Submissions FAQ

APPLICATION

How do I submit my project?

You are welcome to submit either through our online submissions website or you can submit through FilmFreeway. Please note that the student short film submission rate is only available through our online submissions form and not through FilmFreeway. Tribeca Games and Podcasts can only be submitted through the Tribeca Extranet.

Please review the Rules and Regulations carefully prior to completing the online entry form.

CATEGORIES

Feature and Short films

A platform for independent filmmaking, creative expression and immersive entertainment, Tribeca supports emerging and established voices, discovers award-winning filmmakers, curates innovative and interactive experiences, and introduces new technology and ideas through panels, premieres, exhibitions, and live performance. Feature films invited to participate in the 21st Annual Tribeca Festival will be shown in the section determined most appropriate by Festival programmers, in their sole discretion.

Short films should be under 40 minutes (39:59 total run time), and feature films should be 40 minutes or more.

Sections:
US Narrative Competition -

• • Open to feature narrative films produced in the US having a World “Premiere” at the Festival.
  • Eligible for the Awards: Best Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Actor and Best Actress.

International Narrative Competition -

• • Open to feature narrative films produced outside the US having at least a North American “Premiere” at the Festival.
  • Eligible for the awards: Best Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Actor and Best Actress.

Documentary Competition -

• • Open to features from all regions but must be a World “Premiere” at the festival.
  • Eligible for the awards: Best Documentary Feature, Best Editing in a Documentary, Best Cinematography in a Documentary

Gala; Movies Plus - 

• • Both screening programs are invitation-only and feature advanced screenings of anticipated film, and feature live performances and talks after the screenings.

Spotlight Narrative and Spotlight Documentary - 

• • Documentary and narrative feature films - a mix of big names, bold talents, highly anticipated new releases and festival favorites.

Viewpoints -

• • An assortment of documentary and narrative feature films offering distinctive visions from innovative voices.

Midnight - 

• • Spanning horror, sci-fi, action and more, these entertaining and memorable feature films celebrate the best in genre cinema.

Tribeca Immersive

Tribeca exhibits immersive projects throughout the Festival to showcase new forms and uses of emerging media, highlighting innovation across a variety of platforms. These may range from virtual reality and augmented reality projects to cross-platform films, 360 films, multi-media installations, and apps.

Submissions will be considered for the Tribeca Virtual Arcade (for room-scale VR and/or XR projects and 360 Films). All World Premiere & International Premiere selections will also be considered for inclusion in our Storyscapes competition. Non-Fiction selections are eligible for our Best Creative Non-Fiction Award. Narrative selections are eligible for our Best Immersive Narrative award. Some selections from the program may also be included in our Online initiative for a global audience, pending approval by the creative team. Project creators will also be considered for the Tribeca Creators Market, a first-of-its-kind, private industry market that brings together emerging storytellers to pitch new projects to a wide range of industry, including distributors, agencies, funders, and more

Tribeca Games

Tribeca will feature video game projects throughout the Festival to highlight this important medium as a form of storytelling, art, and innovation. Story is defined in the broadest sense including narrative, world building, and/or artistic excellence. Cross-medium projects and unique use of technology that challenge our current understanding of games is embraced. Submissions will be considered for the Tribeca Games section and, if selected, will be considered Official Selections, and will be featured during the 21st edition of the Tribeca Festival. Selections will also be eligible for the Tribeca Games Award.

Tribeca NOW

Tribeca NOW is a platform that discovers, highlights, and celebrates independent episodic work, including short and long form pilots/series, of both narrative and documentary genres. Submissions for Tribeca NOW must show potential for serial growth.

Project creators selected for Tribeca NOW may also be eligible for the Tribeca Creators Market, a first-of-its-kind, private industry market held during the Festival that brings together leading emerging feature film, episodic, immersive, podcast, and games storytellers to pitch new projects to and network with a wide range of industry, including distributors, producers, networks, funders, and more. Interested participants must have prepared pitch materials (i.e. scripts, look books, etc.) in advance of the event for Market staff to review

Tribeca X Award

The Tribeca X Award is a juried award for branded storytelling recognizing the intersection of advertising and entertainment. The Tribeca X is open to all work funded with support of a brand in collaboration with artists or filmmakers. Eligible projects include scripted and documentary work for film, TV, digital, social, and VR/AR, in both feature or short length. The finalists will be recognized by the Tribeca Festival, and a jury will award the winning selection at the Festival.

Tribeca Podcasts

Recognizing the importance of audio storytelling, the Festival will curate an Official Selection of podcasts and audio stories, with an emphasis on discovering, highlighting, and celebrating independent work. Selected projects for the 2022 Tribeca Festival will be showcased on the Festival’s website and/or in-person listening stations for the duration of the festival. Selected projects will be reviewed by a jury of leaders and professionals in the entertainment and audio industry and be eligible for an official festival award.

Eligible projects include English-language, fiction and narrative nonfiction* podcasts and audio stories. Submitted projects must be 10-90 minutes in length, they can be episodic (including serialized) or stand-alone pieces, and must not have been made publicly available. 

