Hello everyone,
I've just completed a short film. It isn't my first, but it's certainly the first that I think is good enough for the festival circuit. All the advice I've received, in person or online, suggests researching festivals, having a strategy and aiming for niches.
The problem is that I don't know which festivals are worth submitting to, and I'm not sure how to start researching, since there are so many festivals on FilmFreeway and other services. So far, I feel like my research has been "Oh look, another short film festival in X country, I should consider submitting to that", and then I add it to my Excel sheet. It's very arbitrary and vibes-based.
I can definitely feel myself slipping into the newbie's trap of sending it to random festivals and seeing what sticks, which feels like an easy way to waste money and wreck morale. This is why I thought I'd ask for some advice before I commit too hard.
The short is 12 minutes long and is about a guy visiting his grandparents after a fire wrecks their kitchen. It's based on an actual fire that happened while I was visiting my own grandparents. It's a pretty quiet and calm film, with most of the dialogue and tension coming in the second half, when the grandson discusses the state of the house with his grandmother.
While filming, I was more focused on getting the vibe right and the story down quickly, before the actual kitchen was rebuilt, than on having a super polished short. I shot it with some old equipment I borrowed from a local TV station, using only natural light and the real locations. I had my friend and various members of the local community act in it. It's personal, and I think (hope) that comes across.
So far, I've spent just under 50 euros, submitting to 6 festivals (Leuven, Brussels, Skopje Sunset, Dalmatia, Lumens and Macau because it was free). I'm also considering Uppsala, Winterthur and Clermont-Ferrand as more prestigious/competitive festivals. I'd be looking to spend another 50-100, or even more if it seems like I'm gaining any sort of momentum. I'm mostly focusing on festivals I'd be more likely to be able to attend, around Europe, as I'm much more interested in networking opportunities than just laurels (though, of course, I would love to send it everywhere that would show it).
I guess what I'm looking to find out is: how do you guys plan your festival submissions? How do you go about researching festivals? How do you gauge how competitive a festival is, and whether it's worth submitting to? How do you figure out the niches that your short would fall into when it isn't super obvious like horror or erotic? Are there any festivals you think I should look into? Any and all advice welcome 😄! DM if you'd be curious to see the film.