First Contact Sci-Fi and Fantasy Film Festival

Rules & Terms

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE will we accept AI-generated films. If you have used generative AI to create either the images, story, or music, this is not the festival for you.

We exist to celebrate the work that goes into the art of original filmmaking, and having generative AI do it for you is not filmmaking.

By submitting a film, promotional material or images, the submitter acknowledges that consent has been obtained from any and all owners, creators, writers, producers and/or other authorized representatives and that permission of any copyrighted or trademarked materials or content (including music and any stock media) has been granted.

***IMPORTANT*** If you use any copyrighted or trademark materials or content including music or stock media, you must properly list these in your credits, and that you have obtained legal rights to the usage, and notify First Contact at the time of submission and provide us with proof of the agreement(s). We will not accept films with music or images improperly taken from other films, television, recordings, or other media. This includes works of satire and parody.

The above point needs repeating-- let us know ahead of time! If you have proper clearances for a copyrighted or trademarked work PLEASE LET US KNOW FIRST!!!
Please note that non-profit status nor not charging for films nor any other imaginable reason does NOT change this requirement. Copyright law is international. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS to this.

All submissions must come through FilmFreeway and submitted digitally.

All films must be under 30 min in length, including credits.

Must provide short synopsis.

Low, no, and micro budget films are welcome and encouraged.

Films, TV pilots, episodes, web series, etc... are all welcome. However, we do NOT accept "fan films". Please do not submit those.

We don't care how old the film is, but premieres will be given extra priority.

All Films must be complete. 'Works In Progress' will not be accepted. Works can be experimental but should have a clear narrative structure. Commercials and trailers will not be accepted.

If your film is selected and you do not provide a media file that meets our specifications (see below) in a timely manner, we reserve the right to select another winner or not show the film.

All submissions must be in the English language, or come with English subtitles baked-into the file. Please do not send separate SRT, DOC, or other files to play along with your submission, the subtitles must be an imbedded overlay in the render of your film file. (We will not decode Closed Captioning).

IMPORTANT NOTE:
We understand that film concepts come in many resolutions and sizes. To properly respect that, we ask that if your film is accepted it comes to us already mastered or re-mastered in a standard 1920x1080, 16:9, MP4 format. Use letterboxing and side-bars as needed, but we want to make sure your film plays as you intend an audience to see it on our projectors. We do not accept DVDs, Blu-Rays, or physical media of any kind.

If we do not receive your film in a proper format in time for us to program the festival, we reserve the right not to play your film during the day of the festival.

When submitting to the festival you are agreeing that:

1. If selected and the invitation accepted, you allow us to screen the submitted film during the dates of the festival.

2. You are allowing both in-person and on-line screenings of your film and you have clearances for both.

3. You allow us to promote the film and the festival with your poster, stills, written blurbs, or other materials submitted through FilmFreeway. Submitted materials can be used in print, on the web, appear n our website, or can be used on social media for the above purpose.

FCFF will not pay any screening fees for presentation of the film during the festival. The only exception would be if there is a negotiated agreement preceding the submission of the film to FCFF.

Selected Films are not automatically selected for First Night Morris. Inclusion in First Night Morris is by invitation of the First Night Morris organization only.

The First Contact Film Festival, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to waive, alter, add, delete or make exceptions to the submissions requirements and eligibility.
eligibility.