Welcome to the Topaz Film Festival presented by Women in Film Dallas. We are proud to be the longest running women focused film festival in Texas.

For 23 years, Women in Film Dallas has provided a platform for independent women filmmakers to promote their work through its annual film festival.

Topaz Film Festival is a 100% volunteer-led festival. The women that facilitate this great event truly love showcasing the works of women filmmakers from around the world. All involved believe that women’s voices and stories are vital to our industry and the world. Please help us continue our mission of empowering, promoting and mentoring women in the film industry by submitting your film and encouraging the amazing women filmmakers around you to do the same.

This year’s program is tentatively set for October 18-19, 2024, and will consist of a minimum of 4 short film blocks and at least one centerpiece feature film (dependent upon submission volume). The 2024 Topaz Film Festival will present in-person and on an on-demand virtual platform.

Films are eligible if women are credited in two or more of the following positions, in the making of the film: director, producer, writer, cinematographer, editor, animator, composer/score, camera department (operator or assistant), sound/audio/foley (mixing or sound editing), special/visual effects, gaffer/grip/electric, set design, art direction, choreographer or UPM/Production Coordinator/Line Producer.

Upon submitting you will be asked to provide the names of the women in two or more positions on the film’s crew. We love to see as many women in as many roles as possible in the making of a film, but we also encourage the “solo-woman” wearing multiple hats and small film crew to submit as well. If you have any questions on whether your film meets this qualification, please email us at TopazFilmFest@gmail.com

We accept both narratives and documentaries in both feature and shorts categories. Shorts must be under the 20-minute mark, the shorter the better! Features are over 60 minutes.

50% DISCOUNT – active Women In Film Dallas (WIFD) members are eligible for 50% off submission fees. Visit www.wifdallas.org to become a member or renew your membership and receive your code!

ADDITIONAL DISCOUNTS – We love having our previous Topaz Film Festival filmmakers continue to participate each year. If you are a previously selected filmmaker, please check your email for this year’s discount code. If you have not received your discount code, please email us at TopazFilmFest@gmail.com with your name and the name of the previously screened film.

The Topaz Film Festival is an extension of the Women in Film Dallas Scholastic Grant Fund, a 501c3 that provides financial support through grants and scholarships to women in the pursuit of media arts degrees and those in the productions of film, television, and screen-based media. Proceeds from the festival will serve to fund the scholastic grant program for 2025.

Topaz Film Festival history:
In 2001, the Women In Film Dallas (WIFD) board of directors established a film festival named Chick Flicks. In 2017, the festival chair changed the festival’s name to Flicks by Chicks. In 2019, the executive festival directors rebranded the film festival to better align with the WIFD mission and changed the festival name to the Topaz Film Festival. The festival would also incorporating the distinguished Topaz Award established by WIFD in 1987. Topaz, the official gemstone of Texas, was thought in ancient times to enhance vision. WIFD and the Topaz Film Festival support and honor the vision of women filmmakers worldwide.

It is our great honor to recognize our amazing filmmakers with awards and prizes. The presented awards each year are selected based on selected films and organization of film blocks. Past awards have included Best Texas Short, Best Comedy Short, Best Student Short, Audience Choice Awards, Best of Festival Short Film, Best Female Director, Best Cinematography, Best Animated Short, Best Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short and Best Experimental Short.

Depending on feature film submission volume and selection, the festival may include Feature Film Awards as well.

2024 TOPAZ FILM FESTIVAL COMPETITION RULES

The following rules govern all film submissions to the Topaz Film Festival (“TFF” or the “Festival”)

General Eligibility
1. Films are eligible if women are in two or more of the following positions: director, producer, writer, cinematographer, editor, animator, composer/score, camera department (operator or assistant), sound/audio/foley (mixing or sound editing), special/visual effects, gaffer/grip/electric, set design, art direction, choreographer or UPM/Production Coordinator/Line Producer.

2. Submissions must be accompanied by the applicable submission fee PER ENTRY and a completed online entry form.

3. Submission Fees are Final. No Refunds!

4. All films must be in English or have English subtitles at the time submitted.

5. In the event of a password change or link change after submitting, you must email the Festival at topazfilmfest@gmail.com immediately with that change so we may update your record. If the Festival is not notified of the change and the link is found to be inactive or the password to be incorrect, the submission may be deemed ineligible, without a refund.

6. Films must be available for screening during the Topaz Film Festival, tentatively set for October 18-27,2024 both in-person and virtually. (Virtual screenings are only allowed in certain geographic regions as determined by the festival directors)

7. Films that have been submitted in previous years are eligible to be resubmitted, provided they are eligible according to all of the festival’s current rules.

8. Topaz Film Festival reserves the right in its sole discretion to reject or disqualify any ineligible entries, without a refund.

9. Topaz Film Festival reserves the right to arrange film screenings per their discretions regardless of the category for which the film was originally submitted. Please only submit your film to the most appropriate category (one category per film submitted) and the festival will place your film into the appropriate program if selected. NO refunds will be issued to films submitted in more than one category. Submission Categories are as follows:
- Short Film Student refers to films completed during undergraduate college programs
- Short Film Student (Graduate) refers to films completed during graduate college programs
- Short Film Texas refers to films that have an association to Texas such as, filmmaker(s) currently live in or have lived in Texas or filmed in Texas.
- Short Film Comedy refers to films with comedic elements. If comedy short has Texas connection please submit under the Texas category.
- Short Film Other refers to films in all other genres including but not limited to drama, thriller, horror, animation, experimental, music video, etc.

