Check the SXSW website in August to find out how to apply to enter your film for consideration. Find out submission details prior to the November deadline.
Finish your film. SXSW doesn't accept works in progress. Your film must be complete to be considered for entry in the SXSW Film Festival. Make sure it falls into one of the categories the films are be screened in, which the SXSW website lists.
Put the film on a DVD. SXSW does not accept submissions sent via YouTube, MySpace, Quicktime or any other URL. Label the spine of the DVD case with the film's title.
Fill out the online application and send it along with the required entry fee, which you can pay by credit card. The fee is lower for shorts and slightly higher for feature films. Fees for both types of entries increase after the initial deadline.
Submit the film entry no later than the last deadline in December. The festival doesn't accept entries after this date. The initial deadline is in November.