Filmmakers across the U.S. have just one week left to submit their entries for the highly anticipated 2025 Four Corners Film Festival, with the general submissions deadline set for July 7.
The Four Corners Film Festival is a prominent event celebrating the Southwest, spotlighting creators from New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah. It also highlights the growing impact of minority voices in cinema, with dedicated categories for Native American filmmakers, women in film and veterans.
“We find it extremely important to give all filmmakers a platform and especially those that we've highlighted with specific categories,” said Devin Neeley, Film Four Corners chairman of the board. “Not every film festival does it that way, and we're very proud to do so.”
Scheduled for Sept. 12 and 13, the in-person festival will be held at the historic Totah Theater in downtown Farmington. In addition to film screenings, the festival features educational programming, including panels and speakers aimed at supporting both local students and visiting filmmakers.
“We bring in so many high schoolers to see other people doing the craft and a lot of those started with a cellphone and a little bit of editing work,” Neeley said. “Now they're submitting to bigger festivals and creating their art.”
Neeley also emphasized how the festival serves as a way to showcase the region’s filmmaking potential to visitors and industry professionals.
“When we bring in these filmmakers from out of the area, they get to see our area and all of the interesting places they could be telling their story,” Neeley said.
When it comes to selecting the films that will screen at the festival, Neeley said the team is looking for standout storytelling.
“We're looking for people with original and interesting stories to tell and those stories that are told in a visually impactful way,” he said. “You know, there's more than just words on a page or script to make a movie. There's a lot of feeling, skill, talent and emotion that goes into a film that we want to screen in the film festival.”
The festival recognizes excellence by awarding top entries with screening slots and presents the prestigious President's Award to the best overall film.
Entries must meet eligibility requirements and include materials such as a synopsis, entry fee, and, for region-specific categories, proof of residency or filming location. Selected filmmakers will be asked to provide promotional assets including still photos, a trailer and social media handles.
All entries must be submitted through Vimeo or YouTube, and filmmakers are responsible for ensuring links and passwords remain current.
Neeley encouraged the public to attend the festival in September, noting that it will feature world-class talent on screen – sometimes even before the films are available in theaters – and offering an exciting experience at a cost lower than a typical movie outing.
“There is nothing but learning that can come out of submitting for any film festival, including ours,” Neeley expressed. “You are always learning and always improving your skills, and taking that first step of just submitting is the biggest part of all of that.”
For more information on submitting visit, https://filmfreeway.com/FourCornersFilmFestival.
