2025 Filmmaker FAQ

WHAT DO I DO?

First, congratulate yourself! If you are reading this, your film was selected to screen at the 2025 Dam Short Film Festival. We received over 650 submissions, but only chose 147 films to screen! You can see the schedule here.

OKAY, WHAT NEXT?

Read the 2025 Exhibition FAQ carefully. The exhibition copy of your film and files are due ASAP!

ATTENDING THE FESTIVAL

If you are attending, let us know! Contact Calvin Crawford, our Filmmaker Concierge, at [email protected].

• Airport Rides: If you are attending and need transportation to and from Harry Read International Airport, let Calvin know your schedule. If possible he can arrange pick-ups and drop-offs with our trusty festival volunteers. Lyft and Uber are also available from Harry Reid Airport to Boulder City.
• Passes: Each programmed film will receive 2 Filmmaker Passes (if attending in person), good for all screenings and events. The passes may be used by any attending crew member or actor. You can pick up your filmmaker passes in the Filmmaker Lounge located in the Boulder Dam Hotel during the festival.
• Events: Events include Coffee with Filmmakers, the Filmmaker Meet-n-Greet, Dam Short Mixer, DSFF VIP Brunch, and Best of the Fest Awards Ceremony and the Awards After Party. Stay tuned for information on the event venues. (All the screenings will take place in the Elaine K. Smith Building.)
• Swag: Each programmed film will receive, if attending, DSFF swag, including 1 swag bag, and 1 2025 DSFF T-shirt voucher. (Sorry, swag cannot be mailed to non-attending films due to cost.)
• Q&As: We will hold Q&As with attending filmmakers after each screening. If you are present, let the festival staff know and we’ll get you up on stage. We’ll also let you into the Elaine K. Smith Building auditorium early (Filmmaker passholders only – sorry, no entourage.). Ken Cioe, our Director of Operations, will be on site, as well as Hava Brown, our Director of Events and Activities.
• Award Winners Program: We will announce the award-winning films on Sunday evening. We are going to make a show of this, with a red carpet, limo ride, press photography station, press interview station, Miss Dam Short Film assistants, and other surprises. Guest filmmakers will have early entry into the Elaine K. Smith Building . There are a limited number of spots for the limo rides and red carpet experience, so if you’d like to participate, please reach out to Calvin.
• Monday Award Screenings: We will screen a select group of award-winning films on Sunday night and all the award-winning films on Monday! A good reason to spend another day with us.
• Attendance FAQ: We’ve written a FAQ for all attendees. Read it here.

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