What is North Star Film Festival?
North Star Film Festival (NSFF) is a community-run short film festival and film challenge. We celebrate local storytellers, new filmmakers, and creative teams.
Is this a film festival or a film competition?
Both.
- Festival screening: we screen submitted films during our festival events.
- Competition: teams can choose to join the competition side and be eligible for awards.
Do I need filmmaking experience to join?
No. Beginners are welcome. If you’ve never made a film before, you can still join a team, volunteer, or help as cast or crew.
How long does my film need to be?
Your film can be 8 minutes or less, with up to one minute dedicated to credits for a total of no more than 9 minutes.
How do filmmakers submit their film?
We use a task system in our portal that walks filmmakers through everything step by step (film, trailer, poster, and any required details). The portal tells you exactly what to upload or what link to submit.
Do you accept YouTube or Vimeo links?
In most cases, yes. We usually collect a link for review/judging instead of making you upload a huge video file. The portal will tell filmmakers the preferred format and settings.
What is a “screener”?
A screener is a private version of your film used for review, judging, and programming. The portal explains how to make one (for example: unlisted YouTube link, unlisted Vimeo, or a download link, depending on what we choose for the season).
Do I have to be in Minnesota to participate?
Not always. We welcome teams from Minnesota and surrounding neighboring areas, as long as you make a real effort to attend local in person events when required. Please check the current season rules for any specific location or attendance requirements.
What kind of films do you accept?
Short films. Genre can be anything (comedy, drama, horror, documentary, experimental, etc.). The current rules will list the time limit and any content restrictions.
Are there fees?
Yes. We have an entry fee to help support festival operations and community events like the award show, Best of Fest, and other festival costs. The exact amount (and any category differences) will always be clearly listed before you register.
Can I submit a film that I already made?
No. All films must be created within the official season timeframe. Films made before the season starts are not eligible.
Will every submitted film be screened?
Our goal is to include submitted films in our general screenings whenever possible, as long as they follow the rules and meet basic technical requirements. Final scheduling depends on runtime limits, venue time, and programming needs.
Can you screen films again later (Best of Fest)?
Yes. We may do encore screenings (like Best of Fest) or community events. Filmmakers agree to allow NSFF to screen their film again at NSFF-related events for a limited time (details are in the Filmmaker Agreement).
Will NSFF post my full film online?
Only if the filmmaker agrees to it. If we ever do an online archive (like a YouTube playlist), we also respect an agreed holdback period (up to 1 year) so filmmakers can submit to other festivals first.
Who handles cast/crew releases and music rights?
The filmmaker is responsible for getting permissions and releases needed for their film (cast, crew, locations, music, and any copyrighted material). We don’t provide legal clearance for films.
How does judging work?
Judging details can change by season, but the basics are:
- Judges review eligible films
- Scores and nominations are collected through the system
- Winners are announced at an event (or online if needed)
What awards do you have?
Awards can include genre awards and craft awards (like directing, acting, editing, sound, cinematography, etc.). The full list is posted here.
How can new actors and crew get involved?
Easy:
- Volunteer with NSFF, or
- Join a team as cast/crew (PA, sound, camera, editing, etc.)
- Join community groups (on or offline)
We also share community casting/crew posts when teams are looking for people.
Can I volunteer?
Yes. We need help with events, check-in, ushering, filming behind the scenes, social media, and more. Contact us for volunteer opportunity.
How can I support NSFF if I’m not making a film?
You can:
- Donate
- Be a sponsor
- Attend screenings
- Volunteer
- Share our posts and invite friends
Where do screenings happen?
Venues and dates will be posted on our website as we confirm them. Some screenings may be hosted with partners.
Who do I contact if I have questions?
Send us a message through the website Contact US page, or on social media ?(Facebook and Instagram) @northstarfilmfestival.