What Gets Selected — and Wins — at the Utah International Film Festival?
One of the questions we hear most from filmmakers is a fair one:
“Is my film a good fit for your festival?”
Rather than answering that with vague programming language, we decided to do something better — show you the data.
We analyzed 15 years of selections and winners at the Utah International Film Festival, looking at what genres were chosen and which ones consistently rose to the top.
What Gets Selected Most Often
Over the past 15 years, one genre has clearly led the way:
Drama.
Roughly one out of every four films selected at UIFF is a drama. That tells us something important about our programming DNA. We are drawn to story-driven films that center character, emotion, and human experience.
After drama, the most frequently selected genres are:
Comedy
Sci-Fi
Horror
Thriller
Fantasy
Romance
Documentary
This isn’t accidental. UIFF has always been a place where strong storytelling comes first — whether that story is grounded in realism or wrapped in genre elements.
What Actually Wins Awards
Selection is one thing. Winning is another.
When we isolated only award-winning films, the pattern became even clearer.
Drama doesn’t just get selected — it wins more than any other genre. Over 27 percent of all winning films at UIFF are dramas.
But here’s the part that often surprises filmmakers:
Comedy and Sci-Fi are tied as the next strongest winning genres.
Genre films absolutely compete here — and they win — when they’re grounded in character and story.
Other genres that consistently perform well with juries include:
Fantasy
Horror
Thriller
Family
Romance
Documentary
In short: elevated genre storytelling works here.
What This Means for Filmmakers
If you’re deciding whether UIFF is the right home for your film, here’s the takeaway:
If your film is character-driven, you’re in the right place.
If your genre film uses genre as a storytelling tool rather than a crutch, you’re in the right place.
Why We’re Sharing This
We believe transparency helps filmmakers make better decisions.
Submitting to festivals costs time, money, and emotional energy. You deserve clear information about where your work is most likely to resonate — not vague promises or buzzwords.
If this data helps you decide that UIFF is a smart fit for your next project, great.
If it helps you decide another festival makes more sense, that’s okay too.
Either way, submit your project to a festival that aligns with YOUR GOALS as that is the most important thing.
