ABSTRACT
The top tier festivals are extremely hard to get into, there is a saying that it's harder to get into Sundance than it is Harvard. It's the first step in the life of filmmakers' film and can influence what other screenings filmmakers might have at other festivals and what sort of distributors will be interested and so much more. Film festivals are often recognized by how impactful the film can be on filmmakers' career. We made our own specific list of festivals from word of mouth, the point of view POV blog online articles, attending festivals and talking to other filmmakers. One of the more complex aspects of applying to film festivals is trying to make the deadlines. Some festivals have major doc distributors attending, often speaking on panels. The top tier festivals don't pay, but once filmmakers move to less well known festivals, they should definitely ask for a screening fee; it's kind of a well-kept secret.
