Davey Fest

Overview

Davey Fest is an annual short film festival in Salt Lake City, organized by the David Ross Fetzer Foundation for Emerging Artists (the Davey Foundation). The festival screens short films supported by Davey Foundation grants alongside standout shorts from Utah, the US, and internationally. The 2026 edition runs July 16-18 in Salt Lake City. Submissions for the 2026 festival are closed.

The Davey Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit named for David Ross Fetzer, a filmmaker who died in 2009 at age 22. His family established the foundation in 2013 to continue his passion for short filmmaking and support the next generation of emerging filmmakers. Since its inception, the foundation has supported more than 30 productions and dozens of filmmakers through cash grants, gear grants, mentorship, and free equipment loans to local filmmakers.

The foundation operates two connected programs: the Short Film Grants program (which funds production of narrative short films) and Davey Fest (which screens the resulting work alongside other curated shorts). Grant recipients are automatically invited to screen at Davey Fest, giving them a guaranteed exhibition context alongside their production funding.

What It Funds

Short Film Grants

The Davey Foundation's Short Film Grants Program awards $5,000 cash grants to help emerging filmmakers take a short film script through production and to screens around the world. There are two grant categories:

• National (US): Three grantees receive $5,000 cash each plus mentorship from experienced filmmakers
• Utah: One grantee receives $5,000 cash plus mentorship

Only scripts are accepted and judged. Completed films are not eligible. The program is script-based: the foundation evaluates the written script, not a finished film or a rough cut. This makes the Davey grant unusual among short film funding opportunities, many of which require a work-in-progress or completed cut.

Grantees also receive mentorship from established filmmakers. Past jurors have included Albert Birney, Laurel Parmet, Mary Dauterman, and Theodore Schaefer. The mentorship is not a formality - it is an active relationship where grantees work with experienced filmmakers to bring their vision to completion.

Gear Grants and Equipment Loans

In addition to cash grants, the Davey Foundation offers gear grants (valued up to $5,000 each) and free equipment rentals to local filmmakers in Salt Lake City. The equipment inventory includes sound packages with microphones and lighting packages with lights and stands. Filmmakers who do not receive a cash grant can still access equipment loans, which reduces the financial burden of short film production for Utah-based filmmakers.

Davey Fest Exhibition

Davey Fest itself is a festival exhibition opportunity. Films are selected through submission on FilmFreeway. The festival screens grant-supported films alongside curated shorts from Utah, the US, and internationally. Being a Davey grantee provides a guaranteed exhibition context alongside the production funding - a combination that is rare for short filmmakers building their early careers.

2026 and 2025 Grant Recipients

2026 Grantees

Jurors: Albert Birney and Laurel Parmet

• Maggie Briggs - East of the Sun, West of the Moon
• Jack Hessler - Charmane
• Mackie Mallison - Eternity
• Max Swanson - Cool Extremities

2025 Grantees

Jurors: Mary Dauterman and Theodore Schaefer

• James Cutler - Can I Put You on Hold
• Major Dorfman - Day of Days
• Paavo Hanninen - White Italian Truffles in Brine
• Meredith Lippincott - Don't Make Me Look Bad

Past grant recipients have gone on to receive Emmy nominations and BAFTA nominations for their supported films.

Eligibility

Grant Eligibility

• National category: Open to filmmakers in the United States developing narrative short film projects
• Utah category: Open to filmmakers based in Utah; accepts both narrative and documentary film submissions
• Scripts must not exceed 16 pages
• Only scripts are accepted - completed films are not eligible
• Both emerging and established filmmakers are eligible
• Applicants must provide a synopsis of the film
• Applicants must provide the film's budget, including pre-production, filming, and post-production costs
• Applicants must present a detailed timeline allowing the project to be completed by June 2027
• Filming should not begin before awards are selected
• Applicants must provide names and contact information for three references who can vouch for their artistic vision and ability to complete a project
• Grantees are required to attend the screening of their film at an event in June 2027; a travel and lodging stipend is provided

Davey Fest Submission

Davey Fest accepts short film submissions from Utah filmmakers and from US and international filmmakers through its open FilmFreeway submission process. The festival screens both grant-supported films and independently submitted shorts. Filmmakers should consult the Davey Foundation website for current festival submission windows.

Application Process

Grant applications are submitted through FilmFreeway. The application requires:

1. A script (maximum 16 pages)
2. A synopsis
3. A detailed budget covering pre-production, filming, and post-production
4. A production timeline showing completion by June 2027
5. Three references who can vouch for the filmmaker's artistic vision and commitment

The call for scripts operates on an annual cycle. Filmmakers should check the Davey Foundation website for current cycle dates and deadlines.

How the Davey Grant Differs from Other Short Film Grants

Most short film grants require a work-in-progress, a trailer, or at minimum a lookbook. The Davey Foundation evaluates scripts only. This means the grant is accessible to filmmakers who have not yet begun production and who may not have the resources to shoot a proof-of-concept before applying. The trade-off is that the script itself carries the entire weight of the application - a 16-page script must demonstrate enough visual and narrative ambition to convince jurors that the filmmaker can deliver a compelling short.

The combination of cash funding, mentorship, guaranteed festival exhibition, and equipment access makes the Davey grant one of the more comprehensive short film support programs in the US for emerging filmmakers. The $5,000 amount is modest relative to feature documentary grants, but for a 16-page narrative short, it can cover a meaningful percentage of production costs.

Who Should Apply

Short film directors at any career stage who want both a production grant and an exhibition context within the same program. The Davey Foundation grant is particularly well suited to narrative short filmmakers in the US who are building their portfolio and who value the mentorship and community access alongside the funding. Utah-based filmmakers have an additional category available to them and can access the foundation's equipment inventory regardless of grant status.

Filmmakers applying should have a completed script of 16 pages or fewer, a realistic budget, and a timeline that allows for completion by the required date. The reference requirement means applicants should have existing relationships in the film community - this is not a blind submission process.

See Also

For understanding how short film festivals and grants connect to a broader career development strategy, see Film Grants and the Development Pathway. For planning a short film production budget and timeline, use the Post Production Timeline Calculator. For generating a shot list for your short film, use the Shot List Generator.