“I learned to become a filmmaker while I was incarcerated, using donated equipment. My short documentary, Friendly Signs, which I directed while I was at San Quentin, was recently an official selection at the Atlanta Film Festival. My experience happened through opportunities that rarely come to incarcerated people. That’s why I’m committed to making this opportunity available to others.”
-Rahsaan “New York” Thomas
SQFF Founder & Director
Festival Timeline
Submissions Open
Early Bird Deadline
Final Deadline
Submission Review
Filmmaker Notification
Festival Opens
May 1
May 31
July 31
August
September 15
October 10
(L-R) San Quentin Media Center Alumni Thanh Tran, Adamu Chan and Rahsaan “New York” Thomas at the San Francisco International Film Festival where they won the Golden Gate Award for their documentary feature, What These Walls Won’t Hold.. The film was produced by Tran and Rahsaan from inside, and directed by formerly incarcerated Adamu while on parole.
SQFF24 Terms & Conditions
1) Submissions to the SAN QUENTIN FILM FESTIVAL are open from 5/1/24-7/31/2024 at 11:59 PM (PST)
2) All applicants accepted to the festival will be notified no later than September 15th.
3) Submissions will be accepted via FilmFreeway.
4) Fees for submissions will be collected via FilmFreeway. Submission fees are non-refundable. SQFF24 reserves the right to reject submissions based on the eligibility criteria. If you have questions about eligibility before submitting, please contact us.
5) All film submissions are required to have English closed captions/subtitles. Open captions are preferred.
6) Filmmakers who have been accepted and are attending the festival are responsible for travel, lodging, and all other expenses.
7) By submitting you are agreeing to the following terms: SQFF24 has the right to screen your entry at the festival and to use screenshots, clips, and photos from your submission for festival marketing and promotion.
8.) By submitting you are also agreeing that SQFF24 has the right to screen your entry on our virtual platform during the festival. Where possible a percentage of the profits generated will be shared with the filmmaker. Further details to follow.
9.) All stated information, eligibility and submission guidelines, terms and conditions of entry, and entry information are subject to change by the San Quentin Film Festival team, without notice. Any changes made after submission will be directly communicated to filmmakers.
Industry Jury Prize
1) Submissions must be from filmmakers who are currently incarcerated, or were formerly incarcerated. To be eligible, you must have a screen credit either as Director, Producer, Director of Photography or Writer.
2) Submissions within this category must not exceed a runtime of 10 minutes.
3) Films that have previously been available to the general public may be considered for exhibition but cannot win a Jury Award. Films previously screened at other festivals are still eligible, as long as they have not received commercial distribution.
4) This category will be screened by a panel of industry judges.
Inside Jury Prize
1) Submissions must be from filmmakers who have never served prison time. Films submitted in this category must have been produced in 2023-2024, and can be either fiction or documentary.
2) Feature length films must not exceed a runtime of 140 minutes.
3) This category will be screened by an inside jury comprised of San Quentin residents.