Submit Your Film

We found your audience … Now, all we need is your film!

Film Selection

How It works

The Rochester International Film Festival selection process is two-fold. In Preliminary Judging, your entry is viewed start-to-finish by our screening committee members. They discuss the film’s merits and vote on whether to move it along for Final Judging. Every single film entry receives a critique letter that sums up our findings. Later, in Final Judging, we review the top entries and select those destined for the fest. Films which make it into the festival receive our distinctive RIFF Trophy.

Film Submissions
Accepted Filmmakers

Submissions

Submit on FilmFreeway

Please read our Submission Guidelines and then submit your film on FilmFreeway using the button below:

Or… Submit Via Entry Form

You can also fill in an entry form and mail it with payment plus a digital download link or USB Flash Drive copy:

RIFF
P.O. Box 17746
Rochester, NY 14617
U.S.A.

* We accept U.S. checks, Int’l. Money Orders & PayPal.

Submission Guidelines

Accepted Filmmakers

If your film has been accepted into the festival… congratulations! Please take a look at our presentation copy specs for submitting your final film in the best format for our festival theater.

Now Let’s Get You to Rochester!

Coming to RIFF is a special experience – you will feel appreciated and not lost in a huge crowd! For us, it’s a highlight of each year’s festival to be able to get to know filmmakers from across the country and around the globe. We enjoy having filmmakers present to be recognized, receive your trophy, and participate in a Q&A with the audience following each program.

Over the many years of our festival, filmmakers have raved about the variety of activities we have made available during their stays and the opportunities to network with each other. We encourage you to attend the entire festival if you can and participate in as many of the planned events as possible.

Filmmaker Perks!

Filmmakers who are selected into and choose to attend our award-winning short film festival enjoy these complimentary perks:

  • Private tour of the George Eastman Museum and film archives
  • Presentation and tour at Kodak Park
  • Tour of MAGIC Spell Studios at the Rochester Institute of Technology
  • Extensive networking opportunities with filmmakers from around the globe – we guarantee you will leave with new friends and professional contacts.
  • Arranged informal socials at local establishments after the Thursday and Friday shows, plus a wrap party in an elegant, historic mansion on Saturday night.
  • Homestays with local film lovers, or help arranging other accommodations
  • Meals and local transportation during your visit (and a modest travel stipend to a limited number of attendees who might otherwise not be able to attend the festival)

We’re all looking forward to meeting you and extending the hospitality of our volunteers and community! If you’re part of a film crew and want to join us for this year’s fest, we welcome you with open arms and are happy to help you make all necessary arrangements. Just ask!

Useful Links:

Submission Guidelines

We welcome short films and videos of nearly ANY genre. However, your entry in the Rochester International Film Festival must meet EACH of these criteria.

Critical Dates: It Pays To Be An “EARLY BIRD” – Early Entrants Save 40%!

  • Applications open August 19, 2024
  • A $35 Early Bird entry fee applies to any film received from August 19 to December 24, 2024.
  • A $60 Standard entry fee applies fromDecember 25, 2024 to February 21, 2025.
  • FINAL DEADLINE: Preliminary Judging entries must be postmarked by February 21, 2025.
  • Final Judging early March 2025.
  • Official screening copies must be received no later than April 1, 2025.
  • Festival Dates: May 1-3, 2025

Critical Details:

  • Maximum film length is 30 min. (30:00).
  • Entries must be self-contained, standalone works. Not accepted: episodes of a series, music videos, video components and/or other fragmented works.
  • For submissions using our entry form:
    • Provide physical copy or downloadable file link for high quality preliminary viewing.
    • You can provide multiple films, but:
      • a separate entry fee is required for EACH film you submit;
      • only (1) entry per flashdrive.
  • For best results, pay your entry fee using PayPal via the link above.
  • Physical copies must be mailed via U.S. Postal Service (not UPS, FedEx, DHL).

Disclaimers

While we take great care when handling each of your films, our festival and its affiliates are NOT responsible for any form of loss or damage to your entry. By submitting your film, you grant us permission to copy it as we see fit. That includes making copies for presentation, playback and/or local storage. The Rochester International Film Festival and its affiliates are NOT responsible for file corruption or failure. If failures are identified, we will notify you of the need for a replacement.

We look forward to viewing your film. Good luck!

Your film made the fest? Hooray! Now what?

Presentation Copy Specs

If your film made it through Final Judging and was selected for screening, congrats! Now we need a high-quality presentation copy. These tips and specifications ensure that your work will shine brightly on the screen, delight movie goers and perhaps land you a spot among audience picks for our “Best of the Fest” traveling library!

Specs & Tips for successful presentation:

  • Presentation copies must be received by April 1, 2025.
  • Submit your presentation copy as a QuickTime (.mov) file.
  • Acceptable film formats are 16mm and 35mm. Specify aspect ratio.
  • DVDs/digital videos are unreliable and therefore NOT accepted.
  • We suggest H.264 (“Best” quality), ProRes 422 HQ or 422 variants.
  • ProRes 444 codec is NOT supported for the purpose of our festival.
  • Videos MUST begin with 00:07 of black silence for film transitions.
  • NO color bars, countdowns/related effects in presentation copies.
  • Submit a single, self-contained video file on “Acceptable Media.

Specs for Internationally-Produced Short Films:

International films captured at 25fps may not require re-encoding to 24fps for playback. Those which play well in VLC 2.0.5 do not usually require such re-encoding. Conversely, those which play well in VLC 2.0.5 but are still re-encoded to 24fps often fail. Your video must be submitted as a single, self-contained file on “Acceptable Media.”

Acceptable Media

If your presentation copy arrives in a format which is unacceptable, we will request an alternate. Without an acceptable first or alternate version, your work cannot/will not be presented. The following are acceptable media types. Comply with these specifications to be sure your work is presentable.

Acceptable media types & tips:

  • Digital File Download Link (>1GB file)
  • Blu-ray Disc
  • USB Flash Drive
  • Data DVD (Single or Dual Layer)
  • External hard drive (w/USB or FireWire connectivity)
  • All drives must be formatted as HFS+ or exFAT file systems.
  • Label hard or flash drives with your name, film name and phone #.
Learn More About the Rochester International Film Festival