Blog: Film festivals

The Louisiana LGBT Film Festival seeks to hear voices from all members of the LGBT Community and allies. We want to hear YOUR voice, see things through YOUR lens.

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Seeing the world through the lens of awareness, acceptance, love, and empowerment...

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Thank you for being with us in our third year! We have had some amazing live and virtual events and looking forward to keeping the party going in 2021.

We began on June 28th 2019 - Fifty years after the first Stonewall riots, to give a voice to filmmakers who felt they didn't belong in the mainstream. We honour filmmaker and trans activist Chloe- Deloach Davis who took her own life after relentless abuse.

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Every year we bring honour to those who live with love in their hearts.

Thank you for being here - you are not alone.

MOONWATCHERS Association for Cinematographic Culture from Statte (Taranto, Italy) organizes the “Moonwatchers Film Festival” contest for Directors and Film-makers from all the world, who produced their works from January 1st, 2020 onwards. The deadline to send the movies is set to May 31st, 2023.

LA International Film Festival is dedicated to discovering emerging storytellers.

Competitive sections for feature-length fiction films; a diverse selection of documentary films; selected to showcase break-out global talent in Los Angeles.

Our mission is to discover and showcase new filmmakers with fresh stories in independent cinema.

The festival includes special screenings co-presented in cooperation with the following Oscar® qualifying film festivals: Locarno International Film Festival (Switzerland), Gijon International Film Festival (Spain) and Cartagena International Film Festival, FICCI (Colombia).

The International “Festival International du Film Panafricain” (FIFP) in Cannes is a platform that exhibits cinema and its professions, arts and entrepreneurship, as well as innovation, culture and events.

The FIFP was created and founded by Mr. Eitel Basile NGANGUE EBELLE and the “Association Nord Sud Développement, agréée jeunesse et Education Populaire Ministère de la santé, de la jeunesse et des sports n° 06514”.

As a driving force behind the PanAfrican Cinema and Arts industry, the Festival is constantly seeking specific solutions for the development of PanAfrican Cinema and Arts.
With a booming Pan-African market (from Africa to the Americas through the Caribbean, Europe and Asia), the Festival benefits from expertise in the development of cinema and Fashion as well as the development of cultural affairs.

Since its creation in 2006, the DIKALO AWARDS (meaning « message » in the Cameroonian language Douala) has been awarded by a professional jury for the best short and feature films (fiction), the best long and short documentaries, the Dikalos Peace Award, as well as the best actor and actress awards.

The FIFP is a felt moment. It is a unique experience where PanAfrican cinema and African cultures and those of its diaspora around the world are the central focus. An exceptional energy is felt.

Since 2018, the FIFP in Cannes has included along with its projections, a market: the Entrepreneurship Salon for Culture and Well-Being. The objective is to enhance the economy of PanAfrican cinema.

A few years from now, the market which features pan-African arts will generate considerable sums. « Tomorrow is now ». This enormous potential must be brought forward into the light.

Such an “active dream” is an ideal that has made Africans and their diaspora what it is today. This was Mandela’s and Obama’s vehicle, as well as many others…

Pan-Africanism is an aggregate of universalism. It contains all of the lights, those of ancient Egypt and those of the future. In short, a constant beauty.

Only for Spanish Films.

Created in 2007 in Montefiascone (Viterbo), Est Film Festival is named after Est! Est!! Est!!! wine, the town's most famous product and one of the world's most ancient food and wine brand.
The Festival mingles competitve sections (feature film debut or second feature film, documentaries and - in some years - short films) with the showcase of special events such as meetings with prominent figures in filmaking's and arts' world.
Each and every screening is matched with an interview with the author, who meets the public after the competitve sections screening and introduces his/her work before the non competitive section screening.

CALL FOR ENTRIES

15th Annual www.NewMediaFilmFestival.com
Honoring Stories Worth Telling
June 5-6 2024
In 90064 area.


Content creators who submit, whether officially selected or not, have opportunities outside of the normal festival process. Everything from distribution, connections to other festivals, conferences, press opportunities and more.

Thinking about submitting? Here is what you should know!

