Colorado High School Film Festival

The College of Arts & Media is excited to host our inaugural Colorado High School Film Festival! The Colorado High School Film Festival seeks to present the films created by high schools students from Colorado and beyond. This will be an opportunity for up and coming filmmakers in to showcase their short films.

High School students can start submitting their short films on September 20, 2023. The priority deadline to submit is December 1st, 2023. The final deadline to submit is January 1st, 2024. The Film Festival will take place on Saturday March 2nd, 2024 in the Tivoli Community Theater at 12pm.

Who is eligible?

To be eligible for the 2023 competition, entries must have been completed between January 31st, 2021 and the deadline. Projects from all over the world are eligible. The film must be make by high school age filmmakers.

Can current seniors in High School submit even though they will have graduated by the time the festival takes place in October?

Yes! We welcome submissions from current seniors.


Can Middle School students submit to the Colorado High School Film Festival?

No, the films must be made by high school-aged students. High school aged students are considered 14-18 years of age.

Can I submit more than one film?

Yes! Filmmakers can submit multiple entries.

Can films be submitted to more than one category?

Yes; if there are multiple categories your film should be considered for, feel free to enter in each category.

Are group projects accepted?

Yes! Be sure to indicate all directors on the main project page.

Does the Colorado High School Film Festival accept submissions from outside the United States?

Yes! We encourage all young filmmakers to submit their films.

Can I use copyrighted music, video and/or images in my film?

No. You must acquire the proper rights from the legal owner of the content.

Are there any restrictions on content submitted to the festival?

We respect that every young filmmaker wants to share their own unique voice. However, we do not accept any submissions containing nudity or gratuitous violence or language.

Gratuitous - uncalled for; lacking good reason; unwarranted.
Synonyms: unjustified, uncalled for, unwarranted, unprovoked, undue

Categories for the Colorado High School Film Festival

Select the category that most closely relates to your submission's type of program. You may enter the same production or program in multiple categories.

Each entry is, in effect, in competition with itself, and is measured by our international award-winning jury of experts using an industry-accepted standard of excellence. We reserve the right to expand and reduce the number of finalist in each category including, but not limited to, cancelling categories if there are no submissions that meet our standards of excellence.

We reserve the right to change or modify each category as the committee deems appropriate.

Fees for Screening Films
We do not pay screening fees on submitted films. By submitting you waive any screening fees during the run of the festival to a live theater audience.

Award Announcements & Promotion
Finalists will be announced by the notification date (February 1st, 2024) and the winners will be notified at the closing award ceremony.

Translation (Required if not in English)
Productions not produced in the English language must have either subtitles or overdubbing in English.

Disposition of Entry / Errors & Omissions
Promotional materials submitted may be displayed or shown, for educational and/or promotional purposes.

 

Prizes for the Colorado High School Film Festival include scholarships to attend the LYNX National Arts & Media Camps. LYNX Camps are summer camp programs for high school students designed as educational previews of the college degree programs offered at the College of Arts & Media at CU Denver. 

If you have any questions about eligibility, acceptable categories, location, etc., please email the us at cohighschoolfilmfest@ucdenver.edu