Submission Window opens May 1, 2025!
The 11th Annual Short Film Competition - 2025
saturday, SEPTember 20, 2025
THE two IDENTICAL SCREENINGS FOR OUR AUDIENCES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Saturday, Sept. 20th - 3:30 PM
Saturday, sept. 20th - 7:30 PM
FILMMAKERS:
Submission window opens May 1st using FilmFreeway.
Submission window closes July 15th.
Selected Finalists will be notified in early August.
Again this year, there will be NO submission fee!
How great is this Competition? You can read about last year's event, including reviews from some of the filmmakers here.
ABOUT THIS UNIQUE SHORT FILM COMPETITION
Our Annual Short Film Competition has become an exciting addition to our program, presented each September to Society members, their guests and the general public. The final program includes 8-12 Finalists, with a total running time of approximately 90-100 minutes in the program.
Awards & Prizes
ALL selected Finalists are considered “Winners,” and will receive the same $150 cash award! However, audience balloting will determine Laurels for 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place, with remaining Finalists receiving Finalist Laurels.
Rules & Terms
MOST IMPORTANT, MAKING OUR COMPETITION MOST UNIQUE: Finalist agree to present their film in person at two identical screenings at our Walnut Creek theater venue on Saturday afternoon and evening, Sept. 20th. Any travel expenses are the responsibility of the Finalist. However, overnight accommodations and local transportation for the weekend can be provided. In addition,
IMPORTANT NOTES:
License release: Entrant to grant Mountain Shadow public performance rights to their film, to be included on the secure video link, free of charge. (The secure video link will be disabled after the shows.) Applicant further declares their work has taken care of all necessary permission use of any copyrighted material (e.g. music) used in their film.
SUBMISSION FEE. For the eleventh year in a row, and — in keeping with our mission to support independent filmmaking -- there is NO SUBMISSION FEE! However, all entrants need to be aware of / and acknowledge ALL of the following:
Submissions: Short Films submission running time: 1 Minute – 25 Minutes
Categories: Animated, Live-action/ Narrative, or Documentary
How recent? The film should not have been completed any earlier than January 1, 2024. Films completed earlier than Jan. 1st, 2024 will not be considered.
Prior release restrictions: The film should not have been broadly screened in any commercial venue or public media (local PBS, for example): Prior festival screenings OK.
License release: Applicant grants Mountain Shadow public performance rights for its two shows, free of charge. Applicant further declares their work has taken care of all necessary permission use of any copyrighted material (e.g. music) used in their film.
Finalists will be selected by a volunteer Jury comprised of Mountain Shadow Film Society members and professional filmmakers (non-contestants).
All submissions selected as a Finalist will be notified by Aug. 11, 2025
Submission Window opened: May 1, 2025
Entry Deadline: July 15, 2024
PRIZES: All Finalists are considered “winners” and receive the same $150 cash award. Audience ratings determine 1st, 2nd and 3rd place “Laurels.” All other Finalists receive Finalist’s “Laurels.”
Finalists are responsible for their own travel costs. However, overnight accommodations for the weekend can be provided for Finalists and a travellling companion in a film society member’s home, if requested.
Weekend Events: Two screenings in our 300 seat theater venue take place Sept. 14th, 3:30 PM & 7:30 PM. In addition, there are also other events for the Finalists to enjoy, including a Saturday brunch and Saturday night After Party!
AGAIN, DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR FILM IF YOU WOULD NOT BE WILLING to meet all of the above-mentioned criteria. How great is this Competition? You can read about a prior year’s event, including reviews from some of the filmmakers here.
interested? Mountain shadow is now accepting submissions on FILM-FREEWAY, THE #1 WAY TO ENTER FILM COMPETITIONS. you mAY SUBMIT YOUR FILM BY CLICKING ON the LINK: HERE. YOU’LL SEE A GREEN BUTTON AT THE TOP TO SUBMIT YOUR FILM!
