LAKE PLACID FILM FESTIVAL
OCT 29-NOV 2, 2025 | Lake Placid, NY
SUBMIT CONTENT
Submission Deadline
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2025 Catalyst submissions will open December 5, 2024! Deadline is Apr 30, 2025.
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Submission Fee
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$55
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Categories & Types of Content
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Short films: narrative, documentary, comedy, student
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Episodic/serialized TV or web content of any genre: comedy, drama, thriller, scripted, unscripted, documentary, social media, short series, anthology, limited series, podcast, reality, animation, kids, etc.
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More Details​ about TV & Web submissions
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You can submit your TV or web project as a pitch, a script, or a video (or any combination) in most categories, see category listings below
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We do not have any premiere requirements
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Works in progress are welcome
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For video submissions, we only accept one singular video file that includes a maximum of 65 minutes of content and/or a maximum of 3 episodes, whichever is shortest. For example: (1) 60 min ep or (3) 15 min eps.
SPEAKERS & PANELISTS (2024)
Amy Adrion, Emmy Nominated Writer/Director
Arielle Steele, Filmmaker & Board Vice President, 518 Film Network
Barbara Kopple, Academy Award Winning Director
Buzz Schneider, Olympic Gold Medalist & Hockey Player
Jonathan Burkhart, Film & Television Producer, LPFF Artist in Residence 2024
Pamela Cederquist, WGA-Nominated Writer
Rebecca Pelky, Professor and Poet
Sirad Balducci, Independent Film Producer
Sunny Edelman, Actor, Casting Director, & President of Upstate NY Women in Film and Television (UPWIFT)
Jacob Krueger, WGA Winning Screenwriter, LPFF Artist in Resident
Justin Cree, Akwesasne Cultural Center Director
Paul Hardart, Professor of Marketing, NYU, Founder of Universal’s Focus Features
Robert Bonardi, Emmy Winning Television News Veteran
Sofia Lois Monroe, Emmy Nominated Producer
Jill Burkhart, Head of Unscripted Programming, MGM+
Nathalie Thill, Executive Director, Adirondack Center for Writing
Philip Gilpin Jr., CEO, Catalyst Story Institute
Sarah Pirozek, Award Winning Writer/Director/Producer
Stuart Hemsley, Former Corporate Programs Manager, ORDA
Timothy Egan- Media Analyst & Content Creator
STORIES & SHOWS
Festival selections will be posted in September
AWARDS & HONORS
Festival awards will be posted in November
FESTIVAL PHOTOS
Festival photos will be posted in November
SPONSORSHIP
Catalyst champions independent storytellers and advances their careers. Storytelling is a key piece of our cultural fabric that ties us together and provides hope and opportunity for many.
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We provide a strong professional community for storytellers to engage with through the Catalyst Institute and highlight their work for the world at the annual Catalyst Content Festival.
Catalyst is not possible without the generosity of our passionate community. Whether your gift is $500 or $50,000, there is a way for you to connect with Catalyst. We hope you will join our community and help us strengthen independent artists and the storytelling landscape.
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To learn more about how you can support our year-round programs, please contact us at sara.hamilton@catalystories.com
Sponsor Levels: Local
Starts at $500
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Sponsor Levels: Industry
Starts at $5,000
TRAVEL & LODGING
HOTELS
​Lake Placid offers over 20+ hotel options. See the full list here.
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SPECIAL OFFER
Call High Peaks Resort at 518-523-4411 and use rate Code: FEST23.
$189+/night (Fri-Sat)
$149+/night (Thurs & Sun)
AIRPORTS
Adirondack Regional/Saranac Lake Airport (SLK)
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20 mins from downtown​
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American
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Delta
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JetBlue
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Albany International Airport (ALB)
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2 hour drive to Lake Placid
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Most major airlines​​
BY CAR
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Burlington, VT: 62 miles / 2 hours
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Montreal, Canada: 112 miles / 2 hours
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Albany, NY: 140 miles / 2.5 hours
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Syracuse, NY: 195 miles / 3.5 hours
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Ottawa, Canada: 147 miles / 3.5 hours
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Hartford, CT: 250 miles / 4.5 hours
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Rochester, NY: 259 miles / 4.5 hours
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New York City: 288 miles / 5 hours
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Boston, MA: 306 miles / 5 hours
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Buffalo, NY: 337 miles / 6 hours
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Toronto, Canada: 330 miles / 6 hours
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Pittsburgh, PA: 548 miles / 10 hours