The Wild Rivers Film Festival is an immersive four-day experience that includes screenings in four venues, industry panels, and workshops that are all geared toward indie filmmakers and adventurous movie lovers.

Best Narrative Feature: $1000
Best Documentary Feature: $1000
Best Short Subject: $500
Best Feature Screenplay: $500
Best Short Screenplay: $250
Best Student Short: $500
Elmo Williams - Emerging Filmmaker Award: $500

Laurels and trophies.

SUBMISSIONS:

WRFF is a competitive exhibition for domestic and international feature films, documentaries, shorts and screenplays. The festival reserves the right to determine the eligibility of any project submitted. All accepted films will be considered for competition unless otherwise noted. Projects my be accepted and presented “out of competition” if they fail to meet certain criteria. Works in progress will be considered if noted as such and the screener is updated to the final version before the final deadline. The festival does not pay screening fees for submitted films.

SUBTITLES:

All foreign-language films must be submitted with English subtitles. Unfortunately, any films that do not provide working subtitles will be disqualified without refund of submission fees.

ELIGIBILITY:

-Premiere status is not require, but is taken into account when curating the final lineup.

-Films who’s primary focus is suicide, elicit or promote violence & discrimination, function as political propaganda, pornography, or hate speech are not eligible for consideration.

TECH DETAILS:

It is the responsibility of the filmmaker to quality check the final file thoroughly before sending to the festival. While we check the files before exhibition and will notify you of errors, things can slip through the cracks when reviewing 1000s of hours of content, therefore it is up to the filmmaker to deliver a file that they are pleased with being exhibited.

FEATURES SPECS:
DCP on hard drive
h.264 .MOV on hard rive or thumb drive

SHORT SPECS:
h.264 .MOV on hard rive or thumb drive
NO DCP

SHIPPING
The festival requires all films delivered on either a USB drive or a DCP drive within 20 days after notification of acceptance to the follow address:

WRFF
5131 Gramont Ave
Orlando, FL 32812

The cost of shipping any materials and films to the festival must be paid by the entrant. The festival will not pay the cost of shipping the materials back to the filmmaker. The festival cannot guarantee shipment of drives to other festivals during the days of the festival. All packages with pre paid shipping label with be mailed back after the festival.

The accepted methods for materials getting back to filmmakers are:
i) the package is shipped with a SASE or pre-packaged shipping label back to you
ii) the filmmaker collects their drive in person AFTER their last screening during the event

LIABILITY
Though every possible care is taken with materials while in our possession, we cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage. Please do not send original or masters files or drives.

REPRODUCTION AGREEMENT
Submission to the festival grants WRFF permission to utilize excerpts of accepted work & it’s associated promotional material (such as film trailers, posters, photos, etc) in all promotional activities related to the festival.

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SCREENWRITING COMPETITION RULES:

- Scripts must not be optioned or sold prior to the start of the festival.
- There is no limit to how many scripts you can submit, but each one must be a separate submission.
- Scripts must be properly formatted and submitted via PDF through the FilmFreeway website
- Feature Length scripts should be 80-200 pages in length.
- Short Scripts should be up to 50 pages in length.
- Please clearly label your script's genre on your cover page in your online submission.
- Screenplays must be an original work. If based upon another story or a real person, you must include a statement attesting to those rights to make such adaptations.
- Once submitted, you cannot make any changes to your entry.
- If the script is the work of more than one author, you must include every author's name in the submission. Prizes will be split amongst the author and an additional Award can be purchased at cost.
- Although not required, we do highly recommend you register your script with either WGA or WGA-East, or with the US Copyright Office.

