Premier Inclusive Diverse LGBT(Q)I(A)? Film Festival For All Pride Colors In The Spectrum. Founded and presented annually since 2016. Year-round programming, screenings, filmmaking institute (geared towards developing new screenwriters, filmmakers and actors), panels and parties.

America's Rainbow Film Festival celebrates all forms of domestic and international quality films made by and/or starring Urban/Minority LGBT(Q)I(A)? Community Members as part of our mission to break the stigma and stereotyping worldwide.

America's Rainbow’s programming includes the annual Urban Rainbow Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Intersexual & Allies Film Festival, showcasing domestic and international LGBT(Q)I(A)? films as well as year-round filmmaking and screenwriting competitions, screenwriting labs, filmmaking (directing and producing) labs, select film screenings, movie premieres, innovative panels and party events.

America's Rainbow Film Festival celebrates and honors filmmakers, web content creators and screenwriters winning across a myriad of categories.

A category-specific jury, comprised of studio/network executives, entertainment attorneys/managers/agents, content creators, and other industry professionals, select the winner in each category.

Additionally, America's Rainbow Film Festival attendees vote to select an Audience Award winner in the Best Feature, Best Short and Best Web Content categories. Winners are announced at the festival's award ceremony.

Festival & Juried Award Prizes are as follows:

a) BEST FEATURE — NARRATIVE
b) BEST FEATURE — DOCUMENTARY
c) BEST FEATURE — ANIMATION
d) BEST FEATURE — AUDIENCE AWARD
e) BEST SHORT — NARRATIVE
f) BEST SHORT — DOCUMENTARY
g) BEST SHORT — ANIMATION
h) BEST SHORT — AUDIENCE AWARD
i) BEST WEB SERIES
j) BEST FILMMAKER
k) BEST 1ST TIME FILMMAKER
l) BEST STUDENT FILMMAKER
m) BEST ACTOR — FEMALE
n) BEST ACTOR — MALE
o) BEST ENSEMBLE CAST
p) BEST SCREENPLAY
q) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
r) BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: ART DIRECTION
s) BEST COSTUME DESIGN / WARDROBE / STYLIST
t) BEST HAIR & MAKE-UP
u) BEST EDITING
v) BEST SOUND
w) BEST MUSIC / SCORE : ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK OR COMPOSED SCORE
x) BEST MUSIC VIDEO
y) BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
z) BEST AHF AWARD — COMMUNITY SERVICE OR SOCIAL SERVICE OR LGBT(Q)I(A)?+ ACTIVIST OR ACTIVISM OR HIV/AIDS THEME CONTENT: FILM, TV, WEB AND/OR PLAY

FILM & ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

LGBTQIA? = Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transsexuals, Questioning (Those Not Sure Yet), Intersexuals and Allies (Heterosexual Friends of LGBTQI People)

Questioning = Not Sure Yet
Ally = Gay Friendly Straight/Heterosexual Person

1. (a) The Director of the film must consider himself/herself a Member of The LGBT(Q)I(A)? Community, who is of African-American, African, Latino, or Asian (Indian included) descent.

(b) If the Director is none of the above, the film must feature LGBT(Q)I(A)? African-Americans, Africans, Latinos or Asians (Indians included) in prominent roles OR have an African-American, African, Latino or Asian (Indian included) screenwriter or lead producer.

(c) At a minimum, the film must highlight an LGBT(Q)I(A)? inclusive diverse cast in the America’s/Minority Realm that reflects the shifting demographics around the world.

2. America's Rainbow Film Festival's programming emphasizes premieres and new works in categories including narrative and documentary features/shorts.

3. Festival screenings will only be shown on DCP (Digital Cinema Package) formats, with Blu-Ray DVD as back-ups provided.

4. Film must have a composite optical sound.

5. Films in competition may not have had a commercial distribution or broadcast in the United States. The programming committee reserves the right to waive this rule in the case of small non-commercial, non-publicized showings.

