Established in 1999 as the flagship program of the Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema, Sidewalk Film Festival has perfected its own personal trifecta of quality film programming, filmmaker networking, and pure fun. Repeatedly recognized by MovieMaker Magazine as one of the Top 25 Festivals in the World and by TIME Magazine as one of the Top 10 Festivals for the Rest of Us, Sidewalk annually brings over 300 films to The Magic City. Low-priced passes, a concentrated footprint, and Southern Hospitality encourage filmmakers and attendees alike to connect during the festival week.

Sidewalk actively strives to bring a variety of film to its audience. To that end, we are thrilled to highlight civil and social issues in our Life & Liberty track, diversity-related topics and black filmmakers in our Black Lens track, LGBTQ filmmakers and content with our SHOUT track, and family-friendly programming with our Family Festival track. As an Alabama festival in a city with multiple universities, we also spotlight our Alabama filmmakers and our student filmmakers.

Sidewalk is pleased to announce the return of our Sidewrite Competition for 2024. With categories for feature length screenplays, short screenplays, and Alabama screenplays, Sidewalk is looking for innovative and exciting scripts to recognize. In addition to cash prizes, winners are read at our table read during the festival weekend. Winning scripts are announced approximately one month prior to the festival event date. Sidewalk also offers a screenplay category that provides feedback on any submitted screenplay. Please use the Screenplay + Feedback category for this option.

Praise for Sidewalk:

MovieMaker Magazine: “The 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” (2023, 2015, 2014)
MovieMaker Magazine: "20 Great Film Festivals For First Time Moviemakers" (2022)
MovieMaker Magazine: "Top 50 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee" (2017, 2016)
The Washington Post: "Summer Preview" Film Festival (2015)
USA TODAY: "One of the Top 10 Places for a Fabulous Film Festival” (2013)
TIME Magazine: "Top 10 Festivals for the Rest of Us" (2006)

JURY AND PROGRAMMER'S AWARDS
Jambor-Franklin Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature $1,000
Best Documentary Feature $1,000
Best Narrative Short $500
Best Documentary Short $500
Best Animated Film $250
Best Student Film $250
Best Family Film $250
Alan Hunter Best Alabama Film $500
Best SHOUT Feature $500
Best SHOUT Short $250
Best Black Lens Feature $500
Best Black Lens Short $250
Best Life & Liberty Film $250
Feature Programmers' Award $500
Short Programmers' Award $250

AUDIENCE AWARDS
Best Narrative Feature $250
Best Documentary Feature $250
Best Narrative Short $150
Best Documentary Short $150
Best Shout Film (Feature or Short) $250
Best Alabama Film (Feature or Short) $250
Best Black Lens Film (Feature or Short) $250

SCREENPLAY AWARDS
Best Feature Screenplay $500
Best Short Screenplay $250
Best Alabama Feature Screenplay $500
Best Alabama Short Screenplay $250

ELIGIBILITY
Entrants warrant that they have the legal right to submit the work to Sidewalk, that all statements made in this application are true and accurate, and that all necessary rights and clearances have been secured to screen the work at the festival. Due to potential copyright issues, Sidewalk will be unable to consider fan fiction/fan films without express written permission from the primary copyright holder. Sidewalk reserves the right to determine the final eligibility of any work submitted. Eligible works must have been completed after January 1, 2023.

Exhibiting films publicly in the Greater Birmingham Metropolitan Area prior to or within one week after the 2024 festival dates will prevent your film from competing in the 2024 Sidewalk Film Festival and may prevent the film from being accepted to the Festival. This includes projects available on the web. Work accepted to screen at the Festival will be categorized in competitive and non-competitive categories at the sole discretion of Sidewalk. If your submission will be available through a video on demand (VOD) or pay-per-view (PPV) service of any kind, on or before August 19, 2024, please indicate such when entering. The availability of your film prior to August 19, 2024 through such a service will make the film ineligible for competition and may or may not prevent the film from being programmed. Availability through such a service will be considered during the programming process and may impact programming decisions. However, decisions regarding programming films that have been screened elsewhere and/or are available through a video on demand service, pay-per-view service, and/or any other service, venue, channel, theater or otherwise are solely up to the Sidewalk Film Festival staff.

EXHIBITION AGREEMENT & PRINT TRAFFIC
Submission to the Sidewalk Film Festival ("Sidewalk") constitutes an agreement with all festival terms and conditions, and permission to exhibit the work during the festival if selected. Sidewalk DOES NOT provide screening fees to submitted films.

If a film is accepted, entrant agrees to provide exhibition materials to the festival at their own expense, to arrive at the Sidewalk office by August 10th, 2024. Sidewalk can only provide return shipping via ground delivery within the continental United States. Although every possible care will be taken with exhibition material in our possession, neither Sidewalk nor the Sidewalk Film Center and Cinema, Inc. accepts responsibility for loss or damage. Entry fees are non-refundable.

ALABAMA DISCOUNT

ALABAMA24: A 30% discount for Alabama-produced films or screenplays. Alabama Productions include films that have been fully or partially filmed and/or produced in the state of Alabama. Partial Alabama productions must include at least 1 scene filmed in Alabama and/or at least 20% of the total budget spent in the state of Alabama. Alternatively a film that has the participation of at least 1 above the line filmmaker (Director, Writer, Producer, Editor, Actor in a starring role) that currently lives in the state of Alabama and/or is an Alabama native can be considered an Alabama film. Alabama scripts include screenplays where a credited screenwriter that currently lives in the state of Alabama and/or is an Alabama native. If you misuse this code, you will be automatically disqualified without refund.

All questions regarding discount codes and other waiver requests should be directed to Rachel Morgan at rachel@sidewalkfest.com.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • ruhi radke

    Sidewalk really takes care of their filmmakers! I had such an amazing experience attending all the networking events and watching all the blocks. The hospitality here is on the of the best and I look back at my time in Alabama really fondly because of this gem of a festival. Thank you so much for including Brown Sugar!

    March 2024
  • Tyler Garcia

    As a first-time filmmaker, Sidewalk definitely set the bar so high for what a festival experience should look like. Truly such an amazing weekend, and one that will stick with me for many many years to come!

    September 2023
  • My short A Rustle of Leaves had its festival premiere at Sidewalk and I couldn’t be happier. If you’re on the fence about submitting, don’t worry. It’s worth it!

    September 2023
  • I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Sidewalk Film Festival 2023. Everyone was very friendly and the workers at the event showed great hospitality. My team and I enjoyed our time there and would love to return someday!

    September 2023
  • Who knew Birmingham was so cool? I was so delighted to have my short film Good Grief play at this festival and wow what a film festival! There were so many fun parties, events, and screenings to attend. They had a filmmaker luncheon at a house that I kid you not looked like a castle as well as several pool parties and a block party that was an absolute barn burner.

    The staff who work at the festival are so kind and the volunteers go above and beyond. I had one give me a quick tour of downtown, another drop me off at my hotel even when it wasn't on her route, and another leave a party early to take me back to my hotel as well.

    Then there's the amazing people who run the festival who really care about making a place for diversity and inclusion. They've dedicated nights of the festival to LGBTIQA+ and black filmmakers. It was also so cool to see Birmingham's drag scene so represented at the festival as well.

    I also recommend the Stowe Narrative Labs that run along side the film festival.

    If you want to go to a festival and have lots of fun and meet lots of new filmmakers this is the place to be!

    September 2023