Sections:
Tribeca Podcasts: Fiction Competition

• • Open to all English language fiction podcasts and audio stories but must be a World “Premiere” (See eligibility requirements above).
  • Eligible for Fiction Audio Storytelling award

 Tribeca Podcasts: Non-Fiction Competition

• • Open to all English language narrative non-fiction podcasts and audio stories but must be a World “Premiere” (See eligibility requirements above).
  •  Eligible for Nonfiction Audio Storytelling award

Tribeca Podcasts: Special Events

• • A curated selection of world premieres, talks, live recordings, and sneak peeks of highly anticipated podcasts. 
  •  Submissions will not be considered for this section.

Tribeca Online Premieres: Features

Tribeca Online Premieres is the newest official section of the Tribeca Festival program, bringing the buzz and visibility of a Tribeca Festival premiere online for a curated selection of feature films. Projects submitting to this section will be considered by the Tribeca programming team who will select a program of films to screen on the festival's virtual Tribeca at Home platform during the 2022 Tribeca Festival as part of our official slate, bringing the Tribeca experience and the best in independent film to audiences nationwide.

Tribeca Online Premieres Features receive a revenue share for every paid view of their film, allowing filmmakers to maximize the value of their film's virtual launch.

Feature films should be 40 minutes or more.

SUBMITTING

Can I submit more than one film/project?

You may submit more than one film/project if each meet the eligibility requirements. For each submission, you will have to fill out a separate entry form and pay a separate fee.

For episodic content submitted to Tribeca NOW and the Tribeca X Award, you can submit multiple episodes of the same series as part of your submission form.

For podcasts and audio stories you may only submit one episode per series:

• For episodic podcasts, only one episode may be submitted with an application 
• For serialized podcasts, the first episode of the series or season must be submitted with an application.​

Can I choose the section I want to submit to?

When you submit your project, you can choose between the following categories: Short film, Feature film, NOW, Immersive, Games, Podcasts, X Award, and Online Premieres features. If your project is selected to screen at the Festival, the Tribeca programming team will determine which section best suits your project.

There are no separate submissions for Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival. You can submit your film through the regular submissions and the Tribeca programming team will determine whether or not your film is suited for this section.

Is there an age restriction on submitting a project?

There is no age limit for filmmakers. However, if the filmmaker is under the age of 18, a parent or guardian will need to submit on behalf of the minor.

Tribeca Podcasts: why only English language submissions?

While we would love to consider submissions from all over the globe, the official language of our programming team is English, and we would be unable to properly evaluate non-English language submissions. 

We do not accept translated audio transcripts or dialogue lists. 

Do I have to pay a submissions fee if I am submitting a student film?

Students submitting short films only can submit for a discounted rate of $30 per submission. Students will be asked to upload a copy of their student ID as part of the submission form in order to qualify for the discount.

This discount is NOT offered through FilmFreeway OR for the Online Premieres section. If you are a student submitting, please use the Tribeca extranet site, where you can find the submissions form.

Students who submit features, and to all other festival categories, MUST pay the regular submissions fees.

I made my short film while I was a student but have since graduated. Am I still eligible for the student short waiver?

As long as the film was made while you were a student, the film is eligible for the student short film discount. Please include enrolment verification or a copy of your student ID with your submission materials, even if no longer valid, and make sure to select student short on your online application.

Can I submit a film that is a work-in-progress?

Yes. We accept rough cut/work-in-progress (WIP) submissions across all categories, and many of the projects submitted to us are WIPs. If you submit a rough cut, please include a title card indicating what elements are incomplete. You will also be asked to indicate incomplete elements of your project on your submission form.

Projects that have been theatrically or digitally exhibited at a “work-in-progress” screening at which tickets were made to the general public are only eligible for submission if the version submitted is significantly different (at least 30%-50%) to the one at the screening. The Festival reserves the right to disqualify a submission, without refund of any kind, if eligibility requirements are not met including if eligibility status changes post-submission. Private industry screenings are permitted.

The version you submit should be something you are comfortable with our programming team viewing; we can only guarantee that the first version you send will be viewed. However, you may update your streaming link with a new version if you email us at entries@tribecafilm.com to notify us of the change. You will have up until January 31, 2022 to update your submission with a new link. If the link or password changes at any time you must email us to make the change or else risk forfeiting your submission. If the film is selected you must be able to send us a complete, final exhibition copy before we screen it at the festival, as we do not exhibit WIPs at the festival.

Can I submit a trailer instead of a WIP or a completed project?

No. We will not be able to consider your project if you only send a trailer. You cannot send in a trailer first to then update the link with the full film/project. At the time of submission, you must send in the full film/project.

Can I submit a DVD or Blu-ray screener?

No. We no longer accept DVD/Blu-ray submissions for any category. All submissions must be made via a password-protected or private streaming link.

How should I prepare my streaming link for viewing?

Our preference for submissions is password-protected Vimeo links; however, we accept submissions on any streaming platform that allows you to share a private/unlisted/password-protected streaming video.

If you submit via Vimeo, please allow embedding on your video on extranet.tribecafilm.com to help our programming team view your project.

If you are submitting a YouTube link, please ensure the privacy is set to unlisted instead of private or public. Instructions on setting your privacy settings can be found here.

