Welcome to EXIST.
FREE TO SUBMIT!
EXIST is a new year-round curated platform showcasing impactful short films from around the world. We highlight stories that move, challenge, inspire, or linger long after the final frame: across every genre, including horror, sci-fi, drama, fantasy, thriller, comedy, and everything in between.
If your short film evokes emotion and leaves an impression, it belongs here.
Our mission is simple: to champion filmmakers and share their work in a global collection of stories that matter.
We accept submissions year-round and curate a selection of shorts and features to premiere on WatchExist.com, YouTube, social platforms, and partner channels. Every selected film lives permanently on EXIST and is promoted to an international audience of fans, creators, and industry professionals.
WHY SUBMIT?
Global Exposure: Your film will be shared on EXIST’s official channels and promoted to an engaged community of film lovers.
Filmmaker Spotlights: Selected creators may be featured in interviews, Q&As, filmmaker profiles, or social campaigns.
Community First: EXIST is more than a channel, we’re building a collaborative space for storytellers and fans to discover each other.
Shorts & Features Welcome.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR:
Short Films: Selected shorts may be showcased on WatchExist.com, YouTube (EXIST Official Channel), EXIST social media platforms, Email features & digital press kits.
Feature Films: Industry Support Only (No Online Release) We do not upload or publish full-length features. Instead, EXIST acts as a connector, advisor, and promoter for feature filmmakers seeking: Sales representation introductions, Distribution conversations, Festival strategy guidance, Market-position feedback, Refinement of pitch materials (synopsis, logline, press sheet), Optional PR boosts (interviews, spotlights, trailer promo).
Any genre welcome as long as it tells a story that resonates.
Open to filmmakers worldwide.
Student films, independent productions, and previously released or festival-submitted films are welcome.
International submissions encouraged.
Our goal is simple: Help your work find viewers, fans, and industry attention.
GENRES
Horror
Stories that confront our fears, from supernatural terrors to the monsters within. Horror on EXIST can be chilling, unsettling, or psychological, as long as it leaves the audience with a lasting sense of unease or dread.
Sci-Fi
Tales that imagine the future, technology, and the unknown. Whether set in space, a dystopian future, or just around the corner in our own world, sci-fi on EXIST explores the possibilities (and dangers) of what’s to come.
Drama
Human stories at their core. Drama focuses on real characters, real struggles, and the emotions that bind us together. On EXIST, we look for dramas that feel authentic, moving, and thought-provoking.
Thriller
Stories built on tension and suspense. Thrillers can be grounded or stylized, but they keep audiences on edge, eager to know what happens next. From crime to conspiracy to survival, a thriller thrives on urgency.
Fantasy
Worlds of wonder, myth, and imagination. From epic quests to magical realism, fantasy on EXIST allows storytellers to transport viewers into the impossible and the extraordinary.
Comedy
Stories that make us laugh, smile, or see life through a lighter lens. Comedy on EXIST can be sharp, satirical, absurd, or heartfelt, as long as it delivers joy (or clever irony).
And Beyond
We welcome stories that defy categories. Genre-bending, experimental, documentary, hybrid, f it stirs thoughts, emotions and leaves an impression then EXIST is the place for it.
SUBMISSION DETAILS
No fee to submit.
You must own the rights to your film and grant EXIST non-exclusive distribution rights (you can still screen at festivals, host online, or sell your film elsewhere). You must own (or have secured) all rights to your film, including music, footage, images, and third-party materials.
By submitting, you grant EXIST permission to showcase your film on our platforms, including:
WatchExist.com
YouTube
Social media
Promotional campaigns
This agreement is non-exclusive unless you choose the optional Exclusive tier.
Important: While we welcome all submissions, not every film can be programmed. Our team carefully reviews each entry, and only selected projects will be notified for inclusion.
EXCLUSIVE vs NON-EXCLUSIVE OPTIONS
NON-EXCLUSIVE (Default)
You retain full rights to distribute your film anywhere else (festivals, YouTube, streaming platforms). Your film may be featured on our platform and promoted alongside our curated catalog.
EXCLUSIVE (Optional Premium Tier)
If you choose to grant EXIST exclusive online distribution, you receive:
EXPOSURE PERKS
Priority placement on the EXIST homepage
Featured in an “EXIST Exclusive Collection”
Custom social assets (posters, stills, thumbnail, or micro-trailer)
Extended promotional window across our platforms
FILMMAKER & PR PERKS
Guaranteed filmmaker interview (text or video)
Spotlight article on WatchExist.com
Inclusion in our monthly PR outreach
Press release
EVENT PERKS
First priority consideration for the Galaxy Theatres showcase
Discounted screening fee
Priority for filmmaker panels or appearances (when available)
Exclusive status applies only to online release through EXIST. You still retain all rights and may screen or submit your film elsewhere.
Exist does not offer traditional awards or trophies.
Instead, our focus is on visibility, longevity, and filmmaker support. Selected films may receive:
At EXIST, we celebrate filmmakers by providing recognition, exposure, and opportunities to grow.
Selected filmmakers may receive one or more of the following benefits:
Featured Screening: Your film will be showcased on EXIST’s official digital platforms, including YouTube, social media, and website.
Filmmaker Spotlight: Selected directors may be interviewed, featured in behind-the-scenes content, or highlighted in social campaigns.
Global Exposure: EXIST promotes your work to an international audience of film lovers and creators. Opportunities to be included in press outreach and platform-wide PR pushes.
Future Opportunities: Top films may be considered for co-production, licensing, or inclusion in curated EXIST series or special events.
Selected Feature Film Support: Potential introductions to sales reps or distributors (case-by-case).
Selected Features Films - Industry support only: introductions to sales reps/distributors, market positioning advice, festival guidance, optional PR support (press sheets, interviews, trailers).
Our goal is not to rank films but to amplify them.
