🔊🔊🔊The WAIT is OVEEEEERRRRRR!!!!!

⏰ Ring the one-minute alarm, Season 3 just clocked in. It’s time to dust off your submit fingers and get-in-to-win.

With two seasons behind us, our exceptional, international micro short film competition is growing exponentially, receiving superior quality submissions from across the world, and our supporters are mingling with our filmmakers at the swankiest budget-friendly orange carpet screening in Houston.

If you haven't already joined us, you MUST attend our soiree and cinema exhibition. Where you'll quickly discover we're NOT your average film festival.

Zeal Reel Micro Short Film Competition™, one of a few Competitions to give a cash prize to support filmmakers in their art, is designed to test filmmakers’ creativity and champion those who thrive in this short art form.

We emphasize one-minute micro shorts are an exercise in concise, comprehensive storytelling. However, to be brief is just part of a one-minute micro short. To captivate an audience with a visually stunning, well-written, character-based, closed-ended one-minute film that's worth watching, is the other part.

Your 60 second film can introduce you to the world. We want you to show us your Zeal for storytelling and submit your micro short TODAY!

If you are a filmmaker based in the State of Texas, USA, we offer additional consideration for your entry(ies). In addition to a cash prize given for the overall best film, we give an additional cash prize to the winning Texas-based filmmaker. A vote by attendees at our cinema exhibition determines the winner of the audience award prize.

Awards & Prizes

Grand Jury Prize (Best Micro Short Film) $2,500 USD
Texas Filmmaker Audience Award $1,000 USD

Cast/Crew Awards Include
Best Director
Best Cinematography
Best Original Music
Best Sound Design
Best Editing
Best Actress
Best Actor
Best Costume/Wardrobe
Best Makeup/Hair
Best Production Design

Film Awards Include
Best Dramatic Film
Best Horror Film
Best Romantic Comedy Film
Best Comedy Film
Best Dark Comedy Film
Best Science Fiction Film
Best Documentary Film
Best Mocumentary Film
Best Action/Adventure Film
Best Animation Film

Rules & Terms

đź‘€Submission Highlights are below.
⚖️See all Official Rules at https://lazyparkentertainment.com/zr-official-rules/.

• Submissions must be sixty (60) seconds in length or shorter, including credits.
• Submissions must have been completed after March 1, 2021, and must be available for screening on March 23, 2023.
• Submissions must be a scripted motion picture, this includes documentary films, and must not be one-minute clips from longer films.
• Submissions per entrant is unlimited. Each entry is a separate fee.
• Submissions co-owned/co-created only need one person to serve as the entrant be it producer, writer, or director.
• Submissions must be in high definition.
• Submission can only be entered for one (1) category.
• Entry fees are non-refundable.
• Submitted material must not contain obscene, unlawful, or objectionable content.
• Submissions in a language other than English, must include English subtitles.
• Submissions that are publicly available online prior to the exhibition date may be screened, but will be ineligible for prize consideration.
• Zeal Reel MSFC reserves the right in its sole discretion to reject or disqualify any ineligible entries, without a refund.
• Zeal Reel MSFC requires the Grand Prize winner and the Texas Audience Award winner to complete and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability/Publicity Release before any prize money is released. Failure to fully complete and return the Affidavit within the allotted time will result in forfeiture of the prize.

8 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Dean Watts

    Great festival, nice people, good films, lots of fun!

    April 2022
    Helpful
  • Matt Mckisson

    I went to the original festival in 2019 sort of by accident, and it turned out to be a lovely concept that I'm glad I was a part of in 2021 with my film "Use A Seat Belt". The curator was always very responsive with the questions I had over the course of the few months preceding the festival, and overall I think the night went very well, I got to meet a lot of wonderful film makers and film lovers.

    November 2021
    Helpful
  • Gregg Jaffe

    I didn't attend the fest but enjoyed very easy communication regarding my film and was pleased to have won "Best Comedy" for my short film. They also did a nice job promoting the filmmakers leading up to the fest itself. I'd be very happy to submit more in the future.

    February 2020
    Helpful
  • Gabriela Amerth

    I had such a great time attending this festival! Everyone was really lovely and welcoming. Communication was very clear from day one of submission! They're serious about encouraging new filmmakers to keep working, the grand jury prize allowed me to update my gear and subsequently the quality of my videos. I will always be thankful to those who are involved in this festival (especially to Shawn). I did not know one single person from inside the organization so I can attest that these are very honest and professional people. Go submit your film!

    December 2019
    Helpful
  • Greg Flakus

    This was the first year for the Zeal Reel contest so the organizers deserve praise for being able to carry it off smoothly. There were some problems with communication, but that was more than made up for by the lovely reception and screening. It was terrific for me and the star of my film to see it on a large screen with an audience. The networking opportunity was also very good. There were filmmakers from as far away as New York City and the audience/judges were a very diverse and talented group of people. It was a pleasure to talk with fellow producers of micro short films. I hope to produce something for next year.

    November 2019
    Helpful
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    Response from festival:

    Greg, it was wonderful to meet you. We're happy you and Reyna were able to see your film screened in front of an audience. Thanks for your kind words and we hope to get better with each passing year. Happy filmmaking!