Call For Entries

An Academy qualifier for short films, The Nashville Film Festival celebrated 41 years with record attendence in 2010.  Submitting your film to NaFF offers you the opportunity to be a part of an exciting future in Music City.

NaFF offers a unique combination of big city film festival atmosphere and laid back Southern hospitality.  2010 NaFF guests included Jane Seymour, Mario Van Peebles, Sheryl Crow, Michael Clarke Duncan, Beth Grant, Devon Sawa, Steve James, Chris Eigeman,and Brian O'Halloran.  Submit now and become a part of one of the South's finest cultural institutions.

Entry Categories

Features (40 minutes and over)

• Narrative Feature Competition
  The Bridgestone Narrative Feature Competition is for narrative films 40 minutes and over. NaFF seeks innovative, original films with unique perspectiv... More
  The Bridgestone Narrative Feature Competition is for narrative films 40 minutes and over. NaFF seeks innovative, original films with unique perspectives from all parts of the globe. The winning film receives a cash prize of $3,000 USD. An additional $1,000 will be added if the filmmaker is in attendance at the Awards Ceremony (Wednesday, April 20, 2011 - 10 PM). Another $1,000 will be added if the film is a World or North American Premiere. Past winners include Craig Brewer's ("Hustle & Flow") debut feature, "The Poor and the Hungry", Sean Baker's ("Prince of Broadway") "Take Out", The Deagol Brothers' "Make-Out with Violence" and 2010 winner, Valery Todorovsky's "Hipsters". Additionally films compete for the $1,000 Naxos Prize for Best Music in a Feature Film and non-cash prizes for Best Actor and Best Actress. All accepted films are are eligible for additional non-cash prizes as well. Films in this competition MUST BE Tennessee Premieres and will not receive screening fees. Less
• New Directors Competition
  The New Directors Feature Competition is for narrative films 40 minutes and over by first-time narrative feature filmmakers. NaFF seeks innovative, or... More
  The New Directors Feature Competition is for narrative films 40 minutes and over by first-time narrative feature filmmakers. NaFF seeks innovative, original films with unique perspectives from all parts of the globe. The winning film receives a cash prize of $1,500 USD. An additional $500 will be awarded if the filmmaker is in attendance. Another $500 will be added in the film is a World or North American Premiere - for a total cash przie of $2,500. This is the second year for this category. The previous winner was Michael Mohan for "One Too Many Mornings". Additionally films compete for Best Actor and Best Actress prizes, and are eligible for additional prizes. Films in this competition MUST BE Tennessee Premieres and will not receive screening fees if accepted into competition. Less
• Documentary Feature Competition
  Presented by The Documentary Channel - an international competition for documentaries 40 minutes and over, with the winner receiving a $3,000 cash pri... More
  Presented by The Documentary Channel - an international competition for documentaries 40 minutes and over, with the winner receiving a $3,000 cash prize and a right-of-refusal contract with The Documentary Channel for US Television Distribution. An additional $1,000 will be offered if the filmmaker is in attendance. Another $1,000 will be offered if the film is a World or North American Premiere (for a total of up to $5,000). Since its inception, NaFF has always offered well-attended screenings of and enthusiastic responses to non-fiction features and shorts, many of which have been nominated and/or received Academy Awards, such as "Born into Brothels," "Daughter From Danang," "Encounters at the End of the World," "Murderball", and "Story of a Weeping Camel." Recent documentary hits at NaFF include "Prodigal Sons", "Garbage Dreams", "Pressure Cooker", "American Teen," "Mountain Top Removal," "Up the Yangtze," "Banished," "The Devil Came on Horseback," "Manufactured Landscapes," and "The Trials of Darryl Hunt." NaFF offers an Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature. Recent winners include "The Topp Twins", "For Once in My Life", "Rock Prophecies," and "Born Into Brothels." Please note that Documentaries and Music Films / Music City documentaries compete for the same Audience Award. Additional non-cash prizes are available. Documentary features must be Tennessee Premieres. Less
• Music Films / Music City Competition
  Presented by Gibson - an international competition for documentaries about music and musicians that are 40 minutes and over, the winner will receive a... More
  Presented by Gibson - an international competition for documentaries about music and musicians that are 40 minutes and over, the winner will receive a Gibson guitar valued at around $5,000 and a right-of-refusal contract with The Documentary Channel for US Television Distribution. Additionally a $500 cash prize is offered if the filmmaker is in attendance. Another $500 will be offered if the film is a World or North American Premiere - for a total value of $6,000. Since it is Music City, the Music Films Competition has always been one of the hottest, most sought-after prizes on the festival circuit - featuring world premiere films by and about Rob Thomas, Kiefer Sutherland, William Shatner, Ben Folds, and Henry Rollins. Recent Music Films / Music City hits at NaFF include, "For Once in My Life," "For the Sake of Song: The Story of Anderson Fair", "The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls", "Rock Prophecies", "I Trust You to Kill Me", and "My Secret Record". Additionally, Music Films / Music City Entries will compete for The Documentary Channel Audience Award for Best Documentary and the NPT Human Spirit Award. Music Films / Music City features must be Tennessee Premieres. Less
• Tennessee Spirit Feature Competition
  Sponsored by Ground Zero, the Tennessee Spirit Award for Best Feature is presented to the best feature film (all genre and styles welcome) that meets ... More
  Sponsored by Ground Zero, the Tennessee Spirit Award for Best Feature is presented to the best feature film (all genre and styles welcome) that meets two of the three criteria (proof is required to win the award): 1 - The Director is a current Tennessee Resident. 2 - The Executive Producer or Writer is a current Tennessee Resident. 3 - At least 65% of the film was shot in Tennessee. The winning film receives $10,000 in post-production services from Ground Zero on their next film. Previous winners of this prize include Brent Stewart's "The Colonel's Bride" and The Deagol Brothers' "Make-Out with Violence". Less