6. Films receiving a theatrical or festival screening in the New York Area prior to or within one month following America’s Rainbow Film Festival's dates will not be considered for the Festival. Exceptions will be made under special circumstances. Please contact our office if you agree to any other screenings directly before or after America's Rainbow Film Festival, other than those listed on your application.

7. America’s Rainbow Film Festival does not pay rental fees. Instead, our limited resources are invested in the production and promotion of the best possible showcase for your work.

8. Films submitted to America’s Rainbow Film Festival must have been completed within a year of the submission process for the current year the submission is for.

9. Works in progress may be submitted as long as a DCP will be available for screening during the Festival run.

10. All entries must be postmarked by October 20th of the submission current year (late deadline), or November 9th of the submission current year (extended FINAL deadline).

11. Previously submitted works are not eligible for re-submission.

FILM SUBMISSION PROCEDURE:

1. (a) All works must be submitted via ONLINE SCREENER via FilmFreeway.
(b) No other formats will be accepted.

2. (a) Short Films must be under 25 minutes TRT (Total Running Time).
(b) Feature Films must be over 60 minutes TRT.

3. There is no limit to the number of submissions per submitter, provided they are separate submissions and the required submission fee is paid for each.

4. All genres (animation, drama, comedy, documentary style, etc.) will be accepted.

5. All films must be uploaded as an online screener by the extended deadline, November 9th of the submission current year.

6. Filmmakers will be notified via email of submission status by Nov 8th of the submission current year.

7. Filmmakers must have their electronic press kit materials available for submission to America’s Rainbow Film Festival along with the Filmmaker Checklist, no later than November 10th of the submission current year, if accepted as an official selection.

WEB CONTENT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

1. (a) The Creator of the web content must consider himself/herself a Member of The LGBT(Q)I(A) Community, who is of African-American, African, Latino, or Asian (Indian included) descent.

(b) If the Creator is none of the above, the web content must feature LGBT(Q)I(A) African-Americans, Africans, Latinos or Asians (Indians included) in prominent roles OR have an African-American, African, Latino or Asian (Indian included) screenwriter or lead producer.

(c) At a minimum, the web content must highlight an LGBT(Q)I(A) inclusive diverse cast in the America’s/Minority Realm that reflects the shifting demographics around the world.

2. America’s Rainbow Film Festival's programming emphasizes premieres and new works in categories including web content.

3. Festival screenings will only be shown on DCP (Digital Cinema Package) formats, with Blu-Ray DVD as back-ups provided.

4. Web content must have a composite optical sound.

5. Web content in competition may not have had a web-screening, commercial distribution or broadcast in the United States. The programming committee reserves the right to waive this rule in the case of small non-commercial, non-publicized showings.

6. Web content receiving a online, theatrical or festival screening in the New York Area prior to or within one month following America’s Rainbow Film Festival's dates will not be considered for the Festival. Exceptions will be made under special circumstances. Please contact our office if you agree to any other screenings directly before or after America’s Rainbow Film Festival, other than those listed on your application.

7. America’s Rainbow Film Festival does not pay rental fees. Instead, our limited resources are invested in the production and promotion of the best possible showcase for your work.

8. Web content submitted to America’s Rainbow Film Festival must have been completed within a year of the submission process for the current year the submission is for.

9. Works in progress may be submitted as long as a DCP will be available for screening during the Festival run.

10. All entries must be postmarked by October 20th of the submission current year (late deadline), or November 9th of the submission current year (extended FINAL deadline).

11. Previously submitted works are not eligible for re-submission.

WEB CONTENT SUBMISSION PROCEDURE:

1. All works must be submitted via ONLINE SCREENER via FilmFreeway. No other formats will be accepted.

2. Web content episodes must be under 20 minutes TRT (Total Running Time) and only two (2) may be submitted as one file for the screener on FilmFreeway.

3. There is no limit to the number of submissions per submitter, provided they are separate submissions and the required submission fee is paid for each.

4. All genres (animation, drama, comedy, documentary style, reality based etc.) will be accepted.

5. All web content must be uploaded as an online screener by the extended deadline, Nov. 9th of the submission current year.

