Film Festivals

A

Adroitone

Active member
Hello everyone,

I just got finish filming a short film and now looking for film festivals where I can enter and get my name out there. What are some other good film festivals I can enter my short other that Cannes and Sundance? Thanks for all your help. :)
 
Yeah, I entered Sundance and didn't get accepted (almost though) and I just entered the Festival de Cannes. So I'll have to see what happens there. I have to start networking, finding people who shares the same passion I have for filmmaking. I live in VA and haven't found to many interested in making films. The film I'm entering into these festivals now was done with me being the director, DP, video editor, actor, and writer. There was only one other person on the location to hold the camera. It was much harder than it should have been, but we got it done and it turned out very good.
 
It is great to have the sundance and cannes festivals but just beware that Sundance (for example ) only accepts premieres...perhaps others can confirm how strict they are about that...so if you want to have a chance it means you cannot accept if you get in somewhere else...also, the chances are so rare...everyone seems to think there is a fair and reasonable chance to get in but, beilieve me, you might find it much more fortuitous trying some of the smaller fests...many smaller fests are also academy qualifiers so they are quite prestigious even if they are not too well known...and it doesn't hurt to throw in a couple opf new fests to increase your chances and build a resume of screenings...

This is not to say that your film isn't awesome...I haven't even seen it...it is just my 2 cents worth...

The recommended site is definitely the place to start (withoutabox)

Cheers,
Stan The Man
 
stay away from NY film festival its a cash cow... i was curious about it and i sent them off an email..the next day i got a call and the biggest and hardest sell ever....all they wanted was 300bux x 2 if i wanted my film to show in LA as well as NY. Anyway, i thougth somthing was fishy so i searched online and its just a cash grab for most..they'll accept anything as long as u pay them and they'll show it in some crappy theater that no one goes to or deosnt even know that your film exists.
anyway.... yah i'm sure soem ppl have sucess from it but 600bux can be spent in diff ways ..like sending out copies to mags for reviews etc etc...
 
Adroitone said:
Yeah, I entered Sundance and didn't get accepted (almost though) and I just entered the Festival de Cannes. So I'll have to see what happens there. I have to start networking, finding people who shares the same passion I have for filmmaking. I live in VA and haven't found to many interested in making films. The film I'm entering into these festivals now was done with me being the director, DP, video editor, actor, and writer. There was only one other person on the location to hold the camera. It was much harder than it should have been, but we got it done and it turned out very good.
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Wow.....sounds like real outside-the-box filmmaking!

A guy I knew in Charlotte made a short that starred just him and his wife. They were also the crew, so both couldn't be on-camera at the same time. And it was shot in their apartment. He wrote the script, directed, composed and performed the music, and designed the box cover artwork. Total cost was around $100 -- and it even got distribution and a positive review from Joe Bob Briggs.

Would love to see your short! And if you're ever down Charlotte, NC way, give us a holler. :)
 
saturnin said:
stay away from NY film festival its a cash cow... i was curious about it and i sent them off an email..the next day i got a call and the biggest and hardest sell ever....all they wanted was 300bux x 2 if i wanted my film to show in LA as well as NY. Anyway, i thougth somthing was fishy so i searched online and its just a cash grab for most..they'll accept anything as long as u pay them and they'll show it in some crappy theater that no one goes to or deosnt even know that your film exists.
anyway.... yah i'm sure soem ppl have sucess from it but 600bux can be spent in diff ways ..like sending out copies to mags for reviews etc etc...
Click to expand...

Wow, I did not know that, thanks for the advice. :)

By the way, this is for anyone that can answer; is the New York Film Academy a pretty good program. I was thinking of doing their one week program, but I'm not sure if it's worth 1500 dollars (plus travel expenses).
 
chapelgrovefilms said:
One other thing.....you might try the Real To Reel Film and Video Festival, which is held in Kings Mtn, NC. www.realtoreelfest.com

Good luck!
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Oh, it was pretty tough. My two cameramen didn't know a thing about cinematography. I had to train them on the fly on how to set up the shots, so in reality, I was also the D.P. Then, since they didn't have any interest in filmmaking, I had to work around their schedules so filming didn't interfere with their lives. About in the middle of production, I got a Canon XL1s, so I had to learn the camcorder on the fly and teach my cameramen how to use it while reshooting everything that was previously done. It was fun, but stressful. It wouldn't have been finished if it wasn't for my determination and the fact that I knew exactly what I wanted. It was a learning experience I definitely needed in which made it a satisfying reward for all the trouble. :)

I heard about Real to Reel when I was looking into going to North Carolina College of Art. I thought it was something only for students of that particular college. I didn't know anyone could submit their films into the festival. Thanks man.
 
