Filmmakers, Screenwriters and Musicians

SUBMIT your work here!

Thank you for considering our festival as a home for your work. As filmmakers, we understand the trials and tribulations you've passionately endured. It's been said that every completed production deserves an Oscar.

We at The NOVA Fest know that show business is a marriage of art and commerce. We will do our very best to provide both sides of the equation for you at our festival, along with the recognition that comes with showcasing your work.

Beyond screening productions and awarding the best, we offer distribution seminars and opportunities to network with actual distributors and industry professionals. Too often the commerce portion of the equation is forgotten in the heat of production, especially for first time filmmakers.

So whether this is your one time passion project or you're hungry for yet another laurel on your 20th film, we hope to provide you with both an introduction to the business component of the industry and a perspective into the current state of distribution, both traditional and the newest technological channels.

The die is cast to make the 9th Annual Northern Virginia International Film & Music Festival the best ever!  Hollywood has come to the east coast with the CAPITAL MEDIA MARKET! Buy and sell movies right here at The NOVA Fest!  Thank you for considering our film festival & market. Please submit below.

- Before submitting your film or video, please read our DCP Policy for Live Screenings below. -

Early Bird Deadline: 07/25/22

Regular Deadline: 12/05/22

Late Deadline: 01/09/23

Extended Deadline: 02/13/23

*All Deadlines are "Post Marked By" Dates.

Official Selection Notification:

03/06/23 -03/13/23

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*Acceptance Letters are emailed to filmmakers and writers on or before

the week of the date above.

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All Deadlines are "Post Marked By" Dates.

All films & screenplays submitted by 02/13/23 are eligible for acceptance.

Screenplays previously accepted at AOF, since 2013, are automatically accepted into NOVA with submission. Previous NOVA Official Selections (film or script) are ineligible for acceptance.

If 'Nominated', presence at the Awards Ceremony is NOT required to Win.

Presence at the Awards Ceremony IS required to receive your trophy without purchase.

Winners sending representatives to the Award Ceremony may accept the award at the ceremony, but NOT receive award, if they or their work has been nominated for an award.

GO-NOVA Film Festival – Live & Virtual Screening Policy

As we resurface back into Live events, new screening policies have been instituted in terms of content delivery and platform presentation. Going forward, The NOVA and GO Independent Film Festivals will screen both Live and Virtually. Live screenings will take place in only the best venues. We have selected the Angelika Film Centers and the Silverspot Cinemas. Both theaters require film content to be in DCP format.

In concert with both format upgrade and returning to accepted cultural norms (travel, attendance, etc.), the following are our policies and requirements for screening both Virtual and Live, film content.

Virtual

1. .mp4 or .mov file, saved as an h.264

Live

1. DCP File of your content.

2. DCP File produced by us from your submitted h.264 file. Fees cover encoding, quality check, and film transfer to our venues.

   1. Fee (under 25 minutes): $150

   2. Fee (between 25-55 minutes): $350

   3. Fee (over 55 minutes): $450

3. We handle all Quality Checks and Communication with the venues.

4. A copy of the DCP file is yours to keep, after the festival.

5. If you have submitted, and are accepted to more than one of our festivals, only the One (1) DCP file, which we produced, is required.

6. A minimum number of DCP submissions are required per festival to screen in the venue.

7. DCP files are optional for those wishing to screen in theaters.

8. DCP orders are NOT required to be selected, nominated, or eligible to win awards at our festivals. Judgements are solely based on the quality of your submission(s).

Frequently Asked QUESTION.

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Why is DCP so expensive?

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Answer:

Standard DCP encoding rates range from $125 -$30K, depending on its length and quality. (Please Google it).

Furthermore, DCP files are both massive AND can only be Quality Checked on site and on the venues systems. Currently the technology to check DCP content anywhere else is unavailable, unlike an .mp4 file, for example. Both producing and sending multiple, and extremely large files to and for the venues is laborious at best, daunting at worst. A system has already been established with our relationships with both theaters.

Please understand that policies and protocols will adapt in accordance with factors within and beyond our control. We will do our best to share, with as much notice as possible, any changes in schedule, venue or protocol.