The Columbus, Indiana YES Film Festival celebrates the creativity and diversity of independent film, bringing to the screen the best documentaries, narrative features and short films, with competitions in all three categories.

Cinema truly is the universal language and our mission at YESfest is to promote a lively and passionate dialogue between filmmakers and film lovers.

Columbus, Indiana, is an internationally famous small town nestled among the cornfields in the heart of the heartland. Ranked 6th in the nation for architecture, Columbus was once coined as “Athens of the Prairie” and featured on “CBS News Sunday Morning.” Columbus is known for scores of buildings by world-famous architects including I.M. Pei, Eero Saarinen, Eliel Saarinen, Harry Weese, and art and sculpture by artists such as Henry Moore. This unique town is a perfect location for bringing great stories to life on the screen.

YESfest films will screen at the YES Cinema in downtown Columbus, an elegant and welcoming independent theater that shows blockbuster, classic, foreign and independent films, and hosts live events such as the Cinema’s hugely popular YES Comedy Showcase.

YES Cinema, host of the Columbus Indiana YES Film Festival, is a Cinema with a Cause. It is owned and operated by Lincoln-Central Neighborhood Family Center (LCNFC), a United Way-affiliated non-profit that works with Columbus residents to improve their lives through advocacy, human services, people empowerment and collaboration. All proceeds from YESFest and YES Cinema go to support LCNFC in its mission and programming.

Juried prize for Best Feature Narrative, $1000
Juried prize for Best Feature Documentary, $1000
Juried prize for Best Short Film, $500

Audience Award for Best Feature Film, $250
Audience Award for Best Short Film, $250

We screen DCP, BluRay, DVD. For feature-length films, we prefer DCP submissions on a thumb drive or external hard drive (which we will return to you promptly after the festival). For short films, we prefer DCP submissions on a thumb drive or external hard drive (which we will return to you promptly after the festival). Short films: if you need to send to us digitally, please contact us. For short films sent to us digitally, we require a high quality h264 or ProRes digital file.

If you are screening BluRay, please send a DVD backup to your BluRay.

Deadline for sending us the exhibition print: Oct. 1, 2023.

YES Film Festival does not pay screening fees.

Filmmaker gives YES Film Festival permission to screen the film at its discretion at the festival, including encore screenings during the festival, and gives permission for excerpts of the film to be used for promotional purposes, for example, in a PSA.

Filmmaker must have permission to use music and and other copyrighted materials used in the film.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Yes Film Festival is hereby granted the right to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at the Festival for promotional purposes.

The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening, and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations.

The undersigned shall indemnify and hold harmless Yes Film Festival from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Kathy Bruner

    It was a joy to interact with an appreciative audience for the Indiana shorts program. Everyone was so kind and hospitable. Thank you for including our films!

    November 2022
  • Andrew Bateman

    It is a small festival, but the people are great. It is more about quality than quantity. The theater is amazing.

    November 2022
  • Dustin Lowman

    One of the best film festivals I have been to. Super friendly staff and great networking!

    November 2021
  • Donna Bonilla Wheeler

    Wonderful festival and films. Due to Covid19 restrictions we could not attend in person, but certainly a most beautiful experience and people! Thank you :-)

    November 2020
  • Mike Horvath

    A wonderful festival run by a wonderful group of people. The communication was exceptional. We're so thrilled to have screened here!

    November 2020