UnShushed! Film Festival 2026

Washington, DC | November 2026

UnShushed! Film Festival is a celebration and showcase of fantasy, horror, Afrofuturism, Southern Gothic, and thriller films by Black women and emerging filmmakers.

Now in its third year, UnShushed! continues to amplify bold storytelling, visionary filmmakers, and genre-bending narratives centered on Black women.

For 2026, we are excited to expand our submission formats and now welcome vertical films (9:16 aspect ratio) alongside traditional horizontal formats.

If your film is strange, magical, terrifying, surreal, futuristic, or genre-blending — we want to see it.

The festival takes place November 2026 in Washington, DC and features:
Film Screenings
Awards
Filmmaker Q&A Sessions
Workshops
Networking Opportunities

UnShushed! is a space where genre filmmaking by Black women is celebrated, supported, and seen.

Submission Categories:

Micro Shorts
Runtime: Up to 5 minutes (including credits)

Short Films
Runtime: 6 – 29 minutes

Feature Films
Runtime: 40 minutes or longer

Accepted Genres
Films must fall within one or more of the following genres:

Fantasy
Horror
Afrofuturism
Southern Gothic
Thriller
Genre blending is encouraged.

Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible, films must meet at least ONE of the following criteria:

Directed by a Black woman
Produced by a Black woman
Feature a Black woman in a leading role

Accepted Formats
We accept:

Horizontal films (standard cinematic format)

Vertical films (9:16 aspect ratio)

All films must be submitted in a digital screening format via FilmFreeway.

About UnShushed!
UnShushed! Film Festival was created to highlight genre storytelling by Black women, a space where horror, fantasy, speculative fiction, and surreal storytelling can thrive.
We celebrate films that are:

Bold
Experimental
Visually striking
Emotionally powerful
Unapologetically imaginative

Bring us your ghosts, monsters, futures, folklore, nightmares, and dream worlds.
We can’t wait to experience your films.
See you at UnShushed! Film Festival 2026.

Awards & Prizes

Best Feature Film
Best Short Film
Best Micro Short
Best Director
Best Performance Award
Best Editing
Best Cinematography
Audience Choice
UnShushed! Legacy Award
UnShushed! Visionary Award

Rules & Terms

Rules & Terms

All submissions must be received by the official deadlines listed on FilmFreeway.
Films must align with the festival’s genre focus.
A film poster is required for all submissions.
Non-English films must include English subtitles.
Filmmakers may submit multiple projects, but each film requires a separate submission and entry fee.
The applicant is responsible for ensuring their submission status on FilmFreeway is “In Consideration” by 11:59 PM on the deadline date.
Late submissions may be considered for another deadline window when applicable.

Copyright & Legal Responsibility

Applicants are responsible for securing all rights, clearances, and permissions for copyrighted or trademarked materials used in their films.
UnShushed! Film Festival, its staff, representatives, and affiliates cannot be held liable for unauthorized content included in submitted projects.
Any third-party copyright or legal claims may result in disqualification without refund.
Applicants are also responsible for clearing their film of any legal disputes or claims prior to submission.

Notification

Selected filmmakers will be notified within one month of the final submission deadline.
Official selections will receive screening information and festival participation details.

1 Review
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Dragan Jovićević

    Amazing event! Thank you so much for selecting A Boy Opens the Door. It was enormous pleasure to be the part of such a good festival's lineup. All recommendations for the future editions!

    December 2025
    Helpful