Festival start: 12 November 2026
Festival end: 15 November 2026
In the heart of Texas, the Leander Film Festival (LFF) is a four-day annual industry event designed for independent filmmakers who want more than just applause - they want a career. Modeled after the world-class hospitality of Sonoma and Sedona but injected with the transactional marketplace energy of Sundance and Berlin, LFF bridges the gap between screenwriters and producers. As a Film Friendly Texas Certified Community and home to the historic Bagdad Cemetery - the unforgettable opening location for the 1974 horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre [Bagdad Cemetery] and a featured anchor on the Texas Film Commission's Thrills and Chills Film Trail - Leander is the ultimate destination to make the connections for your next film project. We believe filmmakers should leave a festival with three things: unforgettable memories, an elite network, and business deals.
Cash Prizes: 861$
The Leander Film Festival accelerates independent film careers. We provide an intentional mix of cash prizes, guaranteed distribution networking, professional service vouchers, and elite Texas hospitality.
Every selected project is awarded two $100 daily stipends to assist filmmakers with travel and attendance for our awards and marketplace events.
ALL SELECTED FILMMAKERS RECEIVE:
VIP Access: Two (2) complimentary All-Access VIP Industry Badges granting full entry to all screenings and marketplace panels.
Filmmaker Lounge: Exclusive daily access to the fully catered LFF Filmmaker Lounge, featuring complimentary Texas Hill Country culinary items and curated wine tastings.
Executive Networking: An invitation to our private, high-value VIP Networking Dinners designed to foster real business connections between filmmakers and panel executives.
FEATURE FILM COMPETITION
Grand Jury Prize: Best Independent Feature
Cash Prize: $1,000
Automatic VIP Alumnus Status, a lifetime submission fee waiver, and a guaranteed fast-track priority programming review for your next film.
Physical Award: The Official LFF "Gateway to Imagination" Custom Trophy
International Cinema Excellence Award
Cash Prize: $1,000
Automatic VIP Alumnus Status, a lifetime submission fee waiver, and a guaranteed fast-track priority programming review for your next film.
Physical Award: Official LFF Laurels and Custom Showcase Plaque.
Best Documentary Feature
Cash Prize: $1000
Automatic VIP Alumnus Status, a lifetime submission fee waiver, and a guaranteed fast-track priority programming review for your next film.
Physical Award: Official LFF Laurels and Custom Category Plaque.
Faith Family and Moral Reflection Feature Award
Prize: $1,000 Cash Prize.
Secured one-on-one networking introductions to specialized buyers and acquisition executives, and executives attending
Physical Award: Official LFF Laurels and Custom Category Plaque.
Leander & Lone Star Award
Prize: A $1,000 credit for a Texas based vendor to assist with your next local production Physical Award: Official LFF Laurels and Custom Lone Star Trophy
Best Short
$150 Cash Prize
Physical Award: Official LFF Custom Trophy.
Best Animated Film
$150 Cash Prize
Physical Award: Official LFF Laurels and Custom Animation Plaque
Student & Emerging Creator
Festival Benefit: Complimentary access to all industry masterclasses, technical panels, and networking events.
Physical Award: Official LFF Laurels and Emerging Talent
SCREENPLAY & PITCH MARKET COMPETITION
The Gateway Development Award (Best Feature Screenplay / Pitch Market Winner)
Cash Prize: $1,000 Cash Prize
The Leander Feature Screenplay Pitch Session: Inspired by TIFF benchmarks. Eight (8) selected finalists are invited to pitch their scripts live on-stage to an elite panel of industry executives, literary managers, and production partners actively seeking screenplays for production.
Industry Access: A 1-on-1 career strategy session with industry professionals.
Script Services: A comprehensive, studio-grade professional coverage report and industry-standard formatting analysis from a senior production reader.
Premiere Status & Eligibility: Priority is given to celebrate and elevate exceptional storytelling, regardless of where your journey began. Because this is our inaugural year, we do not mandate strict World, National, or Regional premiere status.
Texas Circuit Alumni Welcome: If your film has already screened at SXSW, the Austin Film Festival, or other regional festivals, you are fully eligible to compete for all jury awards and prizes.
Public Availability Restriction: Films that are currently available to the general public via free or commercial streaming platforms (such as YouTube, Vimeo, or public VOD) or broadcast television are strictly ineligible for competitive screening slots. We protect the theatrical experience for our audiences and visiting distributors.
Completion Date: Features and short films must have been completed after January 1, 2024.
