GENERAL ELIGIBILITY
1. Submissions must be accompanied by the applicable submission fee PER ENTRY and a completed online entry form. Broken Arrow Film Festival (BAFF) does not offer submission waivers unless provided to the filmmaker by the festival director.
2. Submissions must be in English or have English subtitles at the time submitted.
3. Submissions must be submitted as an online streaming video via a participating submission platform (FilmFreeway), or a password-protected streaming URL. DVD submissions will not be accepted.
4. BAFF does not accept films with any use of AI software in the writing or creation of the film. Any film in consideration will need to disclose all, if any, use of AI in the finished film.
5. In the event of a password change or link change after submitting, you must email the Festival Director at Bradheath.films@gmail.com immediately with that change so we may update your record. If the festival is not notified of the change and the link is found to be inactive or the password to be incorrect, the submission may be deemed ineligible.
6. BAFF screens films and series as digital files during the festival and does NOT screen on Blu-Ray, HD-CAM, or DCP. If you are unable or unwilling to provide us your submission as a digital file for exhibition, DO NOT SUBMIT.
7. Feature Films, Short Films, and Digital Series must have been completed after January 1, 2024. Films and series must be available for screening during the Broken Arrow Film Festival, October 2-3, 2026 in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
8. Films and series submitted to BAFF in previous years are eligible to be resubmitted, provided they are eligible according to all of BAFF’s current rules.
9. Films and series with US distribution (obtained prior to being selected for BAFF screening) or submissions produced, financed or initiated by a major film studio or television network are ineligible for competition, but may be considered for a special screening. Selection for screening will be determined no later than one month prior to the festival. Films that have screened on US network or cable television or distributed to theaters prior to the festival dates are also ineligible for competition.
10. Short Films that have played in Oklahoma in a theatrical setting to a public audience prior to October 2, 2026, are eligible to compete at the Broken Arrow Film Festival for “Best Short Film.” This includes other festivals or public film events. This includes online screenings through festivals based in Oklahoma. A short may play as part of a class screening for accredited universities or high school film program. We do prefer that shorts be Oklahoma premieres.
11. Short films that are publicly available online prior to the festival may be considered for exhibition during the festival but will be ineligible for Jury Awards. We prefer that shorts not be publicly available online. Online, private screenings through a festival's online program do not count as publicly available online.
12. BAFF has the right to not screen features in competition that have played at other Oklahoma festivals or screened publicly in a theater in Oklahoma (including a one-night only screening in a rented space) prior to October 2, 2026. There are exceptions to this rule and a final determination will be made by the Executive Director and the advisory council with input from the judging panel.
13. Digital Series submissions must be the first one to three episodes of the series’ FIRST season. The total runtime of the submission must be under 30 minutes. Only new series will be considered. Series that have played in Oklahoma in a theatrical setting (or online through a festival program based in Oklahoma) to a public audience prior to October 2, 2026, are not eligible to be screened at the Broken Arrow Film Festival. Exceptions could be made for student films at the discretion of the Executive Director and the advisory council with input from the judging panel.
14. Micro (Vertical) Short series submissions must be the first one to three episodes of the series. The total runtime of the submission must be under 5 minutes per episode. Only new series will be considered.
15. Digital Series submissions that are already publicly available online are still eligible for entry and Jury Awards.
16. Podcast submissions must be one episode not to exceed three hours and must be submitted in one of the accepted digital formats. If the podcast is audio only, submit the file in a MP3 format.
17. Private invite-only screenings (for instance for cast and crew or donors) do not affect a submission’s eligibility.
18. BAFF reserves the right in its sole discretion to reject or disqualify any ineligible entries, without a refund.
19. Films and series that are selected to screen at the BAFF may not necessarily be selected to be “in competition” for awards purposes. Notifications regarding potential selection for competition status possibly may occur subsequent to notifications of acceptance for exhibition.
20. Any student entering a film or screenplay into the Student category, must provide BAFF with the following information: i) name of school. ii) grade of person submitting. iii) percentage of students working and producing the film or screenplay. High school students must be 18 years of age or under. College students must be 18 years of age or older.
21. The City of Broken Arrow, it’s employees and/or the host location of the Broken Arrow Film Festival are not responsible for any missing, damaged or modifications to persons or property while attending the BAFF.
