Always striving to be one of the most progressive and creative Festivals in the world, the Great Lakes International Film Festival is now officially accepting films of all genres and lengths from around the world and across the United States for our 2018 Festival.

The passion and commitment that each filmmaker and writer puts into his or her work is both noble and unique, to say the least, and deserves to be acknowledged. As not only the cornerstone of our Mission but as a general course of operation we seek out, acknowledge and award the many talented independent filmmakers who may not get the recognition they richly deserve.

The Great Lakes International Film Festival strives to serve the interests and needs of Independent Filmmakers worldwide by connecting artists with audiences, exhibiting and promoting new films and filmmaking talent, as well as nurturing a creative community by facilitating relationships that last well beyond each year?s festival.

Considered among most popular film festivals in the world, the 17th annual Great Lakes International Film Festival genre categories for feature-length and short length films are Documentary, Experimental, Religious/Spiritual, Animation, Comedy, Horror, with Horror sub-genres that include Supernatural, Thrillers, Wicken, Magical, Slashers, Science Fiction, Suspense, Horror Documentary, Horror Animation and all genres of Music Videos and GLBT films for the 2018 festival.

If there is anything as universal as the ageless storytelling of motion pictures, it?s the music that makes up life?s soundtrack.

The 2018 Great Lakes International Film Festival shall accept Music Videos from around the world of cross-continent and cross-genre productions. We shall accept Music Videos of all genres from Pop, Punk, Rock, Alt-Country, Country-Western, Folk, Reggae, Hip-Hop to Electronica, Jazz, Blues, Zydeco, Industrial, Metal, Hardcore, Gothic, Karaoke, Avant-Garde, World Music, and Experimental, and all other genres that may not be listed here.

The 2018 Great Lakes International Film Festival will accept all forms of Religious, Christian, and Spiritual films including African, African-American, GLBT, Black, Hispanic, Islamic, Latino, Native/Aboriginal, and student films from the United States and around the world.

In addition to awards presented to Filmmakers for Best of Genre, our Festival will present an Audience Award to the Filmmaker whose film is the most popular with our attendees, and that receives the most attendee votes.

Showcasing the best films of the 2018 season, the Great Lakes International Film Festival will be held LIVE in the great city of Erie, Pennsylvania starting on September 20th, 2018, with our virtual festival taking place September 20th thru September 29th, 2018.

For more information, rules, deadlines and fees please visit www.greatlakesfilmfest.com