Celebrate indie film in the old west!

The Wyoming International Film Festival - a registered 501c3 non-profit - isn't just another film fest; it's a 4-day celebration of filmmakers and art from around the world!

Screenings in a state-of-the-art theater, filmmaker Q&As, live dance, live music, unique western experiences, art and photography exhibitions, and nightly parties give filmmakers ample opportunity to network and exhibit their work. Most important of all, you’ll have a blast while visiting Wyoming! WyoIFF is capped off with an award ceremony where we present 21 awards. Join us for food, fun, and film!

WyoIFF welcomes movies from all over the world! We accept features, shorts, narratives, documentaries, and web series of every genre. The Wyoming International Film Festival is committed to screening a diverse slate of stories with a broad spectrum of genres, topics and styles. Because we are a film festival run by filmmakers; the WyoIFF team guarantees every submission is watched by a selection committee of experienced industry professionals.

Our alumni include Jamie Lee Curtis, Spike Lee, Lily Gladstone, Seal, Willie Nelson, Eric Roberts, Lee Child, Ralph Inerson, Virginia Madsen, Tom Skerritt, Jefferson White, Jason Faunt, Constance Shulman, Lavell Crawford, as well as more than 3 dozen Emmy Award Winning filmmakers! At WyoIFF you won’t just find celebrity helmed films; we insure a robust mix of industry professionals, up-and-coming directors, as well as first time filmmakers. With nightly networking events you will be sure to build lasting connections and lifelong relationships!

In an effort to create a more inclusive film program, and to give more opportunities to independent filmmakers, the Wyoming International Film Festival has partnered with several filmmaking organizations and institutions. If you are a member of any of these organizations, you are eligible for additional discounts. Please contact your member representative to access your discount code.

• Alliance of Women Directors
• Women in Film & Media Colorado
• International Documentary Association
• New York Film Academy

BEFORE YOU SUBMIT
WyoIFF prides itself on our transparency and filmmaker-forward thinking. Here is some beneficial information for filmmakers to consider before submitting:
• In 2025 WyoIFF received 622 submissions, selecting 166 films. This is a 27% acceptance rate.
• We screen in three theaters; Surbrugg Prentice Auditorium, a brand-new performance art theater with seating for 400. Pathfinder, a converted conference room with dual laser projectors seating 200. The Studio, an improvised theater for more personal screenings, seating 60. While quality and filmmaker experience is our top priority it’s important to know none of our screening rooms are traditional movie theaters.
• Our programming team is mostly made up of alumni filmmakers. Your film will be reviewed by a minimum of two programmers.
• Not sure if your film is right for WyoIFF? Visit our archive on wyoiff.com to see if we’ve programmed films like yours in the past. Always research a festival before you submit!

Minimum Review Times for First Round Screenings:
- All films will be reviewed by a minimum of two (2) programmers.
- Shorts under 15 minutes must be watched in full.
- Shorts over 15 minutes must be watched for 50% of their runtime, or up to 10 minutes, whichever is longer.
- Feature films must be reviewed for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Awards & Prizes

The Wyoming International Film Festival awards 14 Grand Jury Awards and 6 Audience Choice Awards!

Grand Jury Awards

• Best Narrative Feature
• Best Documentary Feature
• Best Wyoming Film
• Best Wyoming Documentary
• Best Narrative Short
• Best Documentary Short
• Best Director of a Feature Film
• Best Director of a Short Film
• Best Actress in a Feature
• Best Actress in a Short
• Best Actor in a Feature
• Best Actor in a Short
• Best Screenplay of a Feature Film
• Best Screenplay of a Short Film
• Best Music or Dance Video

Audience Choice Awards

• Best Narrative Feature
• Best Documentary Feature
• Best Wyoming Film
• Best Wyoming Documentary
• Best Narrative Short
• Best Documentary Short

Rules & Terms

Premiere Status – All films must be a Wyoming premiere.

Distribution & Online - With the exception of Web Series and Music Videos, films that are publicly available online, or are available to the public through a distribution service, are ineligible for submission.

Run Time –
• Short films and short docs: 0–25 min.
• Feature films and feature docs: 40-120 min.
• Wyoming films and docs: 0-120 min.
• Music videos: 0-8 min.
• Web series: 0-15 min.

English Language or English Subtitles – All films submitted to the Wyoming International Film Festival must be in English or have English Subtitles.

Delivery – Films must be delivered in .mov or mp4 format. We do not accept any other formats.

