Submit A Title to KIDS FIRST! Film Festival

Online Submission Form

What is the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival

Application Fees

Feature 60+ min.

Early Deadline $70
Regular deadline $75
Late Deadline $85

Short 59 min. or less
Screenplay
Student* Film 12+ min.

Early Deadline $40
Regular Deadline $50
Late Deadline $60

Student Film 11 min. or less

Early Deadline $20
Regular Deadline $30
Late deadline $35

If you are only submitting to KIDS FIRST! Film Festival only, you may submit through

AFI ScreenNation Challenge

AFI ScreenNation is a place where teen filmmakers can share their work, receive recognition and compete for prizes in ongoing challenges. ScreenNation is a free resource from the American Film Institute.

Submissions for AFI ScreenNation's 1st Challenge, Hometown Claim to Fame are being accepted now through June 30th, winner announced July 15th. Winning video entry will receive a Sony DCR-SR45 ~ HDD Handycam Camcorder w/ 30 GB Hard Disk Drive and Tripod. Challenge info and rules.

Check it out here.

Kudos

Every year, without fail, KIDS FIRST! delivers the best in children's programming for the USA Film Festival's KidFilm. This year was no exception with a live performance by Mallory Lewis and Lamb Chop to a sneak preview of the Mr. Men Show and capped off by an appearance of Dallas's own beloved BARNEY! All to record-breaking crowds. What more could you want in a partner? Ann Alexander, Managing Director, USA Film Festival

usakf

ArleneNicole

“We are deeply honored to have received the 1st Place and the Best Screenplay Sponsor Award from the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival, a festival which embodies that wonderful feeling of family. Thank you KIDS FIRST! for your support. It means a great deal to us because we know that you make quality in children's entertainment the number one priority." Arlene Bogna and Nicole Schubert, Writers "Earth Kids"

Jane Hall

"As family filmmakers and parents, we really value the wonderful work being done by KIDS FIRST!. They are highly professional, a joy to work with, and provide a wonderful service to parents everywhere. We look forward to a long relationship with the organization." Jane Beaumont Hall (director, producer, writer) & Richard Doyon (producer, writer, actor) The Tillamook Treasure

JimJinkins

"Wow! Who knew bedtime stories to my kids would wind up as books, a TV series, and now as part of the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival tour?... COOL," said Jim Jinkins, Executive Producer of Pinky Dinky Doo and Author / Illustrator of the Pinky Dinky Doo book series.

“I’m always very impressed with people who are able to create something new and meaningful—that is not an easy thing to do. Ranny Levy and her team have created a fantastic and forward-thinking organization for people who are trying to create positive media for our kids. I applaud and fully support their efforts. Even though we are a relatively small independent production company, KIDS FIRST! has been very supportive and helpful to us. We look forward to working with them over the years ahead.” Marc Mangum, filmmaker

"We are so excited to have been nominated for our short film 'Mbiya and His Cow' produced by Mindpool Productions. The children had so much fun with being part of the production of this film. We are really holding thumbs that it does well in the festival. Oh how I wish that I could be there as part of the award ceremony but being so far away from the States it is a real challenge for us. Be that as it may, we consider this a major achievement not just for the children of South Africa but also the children of the African continent. Please keep me posted on the progress and looking forward to the verdict in mid October." Jacqui Hlongwane-Papo, Executive Producer, Mbiya and His Cow

The KIDS FIRST! Film Festival showcases new and classic children's films, TV shows and DVDs from studios, independent producers and youth producers. It travels 100 venues annually, has an attendance of more than 600,000, and creates more than 30 million marketing impressions. Submitting to the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival is like submitting to 100 separate festivals. Accepted titles have been juried by a community-based jury AND meets or exceeds the KIDS FIRST! criteria. Accepted titles are also eligible for consideration for a KIDS FIRST! Best Award, granted every year in the fall.

To qualify for the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival, your film or screenplay must meet the KIDS FIRST! criteria and be suitable for children between the age of 0 to 18. The production quality must be acceptable for the large screen, and the entertainment value suitable for a "festival" audience. Programs lacking in these last two qualities may be better suited for a KIDS FIRST! endorsement, particularly if they have strong educational value and work best in a face-to-face environment.

Three copies of each title must be submitted, together with a completed online submission form and payment. Submissions are not considered complete until all elements are received.

Application: Three, non-returnable preview screeners of films must be submitted in VHS or DVD format (NTSC) with your Festival application. If accepted for Festival play, 10 DVD copies are required for our multiple screenings. These are returnable. The exception to this is shorts less than 12 minutes in length. For these, one high quality DVD master is required for re-authoring on a Festival compilation disk. The application form provides full details about this. For screenplays, three hard copies are required with your application.

Upon acceptance for the festival, you must send an additional 10 DVDs for our multiple screenings. These are non-returnable unless you provide a self-addressed stamped envelope. Three copies will always be retained for consideration in the KIDS FIRST! Best Awards competition, held in October.

Shorts, less than 12 minutes in length are only required to sent an additional 3 DVDs and to authorize KIDS FIRST! to re-author onto a festival compilation disk.

Once you submit a title for Film Festival consideration, you may not withdraw it. Acceptance notification will be emailed and mailed by USPS approximately 30 days prior to the start of the quarter for which it is accepted. Late submissions and non-acceptances will be notified slightly later. You will receive an acceptance agreement which specifies your deliverables and deadlines. Our festival is programmed by quarter. Please check our deadline schedule to find the one that works best for you and submit accordingly.

Promotional Materials: Upon acceptance, you will be asked to send cover art (if available), stills and a promotional trailer (if available). Your acceptance letter will specify size and format of files and instructions on how to send them.

Dates of Festival play: If accepted, your title will be offered to every KIDS FIRST! Film Festival partner venue through our online booking system. We will do our best to get you as many bookings as possible during the quarter for which you submit. At times, it will be offered during subsequent quarters if there is space available and adequate interest.

Number of titles accepted for Festival: Approximately 75 titles are selected every quarter, 300 annually.

Once accepted by the Festival, your film or screenplay:

Receives an "Official Selection KIDS FIRST! Film Festival" designation for which you may use the logo in all your publicity materials.

Is included in the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival Program, 10,000 of which are distributed quarterly.

Is included on the KIDS FIRST! web site which receives 1 million hits monthly.

Qualifies as a nominee for the KIDS FIRST! Best of the Fest Award.

KIDS FIRST! Best Awards

Every title accepted by the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival is eligible for a KIDS FIRST! Best Award, presented each fall to films that have played during the previous 12 months.

KIDS FIRST! Best 2007 Winners

KIDS FIRST! Best Awards and the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival are projects of the Coalition for Quality Children's Media