Blog: Film festivals

The Hamilton (New York) International Film Festival
July 20th- July 26th, 2020

Feature, Comedy Short, Horror Short, Dramatic/Thriller Short, Documentary Short and Canadian Short Categories


Global Cinema in the Heart of New York State

"...such a great town and a wonderful festival, so welcoming. It was so inspiring to be around so many young and talented film makers.

-Finn Taylor, Director Unleashed & 3 Time Director Sundance Film Festival

"Can't say enough about how wonderful SBE's Hamilton International Film Festival has been. Truly honored to have our film "My Hero" included and I want to thank Grant & Todd Slater and everyone else involved for such a great experience. Just amazing.
Hope you'll have us back next year!"

- Loring Murtha, Actor/Director My Hero

"SBE’s Hamilton International Film Festival presents an incredible opportunity to network with other ambitious filmmakers, exchange ideas and fundraising strategies while experiencing the charm of Hamilton, New York. The Hamilton Theater is a gorgeous venue and Grant Slater has put together a 5 star festival with a great selection of film, food and local beers. This is a must-attend festival that offers more than just frivolous laurels to it’s filmmakers… one could say that you leave Hamilton with a new group of friends that offer a different perspective on making and watching movies!"

-D.J. Higgins Director, Writer/Producer Meet Mario

"The charm and intimacy of the Hamilton International Film Festival makes it a MUST for all filmmakers. Grant and Todd Slater and the entire Hamilton community couldn't be more hospitable. I can't wait to make another film just so I can come back!!"

-Doug Dearth, Producer/Director Underdogs

"It was an absolute honour to be part of such a well respected film festival. Thanks to the help, hard work and commitment from SBE my career in the UK has gone from strength to strength. My Single, Worry hit the iTunes Download chart and peaked at Number 6. The follow up track I've recently released has hit the viral UK Top 50 on Spotify and we have now put a European Tour together. Its thanks to people such as Grant believing in me from an early stage of my development that has helped me get to where I am now."

With twenty-two years of existence, (the first edition was in 1997) AVANCA Film Festival was awarded first place in 2011 contest of the support film festivals sponsored by ICA / Ministry of Culture.

An additional thematic programming has happened over all these years, giving space to screening of significant works of contemporary cinema appropriately framed in concerns and / or well-defined objectives.

The AVANCA is known as a space for workshops led by personalities of world cinema, and being more than a "master class", has allowed a unique cinema practice. Every year we have always 6 or 7 workshops, bringing together participants from all over Europe. The media have written that this is the largest European area of professional workshops in the field of cinema.

AVANCA is the only festival that congregates a Cinema International Competition, works from the television area, video and new supports of multimedia, with a special concern of exhibit the best world productions done in each category.
Since the first edition, the festival only accepts unprecedented films in Portugal.

The World Premiere competition is unique in our country and was only possible because Avanca became a passage point of unpublished authors and movies with great quality. Films that have their world premiere in the festival, independently of the submitted category, are also participating in the World Premiere Competition.
AVANCA is the Portuguese festival with the highest percentage of worldwide unpublished movies that find here their first showing.

In 2020 Edition, Avanca will bring for the first time the VR Competition, where films in virtual reality 360°, narrative or experimental (but with no interactivity) are allowed.

Since 2010, we have organized the international film conference AVANCA | CINEMA, becoming the most important conference in the field of cinema in the Iberian Peninsula. This conference brings together speakers and participants from around the world.
Thematic exhibitions, editions of books, bibliographic presentations and various projects have marked these last 10 years of AVANCA with the quality that compels the festival and the participants obviously require.

We want to take the serious cinema culture to the people. It is also our aim to develop a fundamental understanding of cinema in the next generations. It is our endeavor that, through this, we can organize progressive and democratic cine artists who uphold human values; and explore the possibilities of making more and more films with social consciousness.

Vision

As a unique creative and learning experience, we curate innovative programs that develop artists and leaders, inspiring them to conceive and create powerful works and ideas that are shared with the world. We believe film as an art form has the power to bridge cultures and illuminate the universality of the human experience. Our principles objectives encompass promoting film to an ever-widening audience as a powerful medium that inspires creativity, encourages introspection and compels exploration.

