Blog: Film festivals

The Sedona International Film Festival celebrates current independent film from around the world. The festival strives to bring the best in narrative features, documentaries, short subjects, animation and foreign language films in all genres to its indie audience. It provides a rich educational opportunity to filmmakers, students and the general public alike through its on-site workshops, panel discussions and seminars.

The Festival's mission statement: "Bringing people together to broaden the understanding of the human condition and celebrate the power of independent film through cinema and the Sedona experience. To educate and inspire filmmakers and audience members to make a difference around the world through film."

The 27th Annual festival features nine days of independent films: February 20-28, 2021.

*** NEW THIS YEAR: We are introducing our SCREENPLAY COMPETITION!

Now celebrating its 27th season, the Sedona International Film Festival prides itself on bringing the best in independent film to its ever-growing audience of indie film lovers. From features to documentaries, short subjects to animation, and an impressive lineup of foreign films, the Festival screens more than 170 films at the state-of-the-art Harkins Sedona Cinemas, the Mary D. Fisher Theatre (the festival's own art house theater venue) and the Sedona Performing Arts Center, located in beautiful Sedona, Arizona .

In addition to all of our incredible independent film programming in all genres, the festival also features a "Family" film series, a "Green/Sustainable" series and other exciting themed series tracks each year. Additionally, the festival features a "Docs That Make a Difference" series and World Cinema Showcase. The festival has also introduced a new initiative: "Art into Activism — Turning Movies into Motivation" that inspires and encourages audience members to "act" on topics they've seen in our films when they leave our theaters.

The Festival features a gala with an annual celebrity tribute, filmmaker dinners/events each night and an awards ceremony.

Past festival honorees have included: Susan Sarandon, Rob Reiner, Marc Shaiman, Richard Dreyfuss, Jane Alexander, James Brolin, Cybil Shepherd, Elliott Gould, Michael Moore, John Waters, Peter Bogdanovich, Nicholas Cage, Gary Sinise, Jonathan Winters, Paul Sorvino, Lea Thompson, Phil Rosenthal, Rip Torn, Rita Rudner, Tim Daly, Richard Schiff, Jamey Sheridan, James Karen, David Rasche, Jane Seymour, James Keach, Doris Roberts, Giancarlo Esposito, Nick Nolte, Joe Pantoliano, Mary Stuart Masterson, Diane Ladd, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, along with classic movie icon Robert Osborne from Turner Classic Movies. Additional tributees have included Ned Beatty, Alan Cumming, Lainie Kazan, Peter Masterson, Carlin Glynn, Elizabeth Banks, Ed Asner, Rick Schroder, Elmer Bernstein, Ted Danson, Ann Miller, Donald O'Connor, Mary Steenburgen and Sean Young.

While every festival has its celebrity honorees, the Sedona International Film Festival prides itself on honoring the FILMMAKER first and foremost. The FILMMAKERS are the true celebrities and are given the most attention, focus and accolades at the Sedona festival. This includes Q&A discussions after every screening, complimentary hotel accommodations at one of Sedona's incredible hotels, complimentary meals in the Filmmaker/VIP lounge every day of the festival plus top "All-Access" passes to all festival activities and films. The filmmakers are our "STARS" and we treat them as such!

The Sedona International Film festival boasts a stellar lineup of some of the best independent films from around the world in all genres.

Don't just take our word for it ... here's just a sampling of what some filmmakers had to say about the Sedona International Film Festival:

"Twenty-nine film festivals later, there is really only ONE worth going to ... SEDONA"

"What an unbelievable, wonderful, inspired and inspiring event you ALL just put on."

"Flawless! The atmosphere breathtaking and the films were magnificent."

"I have been to a good few film fests and yours was the nicest experience that I have had. I think all the filmmakers I spoke with share this sentiment."

"I have to tell you, of all the film festivals I've been involved in, yours stands head and shoulders above them all! Somehow, you were able to make our visit a class act and, at the same time, keep your film festival a film festival."

Online Festival of national Music video, from 10th to 11nd of December, 2020

DIGO – I International Film Festival on Gender and Sexual Diversity of Goiás, is the first film festival in the heart of Brazil to address issues such as Diversity, Gender and Sexuality, by showcasing contemporary audiovisual work and urging historical reviews. Our main goal is to raise awareness on this topic, in order to promote inclusion, social change and respect for others. As an international event, the DIGO team also believes in the importance of cross cultural communication.

