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Button TextFilms must be 40 minutes or under. That said, we have a natural preference for the shorter end — the average film in our collection runs around 10 minutes. Short films are at their most powerful when they don't outstay their welcome, and we believe the discipline of brevity is itself a craft. If your film runs longer than 15 minutes, we hold it to a higher standard. Not because length is a flaw, but because every additional minute needs to earn its place.
We don't require premiere status. But if your film hasn't yet appeared online, submit it now — don't wait. We give preference to films whose online life hasn't started yet, because part of what we offer is a proper launch, not a repost.
Your film must have all rights and clearances in place before you submit — performance rights, location releases, and crucially, music. If the music isn't cleared, the film isn't ready. We can't feature work that puts us or you in a legally complicated position.
Every film we feature is free for audiences to watch. That's non-negotiable. Curated Shorts exists to close the gap between exceptional short films and the audiences who should be watching them. A paywall defeats the purpose.
We look for films that do something we haven't seen before — films that take a risk and land it. We are not impressed by production budgets, name talent, or technical showmanship for its own sake. What moves us is specificity: a character we haven't met, a world that feels lived-in, a story that earns its ending.
When we watch a submission, we're asking three questions:
Does it make us think differently? — A film that reframes something familiar, opens a question we hadn't considered, or refuses an easy conclusion.
Does it make us feel something real? — Not manufactured sentiment, not a twist designed to force emotion, but something earned — a moment that stays with you after the film ends.
Is it made with genuine skill? — Not perfection. Craft. An understanding of what the camera can do, how silence works, why a cut lands or doesn't. The evidence that the filmmaker knows what they're doing, even when working with very little.
The best way to understand our taste is to watch what we've selected. Our collection is the honest answer to the question of what we're looking for.
We have no absolute rules — every film is its own argument, and we try to stay open. But in practice, the following tend not to be the right fit for us:
If you're unsure whether your film is a good fit, watch what we've curated. You'll know.
We receive a significant volume of submissions and select a very small percentage of what we see. Your submission fee covers the cost of genuine consideration — every film submitted is watched. It does not guarantee selection, and fees are non-refundable once submitted. Please be sure your film is ready and that Curated Shorts feels like the right home for it before you submit.
Selection is the beginning, not the end. When we take a film, we commit to it. We work with you to plan its online launch properly — choosing the right moment, the right platforms, and the right approach for the specific film you've made. We've launched hundreds of films and we treat each one as its own problem to solve, not a template to apply.
We'll want to know about you — where you are in your filmmaking life, what you hope this film does, and where you want to go next. We'll ask for your preferred launch window and do our best to accommodate it. The more notice you give us, the more we can do.
As soon as it's ready — and sometimes before. You don't need to wait for your festival run to finish, for feedback from other programmers, or for a particular moment in your release calendar. Many filmmakers submit while their film is still in post-production, which gives us more lead time to plan a proper launch together. The earlier you submit, the more options we both have. If you're waiting for the "perfect moment," you're probably waiting too long.
This depends entirely on which festivals you're targeting and where you are in your run. Most festivals — particularly those focused on short films — no longer treat an online premiere as disqualifying. That said, some do. If you're mid-run and concerned, reach out to us before submitting and we'll work out a timeline that makes sense for your film. We're not in the business of burning your festival prospects — we want the film to succeed on every front.
We'll reach out to you directly and start a conversation. We want to know where you are in your filmmaking life, what you hope the film does, and what kind of launch makes sense for it. You'll have input on the timing — we'll agree on a release date that works for both of us and build from there. Before publication, we'll write a thorough critical analysis of the film covering direction, cinematography, storytelling, and the specific qualities that made us select it. That piece runs alongside the film on the day of publication. We take the work seriously, and the writing reflects that.
Yes. Every film submitted to Curated Shorts is watched by a member of our team, and every rejection comes with written feedback explaining why the film wasn't selected at this time. We know a submission fee without any response is a bad deal, so we don't offer that. The feedback is honest and specific — we don't write form rejections.
We'll discuss this with you directly once your film is accepted. We try to accommodate your preferred window, and the more notice you give us the better. We schedule releases thoughtfully rather than in bulk, so each film gets a proper moment. Submit early and we'll have more to work with.
Absolutely. International filmmaking is central to what Curated Shorts is about — some of our most celebrated selections have come from filmmakers working far outside the English-speaking world. If your film is not in English, please ensure it includes English subtitles, either burned into the picture or as closed captions. Without subtitles, we can't consider it for our audience.
Yes. We don't require premiere status, and a film already available online is still eligible for consideration. That said, we do give preference to films whose online life hasn't started yet — partly because we can offer more as a launch partner when we're going first. If your film is already out, that's fine; just be aware we weigh it accordingly.
Not at this time. We focus exclusively on short films and short documentaries — self-contained works that tell a complete story within a single runtime. If you have an episodic project in development, check back — what we cover may expand over time.
We recommend Vimeo or YouTube. If your film hasn't been released yet, please keep it private — password-protected on Vimeo or unlisted on YouTube. Include the password or link in your submission. One thing worth knowing: when your film is featured on Curated Shorts, viewers watch it directly on your platform. The views, watch time, and engagement go to your channel, not ours. We're building your audience, not borrowing it.
We aim to respond within seven days of your submission date.
Not currently. If our circumstances change, we'll update this page.
Submission fees are non-refundable once paid. Your fee covers genuine consideration of your film — every submission is watched by a real person and receives written feedback. It does not guarantee selection. We select a very small percentage of what we receive, and we're honest about that upfront. Please submit only when you're confident the film is ready and that Curated Shorts feels like the right home for it.