2020 Food Film Fest

The Call For Entries for the Food Film Fest 2020 has closed. Thank you to all filmmakers who submitted films. The next Call For Entries should open in October. To stay informed about submission periods and other details, join our e-list here.

- Rules for entry -

If you are a returning filmmaker, please take a moment to review as the rules have been altered and updated.

NEW Entry Deadlines

Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, we are extending the entry deadlines for the 2020 Food Film Festival, which is currently scheduled for October 22-25 in New York City.
NEW -> Regular Submission Deadline: 11:59 pm EST, June 5, 2020
NEW -> Late Submission Deadline (higher fees apply): 11:59 pm EST, June 26, 2020

HOW TO ENTER

Read the rules, submission, screening, deadlines and fees information detailed on this page very closely.
If your film complies with the standards and regulations listed below, proceed to fill out a submission form via the link at the bottom of the page.
Pay the submission fee appropriate to your submission (details listed below).
NEW: As of the 2020 submission period, The Food Film Festival also accepts entries submitted via Filmfreeway.com. There is a link to this option for entry at the bottom of the page.
Once your form and fees have been submitted, your submission will be reviewed and you will be notified by the date listed below if your film has been selected.

RULES & RESTRICTIONS FOR ENTRY

If submitting via the FFF online form (not Film Freeway), Films must be submitted digitally as a password protected file on Vimeo.com. No exceptions.
Films must be in English, or with English subtitles.
Films must be complete, polished, final versions. (i.e. they are appropriately sound-mixed and color corrected, contain title cards, lower-thirds, and credits where appropriate)
All films must have opening titles and end credits, without exception.
Each film submitted must be accompanied by an entry fee paid via PayPal.com or via Film Freeway. Further instruction on payment is provided after completing either application.
There is no limit to the number of films you may submit.
Submissions that have been rejected in previous years by the Festival Selection Committee are not eligible.
There is no restriction on the date your film was completed (unless it is so out of date that the subject is irrelevant).
It is not required that your film premiere at The Food Film Festival, however, please let us know if your film will be premiering so we can celebrate that information with our guests.
All genres are eligible for submission (documentary, animation, narrative, instructional, food porn, series, etc...) EXCLUDING films which depict sexual pornography or extreme violence.
The term ‘food porn’ should not be taken literally. The Festival Selection Committee is looking for films containing beauty shots of food set to music or other type of soundtrack for this category. Any entry that contains actual sexual pornography will not be accepted.

SELECTION

The selection of films is made by the Festival Selection Committee. Only films about food and depicting images of food will be considered for the Festival. For example, a one-hour film with a 2-minute food scene should not be considered to be a “food film”. Likewise, a film which discusses food, or a food-related industry, but does not actually show images of food would not qualify.
All applicants will be notified of the Selection Committee’s decision prior to or on July 31, 2020.
If your film is selected:
- At the Food Film Festival the food from your film will be served to the audience during your screening. There is no option for NOT participating in this aspect of the festival, unless you are told otherwise by the festival production team.
- You will be expected to help in sourcing the food, chefs, and stars of your film for the event of your screening. Bringing your film to life by offering guests a Taste of What They See on the Screen is the primary goal of the Food Film Festival.
- You must be able to provide The Food Film Festival with the following:
  - a high-res digital version of the film upon acceptance. All films will be screened in High Definition from a hard drive.
  - (at least) 2 excellent still images from your film to be distributed to the press and for use on The Food Film Festival website. It probably goes without saying, but the best stills get the best exposure.
  - a link to a trailer for your film on YouTube (if applicable). This allows us to feature your trailer on our YouTube channel and our website. Not necessary for entries under 3 minutes.
- The password protected Vimeo.com link you used to enter the film MUST remain active until after The Food Film Festival ends. This link will be used for reference throughout production.
- Your film, if accepted, will be placed in the Official Food Film Festival Archive and may be used for promotional purposes.
- If selected, you may not withdraw your film from The Food Film Festival program for any reason. The Food Film Festival, however, reserves the right to remove your film from the screening program at any time.

SCREENING & AWARDS

Official Selections will be screened in New York City at a designated time in October in the year 2020.
Should the Selection Committee select your film for screening at additional Food Film Festival events in any other city over the course of the festival season, there will be no additional fees for those screenings
Additional Food Film Festival events may take place throughout the year, however, the films screened at those events will not be in competition for 2020 Slotted Spoon Awards.
The Food Film Festival™ is a competitive film festival. Filmmakers compete in multiple categories for the coveted ‘Slotted Spoon Award’.
Awards will be presented at The Food Film Festival event(s) in which winning films are being screened. There is no formal awards ceremony.
Only one spoon per category will be presented. Duplicate spoons are available for purchase for additional directors/producers named on the entry form. Please note: no more than three principals (e.g. one director and two producers) may submit an entry.
Awards are presented in the following categories:
(These categories are judged by a panel of esteemed professionals from the food and film industries)
- Best Feature Film (over 35 mins)
- Best Short Film (5-35 mins)
- Best Super-Short Film (under 5 mins)
- Best Food Porn Film (films that are strictly food porn will be judged separately, regardless of length)
Additional awards include:
- Audience Choice (by audience vote, during the Festival, cumulative throughout)
- Bloomberg Made in NY Award (for a film created within the metro NYC area, which receives the highest judged score from categories above)
- The Food Filmmaker of the Year (presented to the filmmaker(s) who work the hardest to make their screening at the FFF a success)
- The Film Foodmaker of the Year (presented to the chef or restaurant who goes above & beyond to make any screening at the FFF a success)