Welcome to SoCal Summer Camp for filmmakers!
We curate an intimate lineup of stellar shorts from around the world in every genre, showcasing them to a community of artists seeking inspiration and conversation. Selected films will enjoy an audience of working entertainment industry professionals and compete for cash and prize packages and an Academy Award®-Qualifying Theatrical run.
Our festival was started by filmmakers for filmmakers. Every decision is steeped with intention and care - from the programming, to the parties and the marketing. The entertainment industry can be a cold and competitive place, and we seek to combat that through genuine care and connection. Community is one of our core values and thus, selected filmmakers are adopted into our filmmaking family. Notable alumni include Jim Cummings (Thunder Road), Ursula Taherian (United States of Al), Ben Brewer (Everything Everywhere All At Once - VFX), David Fried (True Colors), and Danny Madden (Beast Beast).
We are seeking thought-provoking, conversation-starting stories that align with our mantra: Films with an Aftertaste. Whether they are shot on the iPhone or the Alexa, we seek to program a slate of films that represents the diverse and distinct voices in our world today.
Our lineup will feature top films from the festival circuit, as well as hidden gems we uncover in the screening process.
You can read reviews from our alumni below.
Salute Your Shorts is proud to present an Academy Award®-Qualifying theatrical run as a top prize. Every film in our lineup is eligible for this award, as long as the film has not received Academy qualification through another event.
We grant a $500 cash prize to our juried BEST OF FEST, $250 to our Programmer's Choice winner, and $250 to our AUDIENCE FAVORITE. There is also a substantial prize package for our LOCAL FILMMAKER award.
In 2023 we gave more than $13,000 away in cash and prize packages combined.
Additionally, "Best in Category" awards are determined by jurors. We recognize WINNERS and HONORABLE MENTIONS in the following categories:
- DRAMATIC SHORT
- DOCUMENTARY SHORT
- EXPERIMENTAL SHORT
- COMEDY SHORT
- GENRE SHORT
- ANIMATED SHORT
- SUPER SHORT FILM (UNDER 5 MINUTES)**
- LOCAL SHORT
Jurors from past years have included:
- TONY HALE - Emmy Winning Actor (Veep, Arrested Development, Toy Story)
- DAN LIN, Head of Netflix; Producer (Lego Movie Franchise)
- JACKIE TOHN (Glow)
- ANIA TRZEBIATOWSKA (Programmer, Sundance Film Festival)
- TROIAN BELLISARIO - actress/director (Pretty Little Liars, Good Trouble)
- KABIR AKHTAR - director (Grownish, Crazy Ex Girlfriend)
- JEREMY HOWE, writer/producer (The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon)
- DOUG JONES (Shape of Water, Pans Labyrinth)
- INA PIRA (curator at Vimeo)
- MATT FAGERHOLM (film critic, Rodgerebert.com)
- PAUL SLOOP (Shorts Programmer, Cleveland International Film Festival)
- GREG SORVIG (Artistic director, Heartland Film Festival; Associate Programmer, Tribeca)
-CÉLINE ROUSTAN (Programmer, Short of the Week, SXSW)
- ABIRAM BRIZUELA (composer, former director of Artist Development -Sundance Institute)
Panelists and Moderators have included:
- DANIEL SCHEINERT and the "Everything Everywhere All At Once" VFX Artists.
- JENNI KONNER (HBO's Girls)
- BEN PROUDFOOT (Academy-Award Winning Doc Director)
- JIM CUMMINGS (Sundance & SXSW Winning Filmmaker)
- SUJATA DAY (Sundance Lab Fellow and HBO Visionaries Ambassador)
- ANNA BAUMGARTEN (Austin Film Festival Grand Jury Prize Winner)
- EMILY BEST, Founder and CEO of Seed&Spark
- DARIOUS BRITT (D4Darious on Youtube).