Join us for the 2nd Annual Women On The Dark Side Film Festival.
Call for Entries Opens February 14th 2020

Women On The Dark Side began as a very popular panel at pop culture conventions including San Diego Comic-Con International, WonderCon, Long Beach Comic Con, Silicon Valley Comic con and many others. We are delighted to expand the brand into featuring female filmmakers (and those who identify as female) who create on the darker side.

Women are often discouraged from expressing their darker side. We think you should embrace it. Dark doesn't mean just horror. Thrillers, dramas and even comedies can be as dark as horror, if done right.

The festival is open to short films (under 20 minutes) and stand-alone episodes of web series (12 minutes or under), both live action and animated.

Entries must have a significant amount of women in above-the-line positions -
producer, director, writer, cinematographer, lead actors, etc.

We encourage you to think outside of the usual tropes of women in darker-themed films and see if you can break those tropes.

Our plan originally had been to showcase finalists at the Long Beach Comic Con in September, 2020 but the recent cancellation of that particular convention has just been announced. We are looking at another on-location screening in Los Angeles in November, barring issues with COVID regulations. Stay tuned for updates.

Participants are responsible for their travel expenses to Los Angeles.

Films will be judged by industry professionals, including Mette Norkjaer from Boom! Studios, Isabella Mastrodicasa from Heroes and Villains Entertainment, Bhavani Rao Bhavani Entertainment and FirstGlance Film Festivals.

Awards & Prizes

A prize package worth over $500 will be awarded to the best film in the festival. The package will include prizes by our sponsors: Shot Lister, Final Draft, Handsome Hobo Neckwear, Bubbles & Things Soaps, Geeky Teas & Games, among others.

Rules & Terms

All official selections will be notified of acceptance by email. (Make sure your email address is current) Accepted projects cannot be publicly exhibited within a 90 mile radius of the convention area at any time within a one-month period of the event start date either at a film festival or pop culture convention. If this occurs, WOTDS Film Festival has the right to refuse exhibition at that specific con. After acceptance of projects, the entrant is free to publicize his/her work to any and all media she/he deems necessary. Please notify WOTDS Film Festival of any media support you receive. The undersigned entrant shall release, discharge, indemnify and hold harmless WOTDS Film Festival and FirstGlance Films, its agents, respective officers, directors, employees, representatives, contractors, partners, sponsors, and volunteers from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, costs and expenses (including, without limitations, attorneys' fees). The undersigned entrant authorizes WOTDS Film Festival to promote the entry in part for any marketing or publicity purpose prior to, during, and after the competition. You agree to be bound by these guidelines and the decisions of the judges, which are final and binding in all respects and to waive any right to claim ambiguity in the contest or the rules. The signature of applicant constitutes that the entrants information is true and correct and agrees to all competition rules and guidelines.

Official Selections- A DVD or BluRay screener will be required to be screened at venues and a digital backup. Must be NTSC format and check your DVD before sending to guarantee playability. No menus, no watermarks, Auto-Play.

Due to the nature of comic conventions we are not responsible for convention cancellations or last minute changes or events beyond our control that may lead to the cancellation of the event.

Disclaimer: At the Festival's Discretion, if any categories submissions do not receive the judges votes needed to warrant an Official Selection, a festival category may be suspended.