Submission Medium: All submissions must be uploaded via a secure online screener link directly through Festhome.
Works-in-Progress: We accept rough cuts or works-in-progress (WIP) for consideration provided that image lock and final audio delivery are guaranteed by September 1 of the festival year. Please note "Work in Progress" clearly on your submission page.
Language Requirements: Non-English language films must feature burned-in or selectable English subtitles.
Exhibition Formats: If selected, the filmmaker agrees to provide a professional Digital Cinema Package (DCP) or ProRes 422 HQ file for theatrical exhibition by the designated print traffic deadline.
Official Selection Commitment & Late-Withdrawal Penalty: Upon accepting an official invitation to screen at the festival, the filmmaker or authorized rights holder must execute a formal Exhibition & License Commitment Agreement. To safeguard the integrity of our curated theatrical program and print traffic scheduling, any project officially withdrawn by the filmmaker within thirty (30) days of the festival opening night will be subject to a $500 late-withdrawal penalty fee.
Asset Delivery Deadline: Final presentation deliverables, screening files, and legal assets must be submitted to the festival committee within two (2) weeks of receiving an official selection notice. Failure to deliver completed assets within this timeframe grants the festival management absolute authority to vacate the project's slot and replace it with a runner-up from the programming waitlist.
Stipend Eligibility: The two $100 daily stipends are awarded per selected project (not per individual filmmaker) and require physical attendance at the designated festival events to be distributed.
Alumni Submissions: Future submission waivers and priority fast-track reviews granted to Grand Jury winners apply strictly to the evaluation process. All future selections remain strictly merit-based and are subject to final approval by the programming committee.
Intellectual Property & Chain of Title Clearances: The submitter warrants that they hold full legal ownership of the film's copyright, including all synchronized music, talent releases, trademarks, and literary rights.
The Leander Film Festival explicitly disclaims any liability for copyright infringement or chain-of-title disputes brought forward by third parties. Failure to produce clear chain-of-title documentation upon request will result in immediate disqualification from the program
Legal Indemnification Clause: By submitting to the festival, the applicant agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Leander Arts & Film Alliance, its directors, employees, sponsors, and affiliates from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees and court costs) arising out of or resulting from any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, or screening rights.
Promotional Rights & Media Assets: Upon official selection, the filmmaker grants the Leander Film Festival a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to utilize film trailers, loglines, production stills, cast bios, and up to two (2) minutes of film footage for promotional, marketing, broadcast, and press purposes across all media platforms to drive ticket sales, audience engagement, and industry attendance.
Financial & Refund Protocols: All submission fees are non-refundable and non-transferable under any circumstances. The festival does not issue retroactive discounts or refunds if a film is not selected.
Programming decisions made by the selection committee, grand juries, and market panels are final, absolute, and binding.
Independent Feature Cinema
Short and Feature Films
Fee-8%
PRO 23%
Early0$0$
0$
30 Jun 26
Standard0$0$
0$
30 Jul 26
Late0$0$
0$
30 Aug 26
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
20 Sep 26
Save up
0$
Submit
Independent Feature Cinema (U.S. & International)
Independent fiction features produced outside the major studio system. This premier category prioritizes auteur-driven storytelling, creative risk-taking, and distinct cinematic voices.
International Cinema Showcase (Features)
Short and Feature Films
Fee-8%
PRO 23%
Early47$43.24$
36.19$
30 Jun 26
Standard50$46$
38.5$
30 Jul 26
Late60$55.2$
46.2$
30 Aug 26
Extended65$59.8$
50.05$
20 Sep 26
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
20 Sep 26
Save up
10.81$
Submit
Feature-length fiction films produced outside the United States that reflect distinct global storytelling traditions. This curated category offers visiting local audiences and industry a direct window into international co-productions, diverse cultural perspectives, and inventive cinematic styles.
Documentary Features
Short and Feature Films
Fee-8%
PRO 23%
Early47$43.24$
36.19$
30 Jun 26
Standard50$46$
38.5$
30 Jul 26
Late60$55.2$
46.2$
30 Aug 26
Extended65$59.8$
50.05$
20 Sep 26
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
20 Sep 26
Save up
10.81$
Submit
Feature-length non-fiction films that investigate, inform, and reveal complex real-world realities. We champion investigative journalism, deep character studies, and social profiles that challenge perspectives, with a strong emphasis on projects ready for premium streaming or broadcast acquisition.
