Who's Delaware's next Quentin Tarantino? Local film festivals seek entries

Delaware has its sticky funnel-cake fingerprints all over Hollywood with movie stars and film directors that have rocked the big screen like Aubrey Plaza, Ryan Phillipe and Ti West.   

But who will become the next groundbreaking director from the First State – someone ready to turn heads in theaters like Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese or Greta Gerwig? 

The upcoming Slower Lower Film Festival and the Wilmington International Film Festival might hold the answer, and both festivals are accepting film submissions this spring.  

Here’s what you need to know about criteria and deadlines for each festival.   

Slower Lower Film Festival 

Revival House's annual Slower Lower Short Film Festival will take over the Milton Theatre on May 21.  

But the deadline for submissions is midnight on May 7. 

The festival accepts entries from filmmakers of all ages, skill levels and genres – whether they're into comedy to animation. There's no fee to submit your film for consideration, according to a statement from organizers.  

Films are required to be under 30 minutes in length. After the screenings, filmmakers will do a Q&A on stage, giving audiences a chance to look behind at their creative process. 

Selected filmmakers will be notified via email and will have their work screened at the historic Milton Theatre. 

To enter the festival, filmmakers must complete a waiver (available at revivalhousetheater.com) and email a link to their film to therevivalhouse@gmail.com. 

Milton Theatre (110 Union St., Milton) at 7 p.m. May 21. Tickets are $5-$12. For tickets, visit pcade.com or call (302) 684-3038. 

Wilmington International Film Festival  

Presented by Film Brothers productions, the inaugural Wilmington International Film Festival (WIFF) is seeking submissions for its multi-day and multi-venue event that launches Oct. 9-12 in downtown Wilmington.  

The festival will be held at Theatre N, The Screening Room at 1313, The Delaware Contemporary and Penn Cinema Riverfront 14 + IMAX. 

The event will unite filmmakers, movie buffs and national/local businesses enjoy films, live music and food. 

The festival opens Oct. 9 with a VIP party that includes a feature film showing at The Screening Room at 1313. From Oct. 10-11, all four venues will have movies starting at 11 a.m. each day and films will end by 9 p.m. on both nights. On Oct. 12, there will be a brunch and awards at The Chancery Market for all of the festival winners. Wilmington University will also present a four-year scholarship to an emerging storyteller, who will be a Delaware high school student, said Gordon DelGiorno of Film Brothers.  

WIFF will spotlight features, documentaries and the 17th annual Film Brothers Festival of Shorts, along with music/industry/networking events to bring a multi-sensory experience for everyone, according to FilmFreeway.com.

Awards and prizes will be granted for the following categories:  

• Best Narrative Feature  
• Best International Feature  
• Best Short Best Documentary Short or Feature  
• Best Production Design
• Brandywine Award (Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland) Audience Choice (Short or Feature)

Rules and terms for Wilmington International Film Festival

According to FilmFreeway.com, below are some (but not all) of the rules and terms for its festival. (See website at the bottom of the page for more info):

• The submission fee is nonrefundable. 
• More than one entry may be submitted. 
• Each entry must be accompanied by its own online entry and entry fee. 
• Films screened at other film festivals are OK to submit. 
• Music videos or commercials are not eligible. 
• The filmmaker is responsible for shipping materials and electronic marketing materials to WIFF, if the film is selected. 
• Films produced in languages other than English must have legible English subtitles. 
• Entrants must assume all responsibility for clearing films through U.S. and/or foreign customs officials. 
• WIFF reserves the right to make any necessary changes in regulations or festival scheduling. 
• Not all invited films officially selected will be eligible for competition. 
• The selection committees' and juries' decisions are final. 

Deadlines and dates for Wilmington International Film Festival

• April 25: Early bird deadline  
• July 2: Regular deadline  
• Aug. 8: Late deadline for five categories (Best Narrative, Best International Feature, Best Short, Best Production Design, Brandywine Award)  
• Aug. 22: Notification date  
• Oct. 9-12: Event date 

For more information about the Wilmington International Film Festival, visit facebook.com/filmbros and filmfreeway.com/WilmingtonInternationalFilmFestival or call (302) 559-2324.

If you have an interesting story idea, email lifestyle reporter Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com. Consider signing up for his weekly newsletter, DO Delaware, at delawareonline.com/newsletters.