“A Decade of Reels and Heart: Uniting Community and Celebrating All the Arts!”
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Down East Flick Fest’s 10th Anniversary
At the Community Council of the Arts, Kinston, NC: Screenings held Saturday and Sunday
At the Greenville Museum of Art, Greenville, NC: Special Programming and Escapades for DEFF 2024 held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Featuring the Community Impact Award Screening of Gimme Shelter co-directed by Beverly J. Kegley, Gauri Singh, and Rob Underhill, plus special performances and panels.
Down East Flick Fest proudly accepts entries on FilmFreeway, the world’s #1 way to enter film festivals and creative contests. DEFF will be reopen for submissions in February 2025.
About the Festival:
Down East Flick Fest (DEFF) is a festival for short and feature-length independent films. This juried event is for experienced and emerging filmmakers of all genres, with winners in each category. Drama, comedy, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, animation, experimental, and documentary are our usual categories. We include categories that represent trends in the industry and audience favorites such as Poetry Films, Child-friendly, Faith-based, and Unapologetic for films by and about marginalized individuals and populations. Be sure to read the descriptions for each category and submit accordingly. All filmmakers will receive notification of the status of their films.
We continue to develop collaborative projects and partnerships to celebrate all the arts. Promote your craft, network, and learn from industry professionals at DEFF 2024. We offer online screenings, workshops, and panels. However, we realize that nothing replaces the synergy of a live screening, so we host in-person screenings with your safety in mind. Details about our screening venues and other accommodations will be shared soon. Ask us about our virtual training on film financing options.
Our Mission:
Down East Flick Fest is dedicated to providing an annual user-friendly showcase for independent filmmakers, writers, actors and other artists. We hope to discover, support, and inspire independent filmmakers as we introduce our audience to their new works. Our goal is to create opportunities that support new talent and entertain audiences on an ongoing basis.
We are growing and evolving. We are now accepting sponsors. Contact us at info@downeastflickfest.org for details.
You got questions? We got answers.
Visit our FAQ page.
The Sweet Tea Award Winner
DEFF’s Sweet Tea award is designed for films that depict North Carolina traditions and art, build a sense of community, and promote cultural awareness while celebrating our state’s heritage. This year’s awardee will be announced at the awards ceremony on September 22nd.
DEFF 2024
As always, the overall winner, Best of the Fest will be awarded with a cash prize! But, we have an early winner for the 2024 season for the 2024 Community Impact Award (NC) that will be featured at a special screening with the directors’ Q&A and local expert panelists attending.
The winner for the 2024 Community Impact Award (NC) is GIMME SHELTER, co-Directed by Beverly J. Kegley & Gauri Singh & Rob Underhill.
GIMME SHELTER “puts plight of the homeless under a lense… to document the problem in Franklin County, speaking to those working to end the problem. Most importantly, they spoke to folks in varying stages of homelessness in Franklin County, allowing them to share their stories “-Carey Johnson, The Franklin Times (Director’s Notes).
The Down East Flick Fest, It’s A Powerful Way to Showcase YOUR film.
DEFF gives you the ability to build an audience for your work. Get exposure to industry professionals and grow your career. Designed as a portal for emerging filmmakers to get feedback on their craft and for experienced filmmakers to grow and share their expertise, it is unique. We understand the value of each individual creative force. Every film selected for the fest is included because it offers a creative vision that will connect with an audience that will love it or appreciate it.
Take Control of Your Filmmaking Future. Join Us.
Stuff You Need to Know:
Down East Flick Fest will provide a great way to get your film (and you!) exposure in the industry. Generally, film festivals are highly competitive. However, we are committed to supporting emerging filmmakers by giving as many entries exposure as we can, which increases your chances of acceptance. The best films will be selected based on their creative vision and execution of the film itself. Our judges will give your film a fair consideration.
You, the entrants, are screenwriters, producers, cinematographers, or any individuals who have a legal right to submit the film.
Our main goal is to provide a real-world feedback and a launching platform for independent filmmakers.
You’re free to submit your film throughout the submission period, but the truth is… the later you wait, the harder it may be to land a spot. Festival programmers will begin viewing and choosing films before the end of the submission period. As the slots fill, it will become more competitive for late applicants. The submission process is relatively painless so you need to submit early when the judges and programmers are fresh and less stressed. If there is an issue with your submission, you may have a better opportunity to address it before the submission process ends. (However, do not send more than one submission or submission form for the same film.)
As an added benefit, we offer a discounted submission fee for early applicants.
Follow the Down East Flick Fest Rules and follow the rule of law.
It may seem elementary, but it’s just too easy to let a simple oversight ruin your chances for entry. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to secure clearance from the copyright holders of any copyrighted materials included within the submitted film. Down East Flick Fest will not be held responsible for the unauthorized inclusion of any copyrighted materials within or relating to the submitted Film. Down East Flick Fest reserve the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees previously collected from the Applicant/Entrant, for any film with any unauthorized inclusion of any copyrighted materials. You will be contacted if we a question or make a determination about your film.