Mission

ICA International Cultural Artifact Film Festival exists to inspire artists and leaders to make their unique contribution to society. We aspire to be the global leader in arts, culture, and creativity. Our mission is to cultivate and promote the art and science of film through education and cross-cultural awareness. The Festival supports the creation and advancement of innovative and artistic cinematic works from both emerging and seasoned filmmakers and proudly embraces the passion.

React Film Fest was born from the need to create a showcase and a platform for all types of Shorts: narrative and artistic short films, commercials, video clips, pilot for web series, documentaries and short animation shorts.
The festival mission is, as its name goes, to create a great cinema and audiovisual feast; the artistic direction of the festival intends to give space and reward the art, creativity and the beauty not only with a statuette but with employment contracts, stages, workshops and distribution of the directors and of the works rewarded.
We want to promote knowledge and diffusion of international cinema in all its forms of art, entertainment and industry, in a spirit of freedom and dialog. This idea was born from the precise consideration that today, in Italy, there are not festivals that create opportunities for viral diffusion of young and talented directors who should be rewarded by the public - first of all - and thanks to the audience reactions to reach the necessary production opportunities and financing channels. The goal is to create a movement that change the rules of cinematographic game where it is too often difficult to find a place and we are convinced that the cinema festivals are still the best place to explore the independent work and makes it note. YouTube and Vimeo are so overcrowded that good short films are in underwater position. The priority of the REACT Film Fest is to show the best of the best. We provide to filmmakers the opportunity to share their short films with an enthusiastic and reactive audience which want to see new films, new faces and new arts.
REACT Film Fest wants to celebrate the Italian and international cinema and with an international competition reserved for audiovisual works that represent new aesthetic and expressive trends of the worldwide cinema, with particular regard to the beginnings, emerging and not yet established authors, minor and less known cinematography, but also works which compete with the genres and the current production with innovation intent and creative originality. The kermesse allows directors to submit their works to be judged by professionals and challenge with other talented directors. The discovery of new generations of filmmakers and the realization of their dreams are the main pillars of the REACT Film Fest.

Detroit’s Trinity International Film Festival. The festival takes place August 20-23, 2020 in beautiful Downtown Detroit at The Marlene Boll Theater, 1401 Broadway, Detroit, Michigan and The Carr Center Gallery. The 4-day event themed “FILM YOUR FUTURE” features an array of independent films, screenplays, workshops, The Future panel discussion and filmmakers from around the world. We are also hosting a Best screenplay competition, 2nd Annual Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey 100 Proof! Red Carpet Award ceremony. We expect an audience of over 4500 people from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds to attend. This event will give your company a distinct marketing opportunity with this population in Detroit.

The TI Film Festival has hosted industry professionals locally and nationally to share their knowledge and expertise in various workshops and industry discussions. Special guests have included famed Actress and Producer, Tangi Miller, Syndicated Radio Host and Film Producer, Russ Parr, Former BET Executive Producer, Ralph Scott, currently with the Aspire Network (Owned by Magic Johnson), film segment producer/head of production for more than 100 episodes of SNL, Tanya Ryno and Writer, Director, Qasim Basir, “Destined,” and Actress/Singer Deborah Joy Winans of the acclaimed TV series “Greenleaf,” which airs on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network.


The highlight of this event over the years has been all of the innovative work we've showcased by indie filmmakers and our audience that supports Detroit's TI Film Festival.

2020 Festival Schedule (Screening Schedule Coming Soon)

The theme of the 2020 edition:
OtherMovie 2020 - Ecology | Sustainability | Climate
Destruction or human distraction?

Leading in some areas and lagging behind in others, the issues relating to ecology, sustainability, and climate change are hotly debated in Switzerland, too.
For its ninth edition, OtherMovie seeks to investigate its main points, starting from the assumption – to be refuted during the festival – that few issues so intimately link us to the world as the production and disposal of waste. We will tackle concerns relating to environmental, social and economic sustainability. There will be the chance to understand how the issue is dealt with in other countries, whether there are alternative solutions that could also be interesting for our context and, conversely, which interventions and collaborations Switzerland implements towards other areas to tackle this problem.
And more: do the various foreign communities living in Switzerland have a different approach when it comes to the environment? Can sustainability become the Swiss value that brings everyone together?

The FIRE!! Mostra is the first LGBT film festival in Spain: established in 1995 by Casal Lambda, in Barcelona, it addresses affective diversity in its broadest sense through a careful selection of feature films, documentaries and short films. A selection of art-house cinema and an educational approach are its main characteristics.

