While a few film festivals are only out for a quick buck, the 1st Annual Detroit Independent Film Festival is a festival started by independent filmmakers for independent filmmakers, has no entry fees. The DIFF will be a festival dedicated to screening the very best short films from Michigan and across the world. It will be held at the Burton Theatre in Detroit.
The films will be judged by members of DIFF who have backgrounds both in film theory and filmmaking. The selected films will be chosen no later than February 1, 2010. All entrants will be notified once their films have been received. If selected, each filmmaker is encouraged to bring postcards, posters and DVD copies of their work to the festival. Nathan Faustyn, a co-founder of the Burton, is handling all the programming for the festival.
Film professors based in local universities and colleges will judge the Michigan Film Awards. Industry professionals will judge other categories for acting, cinematography, and writing.
The festival will take place March 3-7 with the Michigan Film Awards ceremony on March 6.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
1) All film submissions must be shipped no later than December 30, 2009.
2) There is no entry fee to this festival, however we take donations of any kind to help the festival grow.
3) All films must be submitted on DVD, either NTSC or PAL. All films must also be labeled with Title, Running Time, Tracking Number and Region.
4) Incomplete or works in progress will not be considered.
5) Send all e-mails to, detroitindiefest@yahoo.com.
6) All Films must be completed no later then January 2009
7) To qualify for the 2010 Michigan Film Awards, each short must have been completed in 2009 and screened on the festival circuit in 2009. Nominations for each category include Best Michigan Short, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Academic Short.
