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Film & TV Festival Short Film Application

Want to participate in the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival?
If you've got a narrative, documentary, or animated short film to submit, you're in the right place.

All Short Film submissions must be under 40 minutes in length.

Please take a moment to read the Film & TV Submissions FAQ.

Submit your application only when your film is in the most complete and finished form possible. SXSW will not screen multiple updates/versions of your film for programming consideration. We will only screen the first cut submitted. SXSW does not accept trailers or rough assemblies as submissions, but will accept work-in-progress cuts (picture lock with temp sound, color, etc.).

SXSW requires all films to be submitted via link. If you change this link or any of your login information and do not inform SXSW, your film could be disqualified.

  • Your submission link must be to a secure, online version of your film via an external site (i.e. your own website, Vimeo, unlisted Youtube, etc.)
  • Your submission link must be working before you complete your submission application
  • Your submission link must be available through March 2025

For more information, see the Submission Link section of the application.

SXSW is proud to be an official qualifying festival for the Academy Awards Short Film competition. The Grand Jury award winners of our Narrative, Documentary, and Animated Short Film categories become eligible for the Academy Awards.

You will receive a confirmation email from SXSW within 48 hours of your submission. This email will confirm that your film has been submitted correctly. If you do not receive this letter within 48 hours, you should follow up by email to ensure your film has been submitted properly and is under consideration.

To keep important SXSW emails from landing in your spam folder, add the following address to your contact list: filmfest@sxsw.com.

  • First Deadline: Tuesday, August 27, 2024 ($45)
  • Second Deadline: Tuesday, September 17, 2024 ($60)
  • Final Deadline: Wednesday, October 2, 2024 ($80)

*All deadlines end at 11:59pm PT

All applicants will be informed of the status of their project no later than Tuesday, February 11, 2025.

Films invited to the festival will only be screened on DCP.

Project Information

Please DO NOT capitalize all the letters in the title of your film.

All submissions must be in English or have English subtitles.

Choose all that apply up to 5 (ctrl-click (PC) or command-click (Mac) to select multiple)

Choose all that apply up to 5 (ctrl-click (PC) or command-click (Mac) to select multiple)

Choose all that apply up to 3 (ctrl-click (PC) or command-click (Mac) to select multiple)

Your logline is a one or two-sentence description/summary of your project. It is MANDATORY to include a logline with your submission, even if you have not settled on the final language. Please note this is not to be confused with a tagline, which is a catchy phrase you might put on your poster.

Country/Countries of origin is usually determined by the primary funding source of the project. If the project is a co-production, divided between equal sources of funding, each country must be stated.

Choose all that apply up to 5 (ctrl-click (PC) or command-click (Mac) to select multiple)

Country/Countries of production is usually determined by the primary filming location of the project.

Choose all that apply up to 5 (ctrl-click (PC) or command-click (Mac) to select multiple)
Completion or expected completion date

To be eligible for SXSW 2025, your film must have been completed in 2023, 2024 or be on track for completion in early 2025.

What's the status of the cut you're submitting?

What does this mean?

If not yet complete, please describe what elements are still to be completed, such as color-correction, sound mix, special effects, etc.

What is premiere status?

Submission Link

SXSW REQUIRES ALL FILMS TO BE SUBMITTED VIA LINK.

  • Your submission link must be to a secure, online version of your film via an external site (i.e. your own website, Vimeo, unlisted Youtube, etc.)
  • Our preference is a password protected Vimeo link with the Watch Later function enabled so that we may view your film through the native apps on our TV streaming devices (this is the default on free accounts, but for Pro or Plus, accounts please be sure to enable this function)
  • Please ensure your submission link works before you complete your submission!
  • Your submission link must be available through March 2025
  • Do NOT enter a link for a trailer or a film website unless it also contains the film in its entirety

If your submission link requires login information to access the film, please provide it below. Email filmfest@sxsw.com with any changes to the link or login information between the time of submission and March 2025.

