actor/Actress
Best Writing
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Best VFX
Best Animated Film
Best Sound
Best Score
Best Twist
Best Production Design
Best Costumes
Best SFX Makeup

BEST Prize of all- the official selections for the screening will screen at COMiCPALOOZA!!!

The submission of a film to The Zone constitutes acceptance of our Entry Rules & Regulations as well as our Statement of Authenticity, so please review this carefully.

Film submission guidelines:
Films must be submitted as an online screener and be available for screening as a digital file. Please provide a link to where your film is hosted and any applicable passwords.. Also, The Zone is not liable for the quality of online screeners. Please encode to the highest quality possible on a platform that can provide HQ viewing, maximum up time and stability.

Film Eligibility:
All Narrative and Documentary shorts, features and Music Videos must:
Be either a Sci-Fi or Fantasy film and must contain Sci-Fi or Fantasy elements and genre specific tropes.
Have a broadcast quality digital screening file delivered by the deadline.
Fully comply with the Entry Rules & Regulations, including all deadlines, film length, entry material and other requirements.
Have English subtitles at the time of submission. No dialogue lists will be accepted.
Have completed all necessary clearances, licenses, and/or releases at the time of submission.
Inclusion of all relevant materials upon film submission application.

Length requirements:
Feature Narrative and Documentary films must be 40 minutes or longer.
Mini-Movie Narrative films must 20 to 40 minutes long.
Short Narrative films must be 20 minutes or shorter.
Short Documentary films must be 40 minutes or shorter.

Inform us a week prior to The ZONE's awards presentation at COMiCPALOOZA to receive your award certificate in person, publicly.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking