THE PEOPLE’S FESTIVAL
Zepstone International Film & Music Festival a.k.a. ZepFEST is a grass roots, nonprofit 501(c)(3), IMDb qualifying festival with in-person events that take place annually in September. ZepFEST is a multi-industry festival and includes films, music, the arts, literature, podcasts, innovation, and fashion.
Could you be a "Zeppie?"
Zeppie alums are noms & winners at the Academy Awards , The Grammy's, The Emmy’s, the BAFTAs, the Goya Awards, the César Awards, MTV Music Awards, and even United Nations awards. Zeppie alums have been featured on Netflix, Amazon, HBO, MTV, Paramount +, Comedy Central, Hulu, Disney, Blumhouse, and many many more.
Walk with us, learn with us, build with us.
We are "the people's festival," where seasoned professionals and novices come together to learn and grow.
Mark your calendars!
“ZepFEST”
August 31st - September 5th, 2026
Murray, Utah
IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ - HOW DOES OUR FESTIVAL WORK?
4 ROUNDS, 1 EPIC WEEK IN SEPTEMBER
Round 1) September 2025 - December 2025
Round 2) December 2025 - March 2026
Round 3) March 2026 - June 2026 (final deadline - June 12th)
Round 4) June 17th 2026 - August 8th, 2026 (final deadline for the year)
Our festival is broken up into 4 rounds a year, all of which are treated equally. At the conclusion of round, we announce Official Selections and Quartlery Winners for each round. The quarterly winners from each round will be qualified for annual nominations.
Every August/September, we host ZepFEST, which showcases filmmakers, musicians, and the arts. If chosen as an annual Finalist, your project will be featured during this week. ZepFEST culminates with the prestigious Red Carpet Awards Show, where annual award-winners will be announced.
Learn more about ZepFEST:
zepfest.org
Follow us on Facebook and instagram: @zepfestofficial
FEST FAQ:
1) Where did the name “Zepstone” come from?
Zepstone was originally formed in 2016 as a photography and film production company. The name was inspired by the Egyptian term “Zep Tepi,” which means the “first times,” or Golden Age. Zep (first) Stone essentially means “the cornerstone” or foundation of something being built.
2) What do the different FilmFreeway statuses mean?
Official Selection: means your project has been selected for the Quarterly Round in which you have entered. It also means that your project may be eligible for Quarterly Round awards. This doesn't guarantee quarterly wins, but it means your project was highly rated by our jurors and is being considered for quarterly wins.
Quarterly Finalist/Round Winner: means that you have won Quarterly Round awards and are automatically nominated for annual awards,
Finalist: means that your project has been chosen to screen at during ZepFEST. While we wish we could screen every nominated project, programming is based on world premiere status, interest in the project, and ratings. Being an Official Selection does not guarantee screening but is a high honor.
Nominee: means that your project has been nominated for an annual award at ZepFEST. Even if your project isn't being screened, this is a huge testiment to the high ratings and nominations by our jury.
Winner: means that you have won an annual award at ZepFEST.
3) How do I know if I’ve won?
All Quarterly Round winners will be announced on our website and social media pages. Quarterly Round winners will also receive laurels & certificates. Annual award winners will be announced during ZepFEST and will receive the prestigious Zepstone award trophy.
4) Are honorable mentions still considered for annual awards?
Yes! This means that your project stood out and is also an annual nominee qualifier.
ANNUAL AWARDS
Awarded During ZepFEST
If you won a round category, you are automatically qualified as a nominee for annual awards.
SECRET NOMINEES: At the jury discretion, annual nominees for highly scored categories may be included as nominees in the annual events, even if they were not formally winners of a Quarterly Round. Many factors go into inclusion for secret nominees. These nominees may have proven to have achieved high scores by the jury, but perhaps they didn’t formally win during a certain round because of volume, or perhaps these particular filmmakers have achieved more than one accomplishment during a festival year, etc. Love surprises? So do we!
