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Teen Film Festival

Festival date: Saturday, February 25, 2023 at 10:30 AM

Festival Location: Celebration Cinema SOUTH

Entry period: October 1, 2022 to January 21, 2023

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Submit your Film

All Kent County teens in grades 6-12 are invited to enter films in the Kent County Teen Film Festival. A jury will review all submitted entries and select films to be screened at the festival. Prizes will be awarded for the best films in various categories. The Kent County Teen Film Festival is free and open to the public.

Submission Requirements

  • Submit your film online (starting October 1).
  • All films will be previewed by a jury made up of select individuals for festival selection.
  • Library staff will notify all entrants via email by Feb. 3, 2023 as to whether or not their film will be shown.
  • All submissions must be uploaded by Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023.

Official Rules

  • All short films must be written, directed and edited by teens in grades 6-12.
  • The filmmaker/director must be a resident of Kent County, Michigan or attend a school in Kent County, Michigan.
  • All entries must be teen-produced, and may be either a group project or individual work.
  • Adult guidance and instruction are permissible, but the planning and production must reflect teen effort. Note, however, that adults are permitted to act in and assist with your film.
  • Films may be on any topic, but must be G or PG rated in language and subject matter or they will be disqualified. Films will be previewed for content.
  • Title pages and credits should be included in your film.
  • Unless relevant to the plot, please do not include bloopers in your submitted film.
  • Films may be no more than 10 minutes in length including credits.
  • Use of sound or video clips from other films, television shows, music videos, etc. within your submitted work is not permitted unless those clips are in the public domain or you have received written permission from the copyright holder. This includes the use of trademarked products or characters.
  • The Kent County Teen Film Festival requires all filmmakers to obtain permission to use copyrighted music in their films. Filmmakers can also use their own original music. Additionally, copyright-free, public domain, trade-friendly or creative commons copyright music can be used.
  • Each filmmaker may submit up to, and no more than, two films.
  • If your film contains guns, please ensure that all guns are fake and still have the orange tip visible on the barrel.

Legal Disclaimers

By entering your film into the Kent County Teen Film Festival, the applicant agrees to all rules and regulations as defined in the official festival rules.

The applicant also grants a non-exclusive license, throughout the world and in perpetuity, to the Library to:

  • Show their film to a non-paying public at a future Kent County Teen Film Festival, other partner festivals and promotional events.
  • Display the film, in part or in its entirety, on the KDL website, opens a new window, video streaming websites, and/or Kent County Teen Film Festival website and Facebook page, opens a new window (not for profit).
  • Have the film listed in the Library's catalog of entries.

Awards

  • A panel of judges will select the winners in various categories on the day of the festival.
  • The audience will choose the People’s Choice winner.
  • Prizes will be given for the winners of each category.

Copyrighted Music

The Kent County Teen Film Festival requires all filmmakers to obtain permission to use copyrighted music in their films. Filmmakers can also use their own original music.

Additionally, copyright-free, public domain, trade-friendly, or creative commons copyright music can be used. Sources for copyright-free music may be found at:

Please be aware that some of the music posted on the above websites is not copyright-free. Copyright-free or royalty-free music is indicated as such.

For more information

If you have any questions, please email teenfilmfestival@kdl.org.

To see finalist films from previous Kent County Teen Film Festivals, we invite you to visit our YouTube page, opens a new window.

Thank you to our sponsors!

To support the Kent County Teen Film Festival and our other programs, please consider donating to KDL.

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