What to Expect at Your First Film Festival (A Guide for First-Time Submissions)

Written By Martina Webster

If you've never submitted a film to a festival before, the whole process can feel surprisingly mysterious. What do they actually look for? What happens after you submit? What is a film festival even like to attend?

We get these questions all the time at Show Low Film Festival — and we love them. Because it means a new filmmaker is about to take a real step toward getting their work seen.

Here's your honest, plain-language guide to your first film festival submission.

Dalea Faulkner, Sir Earl Toon Jr, Daren Webster & Martina Webster at Show Low Film Festival.

Step 1: Get Your Film Ready

Before you submit anywhere, make sure your film is in a finished or near-finished state. Most festivals, including SLFF, ask for a screener link — a private Vimeo or YouTube link that judges can watch. You'll also need:

  • Runtime — know how long your film is; this determines which category you're submitting to (short vs. feature)

  • A logline — one or two sentences that describe your film. Think of it as the back-of-the-DVD copy.

  • A synopsis — a paragraph or two summarizing the story

  • Director's bio — a short paragraph about you and your filmmaking background

  • Stills — a few high-quality screenshots from the film for press use

  • Poster or key art (if you have it)

Don't let the lack of a fancy poster stop you from submitting. A clear, professional screener link is what matters most.

Step 2: Find the Right Festivals

FilmFreeway is the industry-standard platform for film festival submissions. It's where you'll find the Show Low Film Festival and thousands of other festivals worldwide. Create a free filmmaker account, upload your film information, and search for festivals that fit your genre, budget, and goals.

Things to consider when choosing festivals:

  • Does the festival accept your genre and format? (short, feature, documentary, screenplay)

  • What are the submission fees? These vary widely — some festivals are free, others charge $30–75+

  • What do filmmakers say about the experience? Read reviews on FilmFreeway

  • What does selection actually get you? At SLFF, every selection is a Top 100 pick and an official award winner with a big-screen screening

Step 3: Submit and Wait

Once you've submitted, the waiting begins. Most festivals have a notification date — at SLFF, filmmakers hear back by September 1, 2026. During this time, a panel of judges watches and evaluates submissions.

Use this time productively: continue developing your next project, build your filmmaker social presence, and research what attending the festival would look like logistically.

Step 4: If You're Selected

Congratulations — you're in. Here's what that means at SLFF:

  • Your film screens on the big screen at WME Theater Village 8 in Show Low, Arizona

  • You're part of the Top 100 — and officially an award winner

  • You'll receive a full-color keepsake program book featuring your film

  • You're invited to networking parties, a red carpet event, and an Awards Ceremony

  • Free industry workshops are available: entertainment law, pitch sessions, cinematography, and more

  • You'll meet your film family — fellow filmmakers, industry professionals, and audience members who chose to be in that room for your work

Step 5: Attend In Person

Watching your film with a live audience for the first time is one of the most meaningful experiences a filmmaker can have. The laughs land differently. The silence lands differently. The applause afterward is something you will remember for the rest of your career.

What If You're Not Selected?

It happens — to everyone, at every level. A rejection from one festival says nothing about the quality of your film or the validity of your story. Submit widely. Submit often. Keep making work.

The filmmakers who build lasting careers are not the ones who were never rejected. They're the ones who kept submitting anyway.

Ready to Take Your First Step?

The Show Low Film Festival is a great first festival — because we genuinely welcome first-time filmmakers. We're not trying to be intimidating. We're trying to be the festival that makes you feel like you belong in this industry.

Because you do.

Submissions are open now on FilmFreeway through August 15th, 2026. We'd love to welcome your film to the White Mountains. 🎬

Martina Webster
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Why Filmmakers Should Submit to the Show Low Film Festival