1. Eligibility –
a. Any person who enters must be at least 13 years old and living in the United States and Canada. Entrants must meet the minimum age requirements when the film was made and completed.
b. ANY AND ALL SUBMISSIONS FROM OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES AND/OR CANADA WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
c. For 2026, we are accepting films made in the last two years. Group projects, as well as individual works, are acceptable. All submissions must be produced by entrants.
d. No films previously submitted to this festival or the Flint Youth Film Festival may be entered again.
e. For entrants under 18 years old, adult guidance and instruction are permissible, but the primary hands-on creative work and point-of-view must be by the entrant(s). If you are submitting for a student or other multiple individuals, please make sure you note it when you submit.
2. Submission
a. The Submission deadline is Saturday, May 30, 2026, 11:59 PM EST (postmarked, electronic dating).
b. Submissions are free for entrants 13-18 years of age. All others must pay a submission fee for consideration.
c. Multiple category submissions are acceptable. Only one film per entrant will be accepted. We reserve the right to withdraw an entry if not submitted to a category meant for 13-18-year-old individuals without proper qualifications.
d. Entries for 13-18 year olds may be submitted as individuals, teams, or classes. If you are submitting for a group of students/entrants, please contact us at vehiclecityfilmfest@gmail.com
3. Rules
a. Only original work may be submitted. The VCFF board reserves the right to determine the eligibility of any submission.
b. Ratings Apply - We are a family-friendly festival. No nudity. Limited offensive language/cursing and violence are permitted. The VCFF uses the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) film rating system for submissions. Participants should follow the guidelines. We reserve the right to make minor edits for screening purposes.
c. Language Requirement - All films must be in English and/or subtitled in English.
d. Disqualification - Any international entries from a country other than Canada are automatically disqualified. Additional disqualification may result from, but is not limited to, language/content and/or copyright infringement.
e. Copyright - If copyright-protected sources are used, you must obtain the necessary permissions and include them with this application. If using material under Creative Commons (Fair Use Doctrine), make sure the necessary requirements are met in order to submit your work to a third party. For more information on copyrighted material and what constitutes fair use material, please visit:
www.centerforsocialmedia.org/fair-use
www.copyrightkids.org
There are many options for copyright-free music. One option is: www.mobygratis.com
The VCFF is not responsible for the accuracy of the information on these websites. Please do your research and try to find material that is royalty/license-free and/or falls under Creative Commons. Copyright is a complicated issue. When in doubt, do not use material you did not create. We are interested in what you can create, not what you can borrow.
f. Film Running Time Limits
Age 13-15: 5 min. max
Age 16-18: 10 min. max
Age 19+-: 15 min. max
g. Entry Categories
Age 13-15: Achievement
Age 16-18: Narrative or Documentary
Age 19+: Narrative or Documentary
All ages: Animation
All ages: Experimental
We do NOT accept music videos at this time.
h. The Vehicle City Film Festival reserves the right to copy and distribute the works submitted for exhibition and promotional purposes only.
i. Once accepted, films must be available to download within 10 days either through FilmFreeway or other means. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.
j. Jury Process - A jury panel of media professionals will select entries for recognition in all categories. Criteria for selection include:
Storytelling
Quality of Overall Production
Freshness & Originality
Persuasive Point of View
Emotional Impact
Technical Proficiency