Throughout two weeks at the beginning of June - mainly at the French Institute but also at other different indoor or open-air venues in the city -, a wide range of public is invited to enjoy this Barcelona cultural landmark, with stories and testimonials of free people, creators who break barriers and fighters for human rights, all of whom help with love to build a fairer and freer world.

The festival's name is a tribute to the late 20s New York magazine of the same name, FIRE!!, led by the black gay writer Richard Bruce Nugent, portrayed in one of the most iconic films of the festival, Brother to Brother, which we screened a few years ago.

Now in it's 11th annual installment, the BoneBat "Comedy of Horrors" Film Fest is a full evening of giggles and gore, where we present the finest in independent Comedy/Horror features and shorts from around the world, amazing live music and prizes galore, all hosted by Steve and Gord of The BoneBat Show!

#VIEWCONFERENCE is the premiere International event in Italy on Computer Graphics, Interactive Techniques, Digital Cinema, Animation, VR/AR, Games, VFX and immersive storytelling.

1) VIEW AWARD: First Prize is 2000 Euros
2) ITALIANMIX: First Prize is a Wacom Tablet

www.viewconference.it
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/viewconference
YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UChGdAnZQE6UcH_OQ5DNFW_Q
Twitter: @viewconference.it
Instagram: view_conference

The Short Event association is made up of 30 students from Lyon with a passion for events and a common goal: to create a festival of short films. Thus was born the Prix de Courts short film festival! A festival that focuses on and rewards short films of all levels and ages. The festival is intended as a spotlight for the participants. This event, using the codes of the seventh art as vectors of emotion and sharing, invites you to discover a specific program of short films, according to a defined theme.

This year, we've chosen the theme of passion, in the sense of that which grips the guts, that which transcends, that which inspires, that which is transmitted...

Our aim is to screen films that might be overlooked by the international film festival circuit.

Lisbon Film Rendezvous places a great deal of stock in having its selected work screened live.

As the health situation worsens in Lisbon (and all across Europe) we are faced
with the difficult situation of not having the legal conditions to show the films publicly in November, as we intended.

Lisbon Film Redenzvous wants to live up to your screening expectations. So we have decided to postpone our event date to June 2021 and extend it's program to accommodate all the best films we have received.

All the approved films have their place booked in the next edition’s program.

Saturnalia Fest., The last international film festival of the year, will take place from December 10 to 12, and will feature Uruguayan, Paraguayan, Venezuelan, Colombian, Chilean and Argentine productions. You can also see one or two local productions (short films, feature films) daily; directed and starring paranaenses.

All screenings will begin at 9 pm, in an air-conditioned room. There will also be a canteen service and a specialized fair for collectors accompanies every day where the public can get records, comics, and toys from the companies Marvel, DC and Star Wars.

Short film festival directed by women. Men with stories about women can also participate from a positive point of view, they would enter the line: Men in Short.

Architecture Short Films (Arquitectura en Corto in Spanish) is back a cycle of short films dedicated to cities, their architecture and the new urban mobility. Architecture short films is architecture, design and new urban landscape-themed related screenings with engaging panellists, vibrant discussions and networking events organized around Europe.

This short film’s screenings aim to explore through the lenses of the filmmaker the latest tendencies in architecture, design, and city-related mobility.

Architecture short films isn't yet a full festival, but it might be soon.

Filmmakers, architects, urbanists artists, photographers, or any individual or group who produces short videos related to architecture, urbanism, city or landscape are welcome.

The Garanhuns Film Festival – Affective Territories will be held in May 2025, in the city of Garanhuns, in the state of Pernambuco. The festival aims to promote independent audiovisual productions, focusing on short films, both national and international, that explore the theme "Affective Territories."

The Experimental Film and Animation Festival of Puerto Rico, known by its acronym in Spanish "MICEA", is a film festival dedicated to promoting and presenting alternative cinema in Puerto Rico.

Our mission is to expose the public to a raw and daring cinema.

The MICEA has four national and international sections to present audiovisual works of the highest quality. Our priority is to show films from Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and Latin America in order to promote cultural exchange.

Imagine This Women's International Film Festival (ITWIFF) aims to amplify and empower independent and aspiring women and non-binary filmmakers from around the world.

The 8th Annual Imagine This Women's Film Festival will feature fierce, bold, original films by women and non-binary filmmakers and storytellers, Q&As, educational panels, and special events.