If you change your submission link or any of your login information prior to March 2025 and do not inform SXSW, your film could be disqualified.

SXSW prefers watching Vimeo links via the AppleTV native app, so if you use Vimeo, please ensure you have the Watch Later function enabled.

Most Vimeo private links only require passwords. If your submission link is a special case and requires the use of a username or other additional information to access it, include that in the Submission Link Username field. Otherwise, please leave it blank. Please do not include your personal login information (for Vimeo, Youtube, etc) here.

If your link requires the use of login information to access the project, please provide the username and password below:

Technical Information

Please designate one person to serve as your Technical Contact. If your film is invited to screen at the festival, they should be knowledgeable about your screening format, aspect ratio, and digital delivery as well as be able to answer any technical questions about the film.

Total Running Time (TRT)
Industry Information

Please designate one person as your Publicity Contact. If your film is invited to screen at the festival, they will receive all publicity-related correspondence from the festival, the media lists, and will also be listed on the contact sheet that we provide to the press in advance of the festival. You will have the opportunity to update this information if your film is invited to screen at the festival.

Crew Information

The SXSW Film & TV Festival asks the following questions to aid programmers in understanding the demographics of our filmmakers so that we can best curate a diverse slate of films.

Director Information
Please tell us which of the following the Director identifies as. Choose all that apply up to 5 (ctrl-click (PC) or command-click (Mac) to select multiple)
Director 2 Information
Please tell us which of the following the Director 2 identifies as. Choose all that apply up to 5 (ctrl-click (PC) or command-click (Mac) to select multiple)
Additional Highlighted Crew

If needed, add additional names in any crew field, separated by a comma. For example, if CREW TITLE 1 is Costume Designer and you had 2 designers, you can add them both to the CREW NAME 1 field: "John Doe, Jane Doe".

Cast

Please list all above-the-line cast in the fields below IN BILLING ORDER. If your film is invited to screen at the festival, we will use this data in our press release and on our website. It is mandatory to include cast information with your submission. If your billing block has not been finalized at the time of submission, you will have the opportunity to update this if your project is accepted.

About "Above-the-Line" Cast

Primary Film Contact Information

The Primary Film Contact will be responsible for the submitted film going forward. The Primary Film Contact will be receiving all SXSW correspondence regarding this film via the email address provided below from this point forward. This includes submission confirmation and official notification status leading up to the festival, so please be sure your Primary Film Contact is the person who should be receiving this information.

Do NOT include ANY OTHER TEXT beyond the additional email addresses you would like us to have.

Social Media Information
Terms and Conditions Print Terms and Conditions

By entering this application to SXSW, LLC (“SXSW”), I (referred to as “I”, “you”, “me”, “my” or “applicant”) acknowledge and agree to the following Terms and Conditions:

