Los Angeles Film Festivals: Best Film Festivals To Submit To In LA

‍Film festivals have become increasingly important for indie filmmakers looking to get their film noticed. While there are plenty of online resources for finding an audience for your film, the vast majority of people who watch movies don’t go online. Most people go to the movies to see new movies, and to see movies that are being screened in their area. So the best way to guarantee that your film gets seen is to submit it to the film festivals in your area.

The film festivals in your area

Will give your film the chance to be seen by an audience that cares about movies like you. If your film isn’t being shown in your area, you can submit it to a film festival in another city and give viewers there a chance to discover it. Here is a list of the top film festivals in Los Angeles to help you find out which ones are the best for your project. And so these are the best film festivals in Los Angeles!

Los Angeles Film Festivals: Best Film Festivals To Submit To In LA

Should I submit my film to a film festival?

The best way to guarantee that your film gets seen… Is to submit it to the film festivals in your area! The film festivals in your area will give your film the chance to be seen by an audience that cares about movies like yours. If your film isn’t being shown in your area, you can submit it to a film festival in another city and give viewers there a chance to discover. Showcase, grow and take feedback from filmmakers and film enthusiasts alike. You can also submit your film to a film festival as a marketing tool to help expand your audience after the festival. And this is through the use of laurels, awards, connections… And so much more.

So then… What are the best film festivals in Los Angeles Right Now?

Let’s dive in and explore the best film festivals in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Independent Film Festival (LAIFF)

Showcase your film at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival! This is the home of creativity, story, craft: and all things in-between. LAIFF is focused on bringing as much value as possible to the filmmaking world. We pride ourselves in bringing forth films ranging across genre, budget, length, subject matter, and medium. We’ve built this festival with the intention of bridging the beauty of high budget and low budget, in order to showcase the incredible work being done in both sectors, and to introduce the film industry personnel making the magic happen in both worlds.

The Los Angeles Independent Film Festival

Is filled with value for filmmakers, screenwriters, directors, producers, actors and film enthusiasts alike! Across the festival, we have education resources, panels, talks, masterclasses, tools, giveaways, networking opportunities, distribution opportunities and of course… Blocks of films made by this years incredible official selections, finalists and award winners. So submit now to be featured as part of the 2024 Los Angeles Independent Film Festival

Los Angeles Film Festivals: Best Film Festivals To Submit To In LA

LA Shorts Film Festival

LA Shorts International Film Festival ranks among the most prestigious and largest international short film festivals in the world. 3The festival is accredited by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences OSCAR®. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts BAFTA. And the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television (ACCT) presenters of the Canadian Screen Awards. And The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Spain (Goya Awards). 65 LA Shorts filmmakers have earned Academy Award® nominations.Now in it’s 26th year, LA Shorts is the longest-running short film festival in Los Angeles. The festival screens over 300 films and attracts over 10,000 attendees each year including Hollywood industry professionals and emerging independent filmmakers.LA Shorts is an official qualifying event for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts BAFTA short film awards. So award-winners at the festival are eligible to win BAFTA Awards.

Palm Springs International Film Festival

Launched in 1990, the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) is a premier presenter of world cinema located in the beautiful Coachella Valley at the base of Mt. San Jacinto in southern California. The Festival brings together a sophisticated and diverse audience, including industry, film aficionados from across the country and filmmakers from around the world.

The 34th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival is scheduled to be held physically from January 5 – 16, 2023. The annual star-studded Film Awards Gala, honoring the best and brightest performances of the year, is scheduled for January 5, 2023.

PSIFF is mounted by the Palm Springs International Film Society. A 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization. And their mission mission is to cultivate and promote the art and science of film through education.. And cross-cultural awareness.

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Los Angeles Film Festivals: The Best Film Festivals To Submit To In LA

Beverly Hills Film Festival

The International Beverly Hills Film Festival is proud of its outstanding ability. The ability to recognize some of the past and future most unique experiences by bringing them into the present. From the first film ever shot in Hollywood, “In Old California” by D.W. Griffith, to discovering Federico Fellini’s last film “Verso La Luna Con Fellini,” (Towards the Sun with Fellini) staring Federico Fellini and Roberto Bernini, The BHFF is honored to pay homage to past greats and rising stars.

Considered among the most exclusive and high caliber film festivals globally, in one of the most exclusive cities in the world, the Beverly Hills Film Festival is proud to play host over an intimate five (5) day event with over 44,000 attendees. The BHFF brings together 100s of media from around the globe with over 600 million media impressions reported annually and growing. Designed to bridge the world of premiere cinema with the renowned community of Beverly Hills, the BHFF is an event with world-class screenings at AMPAS, Writers Guild, and the TCL Chinese Theaters, along with expert panel discussions and workshops, nightly VIP theme parties, and charity benefit events. The festival concludes with a black tie awards ceremony with endless networking opportunities.

For our 22nd year, we welcome filmmakers, writers.. And the Beverly Hills community to share in the celebration of art and culture in this wonderful city of international acclaim.

