Student Film Festival 2024-2025

Start Filming!

Submissions are almost open for the 2025 Gwinnett Library Student Film Festival!

Gwinnett County Public Library is proud to present the Student Film Fest for the 2024-2025 school year! Middle School, High School, and Higher Education students are invited to submit their own films of any genre, and winners in each category will receive awards. Additionally, prizes will be awarded to winners in each best picture category. Attend the festival on Saturday, March 29, 2025 for film screenings, panel discussions, and the awards ceremony.

Students aged 11 and up – Middle School, High School, and Higher Education students are all eligible for different categories. Submissions will be accepted from students of any qualifying institution worldwide, but you must have a representee who is able to attend the awards ceremony for your film to be eligible for prizes.

The Gwinnett County Public Library has Learning Labs with many free resources to help filmmakers of all ages, including cameras, green screens, iMac stations with access to editing software, studio lights, and much more. Access to our Learning Labs is free with a library card. Out-of-county patrons can purchase a full-access library card for $40 a year. 

Learning Lab Specialists are staff members who are available to help you learn with one-on-one sessions! Book-a-Librarian or book an appointment to use the labs at https://www.gwinnettpl.org/learninglabs.

• November 1, 2024: Submissions open.
• January 15, 2025: Submissions close.
• Saturday, March 29, 2025: 
  • The festival and Awards will be held at the Snellville branch library, 2245 Wisteria Drive, Snellville, GA 30078-3226.
  • Film screening begins at approximately 5 pm – TBD.
  • Awards begin at approximately 8 pm – TBD.

• The Film Festival will be held on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at Gwinnett County Public Library’s Snellville branch. To be eligible to win an award, you or a representative for your film must attend the awards ceremony. 
• Two film entries are allowed per director.
• Each film must be submitted with a completed entry form and video release form, signed by you (and a parent if you are under 18). 
• You must be at least 11 years of age to enter. 
• You must submit the name of your school and your grade level/year of study.
• Films must be longer than 1 minute and no longer than 10 minutes, including credits. 
• All entries must include credits and an opening title. 
• Films must be saved as an MP4 or MOV. Films that we cannot play may be disqualified. 
• Each film entry must have been completed after January 1st, 2024. 
• Films cannot have been selected for screening at a previous Gwinnett Library Student Film Festival. Films created as part of a Gwinnett Library 48-hour Film Competition are eligible for entry. 
• All entries must be student-produced and may be a group effort or individual work.
• Films may be submitted by co-directors. 
• If we are not able to show all of the videos submitted at the Film Festival, directors will be notified of their film’s selection status. 
• Films must contain appropriate content for screening in a public space (PG13). 
• Films must not infringe on third-party rights and cannot contain the following: obscene material or defamatory statements about any person, company, organization, or entity. Films may not invade the privacy or other rights of any person, company, or entity and may not in any other way violate applicable laws and regulations.
• Use of sound or video clips from other media sources (films, television shows, music videos, etc.) within your submitted work is not permitted unless those clips are in the public domain or you have received written permission from the copyright holder. If you have obtained the right to use a piece of media, please submit documentation with your film.
• No AI.
• Directors agree that the Gwinnett County Public Library may use still images and clips from their films in any future marketing for Student Film Festivals held by the library. 
• In the interest of allowing all films to be seen by festival participants, films may be made available for viewing after the end of the Gwinnett Library Student Film Festival online only from the library website. The library will use privately posted video links on Youtube to accomplish this goal, but the library will not post the videos publicly on Youtube or on any other streaming services. 

• Best Picture (Overall)*

Higher Education – College, University, and Post-Grad level.

• Best Picture*
• Best Actor/Actress

High School – 9th through 12th grade

• Best Picture*
• Best Actor/Actress

Middle School – 6th through 8th grade

• Best Picture*
• Best Actor/Actress

*Prizes awarded

**Other awards may be determined based on the number and genre of films submitted this year. 

Have a question? Send us an email at learninglabs@gwinnettpl.org.