2025 Theme:
UNFRAMED
Your voice. Your Vision. No Limits.
Where Every Story Finds Its Light!
This year’s festival theme— UNFRAMED: Your Voice. Your Vision. No Limits. —invites you to break free from conventions and redefine what’s possible. Whether through raw documentaries, bold narratives, or experimental visuals, we challenge you to share stories only you can tell. Share your limitless creativity. Together, let’s prove that every perspective matters and every story deserves light. Lights, camera… unframe!
Categories
Submit your film in any category below—just pure creativity within 20 minutes!
Animation
Bring stories to life—your way!
From hand-drawn to CGI, stop-motion to claymation, all animation styles are welcome. Show us what magic you can create frame by frame.
Feature Story
Real people. Unstoppable passion.
Profile anyone with a story worth telling—athletes, artists, activists, or everyday heroes.
Comedy
Make us laugh, cringe, or snort!
Whether it’s slapstick, satire, or awkwardly relatable, your comedy can be any style—as long as it leaves us wanting more.
Documentary
Truth is your script.
Document real people, places, or issues. No rules, just reality. Show us the world through your lens.
Drama
Lights, camera, emotion.
Narrative storytelling at its finest. Craft characters we’ll remember and conflicts that stick with us long after the credits roll.
Experimental
Break the rules. Define your own.
For films that defy categories—non-narrative, avant-garde, or just gloriously weird. Use mixed media, inverted storytelling, or radical techniques. If it challenges how we see film, we want to see it.
Eligibility
The New England High School Film Festival welcomes submissions from young filmmakers worldwide. To qualify, the film's director(s) must have been enrolled in high school or of high school age during production. This includes students who were seniors at the time of creation but have since entered college. While our festival is based in New England, we proudly accept international submissions as long as they meet this age requirement. Please note these eligibility standards apply specifically to the director(s), and any submissions not meeting these guidelines will not be considered for judging or screening at our festival.
Copyright Compliance
All submissions must use properly licensed material, including music, images, titles, and footage. You must have obtained all necessary permissions and rights for any copyrighted content.
Content Appropriateness
While we respect artistic expression, all submissions should maintain appropriateness for our diverse audience of young filmmakers, educators, and families.
*All decisions regarding content appropriateness are at the sole discretion of the festival organizers.
Festival Discretion
The New England High School Film Festival reserves the right to reclassify submissions into different categories as deemed appropriate, disqualify entries that violate our content or eligibility guidelines, and remove any content we determine to be unsuitable for our audience of young filmmakers, educators, and families. All decisions are final and at the sole discretion of the festival organizers.
Rules
Submission Period
Submissions close on September 30th, 2025 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Late entries will not be considered.
How to Enter
Create a film (any genre within 20 minutes). Complete the online entry form at [Submission Website]. Provide required details: director’s name, school, email, and film link.
Content Rules
All submissions must be original work or use properly licensed materials (music, footage, etc.) Films with mature content (language, themes) must include a content warning. Non-English films require English subtitles.
Judging
& Prizes
Winners will be selected by the festival jury based on creativity, storytelling, and technical merit. Prizes are non-transferable. Winners may be required to sign eligibility forms. Official winners announced at the [Festival Date/Awards Ceremony].
Rights
& Usage
By submitting, you grant the festival permission to: Screen your film at the festival and related events. Use excerpts for promotional purposes (with credit). Retain your contact information for festival communications only.
General
Terms
The festival reserves the right to disqualify entries violating rules or deemed inappropriate.
All decisions by the festival organizers are final.
How to Submit?
Upload your properly labeled, under 1GB, 1920x1080p file (.mp4 or .mov) directly to FilmFreeway.
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Fill in ALL field of your information and project’s profile
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Film file formats accepted are .mov and .mp4. HD resolution and optimized sound quality are highly preferred. Digital submission through Google Drive is preferred.
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films must be subtitled in English.
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Films must be submitted by the deadline to qualify. No late submissions will be accepted.
Frequently Asked Question
Q1: What is the New England High School Film Festival?
The New England High School Film Festival is a student-run festival created by high schoolers, for high schoolers. Based in New England, our mission is to champion and amplify the voices of young filmmakers across the region. We provide a platform where students can unleash their creativity, tell powerful stories, and ignite their passion for filmmaking—regardless of experience or resources.
Q2: Is the festival open to the public?
Yes, the festival is open to the public.
Q3: How do I submit my film?
All submissions must be made through FilmFreeway. Please review the rules and entry categories before uploading your film.
Q4: What are the submission deadlines?
September 30th, 2025
Q5: Are there any submission fees?
No, submissions are completely free.
Q6: What kinds of films are accepted?
We accept all genres, but films must be: directed by high school students and under 20 minutes in length
Q7: Can I submit more than one film?
Yes, multiple submissions are allowed.
Q8: Does my film have to be a premiere?
No, premiere status is not required.
Q9: What are the technical requirements for submission?
File formats: .mp4 or .mov
Aspect ratio: 16:9
File size: Under 1GB
Subtitles: Must be in English if the film is not in English
Q10: How are films judged?
A panel of judges will evaluate films based on Storytelling, Technical execution, Creativity and Overall message.
Q11: When and where is the awards ceremony?
The selection process will be completed by early October 2025. Details regarding the date and location of the awards ceremony will be announced shortly after.
Q12: Do filmmakers need to attend?
No, attendance is not required.
Q13: Will my film be publicly available online?
Yes, we will host an online screening event where selected films will be showcased to the public.
Q14: Can I promote my screening?
Yes! We encourage filmmakers to promote their screenings.
Q15: Do I retain the rights to my film?
Yes, filmmakers retain all rights to their work.