Williamsburg International Film Festival 2013

The Williamsburg International Film Festival, voted top 20 coolest film festival by MovieMaker Magazine, is the film component of WILLiFEST. WILLiFEST was established to provide a platform for the creative visions of today's emerging artists of all disciplines. The film and music festivals are opportunities for artists to enhance their careers by exposing their films and music to a powerful audience, gaining crucial media exposure and strengthening industry relationships. In the LiVE it UP! Pavilion, Donna Drake, a nationally syndicated TV talk show host, interviews filmmakers and local celebrities. The Filmmakers' Lounge provides filmmakers a space to promote their films and network with each other in between their screenings.

In addition to red carpet premieres, the festival features several film competitions. A Screenplay competition rounds out the offerings. The closing night award ceremony will honor award winners in each category.

At WILLiFEST, we pride ourselves on elevating the filmmaker's experience. This festival was created for the artist, by artists, and we look forward to taking you, your film or your screenplay to the next level.

The categories of entries we are accepting for the 2013 Williamsburg International Film Festival are as follows:

U.S. Narrative Feature Films

Any narrative work of fiction with a running time of at least 50 minutes. In order to qualify as a U.S. Narrative Feature Film, the submitted project must be either scripted or improvisational fiction. No premiere status is required. Films must have been completed after January 2011.

U.S. Documentary Feature Films

Any non-fiction film with a running time of at least 50 minutes, NOT including entirely scripted or improvised fictionalizations of actual events. If your documentary contains limited dramatization of actual events, you may submit in this category, but we will ultimately decide which program is best suited for your project, if accepted. No premiere status is required. Films must have been completed after January 2011.

International Narrative Feature Films

Any narrative work of fiction with a running time of at least 50 minutes. In order to qualify as an International Narrative Feature Film, the submitted project must be either scripted or improvisational fiction, and production must have occurred outside of the United States. No premiere status is required. Films must have been completed after January 2011.

International Documentary Feature Films

Any non-fiction film with a running time of at least 50 minutes, NOT including entirely scripted or improvised fictionalizations of actual events. If your documentary contains limited dramatization of actual events, you may submit in this category, but we will ultimately decide which program is best suited for your project, if accepted. In order to qualify as an International Documentary Feature Film, the film must be unscripted and production must have occurred outside of the United States. No premiere status is required. Films must have been completed after January 2011.

U.S. Short Films

Any narrative or documentary film of U.S. origin with a running time of 49 minutes or less. No premiere status is required. Films must have been completed after January 2011.

International Short Films

Any narrative or documentary film of international origin with a running time of 49 minutes or less. In order to qualify as an International Short Film, production must have occurred outside of the United States. No premiere status is required. Films must have been completed after January 2010. Animated Films Any animated film in any style of animation from any country of origin with a running time of any length. No premiere status is required. Films must have been completed after January 2011.

Family Fare

Any live action or animation of any length from any country that celebrates the whole family coming together to enjoy and share the movie-going experience. Any subject matter considered. All films should be appropriate for general audiences. No premiere status is required. Films must have been completed after January 2011.

Student Films

Any U.S. or International narrative or documentary film of any length. Proof of school enrollment is required. No premiere status is required. Films must have been completed after January 2011.

Music Videos

Any film or video in sync to music from any country of origin with a running time of less than 10 minutes. No premiere status is required. Music Videos do not have a completion requirement.

Screenplays

Any feature-length, English-language, narrative screenplay of any genre. Scripts must have a minimum page count of 50 pages and a maximum page count of 280, all pages numbered and in standard industry format. Title page or email should include author name(s), title, street address, phone number, email address and WAB ID#. We only accept electronic submissions. Digital formats accepted are Final Draft or Adobe PDF documents. After completing the on-line application process and paying appropriate fee, digital screenplay submissions should be emailed to screenplays@willifest.com or uploaded to Withoutabox.com. Title page must include author name(s), title, home address, phone number, email address and WAB #.

Awards are presented for all categories. This year the winner of our Screenplay Competition will be awarded $200 cash and other awards.

GENERAL RULES

Each submitted film must be accompanied by the appropriate fee. Please write the title of the film on all checks or money orders. Entries must be submitted on DVD (NTSC Region 0 or 1). International films can be submitted on NTSC or PAL Region 0 (Region-free) DVDs. Screeners should be straight-play DVDs with only your film and no menus. We accept works-in-progress. Screener DVD must be labeled with title, running time, entrant's name, category, phone number and WAB ID# on the disc face with permanent marker. Screeners should be viewed for playback quality before mailing in. Please DO NOT use paper labels.

Foreign language work must be subtitled in English (or dubbed where permitted). Only films completed after January 2010 will be accepted except for Music Videos and Midnight Treats which do not have a completion requirement. Student Films are projects completed by filmmakers when they were enrolled in school. Students must include a copy of school ID.

WILLiFEST is an HD projection festival utilizing file-based server technology. We do not project from videotape and request exhibition copies of films be submitted as a file or alternatively, a DVD or Bluray Disc. We also project 35mm film on a limited-basis and these situations will be discussed with filmmakers upon acceptance and decided by our Programming Department.

For information on additional WILLiFEST news and events, visit us at www.willifest.com.

Best of Luck!

the WILLiFEST team