CONTENT GUIDELINES

ELIGIBILITY:

The Director(s) must be between the ages of 14 and 18 at the time of the film’s production.

LENGTH:

Short film submissions should be no longer 20 minutes, including credits.
Micro-Film submissions should be no longer than 30 seconds, including credits.

FORMAT:

All submissions must be uploaded via the EDU Sparqfest platform. Please follow the compression and format guidelines provided during submission to ensure your film is festival-ready.

CONTENT:

Films should be suitable for a general audience. If your film includes sensitive themes, such as violence, mental health struggles, or discrimination, let us know so we can include a viewer advisory if needed.

To ensure a safe, inclusive, and youth-friendly environment, the EDU Film Festival will not accept films that:

  • Glorifies Violence: Avoid showing violence in a way that makes it look cool or desirable.

  • Promotes Drugs or Alcohol: Don’t show characters selling, using, or partying with drugs or alcohol in a positive light.

  • Celebrates Theft: Stealing isn’t cool, so please don’t depict it as something fun or exciting.

  • Contains Sexual Content: Keep it appropriate! We want to avoid any explicit sexual acts or suggestive themes.

  • Makes Threats: No threats to individuals, groups, or organizations—let’s keep it friendly!

  • Harasses or Bullies: No form of harassment or bullying, whether it’s in the story or the way characters treat each other.

  • Shows Characters Under the Influence: Avoid showing characters who are high, drunk, or under the influence of intoxicants.

  • Uses Profanity or Offensive Language: Keep the language clean and respectful.

  • Includes Hate Speech: We’re all about inclusion! Please don’t promote any discrimination against anyone based on their race, gender, sexuality, religion, or abilities.

  • Invades Privacy: Respect people’s privacy—don’t use someone’s likeness or story without their permission.

  • Shows Illegal Activities: No endorsements or depictions of illegal actions that might get someone in trouble.

  • Spreads Misinformation: Keep the facts straight! Avoid portraying misleading or false information, especially about serious topics.

  • Breaks Copyright Rules: Make sure you have the rights to any music, images, or other content you use in your film.

  • Please Be Mindful of Your Audience: Remember that youth filmmakers and audiences will be watching. If your film has sensitive topics, give us a heads-up in your submission.

  • Please Keep It Youth-Friendly: Remember, we’re showcasing youth filmmakers, so let’s keep it suitable for all ages.

Respect privacy and copyright: Ensure you have permission to use any likenesses, stories, music, or materials in your film. For more information about obtaining rights to copyrighted material, visit copyrightkids.org.