⁣⁣⁣⁣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.

⁣Santa Barbara Shorts is a short, online film competition festival. Its aim is to provide quality films to our festival audience with particular attention to the craft of performance, cinematography, sound and score, and editing.
We are seeking shorts in documentary, animation, live action and narrative films up to 50 mins there are no restrictions on when or where the film was made as long as the film itself can be classified into a general audience rating.
If you have an interesting live action or animated short film, we warmly welcome you to submit to our film section of our festival.

⁣⁣Welcome to the Athens Indie Film Festival, where the spirit of democracy meets the magic of cinema! Inspired by the rich tapestry of Athens' storied history and its democratic legacy, our festival invites filmmakers from around the world to share their stories on our virtual stage. Just as Athens stood as a beacon of freedom and expression in ancient times, our festival embraces the diversity of voices and perspectives in contemporary filmmaking. Whether it's a short film bursting with creativity or a feature-length masterpiece that captivates audiences, we celebrate the power of storytelling to inspire, provoke, and unite. This is an online event. Join us online as we honor the timeless values of democracy and the enduring artistry of cinema at the Athens Indie Film Festival.

⁣We are a young cinephile group inspired by French cinema; our first love and point of entry to cinema were through the French new wave. When we watch films by Goddard and other masters of the new wave, we realize how the language of cinema could be diverse and different. French cinema was a bomb for us and changed our mindset about the art of filmmaking wholly. This festival is our dedication to the French cinema.
We prefer films with new /subversive looks. We hope to discover unheard voices and introduce them to the world. If you have a project ready, even a tiny one, don’t hesitate to submissions. We are here to promote your works and show your talent to the world.
This will be the second year of the festival. We started quietly; we had little chance for a great exposure during Covid time. Still, we have managed to organize physical events and invite young filmmakers to share their voices. We hope you make our event bigger with your physical presence. We believe films are made for big theatres, and a festival must respect this.

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣Phoenix Shorts is a monthly and yearly online IMDb qualified festival. We encourage the breadth and variety of views and supporting the best up-and-coming filmmakers from around the world. Each month, our jury selects the winners of each category through private screenings. Every submitted film has a chance to be a winner in the monthly competition. If they get selected by the programming team of the yearly event, the winners of each month may be then considered for the annual online competition. If this happens, they will be shown and compete with other films-winners at the yearly online event. It's an excellent opportunity to provide a platform and to introduce your work. We believe your talents must be showcased early to propel the filmmakers of the future into their feature film careers. We are here to recognize and spotlight creative and talented filmmakers like you.

⁣⁣The Melbourne Independent Film Festival connects global filmmakers with audiences in a diverse, culturally vibrant community by presenting films in its virtual competition and promoting the winners and honorable mentions of each edition in Australia and abroad.
The committee seeks films that engage, entertain, experiment and educate through the power of visual storytelling. Independent film projects of all genres from international talents go through our programming team and the official selections compete in various sections of the competition.
As an emerging international festival, the Melbourne Independent Film Festival aims to be one of the leading film festivals for international film-makers, screenwriters and talents who are dedicated to the cinematic language. It is a unique and innovative online platform for new talent and a celebration of cinematic creativity and innovation.

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣Inspired by cosmopolitan mentality, we encourage diversity and multi-cultural short films. We want to truly reflect the international filmmaking community and showcase fresh talent from all filmmakers - no matter the age or the subject matter. With this in mind, we encourage filmmakers from all backgrounds to submit their projects. Furthermore, we genuinely believe that good filmmaking is an actual result of a good story. We hope to find new voices and perspectives to celebrate the power of a good story.
Florida Shorts is a seasonal competition and an annual online festival dedicated to short films of all genres from the U.S. and international filmmakers. In the first step, our professional screeners will privately review your film each quarterly season, and the highest scored films will become the semi-finalist . The semi-finalist of the seasonal editions are screened privately to jury members of each edition in various categories. All the award winners are then considered for the annual online festival; if they get selected, they will compete with other films in our annual event.
Join us for Florida Short's events this year!

⁣⁣⁣⁣The Niagara Falls International Short Festival is a seasonal online film festival dedicated to showcasing short films. With an emphasis on brevity and creativity, the festival offers filmmakers a platform to share their work with a global audience. The festival's next online event is scheduled for April 15, 2024, promising a diverse selection of compelling short films from talented creators around the world. Stay tuned for an immersive cinematic experience that celebrates storytelling in its most concise and impactful form.

⁣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.

⁣⁣⁣⁣Our festival was founded to support and promote independent short films from all around the world. We recognize how difficult it is to get your short film ’out there’, and find a platform where your film can reach the right audience. We aim to promote and provide exposure to these films and organize a fun and culturally diverse night of indie cinema for filmmakers and cinephiles alike. Our program will reflect the diversity and opportunities within the short film genre, and our goal is to show films that the audience would otherwise have not seen, and leave a lasting impact.
We look forward to seeing your submissions and welcoming you to Stockholm Short Film Festival! Our submission window for our 1st edition is now open!
For each season, the official selection will be carefully picked by our panel of expert judges and will consist of the films nominated for an award. The movie that got an award will have the option to be screened online during our annual event if they get into the next round; they will also be promoted on our social media platforms and website.