10. Selected films must provide a downloadable digital file of their film for screening during the festival. No YouTube links will be accepted unless the link allows for downloads. If you are unable or unwilling to provide us your film in the requested format for exhibition, DO NOT SUBMIT your film.

11. We strongly encourage filmmakers to submit their film only after it is fully finished. Each submission is judged as a completed work, whether it is or not. Once a film is entered, we will not update the submission with a more recent cut. That said, because TFF’s focus is on story, minor technical changes will not affect the final decision of any film. Should the film be accepted to play during the Festival, the filmmaker will have the opportunity to supply the Festival with their most recent version, provided that no modifications have been made to the story itself. Once the festival receives the downloadable link from selected films, we are unable to replace the film version, therefore, we ask that you please send us the link to the correct and final version of your film. Once our final film screenings are prepared for the event we are unable to make replacements.

12. Current WIFD board members or members of the film festival committee may have films submitted that they are affiliated with for festival screening, but such films will not be eligible for festival prizes with the exception of an audience award.

13. Due to the small size of our festival and limited staff, we are unable to assist with visa requests for filmmakers from any country at this time. This includes any communication with US Embassies abroad. We will make every effort to include filmmakers in our festival events in a virtual manner should they be unable to attend in person.

14. We do not pay filmmakers to screen their films at our festival. We are a 100% volunteer-led film festival presented by a nonprofit with a limited budget. While we would love for our filmmakers to recover some of their investment from our festival, we just simply do not have the budget to cover screening fees.

Originality and Permissions; INDEMNITY

1. Films must be the original work of the applicants. If a film is based upon another person’s life or upon a book or other underlying work, applicant(s) must secure any necessary rights to make such adaptations. However, it is not necessary to submit the adaptation rights agreements to the Festival. Neither the Festival nor its jurists investigates or attests to the authenticity of an applicant’s statement of authorship or rights secured. By entering the competition, you represent that you have secured all necessary rights.

2. Applicants are solely responsible for obtaining all necessary rights and permissions for third-party materials included in their films, including but not limited to music, trademarks, logos, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights. TFF expressly disclaims all liability or responsibility for any violations of the foregoing.

3. The Topaz Film Festival is hereby granted the right to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at the Topaz Film Festival event for promotional purposes including but not limited to screenings in conjunction with Dallas Video Fest. The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for public screening, and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations.

4. The undersigned shall indemnify and hold harmless Women in Film Dallas, Women in Film Dallas Scholastic Grant Fund and Topaz Flicks from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.

Selected Films and Winners

1. The Topaz Film Festival has no obligation (other than as stated in these rules or on our website) to disclose any of the following information: i) identities of screeners or judges; ii) notes, feedback, or information relating to the submitted project; and/or iii) details regarding the submission review or selection process.

2. TFF explicitly disclaims any liability or responsibility for any comments, notes, or opinions expressed about a submission, whether by TFF or by its volunteers.

3. Winners will be announced before or on August 23, 2024. The judges’ decision is final.

COMPETITION IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

COMPETITION CERTIFICATION

I/We have read all of the rules, understand, and have complied with these rules.

I/We warrant the submission of my/our original work and that there are no disputes regarding the ownership of the submission.

I/We also warrant the submitted material does not defame or invade the rights of any person living or dead.

To the best of my/our knowledge, all the statements herein are true and correct.

I/We understand that failure to adhere to the competition rules and regulations will result in disqualification and forfeiture of entry fee.

I/We acknowledge that once an entry payment has been processed, TFF will not provide a refund.

No revisions of materials will be accepted once entry has been submitted.

BY SUBMITTING THE MATERIAL, I/WE HEREBY AGREES TO INDEMNIFY, HOLD HARMLESS, AND DEFEND THE FESTIVAL, ITS EMPLOYEES, DIRECTORS, REPRESENTATIVES, AND AFFILIATES FROM ALL LIABILITY, CLAIMS, AND DAMAGES IN CONNECTION WITH THE SUBMISSION AND FROM ANY FEES AND EXPENSES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO REASONABLE ATTORNEYS’ FEES, THAT ANY OF THEM MAY INCUR IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Brenda Jacoby

    There were films live in Dallas and also over the internet. I watched online with others and had a delightful conversation after the film.
    I was thrilled to be selected.

    January 2024
  • We were honored that our music video "They Don't Make 'Em Like Willie Anymore" was selected to show at Topaz Film Festival by Women in Dallas. We were also excited to participate in a Dallas film festival, my hometown. Sadly, my partner and I had to cancel our flight and travel arrangements due to illness.

    FilmFreeway requires that we give an overall rating without a N/A option. We did not attend this festival in person due to the aforementioned reason. However, everyone we have talked to who has attended this festival in the past has had good things to say about it. We were looking forward to attending.

    December 2023
  • Great fest! They take really good care of their filmmakers and the networking opportunities were fantastic. Really appreciated being a part of it and would love to return in the future

    November 2023
  • Sobhan Farzaneh

    Is the best film festival

    November 2023
  • MARGARET Sanchez

    One of the best. And I loved the intimacy of it. Well done!!

    October 2023