• Emmys ® Consultant for one entry (we can broadcast)
• 25 Categories
• In competition for Grand Prize - $45,000 in Awards
• In competition for Best of Category & Audience Awards
• Judges from HBO, Marvel, Grammys, ATAS (Emmys) and more.
• Have opportunities outside of festival
• Top 3 Scripts get $1000.00 in Writing Industry Perks
• We are a UFFO code of practices Member
• Submit- Online, Public, Novice & Expert Content
• No cut-off date to when your project was completed.
• We accept projects whether or not you have distribution.
• We also have no festival exclusivity clauses - and you have FULL CREATIVE RIGHTS for your content.
• Your project is not only limited to one category. Make sure to check out all our categories and submit to the ones that fit your content. You must pay a new submission fee per each category.
• We accept content that has already been published online or made public
• We accept all formats.

In a world where technology is ever-evolving, it is a story that will satiate the soul of humans.
Not just any story, but stories worth telling.

The New Media Film Festival team works hard to produce a cutting-edge, fair, upscale festival devoted to upcoming and seasoned content creators that highlights and honors stories worth telling globally. www.NewMediaFilmFestival.com

If accepted into festival:
• Receive All Access Pass to festival
• Be part of the Q & A in your screening session (scripts included).
• Walk the Red Carpet for Press Interviews
• Be part of the VIP Soiree, honoring the nominees.
• Press in our monthly newsletter to 80,000.
• Be in competition for $45,000 in Awards – judges from Marvel, HBO, Emmys & more.

Join us:
• 1st Major Festival celebrating innovation, story, mediums & platforms
• Screenings with Q & A’s
• VIP Soiree-Red Carpet Press Junket
• Networking Lounge w/ actor headshot drop off
• Producer Panel & Pitching
• New Media Marketing Table (place one-take one)
• VR, International Art Exhibit, Musical Opener


CATEGORIES
3D, 360, AR, AI, 5D, Animation, Apps, Digital Comics, Documentary, Drone, Feature, Mobile/Tablet, Music Video, New Media, Pilots, Podcasts, Scripts, Shorts, Sniplers – 30 second pitch, SRC- Socially Responsible Content, STEAM, Student, Trailers, Virtual Reality, Web Series


Put your innovative work forward and join the unique community of content creators at New Media Film Festival® - submit today! www.NewMediaFilmFestival.com

What attendees are saying:
“A very unique curation of films, new media and scripts. And a very entertaining event. The hosts and show staff went out of their way to make sure this was a memorable and special event.” – Jim Wilmer
“New Media Film Festival is one of the best and best run in LA. With so many different platforms falling under "new media" it's refreshing to see a festival that understands that Content is King! And the Opening night VIP reception was a terrific networking opportunity that we took full advantage of.” - Steven Wishnoff


“Worth The Entry Fee”
- Movie Maker Magazine


“Makes The Cutting Edge Accessible”
– Huffington Post


“I thank NewMediaFF for what they’ve done for young filmmakers”
-Roger Corman


”The role of this fest is bringing the Best in New Media to the World”
-Festival World


“Stories that exemplify the power of the cinematic arts to inspire and transform” - Hero Complex


SUBMIT TODAY http://www.NewMediaFilmFestival.com/submit.php

The sole purpose of BEFF is to develop a film culture that inspires and brings together all types of film makers, irrespective of their film making genre. BEFF also aims to appreciate and promote creativity in all forms, be it a film or photography to the world and to a diversified audience.

The event is a glamorous red carpet event in Kolkata. The participants have excellent opportunities to exchange their ideas, ideologies and cultural innuendos. The winners have a chance to meet with the audience after screening.

DEA OPEN AIR International Film Festival is a product of MultiMedia Studio "Nositi".

The Festival will take place in the Capital city of Tirana.

SANTIAGO HORROR - International Fantastic Film Festival, is a film meeting that is held annually in the first week of October in Santiago, Chile. This is a platform that seeks to promote the cinematographic, cultural, artistic, musical that was born in 2018. The function of the Festival also includes bringing the national public under the umbrella of the seventh art to the most varied lineup of premieres, avant premieres, feature films, short films, animation and music videos

