UKY Student Film Festival call for submissions

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 3, 2023) —The University of Kentucky Student Film Festival is returning Friday, April 28.

The event, which starts at 7 p.m. in the Gatton Student Center Worsham Theater, is free and open to the public.

In collaboration with the Office of Student Organizations and Activities (housed in the Office for Student Success), Smart Campus and the Media Depot, the UKY Film Festival celebrates and showcases the creative expression of student filmmakers.

Students who are interested in participating are encouraged to turn in their submissions at www.ukyfilmfestival.org by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, April 16.

All UK students are eligible to submit a film or media project for consideration. They are reviewed by a panel of judges composed of local media industry professionals. Awards are sponsored by Courage Media — an award-winning local media production company.

Eight awards will be presented on the night of the festival.

• Audience Choice: Selected by the live viewing audience the night of the show.
• Best of Show Fiction: Awarded to the narrative fiction film with the highest combined judges scores.
• Best of Show Nonfiction: Awarded to the nonfiction film with the highest combined judges scores.
• Best Documentary: Awarded to the documentary film with the highest combined judges scores.
• Best Animation: The best-animated film with the highest combined judge scores.
• Best Performance: Best performance will be awarded to a UK student actor or actress in a narrative fiction role.
• Best Super Short (new category): The best film of any genera that is less than 60 seconds.
• Honorable Mention: Favorite film determined by the selection committee.

Immediately following the event, attendees are invited to an after party and filmmaker meet-and-greet at the Cats Den.

You can also view award-winning films from last year at www.ukyfilmfestival.org or on the YouTube channel @ukyfilmfestival.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $501 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.