Rejected by Sundance? Take Heart...

Sundance is posturing to announce their Official Selections for their 2025 season… but along with the associated acceptance notification emails comes a slew of rejection notifications. For those of you who had your fingers crossed for an early Christmas surprise and are instead left with a Sundance-branded lump of coal, take heart… 

Here are 2024 Sundance Stats:

17,435 total submissions

Features: 5,000+

Shorts: 12,000+

Of the 5,000+ features submitted, approximately 2,700 were international

Of the 17,435 films submitted, 4,200 were docs (shorts & features)

What was Programmed: 135 total films (.0077% of all submissions)

82 feature-length films (.015%) and 53 short films (.004%), both scripted and documentary

And, if you’re not already an alumnus, or didn’t go through one of their Sundance Labs, or don’t have a Hollywood star in your cast, your chance for an acceptance is probably even lower.

This is why Sundance is considered a “lottery ticket” festival. Can an unknown filmmaker be accepted? Sure, it can happen. But can you count on that ‘win’ to pay next month’s rent, so to speak?

If it’s any consolation, you’re in good company, with many Hollywood directors having been rejected by Sundance early in their careers, including Richard Linklater, Ava DuVarnay, Damien Chazelle and Christopher Nolan!

The good news is, there are plenty of reputable festivals capable of giving your film great exposure! While not all film festivals are created equal, many are fantastic opportunities for networking, to build your fanbase, for press, to gain reviews, and potentially may lead to distribution.

As a festival programmer for the Garden State Film Festival, I can tell you we're currently in the process of making our schedule for our 2025 event... and we're going to end up rejecting some very good films, as we do every year. Believe me, some of these decisions are tough. It’s important to remember that, if a film festival rejects your film, they are not rejecting YOU. Your film was just not a good fit for them for whatever reason that year. It's so subjective, and reasons can vary... Please know that most festival programmers are filmmakers themselves, and we understand the sting of a rejection. We feel your pain. We're always rooting for you and, if you are not accepted this year, please don't let that discourage you from submitting your next film to us in the future. Keep making your art - we're all in this together! Spend the time to do the research and you will find festivals where your film is celebrated, and you will find your film family!

If you haven’t yet watched my free webinar, I recommend you set aside 40 minutes and learn how you can Master Your Film Festival Strategy Like an Insider (Without Making Costly Mistakes in the Process)! Start planning now for your 2025 Festival run!