Film Festivals
Aesthetica Short Film Competition
Aesthetica is looking for filmmakers who are driving the genre of short film forward through inspirational and innovative works. Whether you are fresh out of film school or have been making films for years, we want to hear from you. Accepting films in all genres: drama, documentary, music video, satire, comedy and artists’ film. This award offers the winner and runners-up a fantastic prize package, which will bring your films to a wider audience. £15 entry fee.
http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/film_submissions.htm
Heartland Film Festival
In 1991, a group of visionaries united to create a unique film festival to honor beautifully made films that celebrate the positive aspects of life called the Heartland Film Festival. The Heartland Film Festival started in 1992 as a small event in Indianapolis and has expanded over time to become one of the fastest growing film festivals in the country. Today, the annual film festival is a ten-day event full of independent films, a variety of special events for film enthusiasts of all ages, and a one-of-a-kind experience in one of the Midwest’s most inviting cities.
http://www.trulymovingpictures.org/FilmFestival/
Phoenix International Christian Film Festival
The purpose of the Phoenix International Christian Film Festival (PICFF) is to bless, celebrate, and encourage the production and distribution of films and media expressions that feature Godly Kingdom values and shine as reminders that love is real, hope exists, and there is always an answer.
http://www.christianfilmfest.org/
Hiroshima International Animation Festival
Our festival has been held under the spirit of LOVE & PEACE, long since its establishment in 1985. It is our pleasure to serve as a place of true international cultural exchange through the development of animation art, and also, it is our sincere happiness to serve as a stepping stone for your successful future.
http://hiroanim.org/
Austin Asian American Film Festival
he AAAFF’s mission is to provide a channel for International Asian/Asian-American artists to promote their work, and to support and bring awareness to the community. AAAFF is an Asian/Asian-American film festival committed to celebrating the best in independent Asian cinema from across the globe. For years, our festival has highlighted the complexity and vitality of Asian/Asian-American communities through cutting-edge narrative, documentary and experimental films. We aim at bringing awareness to important global issues like saving the environment and supporting other causes through the strong impact of media.
http://www.aaaff.org/
San Antonio Film Festival
Once named the Golden Showers Film Festival with the spirit of “pissing” on Hollywood and formerly The San Antonio Underground Film Festival — is held annually in June at the Instituto Cultural de Mexico en San Antonio & is looking for 100% DIY narrative, animation, doc, or experimental shorts or features. Supporting independent filmmaking, SAFF is a three-day event held every summer in San Antonio, TX. Prizes! $40-60 to enter.
www.safilm.com
Telluride Film Festival
What are the prizes? There are none. The real prize is to be accepted from hundreds of entries as one of approximately 15 shorts and 20 features that will be showcased at the Telluride Film Festival. That’s right — once your film is invited to join the festival, by the time the event rolls around, you can stop biting your nails and enjoy the company of some of the best directors in the world.
“This is really the only filmmaker’s festival.”
– Kathleen Kennedy
http://telluridefilmfestival.org/
Black Soil International Hip Hop Film Festival
Black Soil’s scope was across the board and puts Hip Hop into a broader perspective. Next to the presentation of movies inspired by DJs, graffiti, MCs and break dancers, movies derived from Hip Hop were shown, as well as movies which have served as a source of inspiration to Hip Hop artists and to movie directors. In addition to films, Black Soil offered an extensive program, including i.e. panel discussions, exhibitions and battles, concerts and after parties with prominent DJs, MC’s and B-boyz and girlzzz.
http://www.blacksoil.com/new/
Moondance International Film
Moondance’s objective for this competition and film festival is to promote and encourage screenwriters and independent filmmakers, and the best work in stage plays, radio plays, TV scripts, musical scores, lyrics, librettos, musical videos, & short stories.
http://moondancefilmfestival.com/index.html
Monterrey International Film Festival
Monterrey International Film Festival one of the most important film events in Mexico. It screens international feature films in competition (fiction and documentary), retrospectives, international short films in competition (fiction, documentary and animation), documentaries with social relevance and homages to personalities of world.