Founded in 2010, China International New Media Short Film Festival (hereinafter referred to as “CSFF”) is the only nationally-recognized international short film festival in China, which is hosted by National Radio and Television Administration and Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government, supported by China TV Artists Association, Radio and Television administration of Guangdong Province, organized by Culture, Radio, Film, Tourism & Sports Administration of Shenzhen Municipality, Guangming District People’s Government of Shenzhen Municipality and Shenzhen Media Group, and executed by Shenzhen Shenguang Media Co., Ltd.

The CSFF aims to encourage the creation of outstanding new media short films across the globe, to seek and support young film and television talents, to incubate high-quality film and television creative projects, to facilitate the integration and development of film & television industry and new media industry, and to promote cultural communication, exchanges and cooperation internationally. 

The 12th CSFF will be held from 5 December to 12 December 2021 in Shenzhen.

Asbury Shorts USA and the touring Asbury Short Film Concert is New York City's longest running non competitive short film exhibition and travel show.

We present the world's best short films theatrically ..and now...virtually...at cities across the USA with shows occasionally in Canada and Europe. A 2 hour exhibition, often with a celebrity guest host and an opening live music act.

There is no entry fee. Our mission is to bring fantastic, highly entertaining short film...from the past & present to folks who do not regularly attend film festivals..which we have discovered is most of the world's population.

CALL FOR ENTRIES
From 31 May 2024 to 11 August 2024.

Do you remember the first film you saw on the big screen when you were a child?

For thousands of Mexican children in vulnerable situations this question has no answer. This is why the Churumbela Children's Film Festival was created, which invites all Mexican and Spanish-speaking children to experience cinema in an inclusive, completely playful and entertaining environment.

The 8th Churumbela Children's Film Festival will take place in a hybrid form; where some of the activities, workshops and talks with industry professionals will take place online and others in person with film screenings in Mexico City and Merida City, Yucatan. It will also continue with the Mission Mahoma programme, visiting Community and Cultural Centres in Mexico City. "Film and Dreams" is the thematic axis of this edition, which wishes to revalue the capacity of children to show how superior they are, with their desires, emotions and longings reflected in dreams.

The Churumbela Children's Film Festival will take place from monday 21 to Saturday 26 October 2024 in Mexico City and Yucatán, with the support of the General Directorate of Cultural Promotion and Festivals of the Ministry of Culture, as well as with the support of PROCINE, other entities and the Mexican private initiative.

The Churumbela Children's Film Festival promotes creativity, dialogue, the seventh art and artistic expression as tools for social transformation, and all activities are completely free of charge. In this edition we will have special selections of short films dubbed in Mayan and Mexican Sign Language (LSM).

Thanks to all the support we have received, it is possible to bring cinema to all children free of charge so that they can immerse themselves in the wonderful world of filmmaking.

To find out about the programme by venue of short films, films and workshops that can be seen in person and online, visit our official website: https://www.churumbelafest.com/

The Churumbela Children's Film Festival creates an inclusive environment, promotes dialogue, the seventh art and artistic expression as tools for social transformation and all activities are completely free of charge.

26th International Film Festival of Kerala

10-17 December 2021

Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

Organised by Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala

El Grito is the first and only fantasy and horror film festival in Venezuela.

We are a space that promotes reflection, meeting and training through fantasy and horror films, serving as a platform for their dissemination and promotion as genres that go beyond entertainment, highlighting its poetic value and its own tools to move from different narratives, techniques and themes. Under the initiative of the El Grito Casa Audiovisual (www.elgritoproduce.com), this meeting was born in December 2019 in the city of San Cristobal, Tachira State.

We look for works that transcend narrative, aesthetic and technical languages ​​within the genre, using history as the main element in his audiovisual proposal, demonstrating as an author, a search for new ways of showing situations, conflicts and twists of the screw hand in hand with references from different disciplines that feed its concept.

EL GRITO seeks to raise its voice until it becomes a thunderous noise that shakes our city and summons for years all kinds of nightmares and monsters that can strengthen our worn out humanity sensibility.

More information in elgritoproduce.com

We are the U.S. west coast premier destination festival for films such as fest favorites like Damsel starring Robert Pattinson and Mia Wasikowska, to world premiere new discoveries like Netflix favorite Abducted in Plain Sight and many more.