Adroitone,

yea, i went to the ny film academy for the month long program in 99 and it gave me a great basis for film school. If you want to be good with working with 16mm film carmeras it is a good program. learned had to work a 16mm camera, load the film, light the scene, use light meters to expose properly, and edit the film using the steinback machine cutting the film together (which is cool but now a days why everything is digital)

there might be better schools out there if you want hands on experience with 35mm cameras though.

on another note, how are digital films viewed in festivals, and by that i mean is it harder to get a digital short or feature into a festival rather than a 16 or 35mm film? or does it just matter how well it's made and acted not whats its shot on?
 
Sajc05 said:
Adroitone,

yea, i went to the ny film academy for the month long program in 99 and it gave me a great basis for film school. If you want to be good with working with 16mm film carmeras it is a good program. learned had to work a 16mm camera, load the film, light the scene, use light meters to expose properly, and edit the film using the steinback machine cutting the film together (which is cool but now a days why everything is digital)

there might be better schools out there if you want hands on experience with 35mm cameras though.

on another note, how are digital films viewed in festivals, and by that i mean is it harder to get a digital short or feature into a festival rather than a 16 or 35mm film? or does it just matter how well it's made and acted not whats its shot on?
Click to expand...


Well, concerning Cannes, if my film get accepted, I'll have to transfer it to 35mm film. Sundance didn't mention if I had to transfer or not (even though if they didn't mention it, I assume DVD/VHS is ok). I can't speak for others because, well, I made a thread asking for more festivals. :D

Having said that, most of these festivals are suppose to be for up and coming filmmakers trying to get their name out there. Most of the festivals that are geared towards that should know that many people can't afford to film their films on film.
 
Hi Adroitone,

Here's a listing one of our posters shared a few months ago (I think it was Matt in St Louis). You'll also find FilmFestivalWorld.com a useful website.

Regards, Michael

------------

Film Festival Ranking 2007

ATTENDANCE

1 Tribeca Film Festival 465,000
2 Rotterdam International Film Festival 355,000
3 Montreal World Film Festival 350,000
4 Toronto International Film Festival 340,843
5 Berlin Int'l Film Festival 340,000
6 Buenos Aires Int'l Independent Film Festival 260,700
7 Rio De Janeiro Int'l Film Festival 223,000
8 Festival of Deauville American Cinema 200,000
8 Pan African Film Festival 200,000
8 San Sebastian Int'l Film Festival 200,000
8 Shanghai International Film Festival 200,000
12 Pusan International Film Festival 198,603
13 Locarno Int'l Film Festival 192,600
14 Sao Paulo Int'l Film Festival 180,000
15 Kerala International Film Festival 175,000
16 Melbourne Int'l Film Festival 170,000
17 Seattle International Film Festival 160,000
18 Mar del Plata Film Festival 150,000
18 Short Shorts Film Festival 150,000
18 Sitges Int'l Film Festival Catalonia 150,000
21 Vancouver Int'l Film Festival 148,360
22 Karlovy Vary Int'l Film Festival 135,759
23 Sydney Film Festival 132,500
24 Clermont Ferrand Short Film Festival 132,000
25 Int'l Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 131,214
26 Fantasporto Oporto Int'l Film Festival 130,000
27 Goteborg Film Festival 122,400
28 Belgrade Int'l Film Festival 120,000
28 Comic Con Int'l San Diego 120,000
28 Molodist Film Festival of Kiev 120,000

MEDIA ATTENDANCE

1 Cannes Film Festival 4,376
2 Berlin Int'l Film Festival 3,696
3 Generation 3,600
4 Venice Film Festival 3,500
5 Clermont Ferrand Short Film Festival 2,000
5 Moscow Int'l Film Festival 2,000
7 Pusan International Film Festival 1,695
8 Bangkok Int'l Film Festival 1,630
9 Mar del Plata Film Festival 1,500
9 Netherlands Film Festival 1,500
11 Tribeca Film Festival 1,300
12 San Sebastian Int'l Film Festival 1,138
13 Shanghai International Film Festival 1,109
14 Locarno Int'l Film Festival 1,048
15 Tokyo International Film Festival 1,000
15 Toronto International Film Festival 1,000
17 Sundance 900
18 Sitges Int'l Film Festival Catalonia 859
19 New York Film Festival 700
20 London Film Festival 670
21 Dubai Int'l Film Festival 650
22 FESPACO Panafrican Film Television 633
23 Filmfest Munchen (Munich) 600
23 Torino Film Festival 600
25 Karlovy Vary Int'l Film Festival 581
26 Gen Art 560
27 Rotterdam International Film Festival 541
28 Prix Ars Electronica 533
29 Sofia Int'l Film Festival 500
29 Stockholm Int'l Film Festival 500
29 Viennale Vienna Int'l Film Festival 500
29 WorldFest Houston Int'l Film Festival 500

