theater

BIG APPLE FILM FESTIVAL

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New York, New York – USA
November 14 to 18, 2012

The 9th Annual BIG APPLE FILM FESTIVAL (BAFF), is a four-day showcase of the best in independent cinema from around the world. Through its special focus on New York filmmakers and films, BAFF shines a light on one of the most eclectic and electric urban landscapes in the world, while connecting participants with a formidable network of filmmakers and honoring some of the brightest stars of today and tomorrow. The Festival has been praised not just for its program and exposure opportunities, but also for the overall experience of attending; Moviemaker has named BAFF among its “Top 25 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee” and one of the “Coolest 25 Film Festivals.”

Each year, with its New York Emerging Talent Award, BAFF singles out of the most promising and influential talents in independent film. The festival’s knack for spotting a rising star has proven unquestionable – previous recipients of the award have included Rachel Bean (500 DAYS OF SUMMER), Aaron Stanford (X-MEN), and Academy Award-nominee Jesse Eisenberg (THE SOCIAL NETWORK). Other BAFF awards have honored producer Anthony Bregman (ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND), Academy Award-nominee Haley Joel Osment (THE SIXTH SENSE), and Tony Award-winning and Emmy-nominated actor Alan Cumming (“The Good Wife”). This year BAFF will present its Golden Apple Award to documentarian Morgan Spurlock (SUPERSIZE ME).

Presented by the Big Apple Film Society, BAFF unfolds at the world-famous Tribeca Cinemas and celebrates the rich diversity of filmmakers, film audiences, and film characters that New York City has to offer. Love stories, family dramas, futuristic thrillers, and rule-breaking think-pieces dominated last year’s festival, and this year’s offerings promise to be just as varied. Interactive panel discussions allow guests to engage directly with representatives from the New York film community, including representatives from Samuel Goldwyn Films, HBO, Current TV, and Magnolia Pictures. BAFF is not merely a place to enjoy great cinema – it’s a place to network and nurture or launch a career.

UPCOMING DEADLINE
August 1, 2012 – Regular Deadline

MISSION AND OBJECTIVE
BAFF is dedicated to showcasing and promoting the highest quality films from the New York City independent film community, as well as specially selected films from across the country and around the world. The festival seeks to highlight films and filmmakers that reflect the unique qualities of New York City and to celebrate the great city of New York through the exhibition of innovative and diverse filmmaking.

MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
A number of BAFF official selections and filmmakers have gone on to much success. After its screening at the festival, Andrew Bowler’s comedy short TIME FREAK secured an Academy Award nomination. LOLA VERSUS, a film by BAFF award-winner Zoe Lister-Jones and fellow BAFF alumnus Daryl Wein, has since been released in theaters. BAFF Cityscape Award-winner THE PILL launched into 45 million homes in March of this year thanks to Cable Movies on Demand, and became the second most-watched film in the independent category on iTunes.

For an enjoyable festival experience and the chance at post-festival success in a variety of formats, submit your work to the Big Apple Film Festival today!

 

MIAMI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

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Miami, Florida – USA
March 1 to 10, 2013

Celebrating its 30th season this year is the MIAMI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (MIFF), a premier venue for the exhibition of U.S. and international films. MIFF annually showcases the work of the world’s best emerging and established filmmakers to diverse South Florida audiences and guests from across the globe. More than 70,000 people attended the festival in 2012 and more than 300 filmmakers, producers, directors, writers, actors, and industry representatives shared and celebrated their work, connected with one another, and enjoyed Miami’s vibrant scene during the ten-day event.

A variety of cash prizes are awarded to the top films through generous sponsorships. Dramatic works from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal, as well as Latino-themed works produced in the United States, will compete for $40,000 USD in prizes courtesy of the Knight Foundation and a $5,000 Screenwriting Award from the Jordan A. Ressler Foundation. First-time feature filmmakers from Spain, Portugal, or Latin America will compete for a $5,000 cash prize sponsored by Lexus. And, feature-length documentaries made by international filmmakers that examine social issues, diverse cultures, icons, or inspiring people will compete for $10,000 from the Knight Foundation.

MIFF offers filmmakers an exceptional platform for exposure during the festival and beyond. Worldwide media impressions and press coverage topped over three billion hits in the three months surrounding MIFF 2012. Regarded as an important destination for distributors on the hunt for acquisitions, a number of MIFF alums have brokered deals during or after the festival. MIFF additionally offers complimentary accreditation and access to all events and activities for up to four representatives from selected feature and documentary films and up to two representatives for short films. Discount codes for airfare and accommodations in Miami are also provided to accepted filmmakers attending the festival.