22. Screenplays/Scripts must be original works. Ai generate screenplays are not eligible.
23. Upon request, filmmakers must be prepared to submit a poster or art for their submission. Use of the poster/art for purposes of advertising, marketing and day-of events is solely at the discretion of the BAFF and may include but is not limited to the BAFF event program, festival posters, online promotions, post-festival marketing, and advertising.
ORIGINALITY AND PERMISSIONS; INDEMNITY
1. Submissions must be the original work of the applicants. If a film or series is based upon another person’s life or upon a book or other underlying work, applicant(s) must secure any necessary rights to make such adaptations. However, it is not necessary to submit the adaptation rights agreements to the Broken Arrow Film Festival (BAFF). Neither the BAFF nor its jurists investigate or attests to the authenticity of an applicant’s statement of authorship or rights secured. By entering the competition, you represent that you have secured all necessary rights.
2. Applicants are solely responsible for obtaining all necessary rights and permissions for third-party materials included in their films, including but not limited to music, trademarks, logos, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights. BAFF expressly disclaims all liability or responsibility for any violations of the foregoing.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
1. Films that have not received a full color edit, or sound edit are eligible for submission. BAFF prefers picture-locked submissions for the consideration process. BAFF’s focus is on story, technical changes such as color or sound will not affect the final decision of any film. Should the film be accepted to play during the Festival, the filmmaker will have the opportunity to supply the Festival with their most recent version.
2. Filmmakers who are unsure whether to enter their film into the Narrative Feature Category or one of the genre categories, should select the genre category so the film will be watched with that in mind. Broken Arrow Film Festival reserves the right to switch the entry category or otherwise assign a category to fit programming needs and interests, and films will not be penalized for the original submission selection.
3. Once an entry payment has been received, BAFF cannot provide a refund. If a payment is disputed by an entrant for any reason, the entrant may be subject to any transaction fees or similar amounts incurred by BAFF in connection with the dispute.
4. You MUST include your physical address and phone number in your entry form or in your cover letter. Please do not submit a film without giving us your address, which we need for our records and contact purposes.
5. Payments made with a check are subject to our Bounced Check Policy: If we receive a returned check from our bank for a payment you made, you will be invoiced for the original amount of the check plus a $55 bounced check fee. The payment of the invoiced amount will be due within 30 days of invoice date. We will not re-submit the original check, nor will we accept another check for repayment. Repayment must be made by money order or cashier’s check.
6. Please include in your submission package if your film or series was SHOT IN OKLAHOMA (include locations) or made by OKLAHOMA FILMMAKERS. We don’t want to miss your film.
7. No pornography or X-rated films, shorts, digital series, vertical series or screenplays will be allowed.
SELECTED ENTRIES AND WINNERS
1. BAFF has no obligation (other than as stated in these rules or on our website) to disclose any of the following information: i) identities of screeners or judges; ii) notes, feedback, or information relating to the submitted project; and/or iii) details regarding the submission review or selection process.
2. BAFF explicitly disclaims any liability or responsibility for any comments, notes, or opinions expressed about a submission, whether by BAFF or by its volunteers.
3. Jury Winners will be announced on October 3, 2026. The judges’ decision is final. Judges reserve the right not to grant an award.
4. In an effort to create a more accessible environment for our audience, BAFF reserves the right to require programmed filmmakers to provide Closed-Caption and/or Subtitle files with their films. All accepted filmmakers will be notified in a timely manner.
RETURNS & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:
Press materials will not be returned under any circumstances. Include a self-addressed, stamped postcard for each submission if you wish acknowledgment of the receipt of your entry.
Any and all marketing materials submitted to the BAFF become property of BAFF. BAFF reserves the right to use them in promotion of current and future festivals.
BAFF reserves the right to use all images from the festival in promotions via print, online, and social media. The names of the filmmakers, actors, producers, directors and anyone listed in the credits of the film are subject to being listed in the promotions. Anyone not interested in having their name, image or likeness not involved in the promotions of BAFF must submit that request in writing prior to Sept. 2nd, 2026.
Anyone submitting to the screenplay competition must provide the completed screenplay in .PDF form or from a script program such as Final Draft. If a copyright or WGA number accompanies the screenplay, please place that number/information on the title/cover sheet.
COMPETITION IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
