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Submit Your Film

Get your film reviewed by Video Librarian

For over 30 years, Video Librarian has been a trusted resource for librarians, educators, and collection-development professionals seeking high-quality film recommendations. Our reviews reach thousands of library buyers, academic institutions, and media specialists across North America, helping them make informed purchasing and programming decisions.

Here's how it works: complete the form below with as much detail as possible about your title. Once you finish the questionnaire, you'll be prompted to submit payment for your selected review tier. After payment is received, your film will be added to our editorial queue and scheduled for review.

FAQ

What is included with a Video Librarian film review?

Every submitted title is assigned to a professional reviewer and evaluated with librarians, educators, and academic audiences in mind. Our reviews consider not only a film's overall quality, but also its potential usefulness for collection development, classroom instruction, research, and community programming.

Each published review includes an independent critical assessment and star rating. Depending on the review package selected, additional promotional features may also be included.

What are the three film review packages?

We currently offer three review options:

Tier A Review - $200
Includes a written review by a professional critic and a permanent backlink to your film or distributor page.

Tier B Review - $250 per title
Includes everything in Tier A, plus an image gallery, trailer, and homepage feature.

Tier C Review - $350 per title
Includes everything in Tier B, plus a feature in one of our shared newsletters.

All three tiers receive the same independent editorial consideration. Purchasing a higher tier provides additional promotional visibility, but it does not influence the content of the review or the star rating. Please note that all payments are final; see below for our full policy on refunds and unpublishing.

How long does it take for my review to be published?

Most paid reviews are completed and published within approximately two weeks after we receive payment and all necessary screening materials.

Occasionally, reviewer availability, technical problems with a screener, or other scheduling issues may affect that timeline. If we are unable to access the film or need additional information from you, we will reach out.

Will you notify me when my review is published?

We are not able to individually notify every filmmaker or distributor when a standard review goes live.

We recommend checking the Video Librarian website approximately two weeks after your submission. If your package includes a scheduled promotional feature, such as newsletter placement, we may contact you separately regarding those materials or scheduling.

What materials should I provide with my submission?

Please provide a working screener or viewing link along with the title information requested on our submission form. You are also encouraged to provide artwork, purchasing information, or other resources that may be useful to our editorial team.

If you are submitting a television or documentary series, please clearly indicate whether you are providing the complete series or only selected episodes. Our reviewers can only evaluate the material made available to them.

Do you review streaming-only films?

Yes. A film does not need to be available on DVD or Blu-ray to be reviewed by Video Librarian.

Can I submit an older film?

Yes. Older films may be particularly useful when they have been newly restored, re-released, made available through a new platform, or continue to support academic subjects, programming, or collection development.

How are Video Librarian reviews different from mainstream film reviews?

For more than 30 years, Video Librarian has reviewed media specifically for librarians, educators, and collection-development professionals. Our approach is therefore somewhat different from that of a mainstream entertainment publication.

Our writers certainly consider whether a film succeeds creatively, but entertainment value is only one part of the assessment. We also ask who will find the film useful, what subjects or curricula it may support, what audiences it may serve, and whether it has value for library collections, classrooms, community programs, or academic research.

Does payment guarantee a positive review or higher star rating?

No. Payment covers the editorial work involved in viewing, evaluating, writing, editing, publishing, and, where applicable, promoting your film. It does not influence our editorial judgment or the star rating your film receives.

Our reviewers assess each title independently. We will never raise a rating simply because a review was paid for or because a higher promotional tier was purchased.

Are reviews the opinion of Video Librarian or the individual writer?

Like all criticism, reviews reflect the informed opinion of the writer evaluating the film. Different critics may respond differently to the same title.

Video Librarian edits reviews for accuracy, clarity, usefulness, and adherence to our editorial standards, but we do not require our writers to reach a predetermined opinion or rating.

If important factual information was missed or something clearly present in the film was misunderstood, we are happy to look at those concerns. A difference of opinion, however, does not necessarily mean that a review is inaccurate.

Does a 2- or 3-star rating mean libraries and schools will pass on my film?

No. A lower star rating does not automatically mean that a title has no value to librarians or educators.

For decades, distributors have consistently told us that 2- and 3-star reviews can still lead to institutional interest and sales. A film does not need to be a critical masterpiece to be useful to a library or school. Our goal is to help institutional buyers understand both the strengths of a title and where it may fit.

Can I negotiate or appeal my star rating?

In some cases, we may be able to assign your film to a different writer for an additional fee. That reviewer works independently and is never asked to reach a more favorable conclusion, so the new rating could come in higher, the same, or lower.

What if I believe the reviewer missed the point of the film?

If you believe the reviewer misunderstood the film's intended purpose, overlooked important educational value, or missed factual information that is clearly present in the film, please contact us and explain your concerns.

Our editorial team will be happy to take another look. If relevant information was overlooked, we can make sure that the published review reflects it accurately and gives librarians and educators the context they need.

However, reviews are ultimately expressions of critical opinion. Reconsidering particular wording or adding relevant information does not necessarily mean that the star rating will change.

Can I ask you to emphasize particular educational themes or features?

Yes. If your film includes educational resources, curriculum connections, community-programming opportunities, accessibility features, language options, public performance rights, or other information that would be especially useful to librarians and educators, please include those details with your submission.

We are happy to make sure relevant information is considered during the review process. Providing this information does not guarantee that every point will appear in the finished review, nor does it influence the writer's independent assessment of the film.

What if I am ultimately unhappy with the review?

If you decide that you do not want the review to remain published on the Video Librarian website, we can unpublish it at your request.

However, we cannot offer a refund. Payment covers the editorial work already completed, including viewing, evaluating, writing, editing, processing, and publishing the review, regardless of whether you ultimately choose to keep the finished review online.