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS

By submitting a film or screenplay, you are responsible for the submitted material with this application, and by submitting said film or screenplay to the Wild Rivers Film Festival (the "WRFF") you hereby represent, warrant and agree to the following:

1. I hereby represent, warrant, and agree that the film is not currently subject to any distribution agreement or other obligation that would prevent it from being exhibited at the WRFF if accepted.
2. I have carefully read and understood and will comply with all rules, regulations and eligibility requirements of the WRFF, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
3. I represent and warrant that: (a) I have the full right and power to make and perform this Agreement without the consent of any third party (or, if the consent of other parties is required, all of them are also signing this Agreement); (b) the film does not violate any copyright, trademark or other intellectual property right of any person or entity, and will not constitute a libel or slander of any person or entity or defame or disparage any person or entity or infringe upon or violate the rights of privacy, reputation, publicity, intellectual property and/or any other rights of any kind or nature of any person or entity; and (c) the film is not the subject of litigation or any claim that might give rise to litigation.
4. I hold the WRFF harmless from damage to or loss of the print en route or otherwise during the course of the festival's possession of the film; and agree to provide the festival a copy of the film at my own risk and/or provide my own insurance to cover loss and/or damage of the copy. Further, I agree to indemnify and hold harmless the WRFF and its affiliates from and against any liability, claim, cost, damage, or expense arising out of or in connection with any breach by me of this Submission Agreement.
5. (Competition Entries only) Should this film win an award Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor/Actress or Audience Choice or any other award at the festival, I am authorized and/or empowered by all parties legally representing this film to receive all cash prizes and awards.
6. I understand and agree that acceptance of my film does not guarantee airline or hotel accommodations for talent, production crew, or any other parties.
7. I agree that all materials will be sent prepaid and understand and agree that neither fees, submission videos nor any other materials will be returned whether or not my film is accepted (except as set forth in clause 8 below).
8. I understand and agree that if my film is accepted, WRFF will not pay any shipping fees for exhibition copies or promotional materials. Materials will ONLY be returned if it is received with a self-addressed prepaid envelope or box, prepaid shipping label for original shipping package, or package provided by the filmmaker with postage prepaid.
9. I understand and agree that if my film is selected, the number of screenings, days and venue is at the sole discretion of the WRFF.
10. If the WRFF accepts my film, I agree that the WRFF may use, filmmaker provided info for press reviews and will not be obligated to conduct any separate theatrical screenings for members of the press.
11. I understand and agree that all information received on the application may be utilized in the program guide and the website.
12. I understand that any prizes of in-kind services and their maximum potential value are dependent on the recipients utilization of them while following the terms & conditions provided by the vendors and do not constitute any liquid asset unless specifically stated.
13. I acknowledge and agree that in the event of any breach by me of this Submission Agreement, the harm to the WRFF would not be adequately compensated for in damages and, therefore, in the event of any such breach, the WRFF shall have the right to equitable relief by way of injunction or otherwise; provided, however, that resorting to such relief shall not be construed as a waiver of any other rights or remedies the WRFF may have for damages.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Kurt Jacobsen

    Delighted to be presented in this fine new festival.

    September 2023
  • Glenn Abbott

    The Wild Rivers Film Festival is outstanding. We're so proud to have been a part of it.

    August 2023
  • This is truly an emerging festival. I was not able to attend the festival but the welcoming nature of the staff and their team through emails was fantastic. One could only imagine the warmth and kindness that I’m sure filmmakers were greeted with in person. If this festival is not on your radar, it should be. Thank you to the entire staff for having us as part of the festival!

    August 2023
  • I'm so delighted that my animated film Little Hurts was part of the first Wild Rivers Film Festival! Although I was not able to make it out to Oregon I really felt welcomed by all of the friendly emails and personal communication. Little Hurts won a prize and the certificate is honestly one of the most beautiful I have ever seen !!! They really do it right out in Oregon!!! This is an awesome festival out of the gate - hope my next film gets in and I an attend in person !

    August 2023
  • It was an honor for my feature film, Bridge to the Other Side to be an official selection for the inaugural year of Wild Rivers Film Festival! What a wonderful festival - it's in a gorgeous setting, the people are warm, kind, professional, and obviously love film, the venues were lovely - the parties and panels were all beautifully presented. Thank you so much Wild Rivers Film Festival! We are so grateful for the warm welcome and the lovely awards and nominations. Hope to see you at the next festival!!!

    August 2023