Las Vegas Film Festival (1)

Festival Start: 14 Januar 2027      Festival Ende: 21 Januar 2027

The Las Vegas Film Festival is an international cinema event from the entertainment capital of the world.

The festival showcases the best in independent, contemporary, and international cinema, bringing together filmmakers, audiences, and industry professionals for a dynamic celebration of storytelling.

Across eight days, the Las Vegas Film Festival presents more than 350 films through a curated program of screenings, premieres, filmmaker appearances, panel discussions, and special events. Audiences connect with filmmakers, artists, and industry professionals at Brenden Theatres at the Palms Casino Resort and venues throughout Las Vegas.

Extending beyond the annual festival, the Las Vegas Film Festival presents year-round screenings, film exhibitions, and cinematic experiences that inspire, educate, and entertain. Through ongoing programming and community engagement, the festival serves as a destination for independent film and global cinema throughout the year.

Geldpreise: 10,500$

The Las Vegas Film Festival recognizes excellence across Feature Film, Short Film, Documentary, Television, Music Video, New Media, Audience, and Regional categories.

GRAND PRIZE DISTRIBUTION AWARDS

IVOX+ Distribution Opportunities

In addition to the Grand Prize Awards, all Official Selections remain eligible for worldwide digital exhibition and distribution opportunities through IVOX+ and affiliated digital and theatrical distribution partners, extending opportunities beyond the Festival and connecting exceptional independent films with audiences around the world.

Best Narrative Feature Grand Prize - Estimated Value: $25,000

Awarded a Multi-State Theatrical Distribution Package, including commercial theatrical exhibition and promotional support across the Las Vegas Film Festival’s growing network of independent cinemas.

Best Documentary Feature Grand Prize - Estimated Value: $25,000

Awarded a Multi-State Theatrical Release Package designed to maximize audience engagement and theatrical exhibition in select markets.

Best of the Fest Short Film Theatrical Showcase - Estimated Value: $25,000

Ten award-winning short films will be selected for a curated “Best of the Las Vegas Film Festival” theatrical program. The collection will receive a commercial theatrical exhibition across the Festival’s expanding multi-state cinema network, providing short filmmakers with a unique opportunity to reach paying theatrical audiences.

Best of the Fest Podcast Showcase - Estimated Value: $15,000

Ten award-winning podcasts will be selected for the official Best of the Las Vegas Film Festival Podcast Showcase. The selected programs will receive featured exhibition on IVOX+, promotional support, Festival recognition, and consideration for additional distribution and exhibition opportunities through the Festival’s affiliated distribution platforms.

CASH AWARDS

The Las Vegas Film Festival will award over $10,000 in cash prizes in addition to its theatrical distribution awards.

Grand Jury Award – Best Feature Film $2,500
Best Documentary Feature Film $2,500
Best U.S. Feature Film $1,000
Best International Feature Film $1,000
Best U.S. Short Film $1,000
Best Documentary Short Film $500
Audience Award – Narrative Feature $500
Audience Award – Documentary Feature $500
Las Vegas Filmmaker Award $500
Silver State Filmmaker Award $500

FEATURE COMPETITION

Grand Jury Award – Best Feature Film
Best U.S. Feature Film
Best International Feature Film
Best Director – U.S. Feature
Best Director – International Feature
Best U.S. Documentary Feature Film
Best International Documentary Feature Film
Best Director – Documentary Feature
Best Horror Feature Film
Best Thriller Feature Film
Best Comedy Feature Film
Best Drama Feature Film
Best Action Feature Film
Best Sci-Fi Feature Film
Best Animated Feature Film
Best LGBTQ+ Feature Film
Excellence in Latino Cinema – Feature
Excellence in Black Cinema – Feature
Best Biopic Feature Film
Best Student Feature Film
Best Student Director – Feature
Best Soundtrack in a Feature Film
Best Original Song – Feature Film

SHORT FILM COMPETITION

Best U.S. Short Film
Best International Short Film
Best Director – U.S. Short
Best Director – International Short
Best Soundtrack in a Short Film
Best Original Song – Short Film
Best Animated Short Film
Best Thriller Short Film
Best Horror Short Film
Best Action Short Film
Best Comedy Short Film
Best Sci-Fi Short Film
Best LGBTQ+ Short Film
Excellence in Latino Cinema – Short
Excellence in Black Cinema – Short
Best Student Short Film
Best Student Director – Short
Best Documentary Short Film
Best Director – Documentary Short

