Now Accepting Submissions – First Night Morris Film Festival

All submissions must come through FilmFreeway and submitted digitally.
Must provide short synopsis.

Films, TV pilots, episodes, web series, etc… are all welcome. However, we do NOT accept “fan films”. Please do not submit those.

Films must be appropriate for all audiences, including children. Films need not be “family films”, but should not contain inappropriate or extreme violence, explicit sexual situations, drug use, cursing or other similar adult themes.

We don’t care how old the film is, but premieres will be given extra priority.

All Films must be complete. ‘Works In Progress’ will not be accepted.

If your film is selected and you do not provide a media file that meets our specifications (see below) in a timely manner, we reserve the right to select another winner.

All submissions must be in the English language, or come with English subtitles baked-into the file. (We will not decode Closed Captioning)

We understand that film concepts come in many resolutions and sizes. To properly respect that, we ask that if your film is accepted, it comes to us already mastered or re-mastered in a standard 1920×1080, 16:9, MP4 format. Use letterboxing and side-bars as needed, but we want to make sure your film plays as you intend an audience to see it on our projectors. We do not accept DVDs, Blu Ray, or physical media of any kind.

If we do not receive your film in a proper format in time for us to program the festival, we reserve the right not to play your film during the day of the festival.

By submitting a film, promotional material or images, the submitter acknowledges that consent has been obtained from any and all owners, creators, writers, producers and/or other authorized representatives and that permission of any copyrighted or trademarked materials or content (including music and any stock media) has been granted.

If you use any copyrighted or trademark materials or content including music or stock media, you must properly list these in your credits and notify The First Night® Morris Film Festival at the time of submission and provide us with proof of the agreement(s). We will not accept films with music or images improperly taken from other films, television, recordings, or other media. This includes works of satire and parody, and as mentioned above, fan-films.

The above point needs repeating– let us know ahead of time! If you have proper clearances for a copyrighted or trademarked work PLEASE LET US KNOW FIRST!!!

STOP. Read the above two paragraphs. Thanks. You may continue.

When submitting to the festival you are agreeing that:
1. If selected and the invitation accepted, you allow us to screen the submitted film during the dates of the festival.
2. You are allowing both in-person and on-line screenings of your film and you have clearances for both.
3. You understand that the 2021 season is on-line ONLY.
4. You give permission for The First Night® Morris Film Festival to promote your film with the materials that you provide.

The First Night Morris Film Festival will not pay any screening fees for presentation of the film during the festival. The only exception would be if there is a negotiated agreement preceding the submission of the film to The First Night Morris Film Festival.

The First Night Morris Film Festival, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to waive, alter, add, delete or make exceptions to the submissions requirements and eligibility.

• June 30, 2021- Super Early bird Deadline
• July 31, 2021- Early bird Deadline
• August 31, 2021-Regular Deadline
• September 30, 2021 –Late Deadline
• October 31, 2021-Extended Deadline
• December 6, 2021 –Notification Date
• December 30, 2021 – January 9, 2022 –Event Date