UPCOMING DEADLINE
July 23, 2012 – Regular Deadline

MISSION AND OBJECTIVE
The Miami International Film Festival is known for exhibiting the work of veteran filmmakers alongside films from emerging talents primed for the world-wide attention that the festival commands.

MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
The Festival has celebrated a diverse group of important international filmmakers in its long history, including Pedro Almodóvar, Andrea Arnold, Hector Babenco, Luc Besson, Susanne Bier, Daniel Burman, Alfonso Cuarón, Terrence Davies, Jonathan Demme, Alex de la Iglesia, Roberto Faenza, Philippe Falardeau, Abel Ferrara, Andy Garcia, Liz Garbus, Xialou Guo, Patricio Guzmán, Steve James, Lawrence Kasdan, Pablo Larraín, Lucrecia Martel, James Marsh, François Ozon, Carlos Sorín, Fernando Trueba, Liv Ullman, Margarethe von Trotta, Wim Wenders, and Andrés Wood. With a special focus on Ibero-American cinema, MIFF is annually recognized for discovering and launching new works from Ibero-American artists.

If you’re looking for top-notch exposure, cash awards, and an exciting festival experience, the Miami International Film Festival is for you. Submit today!

the EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL

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Various Cities – Europe
October 14 to November 17, 2012

The 8th Annual EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL (EFF), is a crowd-pleasing multi-city showcase of more than 60 feature films and 200 shorts. With events held in dozens of locations across Europe for more than a month, EFF ignites the continent with the joys of storytelling, creativity, and professional networking. With the operating philosophy that cinema is a language everyone can speak, EFF creates a common emotional bond that demolishes barriers and promotes cultural connections.

The festival places particular emphasis on the discovery and celebration of new filmmakers, with special attention paid to first- and second-time directors who have overcome budgetary restrictions in bold and innovative ways. Selected filmmakers are not only rewarded with the opportunity to screen their work at venues including Berlin’s Westphailia University and Athens’s Afaia New Star Art Cinema, they also benefit from networking events with critics, scholars, film masters, and the movie-going public. What’s more, Toronto-based distributor CinemaVault will consider all EFF official selections for distribution.

EFF’s categories of competition span all storytelling genres and include narrative feature, documentary feature, short documentary, gay and lesbian film, experimental film, animated short, music video, feature screenplay, and short screenplay, as well as screenplay pitch – for film concepts expressed in a maximum of three pages. The festival truly offers something for everyone, regardless of home country, style, or area of interest. Winners of last year’s festival included filmmakers and films from Denmark, France, Germany, Belgium, Australia, Peru, and the United States, to name just a few.

UPCOMING DEADLINE
July 27, 2012 – Regular Deadline

MISSION AND OBJECTIVE
The mission of EFF is to bring quality international independent film to the widest possible audience in Europe and beyond. The festival aims to provide a cultural alternative to the commercial film experience, to support independent filmmakers, and to utilize the power of film to further the goal of inter-cultural understanding among nations, ultimately assisting in the building of a shared artistic experience.

MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Academy Award-nominated PERSEPOLIS, the French animated film that charted the story of a precocious Iranian girl, won EFF’s Best Film prize in 2007. Many more EFF films have gone on to theatrical release after the festival, including I AM FROM TITOV VELES, SEVEN SISTERS, URBAN COWBOYS, and THE DAY AFTER PEACE.

Time Out Magazine hails the Festival’s unique approach: “Representing a revolution in the concept of the film festival bringing the festival to the viewers rather than the other way around, the European Film Festival, with its focus on low-budget wonders, is fast becoming a standard-bearer of quality indie can-do filmmaking all over the continent.” Join the revolution…submit your film, script, or pitch to the European Film Festival today!

CUCALORUS FILM FESTIVAL

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CUCALORUS FILM FESTIVAL

Wilmington, North Carolina – USA
November 8 to 11, 2012

 
Upcoming Deadline: July 25, 2012

A true filmmaker favorite, the 18th Annual CUCALORUS FILM FESTIVAL (CFF) is a four-day celebration of art and artists, in any and all of their many forms, and has been lauded by MovieMaker Magazine as “a breeding ground for artistic appreciation and good times alike.” Presenting an eclectic collection of independent and international films as well as a broad range of special programs, CFF ushers new and exciting voices onto the filmmaking scene.