Imagine This Women's Film Festival's goal is to support women by sharing their work with the public, promoting equal opportunities for BIPOC women and the LGBTQIA+ community while providing educational and professional development, and serving as a resource information network.

Imagine This Women's Film Festival accepts films from womxn filmmakers and storytellers in leadership positions. At least one woman must fill the role of either a director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, editor, leading role and etc.

Imagine This encourages BIPOC women, LGBTQIA+, student filmmakers, and storytellers to submit.

"Imagine This Productions has launched the Women’s International Film Festival with the aim to celebrate and empower independent and aspiring women filmmakers from around the world." - IndieWire

"Celebrate the work of women filmmakers from around the world at the second annual Imagine This Women’s International Film Festival (ITWIFF) in Brooklyn" - AFAR Magazine

"When it comes to film screenings and industry events, there's plenty to get you off the couch this week. From a lesson in copyright licenses to a women's international film festival, read on for the week's top film events to add to your calendar. " - ABC 7

"Recent Hollywood scandals have underscored the importance of supporting women in the film industry, and the second annual Imagine This Women’s International Film Festival is a great place to do so. The films here–which include shorts and features, documentaries and fiction films–are as diverse as the women who made them." - CBS New York

Please note: Imagine This is still planning on holding our annual film festival during our announced dates. We will also continue to follow the guidelines put forth by the public health directives and New York State, which will help to determine whether the festival’s format will be in-theatre or online, or a mixture of both. We will announce any updates via our website.

‘UNITY IN DIVERSITY, UNITY IN FILM.’

Munich Film Awards (MFA) is a brand new, up and coming annual film festival held in the heart of Munich. MFA is more than just a Film Festival; it is a strong connection among all film-makers around the world. With over 2100 submissions in our first months, we are growing to be one of the most popular festivals around!

Munich one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, with its wonderful film scene and stunning architecture, will be home to our annual film festival every year.

Our judges consist of filmmakers and industry professionals from 6 different countries. We believe that having such a multicultural team behind our festival helps make our festival thrive amongst Independent Festivals. Our diverse judges give the opportunity to all filmmakers to have their films reviewed by them with such a wide knowledge in the art of filmmaking.

Exposing young talented filmmakers to an environment of industry professionals with vast experience in their field. One of our top aims is giving opportunities to first time filmmakers, regardless of their age, to have their films exposed to large audiences and help promote their talent. We aim to create events that lead to further opportunities.

The objective of MFA is to provide support to independent film-makers globally through reviewing, judging, marketing, and distribution networking. MFA accepts all We accept all genres of films across the globe. The selected high-quality films will have a chance to win awards such as trophies, certificates, gift cards and cash prizes starting from $200 as well as have their films on the big screen on our live screening.

Good luck!

Horror ShwFest is è competitive Film Festival dedicated to Horror Short Films and Feature Films. The event will to take place on July 10th, 2021 at Guelfi Sport Center in Florence. The Call for submitting at 3rd edition of Horror ShowFest is going to open on September 1st, 2020 and is going to close on
June 30th, 2021.

We are an independent festival dedicated to bring together established musicians and filmmakers in a forum to celebrate the short films. Dublin International Short Film and Music Festival celebrates the artistic, educational and historical importance of short films and music. It gives independent film artists a platform for sharing their work and creating a dialogue with the community. It promotes the discussion and study of filmmaking.

DISFMF is the largest independent short film festival in Ireland, in 2024 we are celebrating the 13th anniversary.

In 2023 we selected over 90 short films from all over the world, the festival has brought established, emerging and award-winning filmmakers to the public attention.

Back in the cinema, the festival took place at the Cineworld, the biggest cinema in Ireland and The Sugar Club for the awards ceremony night.

DISFMF is conducted from the independent film maker point of view.
Director and producer from each film selected will benefit free entry to all the venues and screenings.

All kinds of short films are accepted. Here are some examples: Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Advertising, Animation, Art-house, Black Comedy, Children/Family, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Experimental, Fantasy, Historical, Melodrama, Crime & Gangster, Biopics, Film-Noir, Road Films, Super-Heroes, Super-Natural, Mockumentary, Independent, Music Video, Musical, Reality, Religious, Romance, Science Fiction, Silent, Sport, Student, Thriller/Suspanse, TV, and more.