Leander & Lone Star Showcase
Short and Feature Films
Fee-8%
PRO 23%
Early47$43.24$
36.19$
30 Jun 26
Standard50$46$
38.5$
30 Jul 26
Late60$55.2$
46.2$
30 Aug 26
Extended65$59.8$
50.05$
20 Sep 26
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
20 Sep 26
Save up
10.81$
Submit
Leander & Lone Star Showcase
A premier showcase dedicated to feature films and short-form projects helmed by Texas-based directors, shot within the surrounding Hill Country, or filmed primarily within the state. Capitalizing on Leander’s proud status as a Film Friendly Texas Certified Community and our designation on the Texas Film Commission's Thrills and Chills Film Trail, this highly competitive category champions the bold, resourceful storytelling, regional narratives, and independent creative spirit defining the modern Texas film landscape.
Short Form
Short and Feature Films
Fee-8%
PRO 23%
Early25$23$
19.25$
30 Jun 26
Standard35$32.2$
26.95$
30 Jul 26
Late40$36.8$
30.8$
30 Aug 26
Extended50$46$
38.5$
20 Sep 26
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
20 Sep 26
Save up
5.75$
Submit
This competitive category honors compact, high-impact storytelling across all genres, focusing on directors demonstrating the technical mastery of delivering short form content.
Animated Shorts & Features
Short and Feature Films
Fee-8%
PRO 23%
Early25$23$
19.25$
30 Jun 26
Standard30$27.6$
23.1$
30 Jul 26
Late35$32.2$
26.95$
30 Aug 26
Extended40$36.8$
30.8$
20 Sep 26
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
20 Sep 26
Save up
5.75$
Submit
Open to both short-form and feature-length independent projects utilizing any animation medium, technique, or style—including traditional hand-drawn, stop-motion, 3D digital, CGI, and experimental techniques. We welcome all thematic genres, from family-friendly narratives to mature, avant-garde storytelling. This combined category rewards visual innovation, precise pacing, and imaginative world-building.
Faith Family and Moral Reflection
Short and Feature Films
Fee-8%
PRO 23%
Early47$43.24$
36.19$
30 Jun 26
Standard50$46$
38.5$
30 Jul 26
Late60$55.2$
46.2$
30 Aug 26
Extended65$59.8$
50.05$
20 Sep 26
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
20 Sep 26
Save up
10.81$
Submit
Open exclusively to independent, feature-length narrative fiction films that explore themes of faith, spirituality, personal resilience, family bonds, and deep moral reflection. This competitive marketplace category highlights elevated, scripted cinema that inspires, uplifts, and examines the role of belief and relationships in everyday life
Feature Screenplay & Co Production Pitch Market
Script / Pitch
Fee-8%
PRO 23%
Early17$15.64$
13.09$
30 Jun 26
Standard20$18.4$
15.4$
30 Jul 26
Late25$23$
19.25$
30 Aug 26
Extended30$27.6$
23.1$
20 Sep 26
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
20 Sep 26
Save up
3.91$
Submit
Open to completed, unproduced feature-length screenplays of all genres. Submitting to this track enters your material into our professional industry evaluation system. This is not a traditional passive script competition. This category functions as a live market incubator modeled after top-tier festival hubs. Grand finalists will receive an official invitation to the festival this November 12–15 to participate in the live Leander Co-Production Pitch Market. Finalists will pitch their projects live on stage to a panel of active producers, independent financiers, entertainment attorneys, and distribution executives. Winners will compete directly for cash development grants, legal representation retainers, and sponsor software packages designed to move your script from the page into physical production
Student & Emerging Creators
Short and Feature Films
Fee-8%
PRO 23%
Early13$11.96$
10.01$
30 Jun 26
Standard15$13.8$
11.55$
30 Jul 26
Late20$18.4$
15.4$
30 Aug 26
Extended25$23$
19.25$
20 Sep 26
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
20 Sep 26
Save up
2.99$
Submit
Reserved exclusively for short form works by current high school and university students, or directors making their official unreleased directorial debut. This category spots the next generation of industry talent, celebrating fresh perspectives, bold experimentation, and technical ingenuity on limited independent budgets. Finalists in this category receive targeted 1-on-1 industry mentorship and career advice from visiting festival professionals
Festhome holds accountable fees festivals by holding the payment of the fees of most newer festivals until they have viewed the submissions, held their festivals and other methods.
-8%
Festhome holds accountable fees festivals by holding the payment of the fees of most newer festivals until they have viewed the submissions, held their festivals and other methods. 