SENE Film, Music & Arts

The submissions have finally subsided and we are now in full film-watching mode.  Phil and I are carefully reviewing each film and scoring details such as story, pace, editing, production, acting, direction, etc. Our merged scores will then be compared against the scores from the different genre committee judges. A few formulas here and a pivot table there and the data will show which films were liked by the majority and which ones are recommended for selection. I must admit that the judging process is enjoyable, yet stressful.  When I hit play, I am rooting for the filmmakers and hope that I can give the film high scores. In the end, it comes down to how each film compares against the other films submitted for the next festival. There are many films that I like that may not make the cut, solely because it was a super competitive year and there were other films that scored higher.  The selection process is a whole different animal and many times, not something I look forward to.  But

With over 8,000 film festivals worldwide, here are 10 reasons why you should consider submitting to the SENE Film, Music & Arts Festival: 1.       SENE has been selected for 3 years in a row as one of MovieMaker Magazine's Top 50 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee . 2.       SENE is ranked as one of the Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals on FilmFreeway .   Thanks to our SENE alumni and volunteer staff, SENE ranks in the top 1.5% of more than 8,000 film festivals and creative contests around the world. 3.       Co-Founders and Programming Directors, Phil & Don, watch all film submissions.   We compare our scores with the genre committee members’ scores and go from there. 4.       We usually do not go after films. We curate our festival from the official submissions we receive. 98% of selected films came from official submissions last year.               5.       Films are eligible for over 50 jury awards (including honorable mentions) and 20 audience awards. 6.

The Columbus Theatre may look a bit different than when it first opened in 1926, but it still retains its historic character.  SENE looks forward to returning in October and partnering with the wonderful people of The Columbus Cooperative. - Don  

During this difficult time, our thoughts are with the Festivals that had to cancel or postpone their annual events.  We certainly understand the difficulties you are facing and wish the very best for your organization. Our review committee members are now watching submissions while staying safe inside their homes.  Phil and I are now making plans for this year’s event in addition to watching each submission.  Please visit our blog (senefest.blogspot.com) from time to time to get festival details, submission tips and a peek inside SENE.  - Don