Every competition, festival and deadline a central Ohio filmmaker can enter, soonest first. Each one is on the calendar too, and Add to my calendar puts it on your phone.
MOFA's own competitions Film races & outside contests Entry deadlines Festivals Dates not announced yet Grant deadlines
MOFA's own competitions
Made for members and anyone in central Ohio: a brief, a deadline, a screening night and an audience vote.
The next MOFA competition's dates are set by the officers and appear here the day they are fixed. Get the weekly email to hear first.
The last twelve months (3)
- 10 days ago 3 Weeks of Terror 2026 — screening and audience award Contests · MOFA Lennox Theaters The contest films screen; the audience votes by phone at https://midohiofilmassociation.com/vote. Add to my calendar
- 161 days ago 3 Weeks of Wonder 2026 — films due Contests · MOFA Turn-in deadline for the 2026 contest. Add to my calendar
- 182 days ago 3 Weeks of Wonder 2026 — kickoff Contests · MOFA MOFA's three-week sci-fi contest: teams get the brief here and have three weeks to write, shoot and cut. Sponsored by Midwest Photo (MPEX). The 2027 dates are set by the officers and will appear here when fixed. Add to my calendar
Film races & outside contests
Timed contests run by others that central Ohio teams enter: 48-hour and 24-hour races and the like.
- in 23 days Film Racing 24-Hour Film Race 2026 Contests Remote entry not stated on the page; run by Film Racing, Kennesaw, GA Teams are emailed three elements (a theme, a prop and an action) at the start, then write, shoot, cut and submit a short film within 24 hours. Start time, deadline and fee are not published on the page. Add to my calendar
- in 6 months 48 Hour Film Project Pittsburgh 2027 - kickoff Contests Pittsburgh, PA - kickoff venue to be announced The Pittsburgh weekend, a day's drive from Ohio. One representative per team must attend the kickoff in person. Registration opens Mon, Mar 8, 2027. The venue is not yet published. Add to my calendar
- in 6 months 48 Hour Film Project Pittsburgh 2027 - drop-off Contests Online via www.48hourfilm.com Films must be in by 7:30 PM to be on time and eligible. Add to my calendar
- in 8 months 48 Hour Film Project Cleveland 2027 - weekend Contests Cleveland Registration opens Fri, May 7, 2027. Kickoff venue, drop-off and screening are not yet published; they will be added when the 48HFP posts them. Add to my calendar
- in 11 months 48 Hour Film Horror Project Pittsburgh 2027 - weekend Contests Pittsburgh, PA The horror edition of the 48HFP, a day's drive from Ohio. Registration opens Sun, Aug 1, 2027. Kickoff venue, drop-off and screening are not yet published. Add to my calendar
Entry deadlines
The day a festival or competition stops taking films. Miss it and you wait a year.
- in 55 days Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF51) — last call for entries Submission deadlines Entries go through FilmFreeway only. Films completed after June 1, 2025; Cleveland premiere minimum. Festival is in April 2027, exact dates not yet announced. Add to my calendar
Festivals
Ohio festivals to submit to, or just go and meet people.
- on now Columbus Jewish Film Festival Festivals Columbus Add to my calendar
- in 4 months Short. Sweet. Film Fest. — 16th annual Festivals Cleveland Add to my calendar
- in 5 months Athens International Film + Video Festival — 54th Festivals Athens, OH Experimental and independent; run out of Ohio University's film division. Add to my calendar
- in 6 months Columbus Horror Con and Horrorwood Film Festival Festivals Columbus Convention Center, 560 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215 Fri Apr 30 5-10 pm, Sat May 1 11 am-8 pm, Sun May 2 11 am-5 pm. Indie horror festival alongside the convention; submissions via FilmFreeway. Add to my calendar
- in 11 months Maumee Film Festival (9th year) Festivals Maumee Indoor Theater, Maumee, OH Dates as listed on FilmToledo's site; no times given. Add to my calendar
Every festival in Ohio, pinned where it happens: the festival map.
Dates not announced yet
Every other competition and festival we know of. Its next dates go on the calendar the day the organiser posts them.
