๐ซ๐๐๐๐ญ๐๐๐ Is Open: Your Creativity Belongs Here
Somewhere right now, someone is sitting on a short film they've never shown anyone. A song recorded late at night. A sketchbook full of characters, a podcast idea, a website built from scratch. If that someone is you, this is the moment to step forward, because DigiFestยฎ Temecula is officially open for submissions.
Submissions Are Open
On October 1, 2026, the doors opened for the 11th annual DigiFest Temecula, the digital media festival and competition presented by JDS Creative Academy. The festival weekend takes place April 23 to 25, 2027, right here in Temecula, and the countdown has already begun. Every year, DigiFest brings creators, community, and industry together to learn, connect, and celebrate digital creativity in all its forms.
A Place for Every Creator
DigiFest was built on one simple belief: creativity has no limits. Whether you're a high school student finishing your first project, an emerging artist finding your voice, or a seasoned professional with years in the industry, your work has a place here. Entries are judged in separate divisions for professionals, students, and students 18 and under, so everyone is celebrated alongside their peers.
With 13 categories, there's room for almost every kind of storyteller: Short Film & Video, Animation & Stop Motion, Music Video, Music, Podcast, Audiobooks, Photography, Graphic Design, Digital Art & Illustration, Website Design, Game Design, Acting, and Scriptwriting. Each category covers a wide range of work, so documentaries, commercials, comic art, beat-making, monologues, and board games can all find a home at DigiFest. Work that's already been shared online is welcome too, so that video you posted last spring might be the perfect entry.
More Than a Competition
DigiFest is a full weekend experience. It opens Friday with a Blue Carpet Opening Night, continues Saturday with the Digital Expo full of speakers, networking, and screenings, and wraps up Sunday with hands-on workshops and the Awards Celebration. Industry professionals score every entry that reaches the judging panel, with at least two judges reviewing each piece. Winners can take home a Digi Award, an Honorable Mention, or the People's Choice Award.
How to Submit
Submitting is simple. Head to filmfreeway.com/DigiFestTemecula, choose your category, and upload your finished work. Since the categories on FilmFreeway are grouped a little differently, take a moment to read the official rules at digifesttemecula.org so your entry lands in the right place. Most entries should be 30 minutes or less, and some categories have their own requirements, such as acting clips under 3 minutes and scripts of 30 pages or less. Every piece must be original and final, and work previously submitted to DigiFest can't be entered again. AI can be used as a tool, but the creativity has to be yours. Have questions? Reach the DigiFest team at [email protected] or 951-296-6715.
Your Creativity Belongs Here
Every great creator started with a first submission and a little bit of courage. DigiFest is a place where students meet mentors, new voices get seen, and the whole community shows up to cheer. So dust off that project, put the finishing touches on it, and send it in. For students especially, a DigiFest selection or award can be a real boost for a portfolio, a college application, or a first creative job. Your work deserves an audience, and DigiFest is ready to give it one.
Ready to share your work? Submit today at filmfreeway.com/DigiFestTemecula, and visit digifesttemecula.org to learn more about the festival.
Create. Connect. Celebrate. See you at DigiFest!
With creativity and gratitude,
The JDS Creative Academy Family
