⁣⁣The Chicago film industry was a central hub for motion picture production and exhibition before Hollywood became the undisputed capital of filmmaking. In the early 1900s, Chicago boasted the most significant number of production companies and filmmakers. This situation was partially preserved until 1920, when the Chicago film industry met decline for a combination of reasons, including the impact of the Great Depression. Not until the 1980s and early 21st century has Chicago experienced a film production revival. Movie production again entered Chicago in the 1980s, with the state of Illinois becoming a leader in money spent on film production. Blockbusters, such as Blues Brothers, Sixteen Candles, and The Dark Knight, have rejuvenated the Chicago film scene.
Inspired by this tradition, the mission of the Chicago Filmmaker Awards, aka Cifawards, is to recognize and reward independent filmmakers that are currently missing in mainstream Hollywood. Whether your talent is in front of the camera or behind it, we have a category for you. We are waiting to watch your films.
We are interested in professionally made independent works. Submissions are open for shorts, feature narratives, documentaries and animation, and even experimental films and music videos.
This will be a seasonal Awards event with yearly live screening. Each season, we will select the best-known movies and promote the winners through social media and the official website. Few of the winners of each season will be selected for our online event.

About us:
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New York International Women Festival is a seasonal competitive Festival dedicated to Film style, and female gaze in cinema.
First of all, it a festival that valorizes the work of women filmmakers. We are looking for a unique and innovative perspective from female filmmakers to introduce them and promote them. We also accept projects directed by non-female directors who have something important to say about womanhood.
Secondly, it is a festival to valorize the style and fashion in a film. Regardless of filmmaker gender, we aim to focus on the stylistic features of cinema to see what elements have made a film significant, to see how camera movements or set designs have been able to create a unique environment for the movie to be set in and to see how make-up artists, production designers and costume designers have been able to add their unique vision to these works of art. If you think you have a film with good taste, this is your festival and don't hesitate to submit your work.
The festival has a seasonal structure. First, the judges will privately review the submitted materials, and subsequently, they will announce the winners. The winner's projects will then be introduced to our social media.

⁣Philadelphia World Film Festival is an online based bi-monthly festival. PWFF is looking for independent projects from all genres, particularly low or no-budget ones, as well as from all countries, especially from those traditionally underrepresented in the global film industry. The submitted projects are judged through private screenings by a random team of invited experts from academia and film industry from the region. From the pool of official selection, which has a very competitive acceptance rate, PWFF chose the nominees and award winners of the edition.

⁣⁣⁣Arthouse Festival of Beverly Hills, an IMDB qualifying festival, is a bi-monthly competitive Film Festival dedicated to short films. We accept all types of short films and offer awards for Best Us Film, Best Intl Film, Best male and female director, among others. We also accept all kinds of genre films, including Horror, Action, Crime, Fantasy, Comedy, Romance, Science Fiction, Sports, Thriller, War and Western from all around the world. The festival has a seasonal structure, first, our programmes select the official selection of the festival, then the judges will privately review the selected films, and subsequently, they will announce the winners. The winner's projects will then have the option to be streamed online.

⁣Welcome to the Palermo International Film Festival, a celebration of the art of cinema set in the vibrant city of Palermo. Known as the backdrop for the popular TV series "White Lotus," Palermo provides the perfect setting for our seasonal online festival. We are thrilled to invite filmmakers from around the globe, representing diverse genres, to showcase their exceptional projects in the heart of Sicily.
Our festival embraces both feature and short films, aiming to provide a platform for talented artists to share their creative visions with a worldwide audience of dedicated cinephiles. With a commitment to excellence, we strive to present the finest examples of this captivating art form known as 'Cinema,' paying homage to generations of filmmakers who have shaped the industry.
The selection process begins with private screenings, where a team of seasoned screeners will evaluate each submitted short film. Those that receive the highest scores will be chosen for the official competition, entering a review process by a panel of at least three esteemed judges. These judges, with their discerning eye and expertise, will determine the best films of each season, recognizing their outstanding contributions to the world of cinema.
To honor the exceptional work of the winners, we will present them with Official Laurels and certificates highlighting their achievements in their respective categories. This recognition serves as a testament to their talent and dedication, providing them with well-deserved acclaim within the industry.
Join us at the Palermo International Film Festival, where the magic of cinema meets the captivating allure of Sicily. Together, let's celebrate the artistry and creativity of filmmakers from around the world, as we embark on an unforgettable journey through the power of storytelling.

