FILM SUBMISSIONS

“BendFilm is a filmmaker first festival, and the whole team was incredible. I felt that everyone at the festival was truly excited for me to be there. As an independent filmmaker, most of my time is spent struggling to get projects off the ground, and it was such a wonderful weekend to celebrate the reasons we do this in the first place with all the other filmmakers who were there to celebrate the films themselves. Highly recommend a visit!”

– Samuel French, Director/Writer

SUBMISSIONS FOR THE 2024 BEND FILM FESTIVAL OPEN DEC 11TH!

Recipients of the festival’s qualifying awards will be eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film / Live Action Short Film category of the Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules.

BendFilm celebrates independent films and the risky, passionate, tough and talented people who make them. At the 2023 festival 22 feature films vied for prizes across six main competition categories, curated by programmers from a record-high 2,830 submissions, originating from over 50 countries. The Academy qualifying 21st annual Bend Film Festival is confirmed to take place October 10th-13th in-person! The Festival will present in-person and virtual screenings with filmmaker discussions and masterclasses mixed in.

Over $13,000 in cash prizes!

2023 Jurors included 21 jurors, across ten categories, included film festival industry professionals and filmmakers alongside journalists, talent representatives and distribution executives. Many jurors also appeared on offscreen panels throughout the four-day Festival. Check out the caliber of the 2023 Bend Film Festival Jury here.

Dates & Deadlines

2024 dates!

  • Dec 11th, 2023: Submissions Open!
  • Jan 26th, 2024: Early Bird Deadline
  • April 15th, 2024: Regular Deadline
  • May 3rd, 2024: Late Deadline
  • May 24th, 2024: Extended Deadline
  • Sept 3rd, 2024: Notification Date
  • Oct 10-13th: Festival Dates!

ENTRY FEE DISCOUNT CODES

ENTRY FEE DISCOUNT CODES AVAILABLE ON FILM FREEWAY :
BFNW24: $5 discount for films produced in the Northwest. To qualify, submitted film must have been filmed in Oregon, Washington, Idaho or Montana. Qualification details must be included in your cover letter.

BFBIPOC24: 75% discount for female, trans and non-binary directors of color.
BFBIPOCM24: 50% discount for male directors of color.
BFFD24: $10 discount for female-identifying directors. To qualify, submitted film must have been directed by a woman. This discount is in recognition of the challenges that women face having their voices heard in a predominantly male-dominated film industry.
BFSTU24: $10 discount for student films. To qualify, submitted film must have been produced or directed by individuals who were enrolled in school (college or graduate level) and carried a valid student ID at the time of the film’s production. Qualification details must be included in your cover letter; a copy of the producer or director’s student ID may be required.
BFALUM24: 75% discount for returning BendFilm Alumni. To qualify, the submitted film must include an above-the-line crew member (producer, director, writer, lead actor) who has screened their film at the Bend Film Festival in a previous year (2004-2023).
BFNW24: $5 discount for films produced in the Northwest. To qualify, submitted film must have been filmed in Oregon, Washington, Idaho or Montana. Qualification details must be included in your cover letter.

Qualification details must be included in your cover letter.