Even if you’re already on vacation, it wouldn’t hurt to review some festivals that have open calls now in August, and take advantage of making these submissions with the early and regular deadline during this month.
As I have mentioned on several occasions, you should always take advantage of the first deadlines of festivals with submission fees, both to benefit from a lower price and to increase the chances of participating in the festival.
In this post I have selected 5 festivals with updated information where you can submit your film now. Whether you are a director or producer doing the distribution yourself, or if you are a distributor, I hope you can take advantage of these deadlines.
Sundance Film Festival
First among the August submissions would be the Sundance Film Festival, which only during this month goes from early to late deadline in just a few weeks.
Last August 6 the early deadline for short films ended and now it is still open for feature films, until the 10th with a price of $65.
August 24 and 20 are the regular deadlines for feature films and short films respectively, so don’t let this month of August pass without submitting, otherwise the prices practically double.
Sundance is held this year from January 24 to February 3 and the submission is made through Withoutabox.
RiverRun International Film Festival
Next August 15, right in the middle of the holiday, is the RiverRun deadline. The fee price now is $30 and goes up $10 in the next deadline for October.
The festival is held in Winston-Salem, North Carolina from March 30 to April 9. You can make the submission through Filmfreeway or Withoutabox.
SXSW South by Southwest Film Festival
Until the end of August you have the early deadline for SXSW open for all its sections, specifically August 23, with a fee price of $40 for short films.
Keep in mind that if you are thinking of submitting to this festival it is advisable to reserve the world premiere, or at least the North American premiere.
In this case the submission is made through their own form.
Cleveland International Film Festival
August 31 closes Cleveland, one of the most important festivals in the United States, the price now is $50, and goes up $10 from September.
Submissions can be made through Withoutabox, FilmFreeway or their own submission form. The festival is held from March 27 to April 7.
Ann Arbor Film Festival
This is one of the oldest festivals in the United States, with a programming line of a more experimental and avant-garde character.
Last July 31 the early deadline closed, but throughout the month of August the regular remains open, until the 31st, it is a good opportunity to make the submission with a price of $45 for shorts and $55 for feature films, which is considered from 60 minutes.
Fee prices
We can see how the most common average price in the early deadline of festivals in the United States has remained these years around $40.
If you had a plan to submit to all these festivals (which is not very advisable since each festival has its own programming line and not all coincide) it would mean an approximate expense of more than $200. At the current exchange rate it would be approximately €172.38 in fee payments, in their lowest price range.
I hope these festivals help you advance some submissions and better control your distribution budget.
Enjoy your vacation!