TELEVISION, SERIES & MUSIC

Best TV / Web Series (Over 60 Minutes)
Best TV / Web Series (60 Minutes or Less)
Best TV / Web Comedy Series
Best TV / Web Drama Series
Best Documentary Series
Best Music Video
Best Director – Music Video

AUDIENCE & REGIONAL AWARDS

Audience Award – Narrative Feature
Audience Award – Documentary Feature
Best Las Vegas Short Film
Best Las Vegas Feature Film
Las Vegas Filmmaker Award
Silver State Film Award

NEW MEDIA & CREATOR AWARDS

Digital Creator of the Year
Best Vertical Narrative
Best Fiction Video Podcast
Best Non-Fiction Video Podcast
Best Interview or Talk Show Video Podcast
Best Limited Series / Companion Video Podcast
Best Innovative / Experimental Video Podcast
Best Micro Short
Best Social Media Comedy Short
Best Social Media Documentary & Non-Fiction
Best Social Media Lifestyle & Culture
Best Social Media Visual Art & Experimental
Best Social Media Impact & Advocacy

AWARD RECOGNITION

Unless otherwise specified, award recipients will receive official Festival laurels, an award certificate, and a commemorative Festival trophy. Select awards may also include additional cash prizes, theatrical exhibition, distribution opportunities through IVOX+ and affiliated partners, or additional sponsor-provided prizes.

The RULES & TERMS

1. Production Date

Only projects completed on or after January 1, 2024, are eligible for submission.

2. International Character

The Las Vegas Film Festival is an international event welcoming bold, independent filmmakers from around the world.

3. Multiple Submissions

Applicants may submit multiple projects. There is no limit to the number of submissions from the same individual or organization. Each entry requires a separate submission and applicable fee.

4. Language Requirements

Films not presented in English must include embedded English subtitles in the final screening version.

5. Eligible Applicants

Submissions are accepted from independent filmmakers, production companies, professional representatives, distributors, educational institutions, and film schools.

6. Exhibition Format

Officially selected projects must provide a professional Digital Cinema Package (DCP) suitable for theatrical exhibition and meeting the Festival’s published technical specifications. Filmmakers are responsible for the creation, quality control, and delivery of their DCP, including any associated costs. Detailed exhibition delivery instructions will be provided upon acceptance. The Festival reserves the right to perform technical conversions when necessary.

7. Ineligible Submissions & Disqualification

Films are not eligible if they:

Have theatrically screened publicly in the Las Vegas metro area.

Have had a theatrical run in the US prior to the Festival dates.

Have aired on US television prior to the Festival dates.

Are available to the public for purchase on DVD/Blu-ray or online.

Feature-length films (narrative or documentary) that have shown online prior to the Festival dates are NOT eligible. Short films (under 40 min) may be available online.

The festival reserves the right to disqualify any submission that violates these Rules & Terms, contains false or misleading information, or fails to satisfy technical or eligibility requirements. Submission fees are non-refundable.

8. Premiere Status

Premiere status is not required. We welcome outstanding films regardless of their previous exhibition history.

9. Promotional Rights

By submitting a project, the applicant grants the Las Vegas Film Festival the non-exclusive right to use excerpts of up to two (2) minutes, trailers, titles, posters, still images, and related promotional materials for festival marketing, publicity, social media, press coverage, and promotional purposes without additional compensation. Such materials may be used solely for the promotion of the Festival, future editions of the Festival, and related Festival programming.

10. Physical Screenings

The Las Vegas Film Festival is presented as an in-person theatrical event. Online or streaming presentations are not guaranteed unless specifically announced by the festival.

11. Originality & Copyright

The applicant represents that the submitted project is an original work or that all necessary rights, licenses, permissions, and clearances have been secured and the applicant owns or controls all rights necessary for the exhibition of the film, including music, and has obtained all required appearance releases and permissions from individuals appearing in the film. The submitter – applicant accepts full legal responsibility for all copyrighted materials, including music, sound recordings, images, trademarks, and third-party content contained within the submission.

12. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Projects incorporating significant AI-generated visual, audio, or written content are welcome. Significant use of AI should be disclosed in the submission notes or film credits. Failure to disclose such use may result in disqualification.

13. Submission Fees

All submission fees are non-refundable. To ensure fairness and consistency, fee waivers are not offered.