We are dedicated to discovering and supporting the next generation of filmmakers. There’s a reason MovieMaker magazine has named Mammoth Lakes Film Festival as one of the “Top 50 Film Festival’s Worth Your Entry Fee” for the last nine years in a row: We put our filmmakers first!

We focus on bringing top-level press and industry professionals to the festival to get maximum exposure for our filmmakers. Past attendees included Variety, Hollywood Reporter, The LA Times, A24, Greenwich Entertainment, MovieMaker Magazine, and more.

The 11th annual Mammoth Lakes Film Festival will screen features and shorts for five days in the spectacular setting of Mammoth Lakes—California’s premier mountain resort, high in the Eastern Sierra. It will take place on Wednesday through Sunday, May. 21-25, 2025.

MLFF captures the imagination of audiences and contributes to the vitality of film culture by providing emerging filmmakers with an opportunity to show their latest work in a vibrant and nurturing atmosphere. Visitors are drawn to the area to experience exciting new films by both new and established independent artists, and for the opportunity to mingle with them at fun and friendly daily events. The festival is also a forum for filmmakers to have their work seen by industry professionals who have the potential to provide mentorship and propel their careers.

We are committed to promoting film as an art form by focusing on personal, innovative, imaginative films by writers and directors with a unique style and point of view. We present these films in the beautiful natural setting of Mammoth Lakes—a perfect backdrop for an independent film festival and a premier tourist destination in its own right. Because we are a destination resort, just a 4 to 5-hour drive or a quick flight from Los Angeles, we have strong allies within the entertainment industry. Our jury members are acclaimed artists and professionals from the world of independent film. We give out multiple awards in the categories of Narrative Features, Documentary Features, and Short Films. In 2024 we awarded cash and prizes valued at more than $40,000.00. We also provide travel stipends, housing, and festival passes for our filmmakers. Our juries have included Andrew Lazar (Producer of AMERICAN SNIPER), Allison Amon (Producer of THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES), Rachel Winter (Academy Award winning producer DALLAS BUYERS CLUB),and John Feidler (Producer of SERIAL MOM and PECKER). 2024 sponsors included Panavision, Light Iron, Town of Mammoth Lakes, among many others.

The Mammoth Lakes Film Festival, a DBA 501(c)3, is committed to showcasing the talent and imagination of emerging filmmakers and nurturing their efforts to follow their dreams.

The PuntodiVistaFilmFestival2024 is an International Prize Competition for unpublished (or published, but in any case free from transfer of copyright) shorts produced from 2022 onwards, in any language ( provided that, for those not in Italian, there are subtitles in Italian, unless they are music videos).
The Festival has two sections:

Short films with a maximum duration of 20'
Social Cortospot with a maximum duration of 3'.

Italian subtitles are mandatory.

Our festival seeks to strengthen and revitalize the native languages of Peru and Latin America through the exhibition and creation of audiovisual works in native languages. We are an independent festival, we believe that the audiovisual language is a great ally for the preservation of our languages, memory, identity and cultural heritage of our Latin American peoples. We are the only Film Festival in Peru dedicated to cinema in native languages. Welcome.

The festival will take place from April 8 to 12, 2024 in person and online, and is organized by the production company Moche Films in collaboration with various groups, people, schools, institutions, associations, groups and platforms at a national and international level. international. The festival will organize film screenings, artistic activities and Community workshops in different indigenous towns and cities in Peru and Latin America.

The 15th River Film Festival is an international festival of shorts that will be held in Padova (Italy) from 1st to 30th June 2021. The Festival is organized by the Associazione Culturale Researching Movies and is sponsored by the Comune di Padova Assessorato alla Cultura (Padua City Council - Cultural Office) and the University of Padua. The festival is totally free entrance.

The films will once again be shown on the screen on the raft moored in the middle of the 16th century fluvial port used for trade between Padua and Venice at the city gate of Porta Portello. This enchanting setting is just one of the many features that attract people to RFF year after year!

