BTS at the Utah International Film Festival

It’s time to crank up some Europe because we’re in “the final countdown!” (if you sung that in your head, you’re awesome.)

Any who, submissions for the Utah International Film Festival close on November 2nd, and we’re already digging into the 1000+ projects already submitted. Whether you’ve already submitted or are thinking about it, here’s what’s happening behind the scenes right now, just so you know we ain’t slackin'.

When a project is submitted—whether it’s a film, music video, series, or screenplay—it goes straight to our team of trained screeners. Every submission is watched or read by multiple reviewers, each providing notes, scores in multiple areas, and a short written review. Our screeners are trained to identify what makes a story freaking awesome and draw audiences to come to the festival! This process continues for several days after the deadline to make sure every project gets the attention it deserves.

Once all submissions have been reviewed, the highest-rated projects move to our programmers. These are the folks that shape the overall experience of the festival, selecting projects that play well together. They rewatch top-rated films, review screener notes, and consider how each piece fits within the festival’s overall flow.

After the final selections are locked, we start building the festival schedule, choosing workshops, labs, panels, receptions, and parties that complement the program. Filmmakers are then notified through the email listed on FilmFreeway, so double-check that your contact info is up to date and that our messages aren’t getting lost in your spam folder. This part happens between Nov 15-Dec 6th.

Before our official announcement, we’ll confirm permission to screen each film. If we’re unable to get a response before our announcement date, we’ll replace that film with another incredible project that’s ready to go.

This year’s official selections will be announced on December 7th, and from that moment, the publicity machine gets dialed up to 11! We’ll be hyping projects and filmmakers joining us for the 15th anniversary — and that part of the story we’ll save for the next email.

🚨 Important Update: Works in Progress No Longer Accepted

In previous years, we’ve accepted works in progress — but not this time. With so many incredible, fully completed submissions coming in, we’ll only be accepting projects that are 100% finished by November 2nd.
If you’re still polishing your edit or waiting on a final score, make sure your film is complete and ready to screen before the deadline to be considered.

Haven’t Submitted Yet?

Be like Nike and “Just Do It”.
Submit your project before November 2nd

And if you’ve already submitted, check out our latest article designed to help filmmakers build some serious buzz:
Marketing Strategies for Indie Filmmakers

It breaks down real-world case studies and practical ideas on how to promote your film with or without a festival run.

And that’s it for this newsletter. If you found it helpful and think your filmmaking friends may appreciate the info, let them know!

Sharing is caring!

Talk to you later