6. Web content creators will be notified via email of submission status by Nov 11th of the submission current year.

7. Web content creators must have their electronic press kit materials available for submission to America’s Rainbow Film Festival along with the Web content creator Checklist, no later than November 10th of the submission current year, if accepted as an official selection.

SCREENPLAY ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

1. No hard copy submissions will be considered; only electronic submissions via FilmFreeway.

2. (a) The Screenwriter of the film must consider himself/herself of a Member of The LGBT(Q)I(A), who is of African-American, African, Latino, Asian (Indian included) descent.

(b) If the screenwriter (or co-writer) is none of the above, the screenplay must feature LGBT(Q)I(A) African-Americans, Africans, Latinos or Asians (Indians included) in prominent roles.

(c) At a minimum, the screenplay must highlight an LGBT(Q)I(A) inclusive diverse cast in the America’s/Minority Realm that reflects the shifting demographics around the world.

3. Screenplays must be the standard feature film length (83--120 pages) and standard US Final Draft or Celtx format only. Treatments will not be accepted. Only English language screenplays will be accepted. If the screenplay is initially written in a foreign language, an English translated version can be entered.

4. If the applicant has participated in any previous America’s Rainbow Film Festival Screenplay competition with a script, that script will not be accepted, irrespective of any and all revisions/changes the applicant may have made subsequent to participation.

5. Screenplays may not have been produced, sold, or licensed for theatrical, television, or online production.

6. Screenplays must be copyrighted or WGA registered and must be the original work of the applicant.

SCREENPLAY SUBMISSION PROCEDURE:

1. Only the first Fifty (50) screenplays will be considered for this competition.

2. The applicant's name, address, and phone number MUST appear on the cover of the screenplay's title page.

3. There is a limit of one (1) submission per applicant, and the submission fee must accompany each submission.

4. All screenplays must be uploaded as a PDF file by October 10th of the submission current year.

5. Screenwriters will be notified via email of submission status by Nov 11th of the submission current year.

6. Screenwriters must have their electronic press kit materials available for submission to America’s Rainbow Film Festival along with the Screenwriter Checklist, no later than November 10th of the submission current year, if accepted as an official selection.

FILM & SCREENPLAY SUBMISSION FEES:

1. Submissions will not be considered until the submission fee is paid in full via credit card. No exceptions.

2. Submission fees will not be returned and are non-refundable.

FILM, WEB CONTENT & SCREENPLAY SUBMISSION CHECKLIST:

1. The following must be included for each submission:

(a) Submission Form (Accepted online exclusively via FilmFreeway, 1 per submission)
(b) Preview Screener or Script (online screener or PDF file required, uploaded via FilmFreeway)
(c) Submission Fee (Accepted online via FilmFreeway)
(d) Optional, but recommended materials include: Brief Synopsis; Filmmaker/Screenwriter/Web-Content-Creator Bio; Electronic Press Kit; Stills.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Javad Daraei

    Thank you for choosing I don't like her, I feel that your festival will be one of the best festivals in the world in the future, Because you started so strong, And I hope to be able to show my films at your festival in the future

    August 2020
  • Micheal Rice

    Sponsors/organizers produced their festival at Lincoln Center such an amazing space to screen. The ARFF was such an amazing experience, networking with other QPOC in film as well as opening the floor for each director to participate in their own Q&A after their film screened.

    December 2019
  • Excited that our film screened at this festival the team was prompt with communications and the venue is amazing.

    December 2019
  • NTSAKO MABASA

    I got to a lot of festival and I meet a lot of interesting folks at these festivals but the mostly QPOC people I've met on the grounds of our festival over the years are the loveliest people on the planet. And not only are they lovely, they are a very talent bunch too. From their films to their Scripts, their talents are refreshing and a joy to witness.

    September 2019
  • Edward King

    The professionalism of the website was outstanding and the care with which the festival took to get our materials back to us was beyond impressive. Thank you for your diligence.

    March 2017