Sundance Film Festival
Park City, United States
100
Tier AOscarScreenings
Festival dossier
Sanctuary Selections Film Competition
Alpena, United States · Est. 2023 · Multiple structural red flags — exercise caution before submitting
WarningWatchlist
Alpena, United States
21
Legitimacy ScoreShould I submit?
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Warning-tier means structural red flags in our data — not a confirmed scam, but submit only with eyes open.
- Listed as 'competition' not 'festival' - likely online-only awards
- No physical screenings
- 1 documented risk signal
Overview
The Sanctuary Selections Film Competition is a Great Lakes-focused short film competition held in Alpena, Michigan, as part of the Thunder Bay International Film Festival and presented with The Sunset Project. It is notable for showcasing only five finalist films each year, offering live filmmaker Q&As and a $5,000 prize for the winner, with selections based on creativity, originality, cinematography, and adherence to a Great Lakes storytelling theme. [1][2][3]
Last updated Aug 27, 2026
Legitimacy Analysis
Positive Indicators (+7 pts)
- 3 years of history
- 1 verified pro signal
Red Flags (-36 pts)
- Listed as 'competition' not 'festival' - likely online-only awards
- No physical screenings
- 1 documented risk signal
- On watchlist — negative reputation signals detected
Trust Signals
Risk Flags
- COMPETITION_NOT_FESTIVAL
Positive Signals
- FilmFreeway Gold festival
Festival Details
Founded
2023
FilmFreeway communityGold festival
Avg. rating
3.8/ 5
Reviews
3
Synced 19 days ago
Rating synced from FilmFreeway; individual review text not pulled yet for this festival.
View on FilmFreewayFilmFreeway reviews are filmmaker opinions, not our score. Cross-check red flags before paying fees.
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At a glance
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Scores are calculated from structural indicators: accreditations, physical screenings, award category count, submission frequency, and acceptance rate. Higher scores reflect more verifiable legitimacy signals.
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