Applicants can submit up to three work samples that they have directed in the past five years. One MUST be a narrative piece (Narrative Short, Feature, Television or a Web/Digital Series). Do not label material as narrative if it isn’t – if you do not have narrative work, we will not consider your application.

– Feature

– Documentary / Docuseries

– Music Video

No spec music videos

– Commercial

No spec commercials

– Narrative Short

A narrative short film that has been accepted to a top-tier festival (See full Festival List below)

– Scripted Television

An episode of scripted television (applicants can have previously directed no more than one episode of U.S. primetime television)

– Narrative Web/Digital Series

A web or digital series must have been distributed on a major platform

Festival List

  • AFI Fest (California)
  • Academy Of Canadian Cinema & Television [Genie] (Canada)
  • Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences [Student Academy Awards] (California)
  • American Black Film Festival
  • Ann Arbor Film Festival (Michigan)
  • Aspen Shortsfest (Colorado)
  • Athens Int’l Film Festival (Ohio)
  • Atlanta Film Festival (Georgia)
  • Austin Film Festival (Texas)
  • Bamcinemafest (Brooklyn)
  • Bentonville Film Festival (Arkansas)
  • Berlin Int’l Film Festival (Germany)
  • Bfi London Film Festival (U.K.)
  • Borscht Film Festival (Florida)
  • British Academy Of Film And Television Arts [Bafta] Awards (England)
  • Cannes Festival Int’L Du Film (France)
  • Chicago Int’l Children’S Film Festival (Illinois)
  • Chicago Int’l Film Festival (Illinois)
  • Cinefest Sudbury International Film Festival (Canada)
  • Cinequest Film Festival (California)
  • Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival (France)
  • Cleveland International Film Festival (Ohio)
  • Cucalorus Film Festival (North Carolina)
  • Dances with Films (California)
  • Deauville American Film Festival (France)
  • Denver Film Festival (Colorado)
  • Edindocs (U.K.)
  • Encounters International Film Festival (U.K.)
  • Fantastic Fest
  • Flickerfest International Short Films Festival (Australia)
  • Florida Film Festival (Florida)
  • Foyle Film Festival (Ireland)
  • Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
  • Guanajuato International Film Festival, Expresion En Corto (Mexico)
  • HollyShorts Film Festival (California)
  • The Hamptons International Film Festival (New York)
  • Hotdocs
  • Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (California)
  • International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam
  • Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Czech Republic)
  • Krakow Film Festival (Poland)
  • Locarno Film Festival (Switzerland)
  • Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (California)
  • Los Angeles Int’l. Short Film Festival (California)
  • Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (California)
  • Los Cabos International Film Festival (Mexico)
  • London International Documentary Film Festival
  • Maryland Film Festival (Maryland)
  • Melbourne Int’l Film Festival (Australia)
  • Montreal Festival Du Nouveau Cinema (Canada)
  • Montreal World Film Festival (Canada)
  • Morelia International Film Festival (Mexico)
  • Nashville Film Festival (Tennessee)
  • New Orleans Film Festival (Louisiana)
  • New York Film Festival (New York)
  • Nordisk Panorama – 5 Cities Film Festival (Five Nordic Countries)
  • Outfest (California)
  • Ottawa Int’l Animation Festival (Canada)
  • Overlook Film Festival
  • Palm Springs Int’l Festival Of Short Films (California)
  • Pan African Film Festival (California)
  • Rhode Island International Film Festival (Rhode Island)
  • Rio De Janeiro International Short Film Festival (Brazil)
  • St. Louis Int’l Film Festival (Missouri)
  • San Francisco Int’l Film Festival (California)
  • San Sebastian Film Festival (Spain)
  • Santa Barbara Int’l Film Festival (California)
  • Seattle International Film Festival (Washington)
  • Shortshorts Film Festival (Tokyo, Japan)
  • Siggraph
  • Silverdocs
  • Slamdance Film Festival (Utah)
  • South By Southwest (Texas)
  • Sundance Film Festival (Utah)
  • Sydney Film Festival (Australia)
  • Tribeca Film Festival (New York)
  • True/False Film Festival (Missouri)
  • Toronto Film Festival (Canada)
  • Uppsala Int’l Short Film Festival (Sweden)
  • Urbanworld Film Festival
  • USA Film Festival – National Short Film & Video Competition (Texas)
  • Venice Int’l Film Festival (Italy)

The application period for the Directors' Workshop closed on February 6th, 2022.