Enginuity is a festival created by filmmakers to celebrate the engine and ingenuity that powers independent film. We want to celebrate all the departments that come together to create an independent film.

This is now the beginning of our fourth year and we are looking forward to a great year of films.

Year four will have their WV live screening event in September 2021 in Ranson, WV (near Harpers Ferry about an hour and a half outside Washington, DC) where we will be enjoying a weekend of film and seminar programming.

We judge every entry for the following categories;

Feature Categories

Best Light Design
Best Set Design
Best Makeup
Best VFX
Best Sound Design
Best Original Score
Best Soundtrack
Best Stunts
Best Costume Design
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Voice Actor
Best Voice Actress
Best Screenplay
Best Editor
Best Cinematography
Best Animated Film
Best Director
Best Picture

Short Categories

Best Light Design
Best Set Design
Best Makeup
Best VFX
Best Sound Design
Best Original Score
Best Soundtrack
Best Stunts
Best Costume Design
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Voice Actor
Best Voice Actress
Best Screenplay
Best Editor
Best Cinematography
Best Animated Film
Best Director
Best Picture

New Media/Web/Music Video Under 5 Minutes

Best Director
Best New Media

Documentary Categories

Best Director
Best Documentary
Best Writing

Trophies, Additional Laurels and Certificates for all the Annual Winners to be presented at the event.

General Eligibility

1. All films must be in English or have English subtitles at the time submitted.

2. Films must be submitted as an online streaming video via a participating submission platform (FilmFreeway), a password-protected streaming URL, or on DVD with NTSC formatting (please test before sending).

3. IMPORTANT NOTE: Enginuity ( EFF or the “Festival”) is not responsible for the streaming quality of online screeners. If you choose to submit an online screener and would like to guarantee the quality of your submission, EFF strongly suggests you submit a DVD in addition to your online streaming submission.

4. In the event of a password change or link change after submitting, you must email the Festival immediately with that change so we may update your record. If the Festival is not notified of the change and the link is found to be inactive or the password to be incorrect the Festival will send an email to the submitter’s address on file to follow up. If a response with the correct information is not received within forty-eight (48) hours, the submission may be deemed ineligible.

5. Films must have been completed after April 1, 2017.

6. Previous Screenings Have No Bearing On Eligibility.

7. EFF reserves the right in its sole discretion to reject or disqualify any ineligible entries, without a refund.

8. Our Judges are NOT allowed to vote or judge any work they were associated with.

9. There is only one entry fee. Once entered, every film is judged for each and every category.

Originality and Permissions;

INDEMNITY

1. Films must be the original work of the applicants. If a film is based upon another person’s life or upon a book or other underlying work, applicant(s) must secure any necessary rights to make such adaptations. However, it is not necessary to submit the adaptation rights agreements to the Festival. Neither the Festival nor its jurists investigate or attests to the authenticity of an applicant’s statement of authorship or rights secured. By entering the competition, you are acknowledging that you have secured all necessary rights.

2. Applicants are solely responsible for obtaining all necessary rights and permissions for third-party materials included in the film, including but not limited to music, trademarks, logos, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights. EFF reserves the right to request copies of any third party rights.

3. BY SUBMITTING THE MATERIAL, THE APPLICANT HEREBY AGREES TO INDEMNIFY, HOLD HARMLESS, AND DEFEND THE FESTIVAL, ITS EMPLOYEES, DIRECTORS, REPRESENTATIVES, AND AFFILIATES FROM ANY LIABILITY, CLAIMS, AND DAMAGES IN CONNECTION WITH THE SUBMISSION AND FROM ANY FEES AND EXPENSES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO REASONABLE ATTORNEYS’ FEES, THAT ANY OF THEM MAY INCUR IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.

Additional Information

1. We strongly encourage filmmakers to submit their film only after it is fully finished and will judge each submission as a completed work, whether it is or not. That said, because EFF’s focus is on the entire team that produces the film, minor technical issues will not affect the final decision of any film.

