Yucca Valley Film Festival

The Yucca Valley Film Festival is an in-person event. Selected filmmakers are expected to attend the festival, be present for their screening, and participate in the Q&A. Eligibility for prize money, gift bags, and cash awards requires in-person attendance. If you win and cannot attend the Awards Ceremony, you must designate a representative to accept the award on your behalf. Trophies and certificates are distributed in person only. We do not ship trophies or certificates. Laurels are delivered digitally by email. Travel and accommodation are the responsibility of the participating filmmaker.

RECENCY Audiovisual projects must have been completed after January 1, 2022. Scripts may be produced or unproduced and must be from 2020 or later. If the script corresponds to a produced film, you must submit the script, not the film. PREMIERE STATUS Premiere status is not required. We also may accept entries that have been released online. WORKS IN PROGRESS Works in progress are not accepted unless they are local productions made in the Hi-Desert area or San Bernardino County.

SUBMISSION FEES Each submission category requires its own fee. Multiple entries and submissions to multiple categories are allowed. Submission fees are non-refundable. The festival does not provide free submissions except for locals residents. Submissions sent directly by email will not be reviewed unless specifically requested. All entries must be submitted through designated online platforms or submission form. If you submit to the wrong category, contact the festival for correction. GENERAL SUBMISSION CONDITIONS We accept and encourage all genres, nationalities, and languages for international categories. Animated short films must be submitted to the animation category. Animated feature films must be submitted to the feature category, if such category is available. Documentaries must be submitted to the documentary category, whatever the length of the project. Student films must provide proof of student status. Missing documentation may result in the submission being marked incomplete or disqualified. The festival and the Town of Yucca Valley reserve the right to refuse illegal, incomplete, fraudulent, or non-artistic submissions. Festival programmers select the films that compose the official program. The festival reserves the right to modify the program, cancel sections, or revoke a selection without notice. Submitting to the festival constitutes full acceptance of these rules. Withdrawal does not void the fact that a submission was made. Festival decisions are final. CATEGORIES INCLUSION GUIDELINES Categories are not guaranteed to be presented every year. Each category is included based on the quality, relevance, and overall fit of the submissions received. The festival will not present a category solely to maintain its presence if the selected works do not align with the program’s standards and curatorial direction. The festival therefore reserves the right to withhold or cancel any category in a given edition if submissions do not meet these criteria.

The information listed on your submission project (title, names, country, etc.) will be used for official festival communication and promotion if selected. Ensure your profile is complete and accurate. Your submission project profile must include: Country, city, and state (address optional). Missing information may result in the submission being marked incomplete. A poster (or at least visual) for the project. A synopsis of at least five lines. A biography of the director or artist. At least two still images or screenshots from the film without watermarks. A trailer if available. Trailers must be hosted on YouTube or another platform that allows embedding for website and press use. Your submission must provide continuous access to the submitted work until the festival is over. If the film becomes inaccessible, the submission may be marked incomplete or disqualified, including after official selection. All festival communications are sent to the email address provided in your submission. The festival is not responsible for missed communications. Providing social media links such as Instagram is strongly recommended for promotional purposes.

Selected films must provide a high-definition digital screening file via WeTransfer, Google Drive, or a direct download link. Dropbox is not accepted unless it allows direct download without login. Technical specifications: File format: .mp4, H264 Maximum resolution: 2K File size limits Films under 5 minutes: under 500 MB Films 5–10 minutes: under 1 GB Films 10–30 minutes: under 2 GB Feature films: under 5 GB .mov files are not accepted. Filmmakers are responsible for providing the correct screening file. Failure to do so may result in disqualification. DCPs are not necessary for screenings at the Community Center, but might be for additional venues.

By submitting, filmmakers grant the Yucca Valley Film Festival the right, free of charge, to screen the film publicly and to use submitted materials for promotional purposes. This includes images, excerpts, titles, descriptions, biographies, and all materials contained in the FilmFreeway project page. The festival may organize screenings either free to the public or ticketed, at its discretion. No revenue share is provided to filmmakers. The festival does not pay screening fees. Submitters confirm they have secured all rights necessary for public exhibition, including music and copyrighted material. Additional paperwork may be required for final screening approval and promotion.

The festival may announce early nominees prior to the official notification date to facilitate travel planning. Receiving a platform notification of selection means the project has received an Official Selection Laurel. Selection does not automatically guarantee a screening slot and can be reversed. Selected filmmakers will receive an email containing festival information and access to the laurel center. Non-selected submissions will receive an automatic platform notification on the official notification date. Due to the volume of submissions, the festival cannot provide individual feedback.

Films suspected of copyright infringement, plagiarism, or unauthorized use of protected material may be rejected or disqualified without notice. If music rights or other necessary permissions cannot be verified, the film will not be screened. The festival maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding fraud or attempts to influence festival decisions. Submissions may also be disqualified for rule violations, plagiarism, defamation, aggression, or deceptive behavior toward the festival, its staff, the Town of Yucca Valley, guests, or participants. Disqualification may occur even after selection or awards and may result in the removal of accolades and public notification.