- 48 Hour Film Project Contests Last on our calendar Aug 7, 2026. Next dates not announced yet; the organiser's site has them first.
- Ann Arbor Film Festival Submission deadlines Last on our calendar Sep 30, 2026. Next dates not announced yet; the organiser's site has them first.
- Chagrin Documentary Film Festival Festivals Last on our calendar Oct 6, 2026. Next dates not announced yet; the organiser's site has them first.
- Cindependent Film Festival Festivals Last on our calendar Sep 16, 2026. Next dates not announced yet; the organiser's site has them first.
- Cinema Columbus Film Festival Festivals Last on our calendar Sep 10, 2026. Next dates not announced yet; the organiser's site has them first.
- Cleveland Jewish FilmFest Festivals Last on our calendar Oct 8, 2026. Next dates not announced yet; the organiser's site has them first.
- Cleveland Silent Film Festival Festivals Last on our calendar Sep 15, 2026. Next dates not announced yet; the organiser's site has them first.
- Columbus Black International Film Festival Festival Next dates not announced yet; the organiser's site has them first.
- Columbus International Film + Animation Festival Festival Next dates not announced yet; the organiser's site has them first.
- F3 Queen City Film Festival Festivals Last on our calendar Oct 29, 2026. Next dates not announced yet; the organiser's site has them first.
- Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival Festivals Last on our calendar Sep 17, 2026. Next dates not announced yet; the organiser's site has them first.
- HorrorHound Film Fest Festivals Last on our calendar Sep 11, 2026. Next dates not announced yet; the organiser's site has them first.
- Nightmares Film Festival Festivals Last on our calendar Oct 15, 2026. Next dates not announced yet; the organiser's site has them first.
- Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Awards (screenplay in some cycles) Award Next dates not announced yet; the organiser's site has them first.
- Out Here Dayton Film Festival Festivals Last on our calendar Oct 9, 2026. Next dates not announced yet; the organiser's site has them first.
- Tree City Film Festival Festivals Last on our calendar Nov 7, 2026. Next dates not announced yet; the organiser's site has them first.
- Yellow Springs Film Festival Festivals Last on our calendar Oct 1, 2026. Next dates not announced yet; the organiser's site has them first.
Know one that is missing? Tell us on the forum.
Grant deadlines
Money for the picture: the date each application closes.
- in 33 days Film Independent Documentary Story Lab 2027 - non-member deadline Grant deadlines Online Documentary lab. Member extended deadline is 4 Jan 2027. Time of day not published on the applications page. Add to my calendar
- in 35 days Puffin Foundation film/video proposals due Grant deadlines By post Only reachable if the paper request form was mailed by November 20 — the cycle opened September 14. Amount not published. Add to my calendar
- in 54 days Film Independent Documentary Story Lab 2027 - member extended deadline Grant deadlines Online Member extension of the Documentary Story Lab deadline. Time of day not published. Add to my calendar
- in 2 months Film Independent Fiscal Sponsorship reopens Grant deadlines Online New fiscal sponsorship applications are closed from 26 Oct 2026 and reopen 11 Jan 2027. Fiscal sponsorship unlocks nonprofit-only funders. Add to my calendar
- in 6 months OAC Artist Opportunities — deadline Grant deadlines Online — the OAC's ARTIE portal $500 emerging / up to $2,500 professional. An Individual Excellence Award locks a recipient out of this programme for five years. Add to my calendar
- in 10 months Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Awards — playwriting and screenplay cycle Grant deadlines Online — the OAC's ARTIE portal $5,000, judged on one complete screenplay written within five years, no page limit. Playwriting/screenplay is the odd-year discipline; media arts returns September 1, 2028. 5 p.m. Add to my calendar
How each grant works, who qualifies, and the Ohio tax credit: Funding, Grants & Tax Credits.
Before you enter
- Contests & Competitions: how each one runs, what it costs, what you need.
- Film Festivals & Submissions: submitting well, fees, and avoiding scam festivals.
- Find a team on the forum, or post your project.
- Know a competition that is missing? Tell us on the forum and an officer adds it.