China International New Media Short Film Festival Mountain Film Unit (CSFF Mountain Film Unit), previously known as "Nanshan International Mountain Film Festival" (NIMFF)is the first professional mountain film competition in China. During the past five years, CSFF Mountain Film Unit has discovered and awarded a great variety of domestic mountain films and filmmakers. Each year, two excellent works were selected and sent to Kendal Mountain Festival for competition, presenting the unique beauty of Chinese mountain films to the world. Screenings in collaboration with National Geographic, Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival, Bilibili, etc. and sharing sessions from distinguished mountain film directors have always been a feast for the eyes to Chinese mountain filmmakers and outdoor sports enthusiasts. This year, CSFF Mountain Film Unit has teamed up with “China International New Media Short Film Festival” and upgraded to “CSFF Mountain Film Unit”, officially becoming a world-class film competition. Submissions from different countries, areas and cultures are all welcome. CSFF Mountain Film Unit keeps close cooperation with renowned international mountain film festivals and other premium partners, and will continue to nurture outstanding mountain filmmakers in the hope of advancing the development of Chinese mountain films and outdoor sports. Meanwhile, CSFF Mountain Film Unit aspires to facilitate international communications and the exchange of mountain films on a global scale, and build a platform for integrating outdoor sports and filmmaking.

MosFestFilm is an international film competition with an annual awards event in Moscow.

MosFestFilm is an organization devoted to showcasing the best and brightest films from around the globe, advancing the careers of filmmakers through screenings, networking events, and various panel and forums. Categories include Narrative, Animation, Documentary, Music Video, Experimental and Student Shorts.

MosFestFilm is an avid supporter of local and international filmmakers representing cinematic productions that embody the true spirit of the art. From classic or original scripts to new cinematography and film techniques, each and every piece is the result of true emotion and expression.

We're glad you're here! We can't wait to discover the amazing films you create and the global community that you build.

All best films that were selected for the screening, will be shown on the big screen during the solemn final ceremony on September 16 - 21, 2025 in Moscow, Russia and will be able to struggle for the main prize and the title of the "Best film". As well as for the prizes in the standalone nominations.

Next screenings:

December 11, 2020 → Ulysse, Onet le Château, France
December 8, 2020 → Votiv Kino, Vienna, Austria
November 26, 2020 → Le Dôme, Québec, Québec
November 13-15 → Black Box Theatre, Drysdale, Australia
November 12, 2020 → Brookes Doc Club, Oxford, UK
September 23, 2020 → 3C, Aix-en-Provence, France

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“99.media is a carefully curated selection of documentaries from around the world swooping down into extraordinary lives.” — Rob Alderson, WePresent

99.media is a new kind of documentary film festival: both online and in real life.

It is a free and not-for-profit video platform streaming documentaries in 6 languages (English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German and Italian) + a series of live screenings in different cities where our languages are spoken.

Our objective is to democratize documentaries thanks to multilingualism and to help filmmakers get wider audiences and more impact.

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"99.media has embarked on a beautiful campaign to share films with the world. Subtitling my film from Arabic and English into a half-dozen languages opens the door for cross-cultural impact in ways I’ve always dreamed about. Their initiative to share powerful works of art with the world is a noble calling, and I’ve watched as my film has reached new people. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have my film play on their platform."
— Matthew K. Firpo, filmmaker

"99.media translated my documentary into 5 additional languages, ultimately helping the film reach a much wider audience, and become globally relevant. Films are made to be seen, and reaching an international audience like this is invaluable”.
— Lukas Schrank, filmmaker

“My short documentary was translated into 5 languages by 99.media, which helped it gain a lot more exposure and massively increased its global reach. I have a lot of respect for, and trust in the team, who has always dealt with me in a professional and honest fashion and who I believe has a real passion for short film and a lot of respect for filmmakers.”

— Andy Oxley, filmmaker

Now in its 13th year, the Southeast New England Film, Music & Arts Festival has established itself as one of the premier festivals in New England dedicated to giving life to independent cinema, music and art.

Politics is a field of perverse humor, infinite intrigue, and waking terror.

Seeking sick and cynical cinema! Dystopias welcome !

SECRET TREATIES: STRANGE POLITICAL BEDFELLOWS is a short film festival that will turn back the blankets to reveal the squishy underbelly of politics.

This is an OPEN CALL for short films (less than 20 minutes) that efface ALL ideology: the sicker, the better. SECRET TREATIES is a cynical festival dedicated to RIDICULING politics, politicians, activists, media pundits, just causes, wars to end all wars, and true believers. We are seeking degenerate cinema! Dystopias welcome ! The future will suck ! What can go wrogn?

