USA Film Festival Regular Deadline

CATEGORY RULES

ALL SHORT FILM SUBMISSIONS

All entries must be under 60 minutes in length. Running time is calculated by timing the head frame to the last frame on the end credits.

The appropriate entry fee must accompany each entry. This nonrefundable fee covers screening and handling costs and will not be returned.

Select ONE MAIN CATEGORY (Narrative/Fiction, Nonfiction, Student, Animation, Experimental, Texas) for your film’s submission.

If submitting an animated film, please include the specific the method/s used (e.g. AI, illustration, stop motion, etc.) with your submission.

All short films/videos must have been completed between January 1, 2025 and February 15, 2026.

Films/videos using uncredited, non-licensed, copyrighted musical or literary properties without legal permission and appropriate attribution credits are not eligible.

The competition is open to professional and nonprofessional filmmakers.

Entries must be submitted in the completed form in which they will be judged.
(Please note: We do accept work-in-progress films, but the final version of the film must be submitted by our Late Deadline of February 1st.)

The decisions of the Jury are final. The Jury reserves the right not to select a winner in any given category. The Jury reserves the right to change a category to the benefit of the film.

The JURY TIMELINE is as follows:

February 2026 – March 2026
Pre-screenings take place to (1) identify potential Finalist** films and (2) to identify films The Festival might play in the curated showcase. **National Jurors have final say in determining awards.

Early March – Early-April 2026
Filmmakers that are selected to screen in the “Curated Showcase” are contacted and confirmed. (The Curated Showcase is separate from the Competition. To be considered for the Curated Schedule, the film cannot have premiered in North Texas before the Festival.)

April 2026 (During Festival Dates)
Nat’l Jurors begin judging all Finalist films

Closing Day of Festival
Announcement of winning films.

Note — All Competition films REMAIN IN COMPETITION process until the National Jurors make their final selections. A list of all winning films is provided to all submitting filmmakers after the program in May. PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE FESTIVAL TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE STATUS OF YOUR FILM.

Eligible finished formats include 70mm, 16mm and 35mm film, DVD, Beta SP, DigiBeta, IMAX, HDCAM, DV/DVCAM, DCI, and Blu-Ray in the standard American NTSC format. (It is understood that there exists a multitude of shooting formats for video production.)

FEATURE SUBMISSIONS

The appropriate entry fee must accompany each entry. This nonrefundable fee covers screening and handling costs and will not be returned.

USAFF accepts feature films in all genres; U.S. and foreign works accepted; any length feature works accepted.

For our purposes, feature films are generally not less than 60 minutes in runtime.

Professional and nonprofessional film and video-makers may submit works.

All shooting formats are accepted.

The film or video must have been completed between January 1, 2024 and February 15, 2026. Work-in-progress films will be accepted, HOWEVER the final version of the film must be completed by March 1st.

The film cannot have premiered in the North Texas area before the Festival.

All screenings will take place in Dallas during the 56th Annual USA Film Festival.

Filmmakers are eligible to receive air travel and local lodging during their stay. (Air vouchers and hotel are limited quantities; we distribute as films are booked, until the resources are exhausted.)

Filmmakers are honored during the festival with nightly receptions following all screenings and on-stage discussion of their work.

The USA Film Festival is a NONCOMPETITIVE event. Feature films accepted for inclusion are not prevented from being considered for subsequent competition in the Cannes Film Festival or other competitive events.