GENERAL RULES
Submissions must be made by an authorized Owner/Producer of the film.
All films must have been completed after September 2024.
(Exceptions will be reviewed on a case by case basis by the Festival Director.
Email victoryiff@gmail.com for more information or to make a request.) We're usually pretty lenient on completion dates, especially if you have begun your festival tour after mid 2024.
Films should not have been in Commercial Release prior to the end date of the festival, including DVD/BluRay release, Online Streaming or Commercial Viewing —applies to all submissions except for those in the Music Video category.
Screening at other film festivals is permitted and/or other private screenings.
All films must be in the English Language or Subtitled in English.
Film content should not be of a pornographic nature.
Nudity/Strong Language is permissible.
All submitted films must adhere to copyright laws regarding third-party content, including music, images, footage, trademark and written material. Filmmakers are responsible for securing all necessary rights, permissions, and licenses for copyrighted content used in their work. Proof of clearance may be requested at any time, and failure to provide documentation may result in disqualification. By submitting a film, entrants affirm that their work does not infringe on any copyrights or intellectual property rights.
Use of Al: The use of artificial intelligence (Al) in any aspect of the final submitted product must be disclosed and clearly identified at the time of submission, and then again if and when the film is invited for program inclusion.
Rules may be modified at any time and will be published on The Victory International Film Festival Official Site at www.victoryiff.com.
SELECTION
If selected for exhibition, the Festival requires:
- For all films: Submission of a film as a a Digital File. Files must be a .mp4 or .mov. (If your file is in a different format, we will work with you to convert if needed.)
- For select films that will be screened on opening night, a DCP file may be needed.
- For all films a Digital Press Kit must be provided, including:
1. A 150-word synopsis
2. A 1 sentence synopsis.
3. A screenshot or promotional photo to be used in the festival booklet, app and for promotion.
4. Headshots of Director(s) and Writer(s) (optional, but recommended)
5. Biographies of Director(s) and Writer(s) (optional, but recommended)
6. Trailers, clip reels, posters, postcards, and EPKs, if available, to maximize exposure for your film.
Categories are defined as:
Feature Length Film - Runtime over 40 minutes. Fiction, non-fiction, drama, comedy, horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action, and experimental films from the U.S. and around the world.
Short Film (including episode(s) of a web series) - Project with a running time less than 40 minutes. Fiction, non-fiction, drama, comedy, horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action, and experimental films. These may include Web Series. We would suggest on a Web Series Submission, either 1 full episode or a block of 15 minutes or less.
Documentary Film - . Live-action non-fiction that transcends mere reportage to present facts through a distinctly creative lens. Whether capturing a global movement or an intimate portrait, we want films that prove truth is often stranger—and more compelling—than fiction. This category is for films that go beyond observation, utilizing deep access and stunning visuals to uncover the heart of a story. Above all, your submission must demonstrate immediate relevance and truth-seeking potential, answering the urgent question: Why must this story be told now?
Animated Film - An animated film is defined as a motion picture in which movement and characters’ performances are created using a frame-by-frame technique, and usually falls into one of the two general fields of animation: narrative or abstract. Some of the techniques of animating films include but are not limited to hand-drawn animation, computer animation, stop-motion, clay animation, pixilation, cutout animation, pinscreen, camera multiple pass imagery, kaleidoscopic effects created frame-by-frame, and drawing on the film frame itself. Motion capture and real-time puppetry are not by themselves animation techniques. In an animated film, animation must figure in no less than 75 percent of the picture's running time. In addition, a narrative animated film must have a significant number of the major characters animated. If the picture is created in a cinematic style that could be mistaken for live action, the filmmaker(s) must also submit information supporting how and why the picture is substantially a work of animation rather than live action.
Indiana Made Film - Film that is primarily produced (filmed, edited, scored- 51% or more) within the State of Indiana. The film may be of any length, any genre (Narrative, Documentary, Animated) and may either be a professional or student production.
Student Films
Short films that have been shot, directed and produced by college/university students or Short films that have been shot, directed and produced by high school students. Elementary and/or Junior High Students may also submit in this category.
Adult supervision must be limited to an advisory capacity only.
Experimental Films
This category celebrates video art and avant-garde cinema, showcasing projects that re-evaluate cinematic conventions and push the medium into unexplored territories. We seek films, whether short or feature-length, that embrace non-narrative forms, alternatives to traditional narratives, and innovative methods of working. This includes, but is not limited to, unscripted works, films that buck conventional trends, and any project the filmmaker deems experimental, cutting-edge, or avant-garde. We are particularly interested in films that explore new and creative uses of film and video, whether in technique, form, or both.
Music Video
This category celebrates the art of the music video, showcasing works that serve as a visual accompaniment to original music across any genre. Submissions, both traditional and experimental, must be less than 10 in length. We place a strong emphasis on visual style, including editing, pacing, cinematography, and direction. We seek submissions that demonstrate creativity, originality, and a cutting-edge approach, representing the newest and most daring innovations in the genre.
Additional Terms:
NOTIFICATION DATE
Approximately August 2nd, 2026
PLACE OF ORIGIN
Projects may originate from anywhere in the world.
If English is not the main language, the film must be sub-titled in English.
PREMIERE STATUS
No premiere requirement. For films with a Premiere, we will work to help promote those films that will be making their first public screening during our festival. Please let us know if your selected film will be a premiere. Specify if your Premiere is World, US, Midwest or Indiana.
Mailed/Shipped submission materials should be sent to:
The Victory International Film Festival
Attn: Josh Weiland, Technical Director
6701 Briar Ct
Evansville, IN 47711
