Navigating the Festival Gauntlet: Shorts vs. Features

I recently tried a new approach to festival submissions for a short film, contrasting it with my previous feature film strategy. For my short, I focused on a highly targeted selection of festivals known for programming experimental work and strong jury connections, even if their submission fees were higher. This meant skipping many of the broader, larger festivals where it might get lost in the shuffle.

My reasoning was that for a short, especially one that's a bit niche, a strong showing and potential award at a few key, respected festivals would generate more buzz and open more doors than simply racking up 'official selections' at a dozen smaller ones. For my feature, the strategy was the opposite: shotgun approach to everything that made sense, casting a wide net to maximize acceptance and generate some initial press. While the feature did get into quite a few, it rarely rose above the noise.

The short, on the other hand, just secured a 'Best Experimental' award at a mid-tier but well-regarded festival with an industry presence, something the feature never quite managed despite more widespread selections. The targeted approach felt more effective for the short's unique voice. I’m now wondering, beyond the genre and runtime, what other factors truly differentiate successful festival strategies between shorts and features?