Malibu Film Festival ® is a premier showcase for U.S. and international independent films established in 1997. Malibu Film Festival takes place each awards season.

Malibu Film Festival premieres high quality new films from emerging filmmakers. Malibu Film Festival provides audience members, filmmakers, festival programmers and industry professionals an opportunity to network and discover the next generation of creative talent.

In addition to screening numerous films over the years, including countless US and World Premieres, Malibu is known for programs such as the prestigious Tribute Honor which counts James Cameron, John Frankenheimer, Seymour Cassell, Malcolm McDowell, Michael Madsen, Stan Winston, Stacey Keach, Loyd Bridges, Charles Bronson, Arthur Hiller, Barry Spikings, Shirley Maclaine, Pierce Brosnan and Nick Nolte among recipients, and the acclaimed year round film production program, where the festival produces film and television projects with awards winning festival filmmakers, which make the festival a key stop in the award season race.

Join us for the 2024 Malibu Film Festival, presented by XOLO.TV.

IN-PERSON EVENT DATE
Saturday, May 18

STREAMING ON XOLO.TV
Malibu 2024 will combine an in-person festival and building upon the success of previous online editions—an accessible virtual experience for everyone to enjoy. Films officially selected for the 2024 Malibu Film Festival may be presented in-theater and/or streaming on XOLO.TV. For online viewing, 100+ films will be available exclusively on the festival-curated streaming platform XOLO.TV from May 18-31.  Subscribe today, cancel anytime. XOLO.TV is the #1 film festival streaming platform.

FESTIVAL FOCUS
Malibu Film Festival is a premiere film festival established in 1997 to support emerging filmmakers and introduce their work to audiences, creating a community around independent storytelling.

STAFF
Malibu Film Festival is produced and staffed by Director members of the Director's Guild of America (DGA).

FESTIVAL HISTORY
Since 1999, Malibu Film Festival has been recognized as a premiere festival for discovering emerging directors. Honorees and Filmmakers who first presented their work at the festival are now amongst the biggest names in the industry include Academy Award® winning director James Cameron (Avatar, Titanic, Terminator); Academy Award® winning director Bryan Fogel (Jewtopia, Icarus, The Dissident);

ABOUT PROGRAMMING
The festival program is selected entirely from a blind submissions pool. No films are given special treatment based on who made them or who they know. Malibu Film Festival programers are comprised of award winning filmmakers, festival alumni, and working union members including DGA, SAG/AFTRA, IATSE and WGA.

SPONSORS
Avon Truck Rental
SimpleDCP
Tito's Handmade Vodka
Trejo's Taco's
Golden Road Brewery
KinoFlo Lighting
Wolk & Levine
Delta8Pro
Line204

JURY AWARDS:
Best U.S. Short Film
Best International Short Films
Best U.S. Documentary Short Film
Best International Documentary Short Film
Best U.S. Animated Short Film
Best International Animated Short Film
Best Experimental Shorts
Best U.S. Narrative Feature Films
Best International Narrative Feature Films
Best U.S. Documentary Feature Films
Best International Documentary Feature Films
Best Episodic Content
Best Emerging Media
Malibu Filmmaker Award

AUDIENCE AWARDS:
Audience Choice U.S. Short Film
Audience Choice International Short Films
Audience Choice U.S. Documentary Short Film
Audience Choice International Documentary Short Film
Audience Choice U.S. Animated Short Film
Audience Choice International Animated Short Film
Audience Choice Experimental Shorts
Audience Choice U.S. Narrative Feature Films
Audience Choice International Narrative Feature Films
Audience Choice U.S. Documentary Feature Films
Audience Choice International Documentary Feature Films
Audience Choice Episodic Content
Audience Choice Emerging Media

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Gabriela Revilla Lugo

    Truly loved being at this festival. Saw wonderful films that I was grateful to be in company with. loved it.

    July 2023
  • Fantastic festival! Honored to be part of it with our feature documentary "A Wolf in the Asylum"

    July 2023
  • Proud to have had my short film showcased alongside so many other talented filmmakers.

    June 2023
  • Rodrigo Moreno-Fernandez

    Wonderful festival! Very well organized and awesome communications.

    June 2023
  • NEI LOYA

    A consolidated festival with a high quality in its selected Films. It is a great privilege to participate.
    Very happy and grateful to be part of its 2023 edition with The Summers of Your Winter.

    June 2023