Rather than bestow trophies on a select handful of filmmakers, CFF spreads a little green around to all participants. The festival provides travel stipends, housing, and airfare for all visiting artists on a first-come first-served basis. With the belief that financial support for artists is critical to building a sustainable model for independent filmmaking, more than 50% of festival ticket sales go directly into the hands of exhibiting artists. The Festival’s laid-back vibe also allows attending filmmakers to unwind, network, explore new ideas, and launch collaborations with other guests. To enjoy a warm North Carolina welcome at a totally immersive celebration of the arts, submit to the Cucalorus Film Festival today!

 

 

What is a Cucalorus?

cuc•a•lor•us n., [orig. Gk. kukaloris, the dance of the shadows.]1. a film set apparatus placed in front of a light source to create a dappled lighting effect on a subject or background. also cookie, UK. gobo. 2. a film festival in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Cucalorus was founded in 1994 by a filmmaking collective called TwinkleDoon. At the inaugural event, crowds wrapped around the block to see 16 local films screening at a restaurant by the Cape Fear River. These days Cucalorus Film Festival takes place every November in historic Wilmington, NC screening over 100 independent and international films in venues like the majestic and recently restored Thalian Hall as well as City Stage Theater and Jengo’s Playhouse. In 2009 MovieMaker Magazine recognized it as one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals” and by the Brooks Institute as one of the “Top Ten Film Festivals”

ZERO FILM FESTIVAL – CANADA

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The ZERO FILM FESTIVAL – CANADA

Montreal & Toronto – CANADA
September 6 to 14, 2012

Upcoming Deadline: July 20, 2012

The 3rd Annual ZERO FILM FESTIVAL – CANADA (ZFF) exclusively celebrates the courage, ingenuity, and talent of self-financed filmmakers from around the world. Each film screened at ZFF is made with little to no budget but with limitless imagination. Since 2007, ZFF has featured more than 1,000 films from filmmakers working on five continents, and has held screenings in unique venues in London, Peru, France, Los Angeles, and New York. This year marks ZFF’s first festival in Montreal and third in Toronto, two of Canada’s most exciting cities.

ZFF’s award winners each nab a $500 USD cash prize, and select filmmakers earn programming space in other ZFF events around the globe or distribution through the festival’s partner label, LoWave. Up-and-coming filmmakers have the chance to exhibit their work in a celebratory environment alongside such talents as David Lynch and Chloë Sevigny. Success at Zero Film Festival today could generate great opportunities tomorrow; just ask writer-director Lena Dunham, a ZFF alum and the creator of HBO’s hit series, “Girls.” ZFF is more than a film festival – it’s a multimedia event exclusive to self-financed filmmakers that brings talented artists together and sparks relationships that could last for years. Submit your film today!

THE FILMSHIFT FESTIVAL

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FILMSHIFT FESTIVAL
Somerville, Massachusetts – USA
October 6 to 7 & 13 to 14, 2012

 

The 3rd Annual FILMSHIFT FESTIVAL celebrates the power of cinema to energize communities and change the world. Presenting films that tell unique and interesting stories from a variety of genres, including local projects, student works, and films that deal with environmental or sustainability issues, Filmshift marries filmmaking, community, and social empowerment for two unforgettable weekends just outside of beautiful Boston, Massachusetts.

Filmshift’s first-place winner will take home $1,000 USD cash, a downloadable copy of Final Draft’s professional screenwriting software, membership in Script Pipeline’s lauded screenwriting database, and the Festival’s “Shifty Award.” Cash, trophies, and other prizes will also be awarded to second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-place winners, thanks to sponsors including Improv Boston, Script Magazine, and Cambridge Naturals.

Previous Filmshift programs have included such films as EARTHWORK, starring Academy Award-nominee John Hawkes; Indie Spirit Award-nominee MARWENCOL; and THE BURNING SEASON, featuring Hugh Jackman. All screenings take place at the historic Somerville Theater, a venue that has been entertaining audiences since 1914 and gives festivalgoers a taste of cinema history.

UPCOMING DEADLINE
July 16, 2012 – Regular Deadline

MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Filmshift’s Student Film Showcase offers audiences a chance to witness the works of on-the-rise talents in a wide variety of genres, including Documentary, Music Video, and Horror. Acceptance into the Filmshift Festival is a great way for young filmmakers to stand out among their peers and show off what they can do.

Experience the power of film to change minds and communities…submit to the Filmshift Festival today!