14. Categories & Running Time

The festival accepts feature films (over 40 minutes), short films (40 minutes or less, including credits), documentaries, animation, episodic content, music videos, video podcasts, and additional categories published by the festival. Final category placement is determined solely by the festival.

15. Awards

The festival reserves the right not to present any award if, in the judgment of the selection committee, no submission meets the required standard. Winners of cash or physical awards must claim their prize and provide any requested documentation within forty-five (45) days following the conclusion of the festival.

15 (a) Automatic Award Consideration & Category Guidelines: Craft, Performance & Jury Awards (Included Free): Entry into any official submission category automatically qualifies your film for consideration for all applicable Festival accolades - including jury, craft, performance, audience, and regional awards (such as Best Director, Best Actor, or Soundtrack). Separate award submissions or additional fees are never required to be eligible for these specific honors; they are determined organically through the official selection and judging process.

15 (b) Cross-Category Submissions (Additional Fees Apply): In alignment with our Rules & Terms (Rule 3), if you wish to submit the same film to multiple distinct main categories (for example: submitting a project to both Sci-Fi Feature and Student Feature), each category entry requires its own separate submission and applicable category fee.

16. Selection Committee

All programming, selection, jury, and award decisions are final. Due to the volume of submissions, the Festival is unable to provide individual feedback regarding programming or jury decisions. The Festival reserves the right to place any submission into a more appropriate award category or to consider a project for additional awards at its sole discretion.

17. Festival Schedule

The festival reserves the exclusive right to determine screening dates, venues, scheduling, and programming. Dates, venues, screening formats, and event schedules may be modified, postponed, or canceled due to operational requirements, venue availability, public health concerns, governmental actions, technical failures, acts of God, or other circumstances beyond the Festival’s reasonable control.

18. Delivery Requirements

Officially selected projects must provide all requested exhibition and promotional materials by the Festival’s published delivery deadline. Required materials may include, without limitation, trailer, poster, still images, filmmaker biography, subtitles (where applicable), a theatrical DCP, press materials, and any additional assets reasonably requested by the Festival. Failure to provide the required materials in the requested formats by the stated deadline may result in removal from the Official Selection.

19. Legal Responsibility & Indemnification

By submitting a project, the applicant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Las Vegas Film Festival, Las Vegas Film Festival LLC, its officers, directors, employees, volunteers, sponsors, venues, partners, and affiliates from and against any claims, demands, damages, liabilities, losses, judgments, costs, and reasonable attorneys’ fees arising out of or relating to the submitted project or any breach of these Rules & Terms.

20. Withdrawal Policy

Once a film has been officially selected and accepted by the filmmaker, it may not be withdrawn from the festival program.

21. Distribution Opportunities

Selected projects may be invited to participate in distribution opportunities including filmmaker interviews, spotlight features, or promotional programming published by IVOX+ for up to one (1) year. Certain projects may also be invited to participate in separate, optional discussions regarding exhibition or distribution opportunities through IVOX+ and affiliated distribution partners. Festival selection does not guarantee distribution, streaming, licensing, or commercial exhibition.

22. Acceptance of Rules

By submitting a project, the applicant acknowledges that they have read, understood, and agreed to these Rules & Terms.

23. Screening Fees

The Las Vegas Film Festival does not pay screening fees, exhibition fees, rental fees, or presentation fees for submitted or officially selected projects unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Festival. Resources are dedicated to producing and promoting the strongest possible showcase for selected submissions.

24. Festival Photography & Media

The Festival reserves the right to photograph, livestream, video record, or otherwise document Festival events, including screenings, filmmaker appearances, question-and-answer sessions, panel discussions, red carpet activities, award presentations, and related events. Such materials may be used by the Festival for archival, editorial, educational, promotional, marketing, and publicity purposes without additional compensation.

25. Governing Law

These Rules & Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada, without regard to its conflict of laws principles. Any dispute arising out of or relating to a submission or participation in the Festival shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Clark County, Nevada.

26. Amendments

The Festival reserves the right to interpret, modify, amend, or update these Rules & Terms at any time. Any material revisions will be published through the Festival’s official website or submission platform and shall become effective upon publication.

FILM SUBMISSION

All films must be submitted via the Festhome online screener to be considered for competition.

SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

Each submission must include:

• Festhome submission form
• Online screener
• Submission fee
• Film festival history and confirmed future screenings (if applicable)
• Recommended materials: logline, synopsis, filmmaker bio, press kit, and still images