2. One fee and your film is eligible for all categories. You do not need to pay for each category.

3. Once an entry payment has been received we cannot provide a refund. If a payment is disputed by an entrant for any reason, the entrant may be subject to any transaction fees or similar amounts incurred by EFF in connection with the dispute.

4. You MUST include your physical address either in your entry or in your cover letter. Please do not submit a film without giving us your address, which we need for our records.

5. Payments made with a check are subject to our Bounced Check Policy: If we receive a returned check from our bank for a payment you made, you will be invoiced for the original amount of the check plus a $25 bank fee. The payment of the invoiced amount will be due within 30 days of invoice date. We will not re-submit the original check, nor will we accept another check for repayment. Repayment must be made by money order or cashier’s check.

CATEGORY REQUIREMENTS:

SHORT REQUIREMENTS:
- Films must be under 40 minutes.

FEATURE REQUIREMENTS:
- Films must be 41 minutes or longer but should be under 120 minutes. We will watch films over 2 hours, but we will judge longer films harsher in the editing category. So, make sure if the film is over 2 hours, it is critical to the storytelling.

PLEASE NOTE:

RETURNS & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:

DVDs and press materials will not be returned under any circumstances. Include a self-addressed, stamped postcard for each submission if you wish acknowledgment of the receipt of your entry.

COMPETITION IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

COMPETITION CERTIFICATION

I/We have read all of the rules & regulations, understand, and have complied with these rules.

I/We warrant the submission of my/our original work and that there are no disputes regarding the ownership of the submission.

I/We also warrant the submitted material does not defame or invade the rights of any person living or dead. I/We indemnify the EFF against any claim made for such violations of law.

To the best of my/our knowledge, all the statements herein are true and correct.

I/We understand that failure to adhere to the competition rules and regulations will result in disqualification and forfeiture of entry fee.

I/We acknowledge that once an entry payment has been processed, EFF will not provide a refund

I/We agree to hold the EFF harmless from and defend them against all claims, demands, losses, damages, judgments, liabilities, and expenses (including attorney’s fees) arising out of or in connection with any and all claims of third parties, whether or not groundless, based on any screenplay/film submitted to the EFF or on any screenplay/film developed out of such submission.

No revisions will be accepted once entry has been received.

To the best of my/our knowledge, all of the statements herein are true and correct.

I/We understand that failure to adhere to the Festival rules will result in disqualification and forfeiture of entry fee.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Very good festival... genuinely cares about creativity and independent filmmaking

    February 2021
  • D.B. Sweeney

    Thanks to the Enginuity Fest for supporting Indie film makers! Great communication and lovers of film are here!

    September 2020
  • Had a great experience with two shorts films at this festival. Well run and great communication.

    September 2020
  • Jeff Fry

    It took thirty-four hours of cancelled and delayed flights for me to make the journey from Los Angeles to the Enginuity Film Festival in West Virginia (normally a five to six hour trip), but this festival was worth every effort. Clint, Darla and Dan are true advocates of the independent filmmaker, and Enginuity is designed expressly to promote both the films and filmmakers selected for this festival.

    Few festivals, if any, go to the extent of acknowledging, let alone rewarding, the myriad of crafts, or craftspersons through whom each film is so passionately constructed, yet the directors of Enginuity personally examine and evaluate these contributions. Not only do they identify outstanding achievements, they create and publish online promotional pieces for social media relating their findings. In addition, they film and edit incisive interviews with the filmmakers about their lives and projects for public broadcast.

    The Enginuity Film Festival, although intimate in setting and still in its infancy, is setting a new bar for what film festivals should be achieving on behalf of the films and filmmakers that provide their media. I recommend this film festival and that we, as filmmakers, support festivals like these that dedicate themselves to being true proponents of independent filmmaking. Pay attention to what they are doing because they are teaching filmmakers how to promote.

    October 2019
  • Richard Anderson

    Great Festival with outstanding films. Clint & Darla are about as good as it gets for hospitality and friendliness. Highly recommended.

    October 2019
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you for the kind words Richard. We loved screening "What About Auburn?" and look forward to your future work.