⁣⁣⁣Oakland Film Festival is an online seasonal international film festival. It aims to be one of North America’s leading film festivals for international filmmakers. It is a unique platform for new talent and a celebration of cinematic creativity and innovation. The Festival attracts a broad selection of shorts and feature by filmmakers working in every genre and format and offers the people of Oakland and visitors an extraordinary chance to glimpse the future of cinema. The festival prides itself upon providing opportunities for talented directors, producers, writers, actors and crew members from all over the world to learn together and exhibit their work in a stimulating international environment. The festival is open to any film in any genre and especially prioritizes low-budget films of independent spirit and exciting new talent. The Festival aims to provide a cultural alternative to the commercial film experience, support independent filmmakers, and promote the art of filmmaking. It was established to utilize 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 season, films submitted to Oakland Awards are judged by our International Jury on their overall artistic and technical quality on a performance scale. Few of the finalist films will be selected for online screening and awards.

Audiences in both Ottawa and Toronto will have the chance to experience About Maya, a gripping new political thriller that follows the haunting journey of an exiled dictator’s daughter confronting long-buried secrets. Co-directed by Nasim Naghavi and Amir Ganjavie, the film is a taut and emotionally charged exploration of identity, guilt, and survival in the shadow of power and exile.
Following its successful Toronto premiere on May 3 at Innis Town Hall and Global Link, About Maya will now screen in Ottawa from June 9 to 15 at the Mayfair Theatre, one of the city’s most iconic independent cinemas.
The film is distributed by IndiCan Entertainment, a company committed to showcasing bold and socially relevant storytelling from across the globe.

A Story of Exile, Secrets, and Survival
About Maya follows the daughter of a deposed Middle Eastern dictator now living in the West. Having worked for years to erase her past and rebuild her identity, she is thrown into crisis when her Canadian husband dies under suspicious circumstances. As police, journalists, and political enemies close in, she must navigate a perilous web of hidden allegiances, family legacies, and moral dilemmas.
With its rich psychological undercurrents and sharp political commentary, About Maya is a timely meditation on the costs of power and the long shadows cast by authoritarian rule.

Uncover the Hidden Truths
📍 Ottawa Screening
🗓 Dates: June 9–15, 2025
🏛 Venue: Mayfair Theatre, 1074 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1S 3X3
🎟 Tickets: Available via Mayfair Theatre box office and website at here: https://mayfairtheatre.ca/movie/about-maya/
Distributed by: IndiCan Entertainment

⁣Sydney Indie Short Festival is an online seasonal film festival. The Festival is dedicated to international short films of all genres, especially low or no-budget ones, plus student films. From the pool of official selection, which has a very competitive acceptance rate, Sydney Short chose the nominees and award winners of the season. Each season, our jury selects the winners of each category through "private" screenings. Every submitted film has a chance to be a winner in the competition. Suppose you're looking for an opportunity to showcase your film in the best possible way to spread the news about it and experience a joyful festival atmosphere. In that case, the Sydney indie short Festival is what you need.

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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.

⁣⁣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.

⁣⁣⁣⁣Dublin World Film Festival champions new film talent by providing a seasonal showcase and meeting point for new and established filmmakers, industry delegates and the local audience.
The festival is a friendly and inclusive festival in which the work of emerging filmmakers is presented in the context of an international programme. We believe that international collaboration is vital for filmmakers. The festival not only advocates the importance of short films in progressing future generations of filmmakers but provides a meeting place where the partnership can begin. The selection process has two parts. First, the submitted projects are judged through private screenings by our internal programming team, and they will select the semi-finals films of each edition. Then the Festival's jurors, a random team of invited experts mainly from the film industry, will privately review the films and award the best projects. All of the winners will receive the official laurel and an achievement certificate. The winner's announcements will be released through our social media to help promote the films.

⁣⁣⁣Sydney Indie Short Festival is an online seasonal film festival. The Festival is dedicated to international short films of all genres, especially low or no-budget ones, plus student films. From the pool of official selection, which has a very competitive acceptance rate, Sydney Short chose the nominees and award winners of the season. Each season, our jury selects the winners of each category through "private" screenings. Every submitted film has a chance to be a winner in the competition. Suppose you're looking for an opportunity to showcase your film in the best possible way to spread the news about it and experience a joyful festival atmosphere. In that case, the Sydney indie short Festival is what you need.

⁣We are a dedicated team of filmmakers and cinephiles wishing to create a forum for quality short-length cinematic works from all around the world.
On the one hand, short-form filmmaking is an often sidelined art form. Delivering concise and meaningful storytelling in a small package requires creativity and determination. On the other hand , independent is the key word for the festvial as it is founded by independent film professionals and focuses on independent artists in cinema, from all over the world. The festvial aims at recognizing, showcasing and spreading-out the most professional, most innovative, and most interesting fresh short international films, while always prioritizing independent short films.
These are also our guiding principles. We wish to celebrate creativity and determination in short-length filmmaking. So send us your ambitious and original short projects and let us help you reach an even wider audience.
The festvial is a seasonal competition. All the seasonal award winners can be further selected for the annual online festvial. The winners of each year can also request for promotion and screening of films.
Films do not have to screen in our seasonal edition for the public and are screened privately through programmers and members of the jury who will select the best of each category every season. This allows the filmmakers to compete without losing their premier status in other festivals. However, all the official selections have the option to promote and screen films through our Channel.

⁣⁣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.

⁣⁣⁣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.