The 12th Annual Wheaton Film Festival, taking place Saturday November 7, 2026, is a great opportunity for filmmakers from to showcase their talent and learn about the industry. Everyone is welcome to submit their films, watch screenings, and/or attend the panel discussions.

Categories for submissions include films up to 10 minutes in length:
• General Submission- for films of any genre from filmmakers located anywhere in the world.
• Student - for filmmakers who are currently students or were students at the time of making the film.
• Local - for films that were produced in or are about Montgomery County, MD in USA and/or produced by a filmmaker from Montgomery County, Maryland in the United States.

NOTE - All accepted filmmakers must attend in-person or send a representative to attend the Festival in-person.

Wheaton Film Festival 2026 is supported in part by the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Brian Frankel Law Firm PLLC, Adobe Software, Chuck Levin's Music Center, Arune LLC, DC Filmmakers, FilmConvert, Sound Department, Pro Cuts Editing Services, Write Brothers, and Promethean Fundraising. Our promotional partners include DC Filmmakers, TIVA, WIFV, Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts, ReelAbilities Film Festival, Docs In Progress, Action Youth Media, Wheaton Arts Parade, Wheaton & Kensington Chamber of Commerce, Maryland Film Office, Yelp, and DC Media Makers: An Official Adobe User Group.

Awards & Prizes

General Category:
"Levin Grand Prize" - Jury Award for Best Film in General category

Student Category:
"Kamen Grand Prize" - Jury Award for Best Student Film

Local Category:
"Wheaton Award" - Jury Award for Best Community Story in Local category

Prizes provided by sponsors may include software and/or services from FilmConvert, Sound Department, Pro Cuts Editing Services, Write Brothers, iPitch, etc.

Awards certificates will also be provided.

Rules & Terms

FILM SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Attendance is required for all accepted films. Accepted films MUST have at least one in-person representative attend the Festival on November 7, 2026.

If you are submitting in the Local category, please provide a brief explanation as to how you qualify as a local to Montgomery County, MD. If you are submitting as a Student Filmmaker, please provide the school you are attending (or attended). Filmmakers should submit through FilmFreeway.

You may enter any film produced within the last 5 years that is 10 minutes or less in total duration. Films submitted must be under 1gb in file size, saved in .mp4 format, playable on a Mac computer, and have professional quality audio.

If a film is accepted, entrant will be solely responsible for delivering their exhibition video files in advance via FilmFreeway or shared cloud drive. After you submit, please check your FilmFreeway online account to see if your film has been received. Please don't contact us to find out if your film has been received.

Wheaton Film Festival Submission Agreement

The undersigned, as the authorized representative of the submitted film ("Project"), agrees to the following for consideration in the 2026 Wheaton Film Festival (“Festival”):

1. Authorization & Rights. The undersigned warrants they are authorized to submit the Project, have secured all necessary rights, and that exhibition at the Festival will not violate any law or third-party rights. The Project is free of legal disputes or claims.

2. Clearances & Compliance. The Project does not infringe any intellectual property or personal rights and does not contain defamatory content. All licenses, clearances, and fees have been or will be fully paid by the authorized representatives of the Project.

3. No Compensation or Obligations. No compensation is owed by the Festival to the owner(s) of the Project, and no obligation is assumed by the Festival. Submission does not create a confidential or fiduciary relationship.

4. Indemnification. The undersigned agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Festival and its affiliates from any claims, damages, or liabilities related to the Project.

5. Voluntary Submission. The submission is voluntary, with no promises or inducements from the Festival, and does not impose obligations on the Festival.

6. Waiver of Claims. The undersigned and all Project Owners waive any right to assert claims against the Festival, its representatives, or affiliates. If a claim proceeds despite this waiver, the sole remedy shall be a refund of the submission fee.

7. Promotional Use. If accepted, the Festival may use social media accounts, footage, stills, titles, and personnel names for promotional purposes.

8. No Guarantees. The Festival makes no guarantees or assurances, including no assurances regarding the selection process.

9. Legal Age Requirement. If under legal age, a signed consent from a parent/guardian is required.

10. Binding Arbitration. Any disputes shall be resolved through binding arbitration in Montgomery County, MD, under Maryland law. No punitive or injunctive relief is available. The prevailing party may recover legal fees.

11. Acknowledgment. The undersigned affirms that they have read and understood the Festival’s Rules & Terms. The undersigned affirms they understand that attendance is required for all accepted films.

36 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Tom Schrack

    Brian and the Wheaton Film Festival team care deeply about independent film. If you want to make a scrappy little short film, all you have to do is attend their networking events, and they will do their best to help produce it and teach you the tools you'll need to do it yourself. They even had a section in the festival screenings to showcase those "club" films. Prior to the event, Brian and his team kept solid communications, and then at the event, they packed the house with attendees. There were panels, meals/snacks, and networking before the showcase, a quick ceremony after, and then a happy hour after. If you love short films, this is definitely an event to check out! I ended up winning the Grand Prize in the main showcase, and Brian was quick to provide more prizes than I expected! Thank you, Wheaton Film Festival!

    November 2025
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  • Kelly Marshall

    The Wheaton Film Festival was very enjoyable with a great community atmosphere! We were proud to be selected and thankful to share this film with the community. Thank you for making the event a great experience for filmmakers!

    November 2025
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  • Nick Natalicchio

    I couldn’t attend but they were on top of everything from day 1! A real pleasure to interact with.

    December 2024
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  • Harlan Shield

    I am so grateful to Wheaton Film Festival for making Dirt Road an official selection, and to Brian Frankel for hosting such a wonderful event. My experience there was amazing, and it was an honor for me, my cast, and my crew to have our work recognized.
    Thank you.

    November 2023
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  • Safiya Songhai

    This festival is very grass roots and brings the entire community out to celebrate the creative work of filmmakers. My film won the "Levin Grand Prize" - Jury Award for Best Film in General category and the experience was wonderful. I strongly suggest filmmakers submit to Wheaton Film Festival.

    November 2023
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