📢 CALL FOR FILMS: COVELLITE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2027 — A film festival for storytellers

🚨 SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN NOW on FilmFreeway 🚨

Returning to Uptown Butte, Montana, April 22-25th, 2027, the Covellite International Film Festival invites filmmakers for an immersive storytelling experience.

Built by Butte, for Butte, CIFF strikes paydirt with raw, resonant storytelling. There are no velvet ropes here—just hard-won voices and honest work, shared not for industry gatekeepers, but for the people in the seats. This is a festival where audiences lean in, speak back, and carry the stories with them. Submit to a hometown festival and see what the Everyman thinks of your film...

We know travel can be a challenge, so we embrace the digital age: remote Q&As, pre-recorded filmmaker intros, and hybrid panels are all part of the experience.

We are looking for films that hit hard, dig deep, and make people feel something real—stories of resilience, rebellion, raw humor, and diamonds in the rough. If your film breaks hearts, starts conversations, or sparks belly-laughs, we want to see it.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

🔥 Narrative & Documentary Films – Big themes, quiet truths
🎭 Short Films – Comedy, drama, experimental, and everything in between
🎬 Youth, DIY & First-Time Filmmakers – If you made it with heart, it belongs here
🛠 Films That Punch Up – Stories that fight back, never down
đź“ś Screenplays - for the return of "Paper Cuts & Gold Dust:" Live Screenplay Reading!

Founded in 2015 by Don Andrews and Brian Boyd, CIFF built an international filmmaker community from the ground up. In its first five years, the festival showcased 600+ films from 36 countries, transforming historic Uptown Butte venues into spaces for unforgettable storytelling.

Now in its next chapter, the Covellite International Film Festival is following the vein back to its lode: honesty, resilience, and the everyman experience. CIFF is more than a festival—it’s a gathering place where filmmakers return year after year, film lovers have a voice, and bold, uncompromising work finds its audience.

Forged in fire. Built on solidarity.
No gatekeepers—just grit, goodwill, and A Vein of Truth.

Awards & Prizes

2027 CIFF Awards:

Assayer’s Pick - Programmer’s Choice Short (3)

Assayer’s Pick - Programmer’s Choice Feature (3)

The People’s Choice - for most Audience Votes during the run of the festival

The Stuffed Aardvark - for weird, interesting storytelling

Paper Cuts & Gold Dust - for best screenplay (short and feature)

Headframe Heartbreak - for best love story

Dublin Gulch - for family, loyalty, belonging

The Mary MacLane - for unapologetic self-expression

The Blasting Cap Award - for best special effects

The Company Town Award - for best world-building (sets/costumes) (short and feature)

The Frank Little Award - for revolutionary spirit

The Alma Higgins Award - for quiet impact

The Big Damn Deal Award - for most heartfelt performance (short and feature)

The Whisky & Wildfires Award - for most fun action film

The Martha Raye Award - for comedy

The Berkeley Pit - for best documentary

The Miner’s Lamp - for best cinematography (short and feature)

Rules & Terms

ELIGIBILITY & SUBMISSIONS
- Open to all filmmakers worldwide—but we have a soft spot for blue-collar teams, indie gems, and films that don’t fit the traditional mold.
- All genres are welcome: narrative, documentary, experimental, animation, shorts, etc.
- Submissions must be completed films—no works-in-progress.
- Screenplays must be completed scripts - a segment will be selected for "Paper Cuts & Gold Dust 2026"
- Only digital submissions accepted.
- There are no premiere status requirements. If your film is great, we want it.
- If accepted, filmmakers must provide a high-quality screening file.

JUDGING & SELECTION
- This is the people’s film festival. While a small programming team will select the films, the audience decides the winners of most awards through a democratic voting process.
- Official selections will be notified promptly. Official selections will be required to provide an EPK ASAP: including team headshots and bios, websites and socials for the film and filmmakers, film description (3-10 sentences)
- Travel assistance for filmmakers is limited, but we will have first-come first-served lodging for filmmakers who commit to attend.
- We offer virtual participation options like pre-recorded intros, Q&As, and live-streamed panels.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
- Stories about resilience, integrity, and relatable experiences
- Films/Scripts with social impact and undersung voices
- Films/Scripts that make viewers feel—whether that’s laughter, heartbreak, or revolution
- Indie & DIY films that prove you don’t need millions to make something unforgettable
- Regional and rural stories that often get passed over for money-makers

CIFF’s focus is on films that have a strong audience connection, tackle relevant issues, and feel urgent and true—not just “cool” indie gems, but films that demand to be seen.

RIGHTS & SCREENINGS
- By submitting, you grant Covellite International Film Festival the right to screen your film at the festival and use clips/stills for promotional purposes.
- CIFF reserves the right to summarize with integrity any biography or film description for ease of publication.
- You retain all rights to your film/screenplay.

NO BS POLICY
- No refunds on submission fees. The Covellite is a non-profit performing arts venue: we’re running this thing on grit, passion, and loyal sponsorships, not corporate money.
- Respect the community. CIFF is a Brave Space: we welcome bold voices and tough topics, but we reserve the right to not screen any submission the programming team determines has the intent to cause or encourage harm or self-harm.
- Have fun. This festival is for filmmakers and film lovers who give a damn.

23 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Aaron Wertheimer

    Covellite is a great fest and I would definitely submit again! I wasn't able to attend in person, but I have several filmmaker friends who did, and they all raved about it. If I get another film into the fest, I really hope to attend.

    April 2026
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  • Robert Breedlove

    I wasn’t able to make it to Montana this year, but the Covellite International Film Festival still made the experience unforgettable. They hosted live table reads of both my feature Surf City and my short The Pixel Cartel, and the actors absolutely crushed it. Thoughtful, committed performances across the board.

    Huge thanks to the Covellite team for giving both scripts such care and energy. A truly filmmaker‑focused festival.

    April 2026
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  • AV DHAGE CREATIONS

    My short film THE VOICE OF OLD was selected at the 2026's festival and also screened .I couldn't attend the event but the communication between me and the organizing team was very very nice..They coordinated very politely .I was connected with them till the end of the festival and its a worth sending film festival...Hope I will be attending the festival and the whole team in the mining city Butte .Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to showcase my art at your esteemed festival....Very Greatful

    April 2026
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  • Michael Smith

    This festival was fantastic. The programming was quirky and strong and had a definite point of view. They show good, true microbudget indies here, and there are plenty of opportunities to network with other filmmakers. The hospitality was great as well: They gave my team rides to and from the airport and put us up in a boutique hotel. Butte is also an amazing place: It's an old copper mining town that now serves as home to a population of equal parts rednecks and artistic weirdos. The fest is held at a theater that used to be an old church; there's a bar inside of it and a food truck outside of it. I greatly appreciated that all of the screenings were held at a single venue. That made each screening feel like an event. The after-parties were awesome too. Don't hesitate to submit to this!

    April 2026
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  • John Martins III

    My deep gratitude to Festival Directors Ainsley Sevier, Demetrius Fassas, Screenplay Programmer Caleb Hill, and the entire Covellite International Film Festival team for making my unproduced feature screenplay, "The Fourth Psalm" a part of your festivities with a live reading performed by Butte actors; that honor was very much appreciated. Your communication from the very beginning was outstanding. My apology for being unable to attend so I could have witnessed your kindness personally. Wishing all of you there in beautiful Big Sky Country the very best in all things.

    April 2026
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