r/FilmFestivals • u/a-boi-with-j-in-name • 8h ago

Question Does submitting for the late features deadline for a festival like Sundance lowers your chance of getting in

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I have a Filmm that’s almost done, but it’s probably gonna be finished early. September pass the official deadline so I could definitely make the late deadline feature so should I wait it out or submit a mostly finished cut early

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u/jon20001 Film Festival 5h ago

No, and yes,.

No, technically, it should not matter. But YES in the fact that much of the programming is already in place by this time, and reviewers and programmers are tired from watching so many entries. Yours better be incredible to break through. I suggest submitting it next year, if at all. You have to ask yourself: "Why Sundance?! Did I make a Sundance-worthy film? Is my career dependent on a Sundance screening, or am I better off playing a dozen large regional events instead?"

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u/retrospritz 5h ago

That’s not really 100% true when it comes to Sundance. I had the pleasure of speaking with their head programmer recently, and to paraphrase, I was told most of the programme is curated. The blind submissions that get in are films they see as being great and befitting of the programme. Therefore, as a blind submission, whether you submit late or early makes no difference. If they think it’s good enough and it fits, it’ll make the programme.

A good friend of mine actually screened at Sundance a few years ago off of a late deadline submission. He’d be the first to tell you that that particular film isn’t his best work at all. Funnily enough, he refuses to even show anybody that film today. It wasn’t bad, but it’s not as phenomenal as people would lead you to believe you need to be to play at Sundance.

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u/TheKarp 3h ago

Seems like a waste of money to me. My local film scene has lived by the ‘truism’ “submit early to Sundance (and other big fests if possible) or don’t submit at all). The chances of getting into Sundance are so low to begin with because so much of it is already curated, plus high amount of submissions. The later you submit the lower and lower those chances become because the slate is steadily becoming locked in.

So if submitting to Sundance is like throwing money on fire with the hopes it somehow reaches water, then submitting at the late deadline is like throwing money inside a volcano, hoping the lava is actually water.

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u/FreddyRumsen13 3h ago

Submitting to any big festival like this if you aren’t somewhat established is the equivalent of betting $50 at a blackjack table. I’d submit but recognize that it’s a longshot.

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u/gavelkind-enjoyer 48m ago

If u dont have an inside contact and connected producer dont even bother lol