FESTIVAL INFO > Get Involved > Submit Your Film > Film Category Details
Scroll down to view all of the film categories we have at this year’s film festival. Here you will find the requirements for runtime, completion date, place of origin, premiere status, distribution status, prizes & awards as well as the category rules.
Submit your film at Withoutabox.com
Short Film Competition
RUNTIME
Shorts: maximum 40 minutes
COMPLETION DATE No requirement for completed by date.
PLACE OF ORIGIN
Projects may originate from anywhere in the world
PREMIERE STATUS
No premiere requirement
DISTRIBUTION STATUS
Projects may have distribution
PRIZES & AWARDS
This category is a competition.
Best of Fest Award
Abbot Award Trophy is given to the winner.
Sponsor: Sponsor this award. Click here.
Audience Choice Award
Abbot Award Trophy is given to the winner.
Sponsor: Sponsor this award. Click here.
CATEGORY RULES
All short films, including docs and animation, compete for two of our esteemed Abbot Awards®, named after Venice founder, Abbot Kinney. The two awards are for Most Excellent Short, which our staff at the OVFF choose and Audience choice award, which is based on ballots filled out after the screening. Awards are presented on the final day of the festival followed by a catered after-party featuring live music from local bands.
Submit your film at Withoutabox.com
Political Section
RUNTIME
Shorts: maximum 30 minutes
Features: From 45 minutes to 120 minutes
COMPLETION DATE
No requirement for completed by date.
PLACE OF ORIGIN
Projects may originate from anywhere in the world
PREMIERE STATUS
No premiere requirement
DISTRIBUTION STATUS
Projects may have distribution
PRIZES & AWARDS
This category is not a competition.
No prizes/awards entered for this category.
CATEGORY RULES
The political film section includes short and features, primarily documentaries. We would screen a political work of fiction, but mostly we screen docs. We do not have a political agenda and are open to many varied subject matter.
Submit your film at Withoutabox.com
Feature Film Competition
RUNTIME
Features: From 60 minutes to 120 minutes
COMPLETION DATE
No requirement for completed by date.
PLACE OF ORIGIN
Projects may originate from anywhere in the world
PREMIERE STATUS
No premiere requirement
DISTRIBUTION STATUS
Projects may have distribution
PRIZES & AWARDS
This category is a competition.
Best of Fest Award
Abbot Award® trophy is given to the Most Excellent Feature during the Closing Ceremonies.
Sponsor: Sponsor this award. Click here.
Audience Choice Award
An Abbot Award® is given to the filmmaker at the Abbot Awards Ceremonies on closing night.
Sponsor: Sponsor this award. Click here.
CATEGORY RULES
We are looking for feature films of any style and genre that will play well to the local Venice, CA audience. We have shown 20 year old features (that’s right, your film does NOT have to be completed within the previous year) as well as deserving works in progress. We try not to limit the filmmakers, but it helps if you are from the area or surrounding communities. However, this isn’t required as we screen many international films.
Submit your film at Withoutabox.com
Experimental Short Section
RUNTIME
Shorts: maximum 30 minutes
COMPLETION DATE
No requirement for completed by date.
PLACE OF ORIGIN
Projects may originate from anywhere in the world.
PREMIERE STATUS
No premiere requirement
DISTRIBUTION STATUS
Projects may have distribution
PRIZES & AWARDS
This category is not a competition.
No prizes/awards entered for this category.
CATEGORY RULES
The Experimental section screens films that are non-narrative or Avant Garde. This section celebrates Temporal and Fine arts and anything that is off the beaten path, so to speak. Many local fine artists in Venice experiment with film and we have screened these works in the past. We are looking for many different styles and mediums to show their works, including animation and slow-animation, as well as more Avant Garde works, in the tradition of Maya Deren or Bill Viola.
Submit your film at Withoutabox.com
Music Video Competition
RUNTIME
Shorts: maximum 7 minutes
COMPLETION DATE
No requirement for completed by date.
PLACE OF ORIGIN
Projects may originate from anywhere in the world
PREMIERE STATUS
No premiere requirement
DISTRIBUTION STATUS
Projects may have distribution
RUNTIME
Shorts: maximum 7 minutes
COMPLETION DATE
No requirement for completed by date.
PLACE OF ORIGIN
Projects may originate from anywhere in the world
PREMIERE STATUS
No premiere requirement
DISTRIBUTION STATUS
Projects may have distribution
PRIZES & AWARDS
This category is a competition.
Audience Choice Award
An Abbot Award for Audience Choice Award is given to one Music Video Filmmaker during the Abbot Awards ceremony on closing night.
Sponsor: Sponsor this award. Click here.
CATEGORY RULES
All music video types are accepted. These can be music videos that were shot years ago or footage of unknown bands. We also accept short or experimental films in this category but they must be edited and set completely to one song. Local Venice Filmmakers and Bands, as well as other bands and filmmakers from around the US and World are encouraged to submit.
Submit your film at Withoutabox.com
Youth Filmmaker Section (18 and under)
RUNTIME
Shorts: maximum 15 minutes
COMPLETION DATE
No requirement for completed by date.
PLACE OF ORIGIN
Projects may originate from anywhere in the world
PREMIERE STATUS
No premiere requirement
DISTRIBUTION STATUS
Projects may have distribution
PRIZES & AWARDS
This category is not a competition.
No prizes/awards entered for this category.
CATEGORY RULES
Films must be made by an individual or group of individuals that are 18 years of age or under. Classes can submit films and if kids are really young, they can be assisted by their parents or other family members. This category is very flexible. Please keep in mind that we select films that appeal to a youth audience. The films are made by kids and for kids.
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