The 20th annual Vail Film Festival was December 7-10, 2023.

All films submitted and screened at the 2023 event must have one woman involved as either director, producer, cinematographer, or screenwriter.

The 2023 festival will screen Feature Films, Shorts, Documentaries, and Student Films. The festival fosters filmmakers through Panel Discussions, a daily Hospitality Lounge, Nightly Parties, and networking opportunities with leading film industry professionals.

Past Vail Film Festival tribute recipients and attendees include Olivia Wilde, Aaron Paul, Allison Janney, Giancarlo Esposito, Krysten Ritter, Jesse Eisenberg, Kate Bosworth, Josh Lucas, Zach Braff, Michelle Monaghan, Luke Wilson, Tate Taylor, Kevin Smith, Michael Imperioli, Jane Seymour, Fred Schepisi, Adrian Grenier, Harold Ramis, Tricia O'Kelley, Kaitlin Olson, Tim Daly, Jeremy Davies, Sophia Bush, among others.

Past premieres and highlights include "Sun Dogs" directed by Jennifer Morrison and starring Melissa Benoist, Xzibit, Allison Janney, and Ed O'Neill, "Mary Goes Round" starring Aya Cash, "Custody" starring Viola Davis, Hayden Panettiere, Tony Shalhoub, Ellen Burstyn, "Enemy" starring Jake Gyllenhaal, "Locke" starring Tom Hardy, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" starring Jason Siegel, Kristen Bell, "The Guitar", directed by Amy Redford, "In Search of a Midnight Kiss", "Knocked Up", Judd Apatow's follow up to "The 40 Year-Old Virgin", "Snow Cake" starring Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman, the Cannes Award-winning "Red Road", "The Oh in Ohio" (starring Paul Rudd, Parker Posey, Mischa Barton and Danny DeVito), "American Dreamz" (starring Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid, Mandy Moore), "The Sasquatch Dumpling Gang" (from the filmmakers of "Napoleon Dynamite"), Luke Wilson's "The Wendell Baker Story", Tiffani Thiesen's "Just Pray" and David Duchovny's "House of D".

The Vail Film Festival offers the following awards:
Best Narrative Feature
Best Documentary Feature
Best Live Action Short
Best Documentary Short
Best Student Film
Audience Award

Award details: Designated Vail Film Festival Press Release to national media announcing the Film Competition Winners, and listing the film as the best film winner in that category for the 2023 Vail Film Festival. Announcement at the Official Awards Ceremony covered by national media. Announcement in festival newsletter and listing on festival website and in Official festival program guide. 4 Filmmaker Passes to the 2024 Vail Film Festival. Award presented at Awards Ceremony .

All films submitted and screened at the 2023 event must have one woman involved as either director, producer, cinematographer, or screenwriter.

Filmmakers must have the rights to their films, and through submitting thereby grant the Vail Film Festival the right to screen their film. All films must be in English or subtitled in English.

Digital submissions only. We don't accept physical submissions. All films must be viewable as online screeners.

All entries will be pre-screened for eligibility by curators and selection committee, however, not all entries will be programmed. The festival will not pay an exhibition fee for any accepted entries initially submitted through our general Call for Entries. The VFF may screen any accepted entries up to three times during the festival dates at any of our exhibition venues.

Films must be submitted with English subtitles if the dialogue is in a language other than English. Films must have been completed after December 2021. Fee waivers will be granted on a case by case basis and almost exclusively to non-profit organizations and international cultural/educational organizations.

All films submitted and screened at the 2023 event must have one woman involved as either director, producer, cinematographer, or screenwriter.

Upon acceptance to the festival, the following is required:

Features: Press Kit containing 100 word synopsis in English, 5 hi-res film stills (300dpi, CMYK and/or RGB color), digital trailer with English subtitles (if film is in any language other than English), online or physical screener of film for press.

Shorts: Press Kit containing 50 word synopsis in English, 3 hi-res film stills (300dpi, CMYK and/or RGB color), digital trailer with English subtitles if available.

For more information please email: info@vailfilmfestival.org

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • I had such a wonderful time at the Vail Film Festival! Amanda was extremely nice and accommodating for my guests and I who were all coming from out of town. I really felt supported as a filmmaker and hope to have the chance to return to VFF again in the future!

    January 2024
  • Yasmin Sanie-Hay

    Thanks so much to Amanda and the other organizers for all their hard work towards making this year's festival a wonderful experience. VFF provides a welcoming and supportive environment for independent filmmakers, along with unique venues and fun parties in addition to the screenings. I was excited to be included in the program and had a great time participating!

    January 2024
  • Cassidy Harrison

    What a great Festival! so honored to be included. although I could not attend in person, I felt everyone at the festival was very enthusiastic about our film. Thank you again!

    December 2023
  • Super fun time at the Vail Film Festival. Amanda the shorts programmer did a stellar job at personally meeting all the filmmakers and being supportive of our work. This is an amazing destination and I enjoyed the other films. Delighted out film Suspicious Minds got to screen at Vail Film Festival.

    December 2023
  • Loved the team even though I was not able to make it in person this year. Communication was incredible and the line up was super strong. Looking forward to attending in the future!

    December 2023