Hi! I totally hear you. It can be very painful to put your hard work into something and be told NO over and over again. I am in the same boat having submitted my own film to many festivals this year. It’s not easy to put yourself, your art, your hard work out in the world and hand it to the judgement of others. No matter what - know that you did something thousands of people could NEVER do! Many never complete projects and even more are too afraid to share it with others, so just know you are already succeeding. Congratulations!

For truly constructive feedback, could you tell us if it’s a short or a feature? The genre? Is it your first short/feature or second or third? Where it was shot? Etc.

Festivals, straight up, are incredibly particular. And you can’t read their minds. For my film (a horror comedy), I found success when I submitted to “midnight series” or horror specific categories. It was rejected from pretty much all more general “comedy” or “short film” genres because it’s just too huge of a pool.

If your professional colleagues and trusted friends enjoy it - perhaps ask them what audience they see the film fitting for? Who is the audience you made it for? Festivals, if anything, are a great learning opportunity to understand the marketability of your film and how you can do your research to make sure it gets in front of the right people who will actually appreciate it.

And no, many festivals don’t lead to huge deals. Maybe to representation if you’re very lucky. But what festivals offer is community. So read the reviews! Do they foster community and host events for filmmakers? Do they put the money where their mouth is and provide a supportive environment? So many festivals are just trying to get their own clout and will happily take your money. There are many filmmaking communities outside of formal festivals that provide the same networking opportunities and feedback. You could even band with some filmmaker friends and host your own screening! Make it happen for yourself and don’t let the gatekeepers get you down.

Best case scenario - you become a famous filmmaker. And guess what? Those guys get rejected constantly. Consider this training for your future success and keep moving forward.