Feature Film Submission

For submission rules and eligibility information, please visit our rules page.

The feature film submission fee is $375 (plus a 5% handling fee). Films will be considered in all categories, including the eight craft categories, with no additional fees required.

Feature film submissions close on Friday, August 28, 2026. Cinema Eye will allow some late submissions after this date with an additional fee. No submissions will be accepted after September 11, 2026.

The full list of 2027 Cinema Eye Honors nominees will be announced in November 2026.

PLEASE NOTE: While we make every effort to fact check the names of our nominees before we announce, we rely on these submissions to provide the correct names and information for the filmmakers and crafts persons. Cinema Eye is not responsible for any errors made in submission forms. We will work with film teams to correct any errors in submissions so long as those errors are brought to our attention within 10 days of nominations announcements. Thank you for understanding.

Film Title*

Synopsis*

Please limit your response to 150 words.

Distributor or Streaming Service

If applicable.

Authorized Contact Name*

Authorized Contact Email*

Authorized Contact Phone Number

Qualifications

To submit, please confirm your eligibility:

Date of Premiere

Month

Day

Year

Place of Premiere

Festival, Broadcast, or Streaming Service

Qualifications*

Has played at two or more international film festivals

Has held public (non-festival) screenings in both New York and Los Angeles (or will by the end of 2026)

Can report at least $25,000 in North American theatrical box office

Has premiered or will premiere on a major broadcast or streaming platform between January 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026

My film qualifies for Cinema Eye consideration because it fulfills one or more of the above (please note that films submitted in previous years cannot be submitted again, even if the film qualifies this year):

Total Running Time

In the Nonfiction Feature Film category, the named nominees will be the entire filmmaking team responsible for the nominated film, including the Director(s), Producer(s), Editor(s), Cinematographer(s), Composer(s), Sound Designer(s), Visual Designer(s), Archival Producer(s) and Unforgettable(s)/Onscreen Participant(s). See individual category rules below for determining whether a craftsperson or onscreen participant qualifies.

Directors(s) Name(s), Email, and Instagram Username*

Name

Instagram Username

Producer(s) Name(s), Email, and Instagram Username

Name

Instagram Username

In the Production category, nominated producers must have had a day-to-day creative role in the production of the film and have been involved from pre-production through post. A “Produced by” credit is required to be nominated in the Production category. A maximum of five (5) producers may be nominated per film.

Cinematographer(s) Name(s), Email, and Instagram Username

Name

Instagram Username

A maximum of three (3) cinematographers may be nominated per film.

Editors(s) Name(s), Email, and Instagram Username

Name

Instagram Username

A maximum of three (3) editors may be nominated per film.

Does your film have an Original Music Score?*

Yes

In the Score category, films are required to have at least 51% of their music original and composed specifically for the film.

Composers(s) Name(s), Email, and Instagram Username

Name

Instagram Username

A maximum of two (2) composers may be nominated per film.

Does your film have Sound Design?*

Yes

For our Sound Award, please let us know who is most responsible for what we hear in the film (up to three people). This may be the on set sound recordist, the sound designer, or mixer or a combination.

Sound Designer(s) Name(s), Email, and Instagram Username

Name

Instagram Username

A maximum of three (3) sound designers may be nominated per film.

Does your film have Visual Design?*

Yes

In the Visual Design category, films can submit up to three (3) individuals who made the biggest non-cinematography contributions to the aesthetic look of the film. This can include animation, graphic design, motion-driven title design or art direction. There must be a minimum of four examples and two cumulative minutes of original visual design to be eligible for this award. Lower thirds, captions and text cards do not count toward the two minute minimum.

Visual Designer(s) Name(s), Email, and Instagram Username

Name

Instagram Username

A maximum of three (3) visual designers may be nominated per film. Directors are not eligible for this award unless they are also listed with a visual design credit in the credits of the film.

Visual Design Examples

Time Code

Describe the Visual Design Example

To be considered in this category, you must list and describe (with time code) a minimum of four examples of original visual design created for the film.

Does this film feature archival footage?*

Yes

In the Archival Artistry category, films are required to use archival or acquired footage in at least 20% of the film’s overall runtime in order to be eligible for the award. Films may submit up to three (3) individuals who are most responsible for researching, acquiring and incorporating the archival footage into the completed film. Of these three individuals, at least two must be credited archival producers and at least one must be the credited editor. In the event of two editors on the film with an Edited By credit, a fourth nominee is allowed to include the 2nd editor.

Research, Acquisition, and Execution Participants

Name

Credit

Directors are not eligible for this award unless they also have an editing or archival production credit. To be considered for this award, you must describe the work of the potential nominees and their efforts to acquire and incorporate the archival/acquired footage.

Describe the Archival work

Is your film a Debut?*

Yes

In the Debut category, films are required to be the first feature-length (longer than 41 minutes) nonfiction or fiction film or television project that was directed by anyone credited as a director on the project.

Onscreen Participants (Unforgettables) Name(s), Email and Instagram Username

Name

Instagram Username

Onscreen participants must appear on screen in at least 20% of the film's running time in order to be considered for the Unforgettable Honor and for a potential nomination in the nonfiction feature category. If there are more than 4 individuals that qualify, please contact Cinema Eye.

And finally, please supply a password-protected online link for our Nominations Committee. Links and passwords must be active from the time you submit your film until the end of October 2026.

Link to Online Screener*

Please include "http://" at the beginning.

Password for viewing

Submission

Total

Submission + Service Fee

Prefer a single invoice for multiple submissions?

Please enter the provided code to be invoiced for multiple submissions.

Credit Card

Card Details

Cardholder Name

Outstanding Achievement in Feature Filmmaking

Qualifications

Information

Awards

Retrospective