WHO WE ARE
The Short Encounters International Film Festival (SEIFF) is an awarding body dedicated to groundbreaking, independent cinema, from all around the world. SEIFF opens its doors to the future of cinema by welcoming emerging filmmakers, actors, cinematographers, editors and producers to present their films and to be recognised for their talent, their unique vision and have their films seen globally.
We seek new voices that transcend stereotypes and norms, suggesting new meanings about our world and its era. We seek authenticity; short films with great stories and strong characters, creators honest and sincere to their art, that move beyond the slippery slope of self-display, breaking the safety boundaries of conventional methods, and through their work can evoke universals.
As the film production has moved beyond the control of the studio system and indie cinema can work outside the mainstream, a new age has emerged for indie filmmakers, that leaves room for experimentation, artistic growth, and for gaining the necessary confidence to take it to the next level; to make a feature. I feel you’ll agree with me when I'm saying that for the majority of short film creators, a short film is considered a stepping stone to making a feature film. But, in order to do that, your work needs help to reach the right audience, be recognized and celebrated for its value. Our AIM is to do all in our power to get your work seen and your talent appreciated because we know, as well as you do, that “getting your work seen is the precursor to getting your abilities valued” (M. Rabiger).

We are not impressed with technological competency but with aesthetic essence. We are impressed with meaning. Technical evolution did not make us more talented. It just opened a door to talent. The access to state of the art hardware or the mastery of it did not make us inspiring and “cool” directors. It just made it easier for us. I mean, let's face it. Learning Spanish however fluently, will not grant you the ability to write “One Hundred Years of Solitude”.

As Scorsese tells us “the key thing is that the technology does not dictate the Art; the Art dictates the technology. The Art comes first”. In Short Encounters IFF, WE LOOK FOR ART.

All films competing should have the opportunity to participate with other independent movies and with world-class talents in an equal competition, regardless of budget constraints. Therefore, we don’t let production limitations overshadow your creativity and originality. Our goal is to be a platform for valuable, clever and unique independent films that tend to create unique narratives and explore social, political and/or psychological themes and topics. Unfortunately, there are cases that production weak spots cannot be overlooked. And while some works exceed in dramatic depth and resourcefulness, nevertheless they fail to produce a convincing and completed result. In order to honour these works, we introduce the Short Encounters Award. This is a seperate from the main categories award, given to shorts produced on a no/low budget and/or minimal crew, aiming to reward the merits of what could otherwise be fabulous projects, but due to a reduced overall production design they lack in authenticity, cohesiveness etc. An Award that aims to reward potential!
(More information regarding the SE Award can be found on the “HOW IT WORKS” section).
We are not here to state that our festival is better than any other.

There are a lot of wonderful festivals out there, with huge respect for creators and their works, worthy of the submission fee.
We say that we are one of them and that we are here to write our own wonderful history.
If you want to be part of this history feel free to join our journey!

HOW IT WORKS
Short Encounters IFF hosts 6 online bimonthly competition rounds, followed by an annual film festival live event, therefore IT IS NOT only an online competition. We will be hosting our annual events in major European cities, which are going to be different each year. The inaugural edition of the festival will be held in Athens (and/or Thessaloniki), Greece in December 2021. SEIFF begins its journey from Greece and will be travelling all around Europe promoting amazing projects from all around the world.

We won't ask for multiple submissions in different categories. One submission is valid for all the awards, and with a reasonable price. So, you do not need to pay more than one fee. By submitting to Short Encounters IFF, filmmakers will be submitting for consideration across all of the festival's competition categories for awards/nominations with ONE submission fee.

Our main competition is divided into two budget groupings. No/Low Budget Short Film & Short Film. As stated above, regardless of the budget groupings, all films competing enter the main competition and all other categories’ awards. BUT only No/Low Budget projects are eligible for the Short Encounters Award, as described in the “WHO WE ARE” section.

We do not provide individual feedback on every entry we get, unless you opt for a critical review, nor justify/explain ourselves for not selecting your work. No inquiries or arguments will be entertained regarding non-selected films. If you opt for a critical review one of our team’s professionals will provide one in due time (no more than 7 to 10 days, depending on the workload).

SELECTION PROGRESS
The selection process takes place in three stages.

During the first stage, our knowledgeable group of more than twenty five screeners, along with the festival director and artistic director, will choose the films that meet the minimum requirements, according to the festival’s standards, to go onto the second stage and to the selection committee. The selection committee, constituted by qualified guest jurors along with a second, smaller group of screeners, will judge the entries and decide on the Official Selections.

At this stage, the final decision will be taken by the selection committee, which in turn will present the results to the final judging team and on to the last stage.

The judging panel is independent of the selection committee, making their voting entirely independent of one another and deciding for the nominees and eventually the award winners of the bimonthly round.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
We don't screen the films online! The members of the jury watch the films online privately.

The bimonthly winners are automatically qualified to compete at the annual festival and be screened live during the annual event along with other selected nominated projects. Films having won the Short Encounters Award will also be considered for screening.

