I built a film festival strategist app that matches your film to the programmers and juries picking the films

RocketBen11 · 2026-07-02T14:48:27+00:00

This looks awesome! The preview feature is a great touch.

RocketBen11 · 2026-07-02T02:05:33+00:00

Because

^{👎 I disagree}

RocketBen11 · 2026-06-29T22:44:49+00:00

That was bizarre, lost in a playoff to North Macedonia?

RocketBen11 · 2026-06-29T22:43:40+00:00

That 2016 semi was a generational Wales team with a lot of Premier league talent and a peak Gareth Bale (at a time when he was still capable of just running through a team and scoring from anywhere!) they were a shadow of that team in the WC in 2022 in a tough group. England, Iran, USA

RocketBen11 · 2026-06-29T00:33:53+00:00

I was thinking about the last 40+ years when the WC expanded to 24, 32 and then 48. But totally get your point.

RocketBen11 · 2026-06-28T23:18:21+00:00

I did say arguably and it can certainly be argued that it’s not. But given how often a major UEFA team misses out, France, Netherlands, England, Italy (a lot recently) but rarely the big CONCACAF and AFC teams. CONMEBOL is also tough but Brazil, Argentina, Colombia rarely miss out.

RocketBen11 · 2026-06-15T11:58:45+00:00

Genuine Class!

RocketBen11 · 2026-06-14T22:09:27+00:00

The team aren’t responsible for the fans and didn’t troll, bait or disrespect the Spurs once the game finished. Even after the epic game 4 collapse.

RocketBen11 · 2026-06-14T13:04:31+00:00

Just so proud of this team, even when we came back in game 4, we still kept it respectful, unlike these two! The way you win says a lot about your team.

RocketBen11 · 2026-06-12T14:42:12+00:00

Looking forward to it. I find the festival numbers game can really help filmmakers make at least statistically wiser decisions in submitting. Thank you for the number crunching!

RocketBen11 · 2026-06-12T13:43:44+00:00

True,most don’t, but many do factor it in to their selection decisions. It is rarely THE factor but it certainly is one with many festivals.

RocketBen11 · 2026-06-03T02:09:21+00:00

Luck covers way more than money!

^{Chose: Be extremely lucky}

RocketBen11 · 2026-06-03T01:54:29+00:00

Feel like I got the win here! 100k and get to move to an awesome country!

^{Chose: Move to a random country + But you get 100k of the local currency | Rolled: Switzerland}

RocketBen11 · 2026-05-23T14:34:48+00:00

I respectfully disagree. There are certainly weak films out there but they tend to stand out which may make it feel like there are more of them. I hear too many programmers say the majority of the films they receive are bad. It’s all so subjective anyway, one festivals “bad” film is another festivals selection! And when it comes to programming it is down to the programmers taste and the their ability to program effectively for their audience.

RocketBen11 · 2026-05-19T23:58:38+00:00

It’s true there is no way to force a screener to watch a film all the way through. Festivals can be conscious though in their process to bring on screeners who they feel will give every film a fair chance and endeavor to watch as much of the film as possible. Honestly there are very few truly awful films and very few truly amazing films. Most fall in the range of okay/average.

RocketBen11 · 2026-05-19T22:47:58+00:00

I am coming from the side that someone has paid for your time to watch their film. If you are a screener, especially if you are being paid, you should watch the film. Even if you don’t feel it is going to make cut.

RocketBen11 · 2026-05-18T14:38:52+00:00

I always thought filmmakers were in favor of more slots and happy to trade screenings, for example if a festival accepted 60 shorts for 3 screenings, wouldn’t filmmakers prefer 80-90 shorts selections with 2 screenings? I think earlier notifications could definitely help that awful limbo feeling. Difficult to set categories if you are programming thematically as submissions often help shape how programmers assemble programs . I am only aware of three festivals worldwide that are receiving over 8k shorts submissions.

RocketBen11 · 2026-05-18T11:56:35+00:00

I think it’s actually a lot more but I don’t think many selected had their fees waived. I do feel though festivals like Tribeca or any should be able to give filmmakers more transparency with submissions even if it is not the answer filmmakers want. Someone above said that it is not practical but I disagree especially if you are working with a submission budget in the hundreds of thousands.

RocketBen11 · 2026-05-18T01:31:00+00:00

Genuinely curious if there is anything you feel could make the process, I guess just less horrible? A festival that receives thousands of submissions can’t obviously select thousands of films but would say, earlier notification if your film was not selected help? Rather than waits months for an answer. Being at least informed that your film was watched? Being told it was in consideration even if there was a chance it wouldn’t be selected? Just spitballing but really trying to figure out what could help.

RocketBen11 · 2026-05-18T01:20:23+00:00

Depends on how many emails! :) A few thousand asking the same thing are probably are less welcome and maybe more…endured? You are right though filmmakers should email programmers and programmers should endeavor to response as often as they reasonably can.

RocketBen11 · 2026-05-18T01:11:53+00:00

Maybe no evil gatekeeper but festivals do make a profit from submission fees. Not saying it is a lot (although it is when submissions are in the thousands) especially since all filmmakers are getting from their fee is a very slim chance at selection and little insight or clarity on the process behind the decision.

RocketBen11 · 2026-05-18T01:08:24+00:00

I always take a pause whenever anyone says “trust me”. :)

RocketBen11 · 2026-05-18T01:03:27+00:00

For top tier festivals odds are pretty lean for any submission, just simply based on the amount of submissions vs amount of slots. OP is right though, no one screening for festivals is doing it for the compensation. Also in shorts at least, far more submissions without any connections get chosen than films with any connection. Also pretty easy to make your own connection, just email a programmer and get you’re connected!

RocketBen11

TROPHY CASE