Festival Strategy on a Micro-Budget - How Do You Handle Submission Fees?

Hey everyone, Jason here, a gaffer by trade, but recently I DP'd and lit a short film that's finally in picture lock. It's a passion project, a psychological thriller, shot with practically no budget beyond some favors and borrowed gear. We're super proud of it and thinking about a festival run.

I've been looking into submission costs, and the numbers are a bit shocking. Guides suggest $1,000-$5,000 in fees alone. For a project made on literally a shoestring, that's a huge hurdle. How do you all, especially those working with micro-budgets, approach this?

Do you only target a handful of top-tier festivals? Are there specific types of grants or funds for festival submission fees? And what's the best way to ask for fee waivers without sounding like you're just begging? Any advice on prioritizing where to spend that limited festival cash would be a lifesaver.