What should I look for before submitting to festivals?

With thousands of festivals and awards programs out there, being selective is smart. The challenge is knowing what to look for before you spend a single dollar on submission fees.

Before looking at deadlines or laurels, ask a simple question:

Do films like mine actually play here?

Look at past lineups. Look at previous winners. Pay attention to tone, genre, and scale. A quiet, grief-focused drama may be beautifully made, but it won’t thrive everywhere.