San Antonio Film Festival

The deadline for the 18th annual San Antonio Film Festival is fast approaching, but there’s still a few more days to get your films in. The actual fest will run on Jun. 18-24.

The fest is always a great, eclectic mix of international indie film that also heavily screens and promotes local talent. There does usually seem to be an emphasis on films with a political or social justice bent, but that doesn’t mean SAFF will shy away from tossing in a straight-up thriller or comedy to mix things up.

For example, last year’s films ranged from the music doc Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone by Chris Metzler and Lev Anderson to the police thriller Disrupt/Dismantle by Jack Lucarelli to the Indian surrogate mother business Made in India by Rebecca Haimowitz and Vaishali Sinha to the comedy Lord Byron by Zack Godshall. You can see the full lineup here.

SAFF also says they’re looking for narrative, animation, documentary, or experimental, shorts and feature films. Not only has the early deadline passed, but the final deadline is soon. Visit the SAFF website for submission info.

Final Deadline
March 9
$60

Milwaukee Underground Film Festival

Also with a final deadline this month is the Milwaukee Underground Film Festival, which is run by students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, but is a world-class caliber event screening the best experimental films from around the world.

This year’s MUFF will be three nights of short films running on May 4-6. As for what they’re actually looking for, the fest says: “We are interested in publicly presenting the best in artistic, experimental, original, humorous, political and visionary film and video work.”

Last year, they screened a couple films by experimental filmmaker Jodie Mack, Canadian experimental master Clint Enns and Zachary Epcar‘s brilliant European architecture essay A Time Share Unlimited, among other films. You can see the full lineup here.

The final deadline is at the end of the month. Visit the MUFF website for more details.

Final Deadline
March 30
$10

Onion City Experimental Film and Video Festival

Another fantastic experimental film festival to submit to is also based in the Midwest: Chicago’s own Onion City Experimental Film and Video Festival, which will run this year on June 21-24.

Onion City is heading into its amazing 24th year, making it one of the longest running experimental fests in the world. They do screen primarily short films, but generally also do include a feature or two in the lineup. In addition, they’ve also opened up submissions for installation work.

Last year, the two feature-length works they screened were James Fotopoulos‘ surrealist version of Alice in Wonderland and Madison Brookshire’s optical experimental Color Series. And they screened short films by Jodie Mack, Lewis Klahr, Luther Price, Paul Clipson and others.

To submit, please visit the Onion City website.

Final Deadline:
May 4
$25

Assdance

Don’t get the wrong impression by the name Assdance. The ASS here is ASS Studios, the production company formed by filmmaker Courtney Fathom Sell and underground icon Rev. Jen.

Assdance does have a unique submission policy, though. The only films that can screen are films that have been rejected by other film festivals. Interested applicants have to send an email to Mr. Sell pleading their case about why Assdance needs to screen these rejected masterpieces.

Then, if your film sounds like it might be ASS worthy, you’ll receive instructions on how to properly submit, whereupon a final decision will be made if your film will screen. And if you do screen, you’ll get paid.

Full details on this process can be found here.

Final Deadline
April 15