The Secrets Film Festival is an annual event in NYC and California featuring short films centered around a common theme. Over the past eight years, the Secrets film series has explored these themes: outer space, inner space, insects, love, dreams, death, and the intoxicated life. Secrets festivals have screened in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Baltimore, DC, Los Angeles, Kentucky, and at the Berkeley Video and Film Festival 2018 and 2019. Last year's festival - Secrets of Inner Space - screened twice in New York City, is set for Los Angeles later in 2021, and is in negotiations to screen in Berlin later that year.

Film Threat on the Secrets series: http://filmthreat.com/features/secrets-of-the-deep-film-festival-as-traveling-sideshow/

As featured in The Culture Trip: https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/new-york/articles/experience-dream-life-films-new-yorks-gene-frankel-theatre/

And in Cold Lips Magazine from England: https://coldlips.co.uk/2018/02/18/%F0%9F%92%A5cold-lips-iii-nyc-%F0%9F%92%A5/

The festival has an international character and all authors with films in compliance with other propositions can participate. Films selected for competition will be judged in two categories:

1. FILM RECIPE - a sort of documentary that should display complete image and/or text instructions for preparation of culinary creations (meals, drinks or deserts), including information about required ingredients and sequence of work. Based on those, after watching film one should be able to prepare the recipe.

2. OPEN CATEGORY - a film that should thematize or depict content related to food and/or drink.

Duration of individual films submitted is limited to 15 minutes.

Fifth shorts festival of Canovelles

FRESCO: a New Formula of a Film Festival
Fresco is an international initiative that represents a thoroughly new format, distinct from the notions typical to the society. A festival that aims at the presentation of international spiritual works and cultural pieces combined with the organization of free and healthy social discussions concerning the issues raised by them.

Many festivals demonstrate films on global problems in the frameworks of their program. As a rule, after such films the audience needs to discuss and adopt what they have seen, however, the film remains the only source for an answer to the questions arisen. “FRESCO” film reviews come to fill in this gap.
FRESCO: an Informal Approach
"FRESCO" offers an informal approach to the participants of the film festival along all the stages of the festival starting from the film review up to the places the events are held, from the seat up to the prize.

The wonderful films, photo exhibitions, and shows brought to Armenia will go out from cinemas and literally “enter the streets”.
Round-the-clock open air demonstrations and film reviews “with no ticket” will literally become part of the Armenians’ everyday life 10 days on.

FRESCO Film-Program: Let’s Speak the Language of Humanism
The festival will contain both competitive and non-competitive programs. Fiction and documentary, full-length and short-length films and video materials of different formats, in which wars, violence, national, religious and any other types of discrimination, ecological disasters of human origin are denounced, and where peace, tolerance, humanism and global values are advocated.:

Cinema figures of worldwide fame and other guests corresponding to the subjects of the films shown, that is - church clerks, the intellectuals, musicians, psychologists, etc., will be invited to Armenia from different countries to participate in the festival.

About the Global problems in a Comprehensible/Simple Language
Not only the creators of the film strip will take part in the discussions following, but also church clerks, psychologists, and specialists directly concerning the issues arisen in the film and people responsible for the field. Any conceptual and technical detail concerning the film review is to contribute to the active and unconstrained participation in the discussions. The specialists will be part of the film watchers, professional orations will be replaced by unconstrained communication and active discussions. The films and direct communication with their creators will enable to “notice” the claimed issues in our country, observe them in the context of other countries’ experience, and the discussion with the people specialized and responsible for the field will become one of the most effective ways of developing versions for the solution to those issues.

FRESCO is Open to Anyone
The festival also gives a special importance to the employment of special social groups and especially individuals with limited abilities. Due to the cooperation with the institutes specialized in the field individuals with a disablement will not only participate in all the measures of the festival but also be actively involved in all the organizational works of "FRESCO".

The goals of the festival are:
- To promote the establishment of love, solidarity, and human values in the society with the help of spiritual and cultural dialogue,
- To spread international and religious tolerance,
- To create and promote the development of spiritual and moral films and to raise their social awareness as a social-cultural factor,
- To promote the communication among cultural representatives of different countries and the creation of the mutually beneficial field for their collaboration.