About us:
Tokyo shorts is an online award-based monthly festival. The mission of the festival is to bring international independent short film to the widest possible audience in Japan and beyond. The Festival aims to provide a cultural alternative to the commercial film experience, to support independent filmmakers, and promote the art of filmmaking and its related disciplines. The Tokyo Shorts was established to utilise the power of film to further the goal of inter-cultural understanding among nations and to assist in the building of a shared artistic experience. During each edition, our jury selects the winners of each category through private screenings. The winners of each edition may be then considered for the yearly online screening. If this happens, they will be shown online and compete with other films-winners at the yearly event.

⁣Are you fed up with the politicization of art in contemporary society? Do you believe that you are an excellent filmmaker because of the inner artistic quality of your work and not because of the political layers of your film?. Do you find it irritating that festivals constantly ask you about your identities, your political views and make you fill interrogative forms in which you have to justify that you are a "good" morally correct artist for society? If you think any of this, welcome to the Hollywood International Golden Age Festival for ALL! We believe that an artist should be free to create her work, and no institutions for any reason should impose on her how her art should look. For us, a just and democratic cinema is a cinema that treats everybody the same and equally without imposing any artistic criteria to follow. This is the first principle of democracy. Each artist's "dignity" and free opinion is more important than the "assumptions" of intellectuals who feel they know what justice is and want to teach it to everybody. Every artist is equal, and every artist should be treated equally and with the same degree of respect. We have created this radical festival which this specific line of thoughts. This is the festival in which the only criteria to judge your work is its "artistic" quality and not any political demand of the current society. We judge films based on their inner qualities, and we don't care to be a politically correct festival. We want to prioritize once more the "art" of filmmaking.
The organizing and administrative team of Hollywood Golden Age started their activities in New York 2 years ago. This is a monthly New York-based film festival with a yearly event. Every month, our Jury will award the best films through private screenings. Monthly Award Winners will be chosen to compete in the online Award.

⁣Hong Kong Indie Film Festival (HIFF) is a brand new, up and coming online bi-monthly film festival held in Hong Kong. Recognized by IMDB, HIFF is more than just a Film Festival; it is a strong connection among all filmmakers around the world. Hong Kong Independent Film Festival is a hub for international filmmakers to celebrate their premieres, thank their cast and crew, and meet their fans. Exposing young talented filmmakers to an environment of industry professionals with vast experience in their field is a priority for us. One of our top aims is to help first time filmmakers, regardless of their age, promote their talent. The objective of HIFF is to provide support to independent filmmakers globally through reviewing, judging, marketing, and distribution networking. We aim to create networks that lead to further opportunities for filmmakers.

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St.Louis Film Awards is created to promote independent filmmaking from all around the world. We’re looking for short works with original storytelling to promote their authors. We are open to showcasing the results of the creators of all ages, nationalities and races. The festival is a meeting point for filmmakers, a source of inspiration and new knowledge for experts, students and cinema lovers. The festival is a hotbed for talent development and promotion of cinema as attractive leisure for all target groups. We are especially looking for a skillfully made (writing, cinematography, editing, sound), well-acted, cohesive and internally consistent story that has the ability to elicit emotion, set the mood and guide a reaction.
The festival has a seasonal structure. Every season the festival selects winners in every category from the pool of entries.

⁣New Orleans International Film Awards’s mission is to bring international independent films to the widest possible audience in the region. The Festival aims to provide a cultural alternative to the commercial film experience, to support independent filmmakers, and promote the art of filmmaking.
New Orleans is part of an amazing worldwide community; a unique collaboration of multi-talented writers, film score composers and filmmakers. The festival mission is to entertain, inform, inspire, encourage and educate. We honor those artists who, through their creative work, actively increase awareness, provide multiple viewpoints, address complex social issues, and strengthen ties between international audiences. At the festvial, you can come together with other writers, directors and producers to create new opportunities, develop tools for success and forge new alliances within the international film and entertainment industry.