SATX Cinema Showdown Welcomes You

Submission Guidelines

1. SACS accepts submissions for short films in the following categories: Shorts Films (under 11 minutes): Narrative, Animated, Documentary, Student, Texas, U.S. and International.

2. The Entrant/s submitting the film must hold all legal rights for the submission, as well as all necessary clearances for public exhibition.

3. The Filmmaker/s retain/s all submission and intellectual property rights.

4. Premiere is not required. Please contact media@arro.io with any questions.

5. Films may be submitted electronically via FilmFreeway or email media@arro.io containing the completed application, DropBox Link, and Payment info (See Sec.7 for Payment details).

6. The Filmmaker/s is/are responsible for making sure all submission materials are submitted by the submission deadline indicated. If your film does not arrive or is not uploaded by the deadline for which you have registered, you may be required to enter the following month’s challenge (if applicable) or withdrawn.

7. The following concerns submission deadlines and submission fees. Note, the deadlines are not the postmark dates, but the dates by which the submission must be in the San Antonio Cinema Showdown office or registered with FilmFreeway. Each submission must be accompanied by the appropriate fee. Submission fees are in are U.S. Dollars per submission and is non-refundable. These fees may be paid by check, cashier’s check, money order, or by credit card, Pay Pal or Cash App.

8.  Subtitles must be in English.

9. Please test your media prior to submission to make sure they run properly and are not damaged. Please keep screener links and passwords up-to-date and notify the SACS office promptly with any changes.

10. Filmmakers are allowed to submit more than one film for the Festival provided that each film is submitted separately and meets guidelines.  Some monthly guidelines may change (example: specific genre challenge/ Animation Shootout/ Student Shootout). Be sure to read category guidelines for each month carefully.

11. Filmmakers are allowed to re-submit a film that was previously submitted provided all eligibility requirements are met. 

12. A student submitting a film must provide proof that they are currently or where a student at the time the film was Made.  Proof may be a photocopy of a current and valid student ID or a letter from his/her school verifying enrollment at the time the film was made.  Student status includes any person in Grade K-12 including Homeschool, College/University, or any vocational or private film training program (Example: Austin School of Film).

13. COMMUNITY GUIDELINES:  Neither SACS or ArroTV will screen any film that can be reasonably considered Pornography or involving the exploitation of Children.  Nor will we accept any film that clearly calls for the disenfranchisement or harm of any individual or people group.  SACS will not return submission fees of materials that violate these guidelines.

14. San Antonio Cinema Showdown will not return submitted materials or store materials beyond the festival’s final screening.

15. Entrants may contact the SACS to find out if the Festival received the submission: media@arro.io.   Filmmakers submitting through FilmFreeway can check their status through the website.

16. The Filmmaker is responsible for all inbound shipping costs, domestic or international.

17. All personal contact information is to remain confidential and not to be shared with any third parties.

18. SACS reserves the right to use images from films selected in the Festival for marketing purposes.

19. All decisions regarding award winners are considered final and incontestable.

20. All films submitted must have been completed after January 1, 2017

21. Applicants acknowledge that SACS reserves the right to change the nature of screenings and events due to circumstances related to public health and welfare or at the direction of local, state, or federal authorities. In such cases, no submission refunds shall be issued.

22. Whenever possible, we encourage producers of selected films to attend screenings or make themselves available via remote for panel discussions.