Nomad Film Festival, a DTN Experience event, is the country's first rolling film festival, travelling across the United States to find the best and brightest in independent filmmaking. This year, Nomad will be rolling through Atlanta, GA, Las Vegas, NV, and Chicago, Illinois. The best of these cities will go on to compete at a final ceremony, where the winner will receive an incredible opportunity to advance their projects.

While the health and safety of our employees and participants are of upmost priority, we still want to offer filmmakers an opportunity to showcase their work in a setting worthy of their creative accomplishments, so Nomad will quite literally be a rolling film festival! The festival will be staged as a drive-in theater to allow for a classic spin on social distancing. For fans and finalists unable to roll through, the festival will be streaming live on virtual platforms and equipped with video conferencing capabilities. All finalists "video" will be featured on DTNTV Network for viewers to cast their VOTE!

Join us for our first leg in Atlanta, GA on November 12, 2020! Dates for our Las Vegas and Chicago legs will be announced soon.

Awards & Prizes

The following awards will be presented at each leg of the festival:

Best Short Film
Best Horror Short
Best Drama Short
Best Comedy Short
Best Animated Short
Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy Short
Audience Choice Award

Each recipient of the Best Short Film award will advance to the final ceremony in April, where one will be selected to receive a grand prize of $10,000 in production credit and their film featured on Nomad's parent company, DTN TV Network (DTN). Additional prizes may be awarded without announcement.

Rules & Terms

1. The applicant must be legally authorized to submit the film to Nomad/DTN, and the film must not be subject to any claims or litigation, or under any threat of such. Films must have been made prior to 2000. There is no premiere or residency requirement.

2. Entries must be no less than 5 minutes and no more than 30 minutes in length, excluding credits. Credits and non-narrative content may not exceed 5 minutes.

3. The following genres are accepted: Horror, Comedy, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Drama, and Animation. Genre-bending films are accepted but may only be entered into one category, where it will be judged accordingly with other films in the category.

4. Foreign films are accepted, but non-English language films must include English subtitles.

5. Nomad/DTN will only consider entries submitted with a valid entry form and a non-refundable submission fee of $25. Out of fairness to all applicants, the submission fee will not be waived under any circumstances.

6. Films must be submitted in the following formats: .mp4, .mov, or .m48.

7. Entrants must submit their short film(s) via FilmFreeway's online screening system.

8. A film may only be submitted to a single category. Filmmakers, however, may submit multiple films, as long as they are submitted individually (separate entry form and submission fee). Applicants may also submit the same film to different legs of the festival if there film was not selected as a finalist on previous leg.

9. Only finalists will be invited to participate in the festival. All entrants will be notified of their status by October 20. A free scorecard will be provided to entrants upon request.

10. It is the sole responsibility of the entrant to secure clearance from the copyright holders of any copyrighted materials in the film. The applicant releases and discharges DTN, its employees and agents from any and all claims, demands or causes of actions related to misappropriation or infringement of copyright or violation of any other right arising out of or relating to the film.

11. If a film is accepted as a finalist by Nomad, the applicant hereby agrees to the following without reservations or conditions:
(a) The right to screen the film at the festival, virtual platforms utilized during such, and on DTN TV Network indefinitely
(b) The right to organize publicity and press outreach concerning the film's screening at the festival as well on DTN TV Network
(c) The right to use excerpts/clips, still images, titles, and/or information relating to the film for promotional purposes in all media, including the DTN website.
(d) The right to issue and authorize publicity concerning the filmmakers and the film and to use all associated names, likenesses and biographical information.
(e) The right to provide contact information for the filmmakers
(f) The right to disqualify, without a refund of any submission fees, any entry which is in violation of the guidelines and participation agreement.
(g) Submission of a COVID-19 safety acknowledgement and release of liability waiver for finalists intending on attending the festival in person (to be distributed to finalists upon notification of status)

12. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please email us at connect@dtntv.network.