Create. Compete. Celebrate Ocean City on Film.

The Ocean City Film Challenge is the annual contest by the Ocean City Film Festival, inviting filmmakers to create a short film in or about Ocean City for a chance to win prizes, bragging rights, and the opportunity for their work to be featured in the Ocean City Film Festival catalog.

Filmmakers registering for the 2026 Ocean City Film Challenge must complete the registration form for eligibility. Serious inquiries only, as registration is limited. Applications are subject to review.

Click here to register: https://ocmdfilmfestival.com/ocean-city-film-challenge/

Timeline

• Sunday, June 1: Registration opens

• Tuesday, June 30: Registration closes

• Monday, July 27: Final deliverables due

• Saturday, August 8: Film screening at the Art League of Ocean City

Rules & Regulations

• All films must be shot between June 1 and July 26. Filming may only begin after registration.

• Films must not exceed a run-time of 10 minutes.

• Films must feature the designated line of dialogue listed in the registration form.

• Films must include at least one scene that visibly depicts Ocean City as the setting.

• Films must be shot in or about Ocean City. Ocean City must either be visibly featured or central to the premise of the film.

• Films must follow a cinematic narrative structure, either as a fiction narrative or traditional documentary.

• Vacation footage, music videos, or non-traditional cinema submissions will not be accepted.

• Filmmakers must secure documentation of clearance for any copyright-protected materials used in their submission.

Deliverables

• MP4 or MOV file of the film

• High-resolution poster

• 2–3 still images from the film

• Text document including the film title, run-time, synopsis, and credits

All deliverables are due no later than Monday, July 27 via FilmFreeway. Upon registration, filmmakers will receive the access code to submit to the FilmFreeway platform.

Failure to comply with final deadline requirements may result in disqualification from future OCFF events.

Prizes

Prizes are presented by the Art League of Ocean City and OCFF sponsors. The top three winners will be featured in Season 11 of the Ocean City Film Festival during March 2027.

• 1st Place: OCFF Season 11 filmmaker pass, additional guest pass, swag bag, and hotel stay for the duration of the 2027 OCFF

• 2nd Place: OCFF Season 11 filmmaker pass, additional guest pass, swag bag, and $50 cash

• 3rd Place: OCFF Season 11 filmmaker pass, additional guest pass, and swag bag

Film Screening & Awards

Films will premiere on Saturday, August 8 at the Art League of Ocean City. The event begins at 7:00 PM, with films starting at 8:00 PM.

The screening will be followed by a live Q&A with filmmakers and the announcement of award winners.

Questions? Email OceanCityFilmFest@gmail.com.