submissions for the 20th Annual BendFilm Festival will open in December!
Recipients of the festival’s qualifying awards will be eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film / Live Action Short Film category of the Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules.
BendFilm celebrates independent films and the risky, passionate, tough and talented people who make them. The 2022 festival screened 126 narrative and documentary features and short films, with 47% of features and 33% of shorts directed by women. The Academy qualifying 20th annual BendFilm Festival is confirmed to take place October 12th-15th in-person, and virtually October 16th-22nd, 2023! The Festival will present in-person and virtual screenings with filmmaker discussions and masterclasses mixed in.
$12,500 in cash prizes including the $5,000 cash “Best of Show!”
2022 Jurors include Former Sundance Director, John Cooper, NEON Executive, Kim Kalyka, VP of Publicity at Magnolia Pictures, Danielle McCarty Boles, Senior Correspondent at VOX, Emily St. James, Literary Editor at RogerEbert.com, Matt Fagerholm, Producer, Liz Cardenas, Distributor and Manager at Redbull Media House, Brett Campbell, actor, Tallie Medel, and many more! Check out the caliber of the 2022 BendFilm Festival Jury here.
Dates & Deadlines
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- May 12th, 2023 – Late Deadline
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ENTRY FEE DISCOUNT CODES AVAILABLE ON FILM FREEWAY :
BFNW23: $5 discount for films produced in the Northwest. To qualify, submitted work must have been filmed in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, or Montana. Qualification details must be included in your cover letter.
BFBIPOC23: 75% discount for female and non-binary directors of color.
BFBIPOCM23: 50% discount for male directors of color.
BFFD23: $10 discount for female directors. To qualify, submitted work must have been directed by a woman. This discount is in recognition of the challenges that women face having their voices heard in a predominantly male-dominated film industry.
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Oregon Students: Receive a code for a
free submission to several Oregon Film Festivals including BendFilm by first
filling out this form. You can then use that code with your submission to the 20th Annual BendFilm Festival. Courtesy of the Oregon Film Office’s CREATIVE OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM.
BFSTU23: $10 discount for student films. To qualify, submitted work must have been produced or directed by individuals who were enrolled in school (college or graduate level) and carried a valid student ID at the time of the film’s production. Qualification details must be included in your cover letter; a copy of the producer or director’s student ID may be required.
BFALUM23: 75% discount for returning BendFilm Alumni. To qualify, the submitted work must include an above-the-line crew member (producer, director, writer, lead actor) who has screened their film at the BendFilm Festival in a previous year (2004-2019). Qualification details must be included in your cover letter.