FEATURES SCREENED

1 Goteborg Film Festival 450
2 Buenos Aires Int'l Independent Film Festival 338
3 Rotterdam International Film Festival 337
4 Rio De Janeiro Int'l Film Festival 300
5 Seoul Int'l Cartoon Animation Festival 290
6 Montreal World Film Festival 282
7 Hong Kong Int'l Film Festival 280
8 Seattle International Film Festival 270
9 Sao Paulo Int'l Film Festival 268
10 Toronto International Film Festival 261
11 Melbourne Int'l Film Festival 252
12 Sitges Int'l Film Festival Catalonia 250
13 Sydney Film Festival 245
14 ERA NEW HORIZONS Int'l Film Festival 243
15 Moscow Int'l Film Festival 240
15 Shanghai International Film Festival 240
17 Berlin Int'l Film Festival 237
18 Vancouver Int'l Film Festival 232
19 Karlovy Vary Int'l Film Festival 218
20 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 209
21 Int'l Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 200
21 Mar del Plata Film Festival 200
21 Tokyo International Film Festival 200
24 International Istanbul Biennial 194
25 Thessaloniki Int'l Film Festival 182
26 Fantasporto Oporto Int'l Film Festival 180
27 Singapore Int'l Film Festival 171
28 Calgary Int'l Film Festival 170
28 Locarno Int'l Film Festival 170
30 Sundance 167

SHORTS SCREENED

1 Holland Animation Film Festival 700
2 Anima Mundi Int'l Animation Festival 611
3 Tampere Film Festival 600
4 Jerusalem Int'l Film Festival 550
5 Gijon Int'l Film Festival for Young People 508
6 Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film 480
7 Rio De Janeiro Int'l Short Film Festival 462
8 Int'l Short Film Festival of Berlin 451
9 Rotterdam International Film Festival 445
10 Sao Paulo Int'l Short Film Festival 437
11 Hiroshima Int'l Animation Festival 408
12 Clermont Ferrand Short Film Festival 400
13 Hamburg International Short Film Festival 389
14 International Short Film Festival Oberhausen 375
15 Sitges Int'l Film Festival Catalonia 350
16 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 344
17 Fantoche Int'l Animation Festival 317
18 Uppsala Int'l Short Film Festival 315
19 DOK Leipzig 307
20 Message to Man Int'l Documentary 305
21 Belo Horizonte Int'l Short Film 300
21 Palm Springs Int'l Short Films 300
23 Onedotzero Digital Creativity Festival 295
24 Anifest Int'l Animated Films 284
25 ERA NEW HORIZONS Int'l Film Festival 279
26 Int'l Short Film Festival Leuvan 271
27 Annecy Animation Festival 259
28 LAlternativa Independent Film Festival 250
29 Australian Int'l Animation Festival 248
30 Exground Filmfest 245

OLDEST

1 Venice Film Festival 1932
2 Cannes Film Festival 1946
2 Festival Int'l del Cinema di Salerno 1946
2 Locarno Int'l Film Festival 1946
5 Edinburgh Int'l Film Festival 1947
6 Pula Film Festival 1949
7 Montecatini Terme Short Film Festival 1950
7 Yorkton Short Film & Video Festival 1950
9 Berlin Int'l Film Festival 1951
10 Columbus International Film and Video Festival 1952
10 Int'l Filmfestival Mannheim Heidelberg 1952
10 International Film Festival of India 1952
10 Melbourne Int'l Film Festival 1952
10 San Sebastian Int'l Film Festival 1952
15 Trento FilmFestival 1953
16 International Short Film Festival Oberhausen 1954
16 Mar del Plata Film Festival 1954
16 Sydney Film Festival 1954
16 Taormina FilmFest 1954
20 DOK Leipzig 1955
21 Corona Cork Film Festival 1956
21 London Film Festival 1956
21 Nordic Film Days Lubeck 1956
21 Valladolid Int'l Film Festival 1956
25 CINE Golden Eagle Film & Video Competitions 1957
25 San Francisco Int'l Film Festival 1957
27 Bilbao Documentary & Short Films 1958
27 New York Festivals 1958
27 Prix de l’Âge d’Or 1958
30 Cartagena Int'l Film & Television 1959
30 Festival dei Popoli 1959
30 Moscow Int'l Film Festival 1959
30 Rochester Int'l Film Festival 1959
 
Sajc05 said:
on another note, how are digital films viewed in festivals, and by that i mean is it harder to get a digital short or feature into a festival rather than a 16 or 35mm film? or does it just matter how well it's made and acted not whats its shot on?
Click to expand...

Most festivals ask for a preview copy in DVD. It doesn't matter what you shot in, as long as it can be transfered to a format that the festival screens without loss of quality.
 
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