DARK
LAND
WINNER
DARK
DARK
LAND
LAND
NOMINEE
NOMINEE
best feature film
best cinematography
best lead actor
BARRY PEPPER
best original
score
BEST DIRECTING
Best Original
Screenplay
DARK
DARK
LAND
LAND
NOMINEE
NOMINEE
BEST DRAMA
BEST EDITING &
SOUND DESIGN
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
BEST PICTURE
Jamie CostA
SAM NEILL
DARK
DARK
LAND
LAND
NOMINEE
NOMINEE
BEST LEAD ACTOR
BEST SUPPORTING
ACTOR
Rachel Griffiths
DARK
DARK
LAND
LAND
NOMINEE
NOMINEE
BEST SUPPORTING
ACTRESS
BEST ART DIRECTION
the journey of murder
(China)
Jun Wang
DARK
LAND
WINNER
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
BEST PICTURE
BEST DIRECTING
BEST LEAD ACTRESS
FEIFEL YU
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
BEST DRAMA
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
BEST ORIGINAL
SCORE
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
BEST FEATURE FILM
Jamie CostA
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
BEST LEAD ACTOR
SAM NEILL
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
BEST SUPPORTING
ACTOR
Rachel Griffiths
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
BEST ART DIRECTION
FATHERLAND
(Thailand)
Panya Zhu
DARK
LAND
WINNER
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
BEST FILM
BEST STUDENT FILM
BEST EMERGING
FILMMAKER
BEST EDITING &
SOUND DESIGN
BEST DIRECTING
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
BEST PICTURE
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
BEST DRAMA
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
BEST ART DIRECTION
OLMA DJON
(France)
Victoria Yakubov Schneid
DARK
LAND
WINNER
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
BEST FEATURE FILM
BEST EXPERIMENTAL
FILM
BEST ART
DIRECTION
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
best picture
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
BEST EMERGING
FILMMAKER
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
BEST EDITING &
SOUND DESIGN
DARK
LAND
NOMINEE
BEST ORIGINAL
SCREENPLAY
LXI (61)
(Peru)
Rodrigo Moreno del Valle
THE RABBLE
(Israel)
Tim Polomani
DARK
LAND
WINNER
BEST DRAMA
NOMINEE
BEST PICTURE
BEST FEATURE FILM
BEST EMERGING
FILMMAKER
BEST ORIGINAL
SCREENPLAY
BEST LEAD ACTOR
Javier Saavedra
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Rodrigo Palacios
DARK
LAND
WINNER
BEST ORIGINAL
SCREENPLAY
NOMINEE
BEST SHORT FILM
BEST DIRECTING
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
BEST EXPERIMENTAL
FILM
BRUT
(USA)
Nick Chartrand
HELP
(UK)
Lesley Manning
DARK
LAND
WINNER
BEST SHORT FILM
NOMINEE
BEST EMERGING
FILMMAKER
DARK
LAND
WINNER
BEST MICRO-SHORT
NOMINEE
BEST PICTURE
BEST EDITING &
SOUND DESIGN
YELLOW DOVE
AFTERMATH
(USA)
Rony A. Abovitz
THE PRINTER
(USA)
Zachary Krueger
DARK
LAND
WINNER
BEST ANIMATION
NOMINEE
BEST PICTURE
BEST DIRECTING
DARK
LAND
WINNER
BEST COMEDY
OR MUSICAL
ENOUGH! LEBANON'S
DARKEST HOUR
(Australia)
Daizy Gedeon
SEVENTH DIRECTION
(Germany)
Ray Demski, Jasmine Ellis
DARK
LAND
WINNER
BEST FEATURE
DOCUMENTARY
DARK
LAND
WINNER
BEST SHORT
DOCUMENTARY
A NEW BEGINNING
(France)
Christophe Chudy
PLS&TY 'UPSIDE'
(USA)
Sean Cartwright
DARK
LAND
WINNER
BEST EPISODIC SERIES
OR NEW MEDIA
DARK
LAND
WINNER
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
NOMINEE
BEST ORIGINAL
SONG
DICE TOWER
THEATRE
(USA)
Mike Atchley, Joleen Fresquez
DARK
LAND
WINNER
Best Original
Podcast
BREAKING
THINGS DOWN
(USA)
Lani Madland
DARK
LAND
WINNER
BEST ORIGINAL
SONG
A DARKER
SHADE OF NIGHT
(USA)
Wayne Gibson
DARK
LAND
WINNER
BEST FEATURE
SCREENPLAY
SOLIPSISM
(USA)
Duncan B. Putney
DARK
LAND
WINNER
BEST SHORT
SCREENPLAY
VEILED
(USA)
Carmen Mosley
DARK
LAND
WINNER
Best TV Script
ALTA CALIFORNIA
(USA)
Lynn Elliott
DARK
LAND
WINNER
Best Emerging
Screenwriter
Welcome to Darkland,
where the dark is not just seen,
but deeply felt and understood
PHILOSOPHY
Exploration of the
Human Psyche
A focus on films that explore the complexities of the human mind, emotional depth, and psychological struggles. This could include narratives dealing with mental health, existential crises, and the darker aspects of human nature.
Darkland is an online film awards contest with a unique and distinct philosophical approach, focusing on the exploration of darker, more introspective, and unsettling themes within cinema. We‘re interested in narratives that delve into the less illuminated aspects of human experience, society, or imagination.
Social Commentary
Highlighting films that provide insightful commentary on societal issues, injustices, and the darker parts of human history or contemporary society. These
movies might tackle themes of oppression, corruption, and the
fight against systemic issues.
