Film Now: A Regional High School Film Festival

A Regional High School Film Festival

Sponsored by The Ambler Theater in Ambler, Pennsylvania

Festival Guidelines & Eligibility

Submission Window: December 17, 2023 – March 3, 2024

Categories: Narrative, Documentary, Animation, Experimental

Running Time: No more than 10 minutes in length, including credits 

Format: Digital submission only (via FilmFreeway or Online Form)

Entry Fees: None 

Awards & Prizes: Our jury of industry professionals will select First, Second, and Third-Place winners in each category. Plus one overall cash prize for our Aspire Award (Excellence in Visual & Technical Achievement), as well as one overall Jury Award winner selected.

First Place: $300
Second Place: $200
Third Place: $100

Aspire Award (Excellence in Visual & Technical Achievement): $200
Jury Award: $200

Screening Date: If selected as a finalist in the 2024 FilmNOW Festival. The Screening & Reception for all finalists will be held on Sunday, April 28, 2024 at The Ambler Theater, which will be open to the public and FREE to attend.

Rules and Terms

Deadline for Entries: Entries for the Film Now Festival (FilmNow) can be submitted between December 17, 2023 at 12am EST and March 3, 2024, 11:59pm EST.

Eligibility: FilmNOW is open to residents of Pennsylvania, New Jersey & Delaware who are currently enrolled students in high school or its equivalent for the 2023 - 2024 school year. Eligible films must have been completed while the primary filmmakers were enrolled in high school or its equivalent.

Entrants must provide school contact information via email to filmnowfestival@gmail.com or in their entry form or cover letter to be eligible. If school information cannot be verified or an entry is received after the deadline set forth in these terms, the entry is ineligible, null, and void.

How to Enter: Create a Film of ten minutes (10:00) or less in length, including credits. Digital entries can be submitted through FilmFreeway.com/FilmNow or FilmNowFestival.com. 

Personal Information: To submit your Film, you will be required to provide your first and last name, school name, email address, and Film URL. The information you provide will be used only for contest administration and to contact contest winners. Your information will not be used for any other purpose or shared with any party not affiliated with Film Now except to the extent permitted by law.

Selection and Notification of Winners: Winners will be announced at our Screening & Reception on Sunday, April 28, 2024 at The Ambler Theater. 

Winners will be chosen by the Jury on the merits of each entry in the Jury's sole and absolute discretion. All winners will be notified via email on or about Friday, March 29, 2024 at the email address provided in the entry form. If a winner does not respond to the notification within three (3) business days, another winner will be chosen. Failure to respond within the time frames listed above shall mean that the provisional winner forfeits the prize.

Rules for Entry

An Entry must be the original work of the Entrant, and must not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity. If an Entry contains any material or elements that are not owned by the Entrant, and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties, the Entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to submitting such Entry, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the use and exhibition of the Entry by Film Now in the manner set forth in these Terms, including, without limitation, name and likeness permissions from any person who appears in or is identifiable in the Entry, music licenses and location releases. Film Now reserves the right to request proof of these permissions in a form acceptable to Film Now from any entrant at any time. Failure to provide such proof may, if requested, render Entry null and void. By submitting an Entry, the Entrant warrants and represents that he/she and any persons appearing or who are identifiable in the Entry consent to the submission and use of the Entry in Film Now and to its use as otherwise set forth herein. Any Entry not in English must contain English subtitles.

By submitting an Entry, the Entrant acknowledges and agrees that Film Now may obtain many Entries, and that such Entries may be similar or identical in theme, idea, format or other respects to other Entries submitted in connection with Film Now. The Entrant waives any and all claims that any Entries and/or other works accepted, reviewed and/or used by Film Now may be similar to the Entrant’s Entry, or that any compensation is due to the Entrant in connection with such other Entry or other works used by Film Now.

PRIZES: Prizes are non-transferable and are not subject to substitution. The odds of winning depend on the number of entries and the quality of each specific Entry.

TERMS FOR WINNERS: Winners may not request substitutions of prize winnings. All winners are solely responsible for any and all taxes and/or fees as well as all additional costs that may be incurred. If the specified prize becomes unavailable for any reason, Film Now in its sole and absolute discretion may substitute a prize of like or equal value. Entry is conclusively deemed to be permission by the Entrant for Film Now to use the Entrant’s name (without compensation to the Entrant) if the Entrant is a winner to publicize Film Now and otherwise, as determined by Film Now, unless prohibited by law. Film Now reserves the right to require the winner to execute an affidavit of eligibility as a sworn document and provide other proof of eligibility as a condition of receipt of the prize or award. In the event the winner is a minor, the Festival reserves the right to require the minor winner’s parent and/or legal guardian to execute an affidavit of eligibility as a sworn document, provide other proof of eligibility and guarantee the minor winner’s obligations, representations and warranties here under as a condition of receipt of the prize or award. In the event a winner fails or refuses to execute or provide any required documentation, Film Now reserves the right to award the prize or award to a substitute winner in Film Now's sole discretion. Film Now may require the winner to be present for/participate in press and promotional activities.  In addition, Film Now may request actors and other participants in the Film to be present for/participate in press and promotional activities and the Entrant shall not direct any such individuals to refuse to so participate.

