Announcing the 3rd annual Fentress Student Film Fest!

We are Fentress Films (a small female founded and Black founded film company), and we are SO excited to be hosting this festival! We also founded the Fentress Film Fest, our larger annual film festival, which focuses on professional filmmakers and films. Submissions for Fentress Film Fest are now open as well, so feel free to submit if you wish! But back to this festival... we created the Fentress Student Film Fest to highlight incredible student filmmakers from around the world and to give students a fair shot at getting festival recognition and winning awards.

Not only are we looking for awesome student films with superb visual design and editing, but we are also looking for hardworking and passionate filmmakers and films that tell captivating stories! The 3rd annual festival will be from August 9th-11th, 2023* (*please note that dates have changed due to the festival director having a family emergency), and will be 90% virtual & 10% in-person. This means we are accepting submissions from all over the world! YAY! Since the festival will be mostly virtual, we will have online events happening all week long, so that the selected filmmakers can get to know each other, and so that the online community can engage with each filmmaker's work before the actual awards ceremony!

We have 8 total award categories:

1) Best Student Film
-One film will win the award for best overall film!
-1 submission category; 1 award opportunity
-Decided by a jury

2) Best Director: Youth Student
-One film will win the award for best youth student director!
-We want to recognize the hard-working youth directors out there! Y'all are so young and already creating such incredible art! Don't ever give up; this is just the beginning.
-This category is for directors age 17 and younger only (please do not submit if you are over 18 years old)
-1 submission category; 1 award opportunity
-Decided by a jury

3) Best Director: College Student
-One film will win the award for best college student director!
-We want to recognize the hard-working directors out there, whether you are in college getting your bachelors or your masters! It's a long journey towards getting a degree in film, but you are rocking it!! Don't ever forget it!
-This category is for directors age 18 and older only (please do not submit if you are under 18 years old)
-1 submission category; 1 award opportunity
-Decided by a jury

4) Best Youth Actor/Actress
-One film will win the award for best youth actor/actress
-This category is for actors age 17 and younger only (please do not submit if the actor/actress you want us to consider is over 18 years old)
-1 submission category; 1 award opportunity
-Decided by a jury

5) Best Adult Actor/Actress
-One film will win the award for best adult actor/actress
-This category is for actors age 18 and older only (please do not submit if the actor/actress you want us to consider is under 18 years old)
-1 submission category; 1 award opportunity
-Decided by a jury

6) Best 1st Time Student Filmmaker
-One film will win the award for best first time filmmaker!
-We have all been first time filmmakers before, so we want to applaud you for your incredible hard work and for taking the giant leap into the film world (especially as a student filmmaker, way to go!) Don't give up, this is just the beginning!
-1 submission category; 1 award opportunity
-Decided by a jury

7) Best Female Student Filmmaker
-One film will win the award for best female student filmmaker!
-Women are the future of film! We want to shoutout all the amazing female students creating amazing art out there! You rock!
-1 submission category; 1 award opportunity
-Decided by a jury

8) Fentress Fan Favorite
-One film will win the “Fentress Fan Favorite” award!
-You don't need to apply to this category on FilmFreeway, as we will run this portion of the contest during the actual festival! (0 submission categories; 1 award opportunity)
-The public will vote for their favorite films and the film with the most votes will win the award! It's great exposure!
-Decided by the public via online voting system (more information on this once the festival begins)

Here is the schedule of events happening during the virtual festival:

WEDNESDAY (08/09):
-Start of the festival!!!!
-Opening ceremony: We will introduce each selected film and explain what will happen in the coming days.

THURSDAY (08/10):
-Award nominations are announced

FRIDAY (08/11):
-In person screening in Denver, Colorado
-All awards are announced!!!
-Closing ceremony: We will recognize each selected filmmaker again.

For each award category, the winner will receive:
-Official winner certificate (automatically included)
-Free Fentress Student Film Fest stickers (automatically included)
-We will feature your film on our website and social media (automatically included)
-Engraved award trophy (can be purchased through our website after the festival)

General rules for applying:
-Films can only be submitted via FilmFreeway
-All films must be 40 minutes or less (including credits)
-Films must be made by student filmmakers only (we will be checking student IDs)
-Films must have been created 2019 or later, but no earlier than 2019
-In order for us to consider your film for an award, you must include a poster, trailer, and access to watch your film via a digital file ONLY on your FilmFreeway project submission (we will not accept DVD submissions)
-We will not waive any submission fees, as we do not want to favor or give special treatment to any films over others
-All films must be in English OR have English subtitles if the film is not originally in English
-Only women can apply to the female student filmmaker category
-Only filmmakers who have never made a film before now can apply to the first-time student filmmaker category
-There are no restrictions regarding prior premiere(s) or distribution of films being submitted to our festival
-There are no restrictions regarding submitting your film to other festivals (we hope you submit your amazing work to more than just our festival)
-You can submit to as many award categories as you want (as long as you actually qualify for each category), but you are required to pay the submission fee for each category you apply to
-Fentress Student Film Fest reserves the right to reject or disqualify any ineligible entries, without a refund
-Films that are selected to screen at our virtual festival won't necessarily be chosen to be nominated for an award, as nominations for awards will take place during the virtual festival
-Films must be the original work of the submitting applicant ONLY. By entering this competition, you attest that you have all the necessary rights to your film and/or that the content of the film is entirely your own original work
-Fentress Student Film Fest is not liable for any copyright, trademark, credit infractions/fees from filmmakers that submit to our festival
-Once you submit to our festival and pay the entry fee, we cannot provide a refund
-Fentress Student Film Fest volunteers/jurors/organizers are not liable for any comments or opinions regarding submitted and selected films
-If you submit your film and are selected to screen at our virtual festival, you agree to let us promote your film on our online platforms and social media and will grant us access to/send us your film poster, official trailer, and your full film to be screened

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Edie Dahlander

    Had a great time! Appreciated all of the support from this festival.

    August 2022
  • Han Edward So Eckelberg

    Fentress Student Film Festival was a great and welcoming experience for all students. Thank you for providing a platform for Student filmmakers to share their stories!

    August 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Hi Han! We are so glad you enjoyed the festival!! It was an honor to showcase your film, Mak Fai Insider. We hope you submit again in the future as well. Cheers!

  • Arianna Grace Goarley

    Really enjoyed the collection of student films. This was a great online festival that had a lot of engagement and very strong communication. It was nice to have a “meet the filmmaker” video with each day’s screening.

    July 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Hey Arianna! We are thrilled you enjoyed the collection of films for our 2022 lineup. It was a true honor getting to showcase Sara Snow as well, congrats to you! We hope you'll submit again next year. Take care!

  • Oya Gökşin Babaoğlu

    Fentress Student Film Fest is an amazing festival full of friendly, and communicative crew. Thank you for nominating us for two different categories!

    November 2021
  • Thanks again for selecting Zone 38 for your festival, best of luck with your future projects and next time I'm in the USA I'd love to catch up.

    August 2021