Creative Narratives
in Dark Settings
Encouragement of films that creatively use dark, fantastical,
or dystopian settings to
tell stories that resonate
on a human level, exploring
themes of survival, morality,
and the human condition.
Theme and Content
Films must explore dark themes or narratives, whether through their plot, characters, or setting. This could range from psychological thrillers to dark comedies, as long as the core elements align with the exploration of darker subjects.
FILM AWARD CATEGORIES
Best Picture
Best Feature Film
Best Film (Medium-Length)
Best Short Film
Best Micro-Short Film
Best Student Film
Best Experimental Film
Best Queer
Best Directing
Best Emerging Director
Best Directorial Debut
Best Original Screenplay
Best Original Concept
Best Cinematography
Best Lead Actor
Best Lead Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Ensemble Cast
Best Editing & Sound Design
Best Visual Effects
Best Original Score
Best Art Direction
Best Makeup & SFX
Artistic Merit
Preference for films that demonstrate high artistic quality, including direction, screenplay, cinematography, acting, and overall production values. Unique and original visual styles or storytelling methods could be particularly valued.
Best Avant-Garde Film
Best Drama
Best Comedy or Musical
Best Action Drama
Best Sci-Fi or Fantasy Film
Best Horror
Best Thriller
Best Animation
Best Feature Documentary
Best Short Documentary
Best Documentary Director
Best Documentary Filmmaking
Best Nature Documentary
Best Episodic Series
BEST DIGITAL Media
Best Fashion Film
Best Ad Film
Best Podcast
Best Music Video
Best Original Song
Best Music Video Production
Best Feature Screenplay
Best Short Screenplay
Best TV Script
Cultural and
Social Relevance
Films that reflect current social issues, provide historical commentary, or offer insights into the human condition through the lens of dark themes would be prioritized.
1. Copyright
You certify that your work is ready for festival exhibition (all music, fonts, visuals, etc. are cleared worldwide, in perpetuity, multi-platform), and that the intellectual property is yours. If you are acting as a distributor, you affirm you've secured permission from the copyright owner.
2. Use of Stills / Clip Fragments
You allow us to use stills and short clips from your film on the festival's digital platforms, including our website and social media channels, exclusively for promotional, non-commercial, and educational purposes.
Genre Diversity
While potentially leaning
towards genres like horror, thriller, noir, and dark fantasy,
the philosophy could also embrace dark themes within any genre, acknowledging that darkness and depth are not confined to traditional 'dark' genres.
Diversity and Inclusion
A commitment to featuring works from a diverse range of filmmakers, including underrepresented voices in cinema, ensuring a wide array of perspectives and experiences are showcased.
3. Downloading
You grant permission to the festival director to download your film(s) to assist with offline viewing and to fulfill festival's programming needs.
4. Streaming
You permit us to showcase your film online with appropriate encryption and password-protection.
5. IMDb
DARKLAND's team can update your awards/nominations on your IMDb pages, but will not initiate creation of film pages if they aren't existing.
6. Code of Conduct
You pledge to maintain respect and courtesy toward all involved.
7. Feedback
While we don't provide feedback on every submission, we do offer a critical review option.
8. No Refunds / Sportsmanship
No refunds will be provided based on dissatisfaction with final festival decisions.
9. One-Time Fee for All Categories
A singular fee ensures your film is evaluated across all festival categories for potential awards/nominations.
10. Accepted Submission Types
We accept a broad spectrum of submission formats.
Innovative Storytelling
A celebration of films that push the boundaries of traditional storytelling, employing unique narrative structures, visual storytelling, and experimental filmmaking techniques to engage with dark themes.
FILM SELECTION CRITERIA
Audience Impact and Engagement
Films that provoke thought, evoke strong emotional responses, or encourage audience engagement and discussion around the
topics they present.
CONTEST RULES
11. Submission Permissions
Filmmaker teams can enter multiple projects in the same festival round.
12. Submission Restrictions
Once a film has been submitted to a particular edition, it cannot be re-submitted in subsequent ones.
13. Film Reviews
To request a film review, your film must have been submitted to the competition.
14. Official Selection
A submission does not automatically grant "Official Selection" status.
15. Mailing List
By submitting to DARKLAND, you automatically join our newsletter.
HOW TO COMPETE
3. Downloading
You grant permission to the festival director to download your film(s) to assist with offline viewing and to fulfill festival's programming needs.
4. Streaming
You permit us to showcase your film online with appropriate encryption and password-protection.
5. IMDb
DARKLAND's team can update your awards/nominations on your IMDb pages, but will not initiate creation of film pages if they aren't existing.
6. Code of Conduct
You pledge to maintain respect and courtesy toward all involved.
7. Feedback
While we don't provide feedback on every submission, we do offer a critical review option.
8. No Refunds / Sportsmanship
No refunds will be provided based on dissatisfaction with final festival decisions.
9. One-Time Fee for All Categories
A singular fee ensures your film is evaluated across all festival categories for potential awards/nominations.
10. Accepted Submission Types
We accept a broad spectrum of submission formats.
11. Submission Permissions
Filmmaker teams can enter multiple projects in the same festival round.
12. Submission Restrictions
Once a film has been submitted to a particular edition, it cannot be re-submitted in subsequent ones.
13. Film Reviews
To request a film review, your film must have been submitted to the competition.
14. OFFICIAL SELECTION
A submission does not automatically grant "Official Selection" status.
15. MAILING LIST
By submitting to DARKLAND, you automatically join our newsletter.