About
BOOM! Film Festival is a seasonal online short film showcase for bold, independent voices worldwide. Founded in 2017 as BOOM! Film Reviews, the platform earned a reputation for celebrating indie filmmakers with passion, humor, and energy. Now, BOOM! returns in a new form: a fast, fun, and highly visible festival.
Each season (approx. 3 months), up to 10 films are chosen as official nominees and premiere live on YouTube, followed by a high-energy award ceremony hosted by David Esposito. Known for his funny, engaging style, David makes every announcement a show of its own.
Selected films don’t just screen once — highlights, interviews, and award segments are shared across BOOM!’s social media, giving filmmakers lasting visibility with new audiences.
Optional add-on: a 5-minute personalized Video Review in BOOM!’s signature energetic style. With the filmmaker’s permission, highlights may also be shared online for even more promotion.
BOOM! Film Festival is committed to celebrating creativity with authenticity, humor, and excitement — giving indie filmmakers recognition and a spotlight that lasts.
Awards & Prizes
Each season, 10 films are selected as official nominees for Best Film. From these nominees, up to 5 are chosen per additional category. Winners are revealed during the live-streamed award ceremony.
The categories are:
- Best Film
- Best Actor
- Best Actress
- Best Director
- Best Writing
- Best Cinematography
- Best Editing
- Best Sound
Additional recognition includes:
- Laurels for Official Selections, Nominees, and Winners (category-specific).
- IMDb credits for nominees and winners.
- Winners’ Spotlight Interview: Winners are invited to appear in a post-award video interview with David Esposito, where they can talk about their film, performance, or craft. This provides lasting recognition and extra promotion across BOOM!’s platforms.
Rules & Terms
- Films must be 15 minutes or less, including credits.
- All genres are accepted.
- Non-English films must include English subtitles.
- The filmmaker must hold all necessary rights to the film, including music, visuals, and any third-party material.
- Submissions must be the filmmaker’s original work. No unauthorized fan edits or mashups.
- All entries must be submitted through FilmFreeway.
- Not all submissions will be selected. Each season, up to 10 films are chosen as official nominees for Best Film, with additional nominees selected across multiple categories.
- Selected films will be featured on the BOOM! Film Festival YouTube channel as part of the seasonal showcase.
- Films previously screened online or at other festivals are welcome.
- By submitting, filmmakers agree to allow BOOM! Film Festival to screen their film online as part of the showcase.
- Submission fees are non-refundable.
- The Video Review add-on includes standard festival submission. Your film will still be considered like every other entry, and purchasing a review does not increase your chances of selection or winning an award.