How we score festivals

Years the festival has been running. 50+ years = full points. Established fests get more.

Official Academy qualifying status (shorts/docs). Yes = full; "in progress" = partial.

Official BAFTA qualifying status. Recognized industry validation.

Combination of categories, audience size, submissions, films selected, and awards. Bigger, serious fests score higher.

Social following, number of reviews, and review score. Reflects real attention and feedback.

Curated tier: A-List (e.g. Cannes, Berlin, Venice), Major, Regional, or Niche. Only applied when we have tier data.

Distribution rate of selected films, world-premiere requirement, awards that lead to Oscar/BAFTA or Certified Fresh, and "Oscar booster" strength (how many Oscar-nominated features premiered there).

Formal market (e.g. Marché du Film, EFM) and buyer count. Signals real industry presence.

Coverage from trade press (Variety, Hollywood Reporter, IndieWire, etc.). More press hits = higher wilted score.

Hospitality (travel, lodging, food), technical quality (DCP, sound), and free-to-submit when known.

Low acceptance ratio (selective), alumni pedigree, and reviews per year as a proxy for "selects from submissions."

High share of programming from open submissions plus high selectivity. Real opportunity for unknown filmmakers.

Appearance on trusted industry lists: FIAPF, FIPRESCI, EFA, BIFA, FISA, CNC, Academy qualifying.

Deduction when "Wilted Ratio" is high: many categories divided by few years. Flags possible cash-cow or trophy-mill behavior.

Bonus when social following per selected film is high—selective and in-demand.