Blog: Film festivals

Berlin Revolution Film Festival is an annual event where we promote and celebrate films not tied to big production companies, institutions or TV stations.

We look for unconventional and underground films made with a personal voice and style. Simply put – we're looking for the next generation Art House!

We first and foremost seek bravery, a lust to experiment and express using the medium of Film, regardless if the film maker is an amateur starting out or an established professional.

Experimental, Fiction, Documentary, Animation and all sorts of genres – anything goes as long as the banner of Independence is held high. Attention in the selection process will be given to artistic originality and creativity.

Participating at the festival should be a valuable experience, and something film makers look forward to return to. To encourage and support this we provide accommodation to all selected film makers in Berlin for the Festival. And we have a category for previous participants where they have a carte blanche to screen their new films.

We also invite and pay for accommodation for film organizations attending the festival such as film critics, festivals, film clubs, producers etc that have focus on True Independent Cinema. All to make it a both friendly, relaxed and valuable experience for everyone attending.

So far we have screened hundreds of films from more than 50 different countries such as Brazil, Iran, USA, Russia, Sweden, Lebanon, Tunisia and of course Germany to name a few. We've also been blessed to have film makers visiting the festival from many of these countries.

We work to establish a platform that isn't than just a "one and done" event, but rather the opposite where the first experience with screenings, meetings, networking and fun is just the first of many to come. We work to make it a festival film makers return to - to show their new works but also to meet up with others they met the first time around, to see what they have done and to discover new films, meet new people to network and have fun with.

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Feedback, Review & Festival Consideration
It's frustrating to be declined and not get to know why. However, it can also be frustrating submitting to a festival and be forced to pay a higher fee because it includes feedback you're not interested in.

We work diligently, with care and dedication when putting the program together and when it comes to feedback for the submissions we do the same thing. This is why we divide our categories so that feedback is separate from the submissions and is an in-depth review rather than a small note.

Feedback is given by our head programmer Andrija Jovanovic and is an extensive analysis and review of the film and it's different components. Film language, dramaturgical storyline, pacing, technical aspects of grading, compositing and editing, acting etc. It's direct, honest and constructive.

If you wish to submit a film and also get feedback, please choose the matching category.

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We have no hard rules, but the following tend not to be a good fit for us:
- Films that seek to educate and teach the viewers
- TV-format films and headshot interview based documentaries
- Music videos and films solely driven by soundtrack

We spend months carefully watching and programming our festival selection. Presenting the best possible program we can is what our festival is built upon. Submitting to the festival is to pay to have the film considered and is not a guarantee to have it selected. We receive hundreds of submissions each edition and only around 5% are selected. Please make sure that you wish to submit before doing so.

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