Deadlines
APR 1, 2026Opens
MAY 27, 2026Early
JUL 13, 2026Regular
AUG 7, 2026Late
About festival
Tucson Film Festival
Tucson Film Festival celebrates filmmaking at an annual, multi-day event in Tucson, Arizona, showcasing independent and music-related films with a special nod to films and filmmakers with a connection to Arizona or the desert southwest. #tucsonfilmfestival | @tucsonfilmfest
Festival Amenities
Hotel DiscountsQ&A SessionsAfter PartiesAll Access BadgesProfessional HeadshotsSocial Media SpotlightFilmmaker EventsSwag Bags
Accepted Content
Genres:
ActionAdventureAnimationBiographyComedyCrime
DigitalDocumentaryDramaFamilyFantasyHistorymidnightMusicMusicalMysteryRomanceScience FictionstudentThrillerWarWestern
Sub-Genres:
Black ComedyBuddy ComedyComing of AgeCultCyber PunkDance
DarkDetectiveEnvironmentalFantasy-ComedyFantasy-DramaFeministHuman RightsMartial ArtsMockumentaryPeriod PiecePoetryPoliticalPsychological ThrillerRomantic ComedySilentSocial ImpactSocial IssuesSportsstudentSuspenseBio Pic
Film Types:
NarrativeDocumentaryNon-Fiction
Categories:
DocumentaryFeature FilmShort Film
Festival Focus:
DocumentaryRegionalEmerging FilmmakersArthouseAdventureFirst-Time Filmmaker
Experimental
Submission Categories
Features
We accept narrative and documentary feature length films in Animation, Experimental, Comedy, Drama and World categories.
Fee: $70·Deadline: August 7, 2026
Shorts
We accept narrative and documentary shorts in Animation, Experimental, Comedy, Drama and World themed short films.
Fee: $50·Deadline: August 7, 2026
Festival Team
MT
Michael Toubassi
Festival Director
AB
Andrea van Beverhoudt
Screening Team / Programming
Festival Rules
QUALIFICATION FOR ENTRIES: :
Any feature, short film or video, made for cinema, television or the Internet may be entered. Feature films must be between 40 and 120 minutes in length; Short Films less than 40 minutes. All submitted works must be in English or have English subtitles. Only works completed after January 1, 2025 will be accepted.
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: :
Works submitted for selection must be submitted digitally via secure online screener. Selected films may be presented via digital file, BluRay (NTSC Region 0 or 1 only) for features; ProRes .mov Quicktime file for short films.
SELECTION: :
All submitted works will be judged by the Festival Committee. The Festival Committee reserves the right to determine the eligibility of any project. Works will be categorized at the sole discretion of the Festival Committee. Selected entrants will be informed of their status on or around August 21, 2026. All features selected must be Arizona premieres. Shorts films selected must be Tucson premieres and not screen at another local festival within 45 days of screening at Tucson Film Festival.
TRANSPORTATION AND INSURANCE::
The submitter is responsible for the transport costs, insurance charges and customs fees incurred when shipping material to the Festival. The Festival is responsible for the costs incurred with the return of material to the filmmaker - however, due to budgetary limitations, the material will be shipped via SURFACE MAIL. Filmmakers requesting the return of materials via courier must incur the cost themselves. Although they will take every precaution, the Tucson Film Festival cannot be held responsible for the loss or damage of entry and exhibition materials.
