Filmmakers from throughout the world have submitted hundreds of independent films in hopes of making the cut for this year's Okotoks Film Festival.

Festival Director Katie Fournell says last year there were just over 700 entries and, so far, they've received 827 submissions for this year's event.

There's at least one submission from every continent in the world, representing a truly international sampling of filmmaking talent. Fournell says the greatest number of submissions have come from Canada, followed by the United States, Iran and the United Kingdom. There are also submissions from seven African countries, as well as South America, Australia, Europe and Asia.

"It very much shows the different perspectives from different countries," she explains. "That's what I'm finding with watching all of these submissions is I'm really learning how the different mindsets are in different areas of the world."

Fournell and other festival organizers have already spent countless hours watching their way through many of the submissions they've received. Their efforts will lead up to a day-long meeting where they'll make their final decisions on which films will be featured in the festival.

Last year, organizers whittled the hundreds of entries down to 63 that were shown at the festival. They'll face no less of a challenge this year as Fournell says the submissions, which include both short and feature-length films, are high-calibre examples of independent filmmaking.

"I've got to say, I'm floored with the quality of films that we're seeing come in," she says. "And I'm especially floored by the quality of the Alberta films we're seeing come in."

Short films average between 10 to 20 minutes in length and fall into one of three categories; general, twisted reels (horror movies) or kinder reels (children's movies.) Feature-length films are over 60 minutes in length and Fournell says three of the longer-length entries they've received this year have come from Alberta filmmakers.

She says the increase in entries so far this year is important because it shows that the festival is gaining traction as a desirable event for independent filmmakers.

"Independent filmmakers are absolutely amazing," Fournell says. "They will jump up and down at any opportunity to get their film out there, and the fact that we're getting so many films means that quality directors are looking at our festival and saying, "Oh yeah, that's a place I could show it." And it means that they're very, very excited to reach an audience that they wouldn't otherwise reach."

The deadline for submissions to the Okotoks Film Festival is March 31 with the final line-up of films scheduled to be announced at the beginning of May. This year, the Okotoks Film Festival runs from June 9 to 10, and in addition to screenings of the selected films, the event will also offer attendees the opportunity to meet some of the filmmakers.

For more information on the Okotoks Film Festival, click here.

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