The Washington DC international Cinema Festival is a Bi-Annual IMDb qualifying ONLINE Film Festival with a YOUTUBE channel laurel presentation. We celebrate young and new filmmakers around the world and seek great talent and content from creative minds looking to make a mark on the film industry.

In addition, we offer trophies , Digital Gold Certificates, Gold Star cast and Crew Trophies and premium services such as online interview with Festival Director and 100x IMDB award winning film Producer, Actor, Director, Writer and Film Score Composer Stephen Sorrentino all for purchase.

Awards & Prizes

Entry into the festival guarantees all the film/projects to be in competition and therefore have a chance at being nominated and competing for the awards listed.

All award winners, semi-finalists, finalists and nominated films will receive a WDCICF Laurel in the appropriate category.

Special Jury mentioned films are eligible for gold certificates for purchase.

Winners, finalists and semifinalists are eligible for trophies for purchase.

Rules & Terms

A) eligibility requirements.
1. We accept films of all genres.
2. All films completed on or after January 1, 2018 or eligible for consideration.
3. Short feature films that are available for public online viewing are eligible.
4. Multiple entries from the same submitter are accepted. A separate submission and a separate entry fee must accompany each entry.
5. All entries must be either in English or subtitled in English. Dialogue lists are not accepted.
6. Entrant confirms and warrants required legal authority to submit the entry to the festival and to use all music, images and content in the entry.

B) submission guidelines:
1. Films must be submitted via online screener hosted by Vimeo or any platform attached to FilmFreeway.
2. Only complete entries including fee payment and screener will be considered.
3. Entrance are permitted to submit works in progress (i.e. without final color correction or sound mixing) but note that the programming committee will only consider the version submitted. Subsequent cuts and replacement copies must be submitted separately and at full additional entry fee.

D) judging and selection
1. Films are selected for festival presentation by the Washington DC international film Festival programming committee, if a film is selected, the festival office will contact the entrance by email. The festival does not provide feedback with screening notes to entries that are not selected.

E) all competitive film categories are judged during the festival.

F) Entry fees
Each entry must be accompanied by the appropriate entry fee, entry fees are not refundable, fees, registration, registration notification, consideration by the programming department and notification of the results. These fees May be paid by credit card Visa MasterCard or American Express through FilmFreeway.
18 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Nurija Berrios

    It was a fantastic experience, thank you Washington D.C international Cinema Festival.

    September 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    It is our pleasure to reward and recognize amazingly talented Filmmaker.
    Thank you for being a part of our festival.

  • Elena Clark

    I originally gave this festival a positive rating but had to revise my review after my experience. While my film MARIANNE AND THE REBELS was granted “Best Dark Comedy Short,” I later learned this award was given only because mine was the sole submission in that category. In my opinion, such practice lowers the credibility and standards of the WDCICF festival in the industry.
    When I asked the owner of WDCICF a simple, respectful question about why my film was not selected for screening despite winning, I was met with dismissive and unnecessarily harsh personal feedback about the acting—feedback I had not requested. A content of feedback was personal and extremely insulting. Creativity takes courage, and unnecessary personal attacks cause real suffering for artists. What was especially hurtful is that the criticism was not even true—several of our cast members are highly trained, experienced on-camera actors with strong professional backgrounds. To misrepresent their work so harshly was both unfair and insulting.
    The festival’s owner also wrote to me directly, threatening me to “push back” simply for asking about screening criteria. I did not deserve this treatment. Filmmakers deserve festivals that celebrate their efforts with professionalism, fairness, and respect—not hostility. Unfortunately, this experience left me questioning the professionalism and transparency of the WDCICF Festival.
    I hope my experience will serve as a caution to other filmmakers.

    August 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Unfortunately, some filmmakers get upset when they create subpar work, and because they think they put everything they had into it that they deserve to be the best and win every award and be screened. Unfortunately, this is the case with Miss Clark.
    her Casting, her production, her script was subpar and on a high school level. Although she did win in a category of which she was the only submitter… She was afforded the title and Laurel.
    Making you a winner in the category that you are the only person in does not give you automatic screening rights. Simply, we did not pick this Film Maker’s film to be screened because it just wasn’t good enough. The film festival received 2500 films over the past year and out of the 2500 the judges decided this was on the bottom of 5% of quality. In the past, another film of Miss Clark’s did win in a category and was screened at our festival. The judges thought that since it was during Covid and it was simply a film created on two zoom calls that it was very resourceful however was simply Junior high-quality.. but we looked over that because it was done during Covid and during lockdown and no one could get together so her resourcefulness got her screened and not her quality. As Miss Clark continues to try to besmudge this festival, we can only look on and wish her the best of luck.
    Do we ever really know when I work just doesn’t cut it?
    Warning to other festivals, this Film Maker demands a critique and an explanation as to why she did not make it. It is not for us to do anything but to support young filmmakers and up-and-coming artists. Our job as a film festival is not to tell people how bad or good they are. It’s subjective. However, pestering the staff with numerous emails demanding to know why she wasn’t picked for screening became ridiculous. We had a long talk with Phyl freeway and explained and also kept for our records and through our legal department, everything that Miss Clark went back-and-forth and back-and-forth and back-and-forth about.
    Film Freeway was satisfied that we did communicate enough and it still wasn’t enough for Miss Clark. Therefore, one of our judges did share his thoughts on the film and it was not positive. Because of that now we get a bad rating. But again, it means very little.
    We are here to support TALENTED filmakers and people that show humility and the desire to get better and better and better and connect with other industry professionals in hopes that it will elevate their careers.

  • Jodi Leib Coden

    We are so grateful for the recognition as the Winner for Best Actress and Best Actor in a Short Film and as a Finalist for Monday's Child! Thank you very much!

    July 2025
    Helpful
  • Danny Lee

    Great festival to be a part of. Thank you for the recognition of the film Perpetual Love.

    July 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Dear Danny. It was our honor to have you in our festival perpetual love was an amazing film and we know that it will go as far as ‘d like. You’re a great storyteller and great Film Maker. Congratulations again.!!

  • Jon Spano

    A terrific, well-curated, engaging, supportive, and enlightening festival. Honored to be a part of it!

    July 2025
    Helpful