  1. I have read and agree to the SXSW Terms of Use, SXSW Privacy Policy and SXSW Code of Conduct.
  2. I reviewed the terms of this application, which application terms, including, without limitation, the eligibility criteria and entry deadlines, are incorporated into these Terms and Conditions, and I agree to those application terms.
  3. Entering this application does not guarantee my selection to participate in SXSW 2025. SXSW will only review and consider completed applications for inclusion in SXSW 2025. SXSW’s selection decisions are based on the criteria set forth in the application and these Terms and Conditions, and its decisions are made in SXSW’s sole discretion. SXSW is under no obligation to provide feedback to applicants.
  4. If I am selected to participate in SXSW 2025, I acknowledge and agree, on my behalf, and on behalf of any rightsholder, to be bound by the Participation and Credentials Terms and Conditions. Applicant shall be referred to interchangeably as Participant throughout.
  5. The application fee is for SXSW receiving, handling, reviewing, and processing my application, and is not refundable for any reason, including, without limitation, if my application is not accepted or if I am no longer able to participate in SXSW 2025 for any reason. If I am accepted to participate in SXSW, and the activity I am accepted for does not take place as part of SXSW 2025 for any reason, I may request an application fee waiver to apply to the next scheduled SXSW event. SXSW can be contacted with questions about fees at filmfest@sxsw.com prior to entering this application.
  6. As the Applicant, I am solely responsible for protecting any intellectual property rights (including, without limitation, patents, trademarks, copyright, trade secrets, etc.) in my application, participation, product, service and/or idea, and consulting legal counsel before participating in the Event. I understand that sharing proprietary information on the internet carries inherent risks, including piracy, and I assume those risks.
  7. I represent and warrant that the information I provided in this application is accurate, I have the rights necessary to enter this application, all aspects of the work underlying this application are my own and do not infringe on the rights of any third party or otherwise violate any law, my application and work underlying the application does not violate any agreement(s) or understanding by which I’m bound, including nor would my participation in SXSW violate any such agreement(s) and I will not hereafter enter into any agreements or understandings with any person or entity that might conflict with my warranties and representations made in these Terms and Conditions.
  8. I hereby indemnify, defend, and hold harmless SXSW, its parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates, and each of their respective shareholders, officers, directors, agents, and employees from any and all responsibility or liability arising out of or in connection with: (a) any breach of my representations or warranties contained herein; and (b) my violation of these Terms and Conditions and/or any guidelines, policies and terms prescribed by SXSW.
  9. This application does not grant me the rights to use the SXSW trademarks or other proprietary intellectual property. I agree to comply with the SXSW Trademark Guidelines.
  10. I agree and consent that SXSW may perpetually use, publish, distribute, reproduce and publicly perform content embodying my name, voice, likeness, image, biographical information, statements, and other identifying materials, only if such content is provided by me, or, if I’m selected to participate in SXSW 2025, in recordings captured during my participation in SXSW 2025 (collectively, “My Likeness”) in connection with SXSW’s products and services, and materials and activities that promote SXSW’s products or services in any medium now known or hereinafter devised ts (collectively, the “SXSW Materials”). I understand and agree that (a) there will be no financial or other monetary compensation to me for such use of My Likeness in the SXSW Materials, (b) SXSW shall have the right to edit, rearrange, vary, change, alter, modify, and delete My Likeness in the SXSW Materials without changing the substance or meaning, (c) no promotions or other material incorporating My Likeness need be submitted to me for any further approval and SXSW shall be without liability to me for any use of My Likeness, and (d) SXSW shall be the exclusive owner of all right, title and interest, including copyright, in the SXSW Materials.
  11. I consent to SXSW collecting, processing and using the personal data I supplied in this application in order to review my materials and communicate with me about the application.
  12. I acknowledge and agree that in order to improve the SXSW experience or due to causes outside of the control of SXSW, SXSW reserves the right to: (a) modify the dates, locations or method of participating in SXSW 2025; and/or (b) cancel, modify or suspend applications for SXSW 2025, whether accepted or not. I agree that SXSW may notify me of any of these modifications by posting a notice on its website. I agree that I will have no remedy against SXSW, at law or in equity or otherwise, if (x) the dates, locations or methods of participating in SXSW 2025 change; or (y) my application is denied, cancelled, or suspended, regardless of the reason.
  13. These Terms and Conditions will be interpreted by, and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Texas regardless of applicable choice of law rules. I agree that the exclusive venue for any dispute between me and SXSW related to my application will be in a court of competent jurisdiction in Travis County, Texas.

Applicant acknowledges and agrees that Applicant has read and understands the Terms and Conditions and intends to be legally bound by its terms. Applicant acknowledges that the information contained in this application is accurate, that they have the rights necessary to share the materials contained herein and that the application will not violate any third-party rights or laws of any kind. By clicking the box below or by using any other electronic mechanism presented to signify acceptance of these Terms and Conditions, Applicant agrees to and accepts these Terms and Conditions.