simply weird short film submissions are open!!!

The Simply Weird Film Festival is back for the 2026 season!

Weird is wonderful! — and we’re here to celebrate it.

If your short film dares to be bold, bizarre, and brilliantly strange, we want to see it!

From strange ideas to the downright bizarre, we’re here to celebrate the bold, the unique, and the wonderfully weird. If your film defies convention and thinks outside the box, we want to see it!

SUBMISSION CRITERIA

Horror-Comedy | Horror | Science Fiction | Animation | Documentary | Mockumentary | Experimental — if it’s weird, it’s welcome.

Runtime:

Keep it short and strange: 15 minutes or less.

Perks:

Filmmakers of selected films will receive 2 festival passes.

AWARDS & PRIZES

🌭 The Golden Weird Wiener Award 

Forged in the neon fires of absurdity and blessed by the ghost of a 1950s hot dog vendor, this sacred sausage is bestowed upon the film that warps reality and bends audience brains into ecstatic spaghetti. The people will vote. The weird shall rise. And one filmmaker will take home the gloriously grotesque, possibly inter-dimensional Golden Weird Wiener. Worship it. Fear it. Win it.

FESTIVAL DATE + VENUE 

Monday, October 26th (times and program to be announced). 

Red's Beer Garden

📍 1328 Boulevard SE, Atlanta, GA 30315

RULES & TERMS

1. The Simply Weird Film Festival welcomes all short films in the following genres and sub-genres : Horror, Horror-Comedy, Science Fiction, Underground, and Experimental. Films made with the assistance of AI and/or AI tools will not be considered for the SWFF official selection. 

2. All films must have a running time of 15 minutes or less.

3.  A filmmaker may submit multiple films. 

4. Entrants must submit their short film(s) via FilmFreeway's online screening system. DVD & Blu- Ray copies will not be accepted.

5. Officially selected films will be notified on or before the Simply Weird Wednesday of August 12, 2026.

6. All officially selected films must submit at least 1 high-resolution still for use in festival publications and a hi-res version of their short film. 

7. All submission fees must be paid in US funds. All submissions are final, no refunds will be issued.

8. By submitting to the Simply Weird Film Fest, submitter gives permission to the festival to allow the film to be shown to attending press, at festival parties, and at other festival related events.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The individual or corporation (entrant) submitting the film to the Simply Weird Film Fest hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening. Please ensure if you are submitting a film that contains copyrighted material by anyone other than yourself, that you have obtained festival clearance for that material used. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Simply Weird Film Fest, its organizers, judges, sponsors, and partners, individually and collectively, from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to submitted material. The burden of determining that any material is not protected by copyright, trademark, rights of privacy, publicity or any other proprietary rights rests with the entrant. The entrant shall bear the sole liability for any damage resulting from any infringement of copyrights, proprietary rights, or any other harm resulting from such a submission. If your work is accepted into the Simply Weird Film Fest you agree to allow us to use all or a portion of your film (including images, sound and clips) within our promotions and screenings; and you allow us to provide your film to media in promotion of your film and the festival. We may, at our discretion, transfer all or a portion of your submitted work to a compilation for festival screening which may be used for festival promotional purposes. You have read and agree to our general rules and terms and conditions. You agree that failure to adhere to any of the general rules or terms and conditions may result in disqualification for which no refund for entry fee(s) is due.