Genre – The Wyoming International Film Festival accepts films of all genres. This includes but is not limited to; action, animation, biographical, comedy, documentary, drama, experimental, genre (horror, sci-fi, fantasy, etc.) LGBTQ+, musical, music video, mystery, political, romance, sports, thriller, web series, western or period piece, etc.

Web Series – This category is for narrative or documentary episodic series produced exclusively for distribution on the web. Filmmakers may submit multiple episodes totaling up to 15 minutes. Episodes must be contained on the same screener. For awards purposes web series will be considered in the “Short Film” categories. Web Series made in Wyoming may submit under the “Wyoming Film” category for a discount.

Wyoming Films – To qualify as a Wyoming Film or Wyoming Documentary the project must meet one of the following criteria. The programming committee reserves the right to disqualify films that do not meet the criteria.
• The director of the film is a current resident of Wyoming.
• At least 50% of the film was shot in Wyoming.
• Wyoming strongly features as a character, setting, or plot point in the film.

Waiver Requests – WyoIFF only issues waivers under very specific circumstances, including but not limited to; filmmakers in countries under economic sanctions from the U.S., filmmakers from countries on the United Nation's list of LDCs, & refugees. Waivers are not issued to students, self-funded films, or films supported by grants or scholarships. To request a waiver email our staff and fill out our waiver request form.

Screening Fee - WyoIFF does not offer screening fees.

Refunds - WyoIFF does not issue refunds.

Agreement of Use – Selected films agree to allow the festival to use screen shots, clips, trailers, posters, or other materials to promote the film and festival. Filmmakers and guests agree to allow the festival to use their likeness in any photo, video, or audio recordings to promote the film and festival. Filmmakers grant WyoIFF permission the non-exclusive right to screen their film in the state of Wyoming as part of official exhibitions for a duration of one (1) year from the initial acceptance date.

Age of Film – Films cannot have been produced any earlier than January 1st, 2023. Films produced in 2022 and older are ineligible.

Copyright – By submitting filmmakers acknowledge they own the full copyright to their film, soundtrack, and all other elements contained within the film, and have the legal right to exhibit the film in the United States. The festival takes no responsibility for any copyright violations, and the filmmaker agrees they are the sole responsible party of their work.

Acceptance - After being invited to the festival, filmmakers will have 3 weeks to accept or reject their screening. Once filmmakers accept, they may not remove their film from the official lineup.

Non-Discrimination – The Wyoming International Film Festival has a strict non-discrimination policy and has zero tolerance for films promoting discrimination. Any film that actively promotes hate speech or discrimination against any protected class (Race, Ethnicity, Nationality, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Religion, Ability, Age, etc.) will be immediately disqualified.

Agreement - By submitting to the Wyoming International Film Festival filmmakers agree to all rules, terms, and conditions.
104 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Dan Rule

    An incredible festival in a really interesting part of the world. Has been the most pro-artist/filmmaker festival I've attended. With lots of opportunities to see others work, connect with other filmmakers and discuss my own work and others. Highly recommended to apply and go if accepted.

    July 2026
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  • Stephen Howard Tucker

    Our crew had an amazing experience at WYOIFF 2026! So many incredible indie films and fun events surrounding the festival. This is Cheyenne western hospitality at its finest! Rudi and the entire team did such an awesome job hosting the event, and making sure filmmakers were getting the most out of all the festival opportunities. We made meaningful connections with dynamic filmmakers and the quality of the programming was top notch. Thank you WYOIFF for supporting local filmmakers and putting on the best film festival in Wyoming! We look forward to submitting new films and attending again!

    July 2026
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  • Patrick Coleman Duncan

    Although I was unable to attend in person I followed assiduously on Instagram and really wish I could’ve been there in person. The notice of acceptance of our project was a personal phone call and that always feels great! I wish more festivals did this.

    We were programmed with a group of films I could tell complimented each other in tone, theme and setting.

    Even though we could not attend we still added filmmakers to our network. Definitely a festival to keep in mind for our next film.

    Thanks Wyoming!

    July 2026
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  • Paper Horse Pictures

    We couldn’t make it in person, but Wyoming International Film Festival was still great to be part of. Everyone was super easy to deal with, communication was great, and the whole thing just felt really thoughtful. Definitely a festival we’d be happy to come back to.

    July 2026
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  • Shiela and David Glatz

    Super festival for indie filmmakers. Facilities at LCCC are awesome. Staff, board and volunteers made us feel like indie film royalty. Great selection of films. Made connections with many indie filmmakers who were also enthusiastic to be there. It's all there. And Cheyenne is a wonderful host city. Kudos to Rudi, Mark and the whole team for the effort and energy to make this festival special.

    July 2026
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