 Shorts (under 40 minutes)

• Narrative Short Competition (Academy Award® qualifier)
  International competition for Live Action narrative films under 40 min. with the winning film declared eligible for Academy Award consideration. Addi... More
  International competition for Live Action narrative films under 40 min. with the winning film declared eligible for Academy Award consideration. Additionally, a $500 cash prize will be offered if the filmmaker is in attendance for the Awards Ceremony (April 20 at 10 PM). Recent NaFF selections that went on to Oscar nominations include: Miracle Fish, The Pig, Instead of Abracadabra, Kavi, West Bank Story, Tanghi Argentini, and Eramos Pocos. Less
• Documentary Short Competition
  An international competition for non-fiction films under 40 minutes which compete for a $500 cash prize. Some documentary short film highlights fro... More
  An international competition for non-fiction films under 40 minutes which compete for a $500 cash prize. Some documentary short film highlights from previous festivals include Academy Award nominee, "Witness from the Balcony of Room 306" and Academy Award-winner "Freeheld". Less
• Animated Short Competition (Academy Award® qualifier)
  An International competition for Animated Short Films of under 40 minutes in length, the winning film will automatically qualify for Academy Award Con... More
  An International competition for Animated Short Films of under 40 minutes in length, the winning film will automatically qualify for Academy Award Consideration. An additional $500 cash prize will be given if the filmmaker is in attendance at the Awards Ceremony (April 20, 10PM). Recent winners include such classic animators as Don Hertzfeldt, Bill Plympton, Chris Landreth, and Academy Award nominated films such as "The Danish Poet" and "Ryan". Less
• Experimental Short Competition
  The Nashville Film Festival has a long history of celebrating Experimental Shorts - movies that stretch the definition of expression and form - going ... More
  The Nashville Film Festival has a long history of celebrating Experimental Shorts - movies that stretch the definition of expression and form - going back to its earliest days in East Tennessee in 1969. Experimental filmmakers who have screened here include the greats Kenneth Anger, Stan Brakahge as well as more recent filmmakers like Apichatpong Weerasethakul and Jason LaRay Keener. The winning film will receive a $500 cash prize. Less
• College Student Filmmakers Competition
  The College Student Film Competition winner receives the Vanderbilt Golden Opportunity Award - a $500 an additional $500 cash prize if the filmmaker... More
  The College Student Film Competition winner receives the Vanderbilt Golden Opportunity Award - a $500 an additional $500 cash prize if the filmmaker is attendance. Entrants MUST send a photocopy of a valid College ID or a copy of their most recent transcript along with entry. If validation is not received, the film will be placed in the category most appropriate (narrative, animated, documentary, or experimental). Please note: Student Films will ALSO compete in the above four mentioned categories, but MUST be entered in this category to be eligible for the Vanderbilt Golden Opportunity Award and those cash prizes. Less
• Young Filmmakers Short Film Competition
  The Young FIlmmakers Competition is open to all filmmakers age 18 and under - a copy of State or School ID or a verification letter from a teacher MUS... More
  The Young FIlmmakers Competition is open to all filmmakers age 18 and under - a copy of State or School ID or a verification letter from a teacher MUST be provided with entry. Without this, the film will instead be entered in the most appropriate category (Animation, Narrative, Documentary, or Experimental). The winning filmmaker receives a $5,000 scholarship to Watkins College of Art, Design, and FIlm. Less
• Tennessee Spirit Short Film Competition
  Sponsored by Ground Zero, the Tennessee Spirit Award for Best Short Film is presented to both the best narrative short film (live action or animation)... More
  Sponsored by Ground Zero, the Tennessee Spirit Award for Best Short Film is presented to both the best narrative short film (live action or animation) and Best Documentary short film that meets two of the three criteria (proof is required to win the award): 1 - The Director is a current Tennessee Resident. 2 - The Executive Producer or Writer is a current Tennessee Resident. 3 - At least 65% of the film was shot in Tennessee. The winning films each receive $3,000 in post-production services from Ground Zero on their next film. Less

   

  Submission Deadlines & Entry Fees
  (discounted price is for WithoutABox members)

  Earlybird Deadline: July 23, 2010

  Young Filmmakers	$25 / $20
  College Students (shorts only)	$25 / $20
  Short Films (under 40mins)	$30 / $25
  Feature Films (over 40 mins)	$40 / $35

   

   

  Regular Deadline: September 24, 2010

  Young Filmmakers	$25 / $20
  College Students (shorts only)	$30 / $25
  Short Films (under 40mins)	$40 / $35
  Feature Films (over 40 mins)	$55 / $50

   

   

  Late Entry Deadline: November 26, 2010

  Young Filmmakers	$25 / $20
  College Students (shorts only)	$40 / $35
  Short Films (under 40mins)	$50 / $45
  Feature Films (over 40 mins)	$65 / $60

   

   

  Withoutabox Exclusive Late Entry Deadline: December 31, 2010

  Young Filmmakers	$35 / $20
  College Students (shorts only)	$55 / $40
  Short Films (under 40mins)	$70 / $55
  Feature Films (over 40 mins)	$80 / $65

   

  Submit Your Film

  Submit your film with Withoutabox and enjoy an exclusive extended deadline as well as $5 to $15 discounts off your entry fees.

   

   

   

  If you cannot enter online, please download the entry form and mail it along with 2 copies of a screener of your film and the appropriate entry fee to:

  Nashville Film Festival
  Attn:  Submissions
  161 Rains Ave.
  Nashville, TN  37203