⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣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.

⁣⁣Prague Underground Film Festival is an online celebration of the best of independent cinema. The festival's goal is to present all forms of independent films to the general public. We accept all genres of films, including Horror, Action, Crime, Fantasy, Comedy, Romance, Science Fiction, Sports, Thriller, War, Western, Student, Covid, Women Empowerment, Documentary, Experimental, LGBTQ, Animation from all around the world. All the best films of each month "might" get into our online event. During each season, the festival brings together new voices in the industry professionals in filmmaking to encourage and support new, creative additions to cinema arts. 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 the festvial 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.

⁣⁣Vienna Indie Short Festival is an online seasonal film festival. Vienna, Austria’s capital, lies in the east on the Danube River. Its artistic and intellectual legacy was shaped by residents including Mozart, Beethoven and Sigmund Freud. The city is also known for its Imperial palaces, including Schönbrunn, the Habsburgs’ summer residence. An enticing place for art & culture. Vienna Indie Short Film Festival will welcome any independent project from all genres. During each edition, our jury selects the winners of each category through private screenings. Our judges consist of industry professionals from 5 different countries. Such a multicultural team behind our festival helps make our festival thrive amongst Independent Festivals. After private screenings, the jurors will announce the name of the winners and we will reveal them through our social medias. If you become a winner project, your project will consider officially selected films of the festival deemed for online screening upon the request.

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣Brooklyn International Short Awards is an online awards event. The festvial will welcome any independent project from all genres. The Festival is looking for independent projects from all genres, particularly low or no-budget ones and all countries. 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 Finalist films of each edition. Then the Festival’s jurors, who are 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 and can request an online screening. Winner’s announcements will be released through our social media to help promote the films.

⁣The Indianapolis Independent Film Festival warmly welcomes you to join our global community celebration of peace, love, and the art of filmmaking. We are a collaboration of multi-talented writers, film score composers, filmmakers, producers, and musicians, united in our mission to entertain, inform, inspire, encourage, and educate. Our goal is to recognize and honour artists who use their creative work to increase awareness, provide diverse perspectives, tackle complex social issues, and promote international connections. As an inspiring and intimate platform, the we offer writers, directors, and producers the opportunity to create new projects, develop tools for success, and establish new connections within the global film and entertainment industry.

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣Berlin Short Awards is a bi-monthly IMDb qualified online short awards event. We are happy to welcome filmmakers from all genres, particularly low or no-budget ones, and all countries, especially from those traditionally underrepresented in the global film industry. Our main goal is to showcase their brilliant projects in Berlin's beautiful city for a diverse audience of cinephiles. Berlin, as a city dates to the 13th century. Reminders of the city's turbulent 20th-century history can be seen in the parts of city. The city's also known for its art scene and modern landmarks like the gold-coloured, swoop-roofed Berliner Philharmonic, built in 1963. We encourage you to submit your work to this online event.
The selected projects are privately judged by a random team of invited experts from academia and the film industry worldwide, against a high standard of merit. From the official selection pool, which has a very competitive acceptance rate, Berlin Shorts Award chose the nominees and award winners of the month. All the Winners will receive the Official Laurels and the winning-category certificate.

⁣⁣⁣Paris International Women Festival is a seasonal competitive Festival that valorizes the work of women filmmakers or films about women. In this festival, 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.
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. A few of the winners will be then considered for our seasonal online event.

⁣⁣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.

⁣Madrid Arthouse film festival is an IMDb qualified bi-monthly online festival based in Madrid. The festival aims to provide a platform for short and long feature filmmakers to be seen and heard as best as possible.
The festival is very competitive: Each season, our jury selects each category's winners through private screenings (there will be no physical screening). The winners of each month may be then considered for the yearly online competition. If this happens, they will be shown and compete with other films-winners at the annual online event.

⁣⁣⁣⁣San Francisco International Film Awards is a newly established physical event taking place in San Francisco. The festival’s mission is to celebrate films and the art of filmmaking. We hope to provide a venue for filmmakers to exhibit their latest work, meet other filmmakers, and learn from industry professionals. We also hope to serve as a forum for discussion and debate about films and filmmaking. Our biggest dream is that our festival can also be a tool for marketing your movies; we hope to generate buzz and interest in your new releases. And be sure that we will do our best so that the festvial allows honest, objective feedback from audiences who don’t have any connection to you or your film. We hope to see your movie soon at the festvial!