The Best Short Film of each round will be optional for promotional purposes to send an Electronic Press Kit (EPK) to entries@aladerri.com including:

• at least one still photo from the film (in .jpg or .tif format at 300 dpi)
• a synopsis of the film in English
• a brief biography of the director in English
• director’s photograph (in .jpg or .tif format at 300 dpi)
• film official poster HQ
• film credits

The festival offers a contemporary and liberal platform for the filmmakers of the World to exhibit the excellence of the film art form. The aim is mainly to contribute to the understanding and appreciation of cultures of different nations. We hope to present complex human situations of this rapidly changing world in the globalized era. The Festival Committee reserves the right to exclude films which are not in conformity with aims of the Festival, or which could offend the national feelings and susceptibilities of any participating country, or are likely to promote racial discrimination. Films not presenting sufficient technical qualities for good public screening can be refused after checking of the prints by the Print Checking Unit of the Film Festival Office. Date and Place: OCTOBER/NOVEMBER ANNUALLY IN ABUJA

The 2023 COMMFFEST will celebrate 18 years from September 14-22 2023 screening in movie theatres exhibition spaces, and ONLINE presented yearly by a group of dedicated volunteers. COMMFFEST a charitable corporation makes its home in one of Toronto’s most fast growing, economically diverse neighbourhood, Old Town Toronto, where many languages are spoken amongst an eclectic population.

Our screenplay competitions is spearheaded by 30 year filmmaker, writer, director and producer Vladimir Bondarenko who is an instructor at Toronto Film school,

COMMFFEST is a film festival that presents a broad range of local and international films representing current affairs and relevant issues that affect our society. COMMFFEST provides opportunities for emerging filmmakers, artists, musicians and global community stakeholders to express themselves freely and to connect with audiences on a more personal level. This unique blend of film, filmmakers and audiences creates a dynamic atmosphere to provoke thought and stimulate further understanding and exploration of ideas, attitudes, and emotions that can foster change – starting with the communities in which we live.

FILMS OF ANY GENRES ACCEPTED; independently produced films. Included in that mix are childrens issues, poverty, human rights LGBTQ, women's rights, third world struggles,

The last 18 years Commffest has built a valuable platform for introducing emerging and professional filmmakers to bring together communities, not for profit organizations with government officials in panel discussions to tackle pertinent issues often resulting in more funding and support for these groups.
Commffest is a cultural platform that strives to educate and create a hospitality environment where filmmakers and attendees can mix and mingle over food, drink and entertainment.

TESTIMONY , Eleanor Mc Grath’s
As an independent film-maker, you work often for a year or possibly years to direct, edit, produce a film and then comes the waiting game to be selected by a film festival.

COMMFFEST is more than a community film festival in Toronto; it is an art festival with a world perspective and I am most fortunate to have been part of the 2015 film festival programming with my documentary, "Forgotten". COMMFFEST's vision is to share stories that demonstrate the strength, struggles and beauty of humankind while providing a strong platform for independent film makers to showcase their perspective and vision of our world today and into the future. We need festivals like COMMFFEST who step away from the mainstream and champion works where the viewpoint is critical, enlightened or visionary in their approach to conflicts or issues that prevail throughout Toronto, Canada, North American and worldwide.

Behzad Sedghi Filmmaker
For me, COMMFFEST has been where my films have finally reached their maturity by connecting through the big screen with their audience. It is this connection that is essential for any artistic endeavour. As this may be the case with most other festivals, however, in my direct experience with COMMFFEST I clearly felt that each artist was given special attention, a chance to have a dialogue about their creation and ultimately was embraced in a celebration of their achievement. COMMFFEST founders and organizers are filled with the love of films and arts and clearly possess the vision and generosity to make this celebration happen every year. I look forward to being part of the next celebration either as an artist or a member of its community.

COMMFFEST mission statement:
To advance education by raising the cultural, artistic and aesthetic expression of the community and to advance the public’s appreciation of the arts through related artistic workshops and panel discussions, while promoting the works of filmmakers and artists alike.

The programming: The films are chosen by a jury of professionals from a globally solicited call for submissions. Once chosen, the programming is created to generate discussion around specific world events and themes, provoking dialogue and acceptance of others and their concerns.

More about COMMFFEST
COMMFFEST attracts educators, artists, politicians, business leaders, socially conscious organizations and trendsetters.