http://www.monterreyfilmfestival.com/eng/
Expresión en Corto
Expresión en Corto is Latin America’s largest, most competitive and prestigious film festival. Acting as a platform for launching new careers, our national and international competition pits newcomers alongside the industry’s most seasoned veterans. $25 per enter.
http://www.expresionencorto.com/eindex.html
International Documentary Festival Amsterdam
IDFA looks for documentaries that are interesting from a stylistic point of view, or are particularly innovative, relevant to social issues and successfully manage to communicate with their audiences.
http://www.idfa.nl/industry/Festival.aspx
Fantastic Fest
Fantastic Fest is an eight-day festival in Austin, Texas spotlighting the best in new horror, sci-fi, fantasy and genre film as well as genre retrospectives. $15-30 to enter!
http://www.fantasticfest.com/
Fair Use & Free Speech Video Contest
UFVA is hosting a contest for the best short documentaries employing fair use, made by higher education students and faculty.
www.centerforsocialmedia.org/events/ufva_fair_use_contest/888
Portland Women’s Film Festival, POW FEST
The mission of the Portland Women’s Film Festival is to celebrate the art and cinematic contribution of women filmmakers from around the world, in any format, with any content and in any genre.
http://www.powfest.com/
San Diego Asian Film Festival
SDAFF continues looking for the best in Asian American and international cinema to showcase. The festival is also offering a minimum $1,000 cash prize to the top film of the festival in 2009. $25-40 to enter!
http://www.sdaff.org/festival/
Wyoming Short Film Contest
The only content requirements for submissions is that the story takes place in Wyoming, presents Wyoming as a major character in the storyline, or features Wyoming in some way. free to enter!
http://www.filmwyoming.com/
American Black Film Festival
American Black Film Festival is a festival that embraces and celebrates independent black films, either with black subject matter or by black filmmakers. $30 to enter!
www.abff.com
Action! Student Film Festival
The City of Slidell, Louisiana invites you to showcase your creativity in the Action! Student Film Festival, a competition open to college students from throughout the United States. Cash prizes! $10 to enter.
http://www.slidell.la.us/files/ActionStudentFilmFestivalprospectusrev.pdf.
African Film Festival
African Film Festival seeks to introduce African film to non-African audiences to help create a dialogue. Free to enter!
www.africanfilmny.org
EngLits Short Film Festival
Create a short film, video, computer animation, etc. not to exceed 60sec that must promote EngLits. cash prizes!
www.englits.com
Scriptapalooza Screenplay Competition
Scriptapalooza’s goal is to seek out that storyteller and honor his or her script with a grand prize of $10,000. Each year dozens of production companies and literary representatives sign on as participants to read Scriptapalooza’s winners, finalists and semifinalists. $50 to enter!
http://www.scriptapalooza.com/
Texandance International Film Festival
If your production can hold our attention and has good production values, your creation may be selected to show at the festival. Send your best trailer, short, doc, music video, or feature! $25-65 depending on length.
http://www.Texandance.com
Lunafest Film Festival
Lunafest looks for filmmakers and producers from around the globe with unique films by…for…about women! $20 to enter!
http://www.lunafest.org/
Student Academy Awards
The Student Academy Awards is an annual competition for college and university filmmakers. Winners – selected by the professional filmmaker members of the Academy – receive trophies and cash prizes. Free to enter!
http://www.oscars.org/awards/saa/index.html
FilmMakers International Screenwriting Competition
FilmMakers International Screenwriting Competition is a prestegious writing competition focusing on story. The top 50 scripts will be read by The Radmin Company* and Consideration for representation
http://www.filmmakers.com/screenplay/index.htm
aTalentScout TV Contest
aTalentScout TV Contest is accepting TV treatments, pilots and episodes for existing TV shows. There is no restriction on genre. Half-hour and full-hour time formats accepted. $20-40
http://www.atalentscout.com/contests.html
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