Start Filming!
Submissions are open for the 2026 Gwinnett Library Student Film Fest!
What is the Student Film Fest?
Gwinnett County Public Library is proud to present the Student Film Fest for the 2025-2026 school year! Middle School, High School, and Higher Education students are invited to submit their own films of any genre, and winners in each category will receive awards. Additionally, prizes will be awarded to winners in each best picture category. Attend the festival on Saturday, March 28, 2026 for film screenings, panel discussions, and the awards ceremony.
Who is it for?
Students aged 11 and up – Middle School, High School, and Higher Education students are all eligible for different categories. Submissions will be accepted from students of any qualifying institution worldwide, but you must have a representee who is able to attend the awards ceremony for your film to be eligible for prizes.
Library Resources for Filmmakers at Gwinnett Library
The Gwinnett County Public Library has Learning Labs with many free resources to help filmmakers of all ages, including cameras, green screens, iMac stations with access to editing software, studio lights, and much more. Access to our Learning Labs is free with a library card. Out-of-county patrons can purchase a full-access library card for $40 a year.
Learning Lab Specialists are staff members who are available to help you learn with one-on-one sessions! Book-a-Librarian or book an appointment to use the labs at https://www.gwinnettpl.org/learninglabs.
Important Dates
- October 20, 2025: Submissions open.
- January 15, 2026: Submissions close.
- Saturday, March 28, 2026:
- Festival and Awards to be held at the Snellville branch library: 2245 Wisteria Drive, Snellville, GA 30078-3226.
- Film screening begins approximately 5 pm – TBD.
- Awards begin approximately 8 pm – TBD.
Rules Overview
- All entries must be student-produced and may be a group effort or individual work.
- The Film Festival will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Gwinnett County Public Library’s Snellville branch. To be eligible to win an award, you or a representative for your film must attend the awards ceremony.
- Two films per director.
- You must be at least 11 years of age to enter.
- Films must be longer than 1 minute and no longer than 10 minutes, including credits.
- All entries must include credits and an opening title.
- Films must have been completed after January 1st, 2024.
- In the interest of allowing all films to be seen by festival participants, films may be made available for viewing online only from the library website after the end of the Gwinnett Library Student Film Festival. The library will use privately posted video links on YouTube to accomplish this goal, but it will not post the videos publicly on YouTube or on any other streaming services.
- Please read the complete rules. For full rules, including judging rubric, content limitations, copyright guidelines, and AI usage, please see the full Gwinnett Library Student Film Festival Contest Rules.
Award Categories
- Best Picture (Overall)*
Higher Education – College, University, and Post-Grad level.
- Best Picture*
- Best Actor/Actress
High School – 9th through 12th grade
- Best Picture*
- Best Actor/Actress
Middle School – 6th through 8th grade
- Best Picture*
- Best Actor/Actress
*Prizes awarded
**Other awards may be determined based on the number and genre of films submitted this year.
Have a question? Send us an email at learninglabs@gwinnettpl.org.