Local Educational engagement:
Over 6000 Children from local schools across the GTA that now include the COMMFFEST festival experience as part of their annual curriculum.
COMMFFEST’S unique diversity invites the world to one local community event over several days in Toronto

مهرجان البوابة الرقمية الدولي للفيلم القصير
أول مهرجان شهري للفيلم القصير في الجزائر و الوطن العربي

Th Digital Gate international film festival
The first monthly online short film festival in Algeria and the Arab world

Le festival international du film court métrage portail numérique
Le premier festival mensuel de courts métrages online Algérie et dans le monde arabe

Cinemactivo has the objective to exhibir shortfilmes about practicing some sport or physical activities and how these has changed your life.

Cinemactivo also wants to be a channel, adding to another ones like TV and apps, to exhibit shortfilms with spanish subtitles, about physical culture and sports from mexicans and Latinoamerican filmakers.

Cinemactivo wants to foment creativity from filmakers in order to make a shortfilm about sports and physical culture and sports.

City of Angels Women’s Film Festival provides an arena for female filmmakers to share experiences, showcase their work and build relationships.

City of Angels Women's Film Festival is now in its third season. It was launched successfully in 2019 with the goal of empowering and connecting women and those identifying as female in the film industry and showcasing extraordinary films made by women, both in Los Angeles and globally.

COAWFF is focused on honoring films that have been either directed, produced, edited or include a cast driven by women. (For example, we will accept a film directed by a man if the film was either written or produced by a woman or includes a female driven cast or female protagonist.) The script category is open to both men and women.(Scripts written by men must feature a female protagonist.) We also welcome LGBQT+ themed films and scripts. We encourage student filmmakers to submit their work as well and also accept experimental films both feature and short length.

The Gáldar International Film Festival (FIC Gáldar) is one of the most important film festivals in the Canary Islands, and has concentrated in each of its editions the very best of national and international cinema. Organized by the City Council of Gáldar through its Council of Culture since 2013, this festival proposes a live event with important health measures to ensure complete safety and confort.

Our event as of today will be hosted on the original intended dates. We are closely following the rules and regulations set by the government of Spain and, since our hope is that cinemas are allowed to full capacity before our event, we are also open to open our venues in a limited capacity if that was mandatory. If any plans change for our live event, we will notify all selected filmmakers with new dates.

The festival will take place in the city of Gáldar, on the island of Gran Canaria, in october 2024, and its philosophy focuses on the film as the only and great gravitational center, without losing sight of the creators, who deserve a parangonable respect for their works.

Thus, this festival will not make a difference between themes, formats or genres. Submissions are open to all types of feature and short films. We are looking to showcase the best in drama, comedy, horror, sci-fi/fantasy, thrillers/suspense, noir, both in fiction and documentary, both in life action and animation. Submissions are open to films from all over the world.

FIC is committed to cinema for cinema, to a true vision that does not respond to stringings neither social, nor ideological, nor formal. It is, at its core, a film festival without borders.

Alongside this statement of principles regarding the Official Selection, there is also a reverence for the cinema from the past througan evening of fantastic and horror cinema is proposed with "The darkest hour".

Finally, the festival will also pay homage to different personalities from the film industry and will organize workshops and parallel activities.

Call for entries for the seventh edition of the International Video Art Festival Over the Real. The Festival presents the most significant lines of research that emerged in recent years in the international audiovisual arts. Over The Real aims to create an opportunity for meeting and promotion for artists who work in the field of video art which favors visibility and contacts with the public, with curators, art critics and cultural institutions.
There will be a selection of 20 single-channel audiovisual works. During the Festival, the artists will present their works through online talks with the participation of important curators and critics.
The selected works will show during the sixth edition of the International Video Art Festival Over The Real will be in Lucca from 30 April to 8 May 2022.

The works will also be exhibited online on the website www.overthereal.com and on the connected social platforms. In the event of a health emergency situation, due to Covid-19, the Festival could take place entirely online.

To participate in the selection, the organization asks the artists for payment of € 15 (fifteen / Euro) as secretary rights and contribution to the realization of the event.

INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Invited and accepted special selections

Our festival is a distinctive online independent film festival The applications of the productions that respect ethical values that have placed people in the center with global and global new approaches will be evaluated by the selection committee; selected medium length films will be included in the festival screening program.
The main purpose of the festival is to contribute to the meeting of different and original independent productions with art lovers.