HollyShorts Film Festival

The inaugural HollyShorts Film Festival took place at The Space Theatre in Hollywood August 2005. And featured 23 short films from the U.S., UK, Poland, Canada and Thailand. The 2nd annual HollyShorts Film Festival took place at Cinespace in Hollywood, CA. And featured 53 of the best short films from around the world. 13 different countries were represented. The third annual HollyShorts Film Festival took place August 10-12, 2007, drawing over $26,000 in prizes awarded. The festival featured three screening venues. Best Short film honors went to “Songbird” Directed by John Thompson. And thompson was awarded a one week audio rental package courtesy of Action Audio and Visual. And featuring sound and communications equipment rentals to utilize for his next film project.

The festival featured Actor Adrian Grenier’s short film “Euthanasia.” A DJ performance from the legendary hip hop DJ Biz Markie and 57 short films in competition… Three days of screenings, parties, insightful panels along with a slew of networking platforms for HollyShorts participants. The 2007 HollyShorts Film Festival included the following partners… Ourstage.com, h Magazine, Showbiz Software Stores, Action Audio and Visual, Si-Mi.com, Stash DVD Magazine, UCLA Extension Department of Entertainment Studies, Dreamhouse Ensemble, LA One Stop, LBN E lert, Indiepix, Breakyourself, Choice Hospitality, Film Radar, Shortend Magazine, Sand Jewelry by Therese and Vice Hollywood.

Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival

The Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival is 11 days of not to be missed world-class films, panels… And events celebrating the queer experience.

Since our founding in 1982, Outfest has screened thousands of US and international films for audiences of well over half a million people. So many great opportunities await filmmakers at Outfest Los Angeles, the largest film festival of any kind in LA.Outfest is the leading queer media arts organization… And its location in the heart of the entertainment industry means more industry executives attend Outfest Los Angeles than any other LGBTQ film festival.

Our Outfest Forward program offers comprehensive services… For emerging filmmakers to forge connections in Hollywood. These include networking mixers, panels hosted by industry insiders. And one of the most extensive awards program of any LGBTQ film festival.

Outfest Los Angeles receives media coverage from national outlets such as Vanity Fair, CNN, USA Today, E! Entertainment Television, Access Hollywood, Variety, Entertainment Tonight, US Weekly, The Advocate, OUT, MTV, Hollywood Reporter, Genre and the Independent Film Channel. And key local outlets such as the Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, Lesbian News, Frontiers, Edge, XY Magazine, Nightlife, local network news, and many others.

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Los Angeles Film Festivals: The Best Film Festivals To Submit To In LA

The International Diversity Film Festival

The International Diversity Film Festival recognizes and showcases films and screenplays.. With a member of an underrepresented community included as one of the following. Lead Character OR Filmmaker (Director, Writer, or Producer).

FILMS: The International Diversity Film Festival recognizes and showcases.. Narrative and documentary features and shorts (including web episodes) in ALL genres.

SCRIPTS: The International Diversity Film Festival recognizes and showcases feature screenplays, shorts, and television scripts. The International Diversity Film Festival was created to encourage content creators from unique backgrounds to share their stories. The festival will promote the work of diverse (thought, race, gender, age, religion, physical ability and sexual orientation) filmmakers. And recognize them globally for their achievements in film. Whether a finalist or not… All officially selected filmmakers will be invited to join us at the International Diversity Film Festival. For screenings, networking, resources, collaboration, learning, partnerships… And for our official premieres and awards ceremony blocks.

The International Diversity Film Festival selections will be judged and decided on by award-winning independent filmmakers. Working in the industry. So whether you’re a finalist or not, this festival is a blast all around!

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Los Angeles Film Festivals: Best Film Festivals To Submit To In LA

BONUS: The Los Angeles Screenwriting Competition –

Los Angeles Film Festivals: Best Film Festivals To Submit To In LA

The Los Angeles Screenwriting Competition is an annual screenplay contest focused purely on bringing excellent scripts into focus. We’ve made it our duty to build an opportunity that helps take talented writers into the industry in a way that specifically highlights the quality of the work and helps establish the connections needed to take that work to the next level.

Our showcase, network and awards are all focused on bringing value to independent screenwriters across the globe. We simply want to do our part in supporting the incredible community of writers in the world of independent film. And through our connection to the industry, our band of judges and our amazing partners… We’ve been able to build The Los Angeles Screenwriting Competition into the event we wished we had early on in our film careers.

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Conclusion

There are plenty of film festivals in Los Angeles. And they’re a great way to get your film seen and get into the industry. However, not every festival is created equal. Before you submit a film to a film festival… Make sure it’s a film festival you really want to be a part of. Finding the right festival is important. Because it will help get your film into the hands of audiences who care about films like yours. And if your film isn’t being shown in your area… Then you can submit it to a film festival in another city. And give viewers there a chance to discover it. Also, you can submit your film to a film festival as a marketing tool. And this will help expand your audience after the festival, or to pay the festival entry fee.

Final Thoughts – Los Angeles Film Festivals: Best Film Festivals To Submit To In LA

In conclusion, film festivals in Los Angeles are more than just events; they’re experiences. They offer a deep dive into the world of cinema. From behind-the-scenes insights to the thrill of watching a movie premiere. So, the next time you’re in LA, make sure to check out its vibrant film festival scene. So in short, it’s a cinematic journey you won’t want to miss!