Please ensure your streaming link is private or password-protected. If your project is available online to the general public in the US, it is not eligible for consideration (other than submissions to the Tribeca X Award, which can be available publicly online at the time of submission).

Tribeca Podcasts: you are free to send us any type of streaming or downloadable link to review your submission, however it must be private. Please include any WIP notes in the description box or in a text file with the project file.

How can I submit a VR/immersive project for Tribeca Immersive/Games?

Projects for Tribeca Immersive and Tribeca Games can be submitted via a download link, Steam key (minimum 8 keys), app download package (APK), or other file with your submission form. If sending us a Vimeo or YouTube link to screen a 360 film, you must enable download for best viewing conditions. The content may include password-protected links to web pages, videos, or other relevant media. You will be asked for a link to your project on our submission form.

For VR projects, we are able to view projects intended for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Magic Leap, Samsung Gear VR, Microsoft Mixed Reality, or Google Cardboard.

If you need to send in additional materials to be considered, or if your project is intended for a platform that is not mentioned here, please email us at entries@tribecafilm.com and we will work with you.

I submitted last year. Can I resubmit my project for this year’s festival?

You may resubmit if you have made significant changes to your project and meet the other eligibility requirements as outlined in the Rules and Regulations. You will have to fill out the online form and pay the applicable submissions fee.

If I’ve already completed the online submissions form, can I go back to edit information or to update my contact information or my film’s screening history?

No. Once you have completed and submitted the form, you cannot go back to edit. If you need to change any information, you must email entries@tribecafilm.com.

What criteria do you have for determining Premiere Status?

• World Premiere: Projects that have NOT screened publicly before our festival.
• International Premiere: Projects that have screened publicly ONLY in the country of origin before our festival.
• North American Premiere: Projects that have NOT screened publicly in the US/Canada/Mexico before our festival. (Canadian and Mexican films that have screened only in country of origin are considered International Premieres)
• US Premiere: Projects that have NOT screened publicly in the US before our festival.
• NY Premiere: Projects that have NOT screened publicly in the NY Region before Tribeca.
  • “NY Regional” means the tri-state area including the five borough of New York City, the surrounding New York metropolitan area (e.g. Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange and Ulster counties), southwestern Connecticut (e.g. Fairfield, New Haven, and Litchfield Counties) and northern New Jersey (e.g. Bergen, Passaic, Middlesex, Monmouth and Hudson Counties)

For the Online Premieres section we have the following premiere statuses: 

• Online World Premiere: Films that have NOT screened online publicly anywhere before our festival
• Online US Premiere: Films that have NOT screened online within the US before our festival.

Can I exhibit my film/project online prior to the festival?

Possibly! We are allowing films who have screened online as part of a festival to remain eligible for submission. HOWEVER, the films must have only screened for a limited time during those festivals, and still retain a NY premiere; playing at festivals online like DOC NYC and NYFF (NY based festivals) would still render your film ineligible for Tribeca 2022. If you have any questions, please email entries@tribecafilm.com.

This does not apply to all categories, so please read our rules and regulations carefully.

If you’re submitting to the Tribeca X Award, you may exhibit online. We do not have a premiere requirement for this category.

Do you offer waivers for submission fees?

Currently we are only offering waivers for Tribeca Alumni filmmakers/project creators. If you have directed a project in the past that has screened at Tribeca, please email alumni@tribecafilm.com.

Do you offer refunds for submission fees?

No. Please read the rules and regulations carefully before deciding to submit.

Please note, if any part of your submission form is incomplete your film will not be in consideration until corrected. Please make sure you have included the correct Submitter contact information and a working link.

UPDATING SUBMISSION FORMS

Can I update my project with new information and/or an updated screener link after I've submitted?

Yes. Email entries@tribecafilm.com with the title of your project and the edits you would like to make. Please note that the final deadline to update screener links with us is January 31st 2022, 11.59pm ET.
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NOTIFICATIONS

When and how will I know if my project has been selected?

We notify ALL persons designated as “submitter” via email of their status (and not through FilmFreeway) by mid-April 2022. Please make sure your contact information is up to date. If you need to update the submitter information for the project, please email entries@tribecafilm.com.

If you have not received any notification by that time, please email entries@tribecafilm.com for an official notification.

If I have been accepted to another festival but Tribeca is my preferred festival premiere, can I check to see if my film is in the running?

Although we may not be able to offer you a definitive answer depending on the timeline, we will try to give you as much information as possible to inform your decision.

If my project isn’t selected for your Festival, will you let me know why?

Due to the large volume of submissions our programmers cannot offer individual critiques.

You say you watched my film but my Vimeo page says my film has 0 views, why?

To put it mildly, we most definitely watch all films and projects submitted to us! It's in our best interest, because who knows what's out there? And we also check each link as they come in to make sure it's fully functional before passing it to the programming team. That being said, please be aware that Vimeo stats are sometimes not accurately reported, especially when the link is viewed through a third party app (Roku, Apple TV, etc) or in an third party player/embedded video (FilmFreeway/Tribeca Extranet), as stated through Vimeo's own documentation.