GENERAL CONDITIONS: By submitting an Entry, each Entrant agrees: (a) to abide by these Terms, and the decisions of Film Now, which shall be final and binding in all respects relating to Film Now; (b) to release, discharge and hold harmless Film Now, Film Now’s licenses and assigns, and their respective parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, and advertising and promotion agencies, and the respective officers, directors, shareholders, employees, agents and representatives of the forgoing (collectively, “Released Parties”) from any and all injuries, liability, losses and damages of any kind to persons, including death, or property resulting, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the Entrant’s participation in Film Now or any related activity and from any and all claims, debts, demands, actions or causes of actions, suits, sums of money, damages, and liabilities of whatsoever kind or nature, which have arisen or may arise as a result of the Released Parties exercise of the rights granted to them as set forth herein; (c) to the use of his/her name, voice, performance, photograph/Film, image and/or likeness for programming, advertising, publicity and promotional purposes in any and all media, now or hereafter known, worldwide, including without limitation, on the Internet, and in perpetuity by Film Now and its designees, without compensation (unless prohibited by law) or additional consents from the Entrant or any third party and without prior notice, approval or inspection, and to execute specific consent to such use if asked to do so; and (d) to hold the Released Parties harmless and to indemnify the Released Parties from and against all costs, expenses and liabilities incurred by the Released Parties in connection with the defense of any claim or claims on account thereof, including reasonable attorney’s fees. By participating, the Entrant also agrees not to release any publicity or other materials on his/her own or through someone else regarding his/her participation in Film Now without the prior consent of Film Now, which it may withhold in its sole discretion.

OWNERSHIP/USE OF SUBMISSIONS: By submitting an Entry, you hereby grant  to Film Now a royalty-free, fully paid up, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive and fully sub-licensable right and license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, combine with other works, create derivative works from, distribute, perform, edit and display such Entry (in whole or part) including, without limitation, the names and likenesses of any persons or locations embodied therein, and/or to incorporate it in other works in any form, media, or technology now known or later developed. These rights include, without limitation, the right to exhibit the Entry at the Film Now Festival and to use the Entry in any and all media including but not limited to Film Now’s licensee’s social media properties and/or offline media, in perpetuity without compensation, permission or notification to the Entrant or any third party. By submitting an Entry, The Entrant acknowledges that Film Now has no obligation to use or post any Entry submitted. Subject to these Terms, the Entrant retains copyright ownership of the Entry.

MISCELLANEOUS: Released Parties are not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, damaged, inaccurate, stolen, delayed, misdirected, undelivered, or garbled Entries; or for lost, interrupted or unavailable network, server, Internet Service Provider (ISP), website, or other connections, availability or accessibility or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone or cable transmissions, lines, or technical failure or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties, or other errors or difficulties of any kind whether human, mechanical, electronic, computer, network, typographical, printing or otherwise relating to or in connection with Film Now, including, without limitation, errors or difficulties which may occur in connection with the administration of Film Now, processing of Entries, the incorrect uploading of an Entry, or in any related materials. Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by site users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in Film Now.  Released Parties are not responsible for injury or damage to any person’s computer related to or resulting from participating in Film Now or downloading materials from or use of the website. Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of Film Now or its website, who act in an inappropriate or disruptive manner or who are in violation of these Terms, as solely determined by Film Now, will be disqualified and all associated Entries will be void. Should any portion of the Contest be, in Film Now's sole opinion, compromised by virus, worms, bugs, non-authorized human intervention or other causes which, in the sole opinion of Film Now, corrupt or impair the administration, security, fairness or submission of Entries, Film Now reserves the right at its sole discretion to suspend, modify or terminate the Contest. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE THE WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, FILM NOW RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES AND OTHER REMEDIES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES) FROM ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, INCLUDING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.

All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Terms, or the rights and obligations of the Entrant and Film Now, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Pennsylvania, without giving effect to any choice of law rules (whether of the State of Pennsylvania or for any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Pennsylvania.