SilverVox Film & Music Festival (1)

Festival start: 18 June 2026      Festival end: 21 June 2026

The SilverVox Film & Music Festival is set to make an exciting debut in Frederick, Maryland, marking its inaugural year with a bold and vibrant celebration of cinematic and musical artistry. Spanning multiple days and venues, the SilverVox Fest promises a dynamic blend of film screenings, live music, and immersive events that will transform the city into a creative hub for both local residents and visiting artists.

With a diverse lineup of feature-length and short films from around the globe, the SilverVox Fest will showcase the talents of emerging and established filmmakers. Audiences can expect a rich array of genres and styles, highlighting the best in local, national, and international cinema. From emotionally resonant dramas to thought-provoking documentaries and boundary-pushing experimental works, the festival aims to engage viewers with stories that spark conversation and inspire connection.

The heart of the festival will beat strongest at the historic Weinberg Center, where most of the marquee screenings and programs will take place. However, the SilverVox Fest is a truly city-wide experience, with additional screenings and events hosted across various Frederick venues, creating a festival atmosphere that spills into the streets and engages the broader community.

Beyond the films themselves, the festival offers a packed schedule of music and interactive events. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to meet and mingle with filmmakers during panels, Q&A sessions, closed-captioned films, and intimate gatherings. These moments provide a behind-the-scenes look into the creative process and foster exchanges between artists and audiences. Live music performances will be interwoven throughout the festival, featuring both local bands and visiting acts, ensuring that the soundtrack to the SilverVox Festival is as exciting and eclectic as its film lineup.

Produced by SilverVox.org. A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit.
Creativity Connects Us

Categories vary. May include (subject to change): Best Feature, Genre Awards, Audience Award, Best Director, Best Acting, Best Maryland Filmmaker, Best Short Film, Best Student Film, Best Documentary, etc.

Films must have been completed after January 1, 2024.

Films completed prior to this date are not eligible, unless specifically invited by the festival for a retrospective or special screening.

Filmmakers must clear all rights for music, images, etc., and ensure there are no third-party claims.

Entrants must fully comply with these Entry Rules and Regulations in order to be considered eligible for acceptance to the 2026 SilverVox Film + Music Festival.

Films that have received any form of national theatrical, broadcast, or streaming distribution prior to June 1, 2026 are not eligible for competition, but may be considered for non-competitive showcases.

Films with ongoing or infinite-run online distribution or availability (iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, etc.) are not eligible for juried awards. Films with finite or limited availability (i.e. an online-only film festival) or via independent distribution (i.e. filmmaker’s own website) remain eligible for juried awards.

If entries have dialog/voiceovers, they must be in English or have English subtitles.

Films must be available for screening as part of the 2026 SilverVox Film + Music Festival.

Films that have been submitted to previous editions of the SilverVox Film + Music Festival should not be resubmitted.

SUBMISSION POLICIES AND SELECTION PROCESSES

If the screener submission is online via Vimeo or YouTube, SilverVox Film + Music Festival must be supplied with current password through the end of the festival.

Entries without payment will not be considered.

Submission of entry is considered legal permission to screen your film during the festival upon acceptance.

All submissions will be evaluated by at least two members of our screening team, while most will be seen by at least three members of our team. 2026 SilverVox Film + Music Festival reserves the right to stop watching after 20 minutes or 50% of the runtime if we determine that the film does not meet minimum quality levels.

SilverVox Film + Music Festival does not have any premiere status requirements for selection.

Proof of student status at the time the film was made must be provided if submitting under the "Student" price category.

All films can be considered for the "Road to SilverVox" film series. This series will present submitted films throughout the year (before and after the festival). Some films that were not selected for the festival may be considered for these presentations. This provides us the opportunity to highlight more films than the festival timeframe allows. ALL FESTIVAL FILMS WILL BE SELECTED prior to "Road to SilverVox" films are considered. If you do NOT want your film to be considered for this program, please note that in your submission form.

POLICIES UPON ACCEPTANCE

Accepted films will be notified via email at the submitter or contact address included in the submission form. Please ensure you can receive email from silvervox.org as it is our primary mode of communication.

Filmmakers (or primary contact) will be required to submit a consent form ensuring an absence of any legal or rights issues, and indemnifying the SilverVox Film + Music Festival of any liabilities that may arise out of screening with the festival.

Consent form contractually confirms the film for screening at the 2026 SilverVox Film + Music Festival.

Upon acceptance, filmmakers (or primary contact) will provide the following by the dates specified by festival organizers:

For press purposes, an online digital version of exhibition version of the film must be available through the end of the festival.

Press materials as itemized in the Filmmaker Info Form that you will receive.

Filmmakers are responsible for shipping costs associated with delivering all materials to the SilverVox Film + Music Festival.

The SilverVox Film + Music Festival reserves the right to rescind acceptance of any film for any reason.

By submitting, artists agree to all terms set forth in category rules.

By submitting, filmmakers recognize that they are eligible for any appropriate prizes.

Entering your film is considered giving the SilverVox Film + Music Festival permission to screen your film during the course of the festival. If, for some reason, after acceptance (but prior to the public announcement of the festival line-up) you choose not to screen with the 2026 SilverVox Film + Music Festival, you must contact the festival immediately. Attempts to cancel a screening AFTER the official announcement cannot be acknowledged and the film will screen from the available copy on hand.

SilverVox Film + Music Festival is granted the right to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at the Festival for promotional purposes.

The submitter shall indemnify and hold harmless SilverVox Film + Music Festival from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.

Films must be either in English or have English subtitles.

The festival does not pay screening fees for submitted films.

LENGTH AND CATEGORIES
Feature films (narrative or documentary): minimum runtime of 40 minutes.

Short films: under 40 minutes.