City of Angels Women’s Film Festival has grown into the premier women's film festival in the country, with an Oscar style awards live gala, important prizes, celebrity guests and competitive submission fees! COAWFF empowers and connects women and those identifying as female in the film industry, and showcases extraordinary films made by women around the world. Our goal is to improve gender equality in film and celebrate diverse women's stories.

City of Angels Women's Film Festival is an IMDB qualifying festival and is in the TOP 100 BEST REVIEWED film festivals in the world. It is focused on honoring films that have been either directed, produced or edited by a woman, or include a female protagonist or a cast driven by women. (For example: We will accept a film directed by a man if the film was either written or produced by a woman or includes a female driven cast or female protagonist. ) The screenplay category is open to both men and women. (Scripts written by men must include a female protagonist.) We also welcome LGBTQ+ themed films and scripts. We encourage student filmmakers to submit their work and also accept experimental films both feature and short length. We are committed to honoring filmmakers of all ages and diverse backgrounds.

City of Angels Women's Film Festival chose its name (which many know is the nickname for Los Angeles) because we are proud to be located in LA and part of the Hollywood community. We are also proud to showcase films from around the US and the world!

City of Angels Women's Film Festival is an excellent festival to exchange ideas about the art and business of filmmaking. With that in mind, we provide outstanding panels and Q&A's with established industry leaders. Mark your calendar for Nov 9th, 2023 because this year we will be hosting another international virtual panel with top UK filmmakers. Announcements for our live guest panelists are yet to be made. All updates and festival news can be found on the website or follow us on our socials.

Last year's festival's virtual panel was an exclusive hour and a half interactive Zoom with iconic actress Dee Wallace. Dee shared her career insights, acting strategies and personal stories about working for decades with some of the biggest directors including Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson and many others.

Our live panels included the acquisitions team from Shout! Studios, an international filmmaking panel with French and UK producers and directors and a diversity panel which included Oscar winning director Charles Burnett.

Notable live panelists participating in our previous festivals include : Alison Eastwood (Battlecreek, The Mule) Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir ( Shang-Chi, John Wick, Atomic Blonde) , Mary Vernieu (Knives Out, Silver Linings Playbook), Jim Uhls (Fight Club, Semper Fi), Lisa London (Hannah Montana, Old Henry), Mark Teschner (General Hospital), Oscar winning director Charles Burnett and many others.

CITY OF ANGELS WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVAL WAS FEATURED TWICE IN VARIETY! COAWFF continues to generate positive press and reviews! Enjoy some of our recent reviews and feedback from industry insiders:

"I love the mission and the vision of this festival."
Guillermo Del Toro. Oscar winning Director.

"The festival's programming is incredible! My shorts block was as good as any I'd seen at Sundance or SXSW. I would highly recommend this festival."
Jon Matthews. Director

"The City of Angels Women's Film Festival is a great and inclusive film festival that I was grateful to be a part of!"
Natalie Jasmine Harris Director/Writer

"What a wonderful festival! Great communication. Beautiful red carpet gala. The Q A was engaging and informative. Loved it!"
Julia Bergeron. Director/Writer

"I've been to a lot of film festivals. CITY OF ANGELS WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVAL is definitely one of the best. It was both fun and a great networking experience! Panelists included: Jim Uhls ("Fight Club") , Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir ("Kate", "Shang-Chi" "John Wick") and Casting Directors Lisa London and Mark Teschner. And...The Awards Night Party was unparalleled. I literally thought I was at a Cannes Film Festival party. My film premiered at this festival. I'm so glad we chose this prestigious event to showcase our work."
Nunzio Fazio. DGA Director.

"CITY OF ANGELS WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVAL couldn't be more perfect. Every aspect of the festival was thoughtfully curated-from the diverse showcase of films, the panelists and venues. It lives on in my heart."
Aina Dumlao. Director.

"This is an awesome festival focusing on female filmmakers. The panelists were all accomplished industry pros that were all approachable and I made several great industry connections. The gala award show was top notch with lots of press. Highly recommend!"
Natalie Denise Sperl. Actress/Writer/Director

"CITY OF ANGELS WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVAL is amazing! Great audiences and events, and as a filmmaker, I appreciated the support for quality projects by underrepresented groups. Can't wait to see what's next for them."
Mitch Del Monico. Director.

"CITY OF ANGELS WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVAL has given two of my projects with female writer/directors an amazing opportunity to connect and empower themselves with the Hollywood Film Industry through participating in this festival. We were excited to win "Best Foreign" with our UK entry. I highly recommend submitting to this amazing festival!"
Paul Dubois. Producer/Director/Actor.

"CITY OF ANGELS WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVAL is a hidden gem that isn't going to stay hidden after its recent success. Everything about the event was fantastic! The venue, the hospitality, and the personal care. This is a filmmaker-focused festival and you feel it right away. What's so amazing is the quality of filmmakers you meet and the planning put into enhancing conversations and connections. I loved everything about CITY OF ANGELS WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVAL and can't wait to return."
Michelle Muldoon. Director.

City of Angels Women's Film Festival will adhere to all local and state regulations regarding Covid 19 in order to ensure the safety of our participants. We ask that our guests also comply with those regulations. The festival reserves the rights to change dates and times accordingly.

 

Awards & Prizes

All Award Winners will receive:
Laurels
Trophies for those attending the Awards Ceremony. (No exceptions).
Digital Certificates for winners who cannot attend the Awards Ceremony. (COAWFF will not mail trophies.)
IMDB win credits. **Please read carefully: If you are chosen to be an Official Selection of COAWFF, you have been "nominated" for an award and whether you win or not, you may upload your nomination to IMDB as credit. Please consult with festival about which category we are nominating you for. We will have this information available for you closer to our Awards Gala.
Select winners will be given publicity on the COAWFF website and our socials.

FINAL DRAFT software will be awarded to several of the winning writers. (Best Feature Screenplay, Best Pilot, Best Short, Best Social Commentary).

The Angel Award trophy will be given to "Special Achievers" for their extraordinary work and inspiration."

Multi- Media Female Empowerment Award.

BIGGER PRIZES IN 2023!
***A NEW PRIZE HAS BEEN ADDED TO COAWFF:
A DISTRIBUTION OPPORTUNITY with SHOUT! STUDIOS
for the winners in the following categories:
BEST FEATURE FILM
BEST SOCIAL COMMENTARY FILM
BEST FEATURE SCREENPLAY
Winners of these categories will secure a meeting with the acquisitions team at Shout! Studios for a potential distribution deal or a potential development deal.

Other special prizes:
DREAM MAGIC STUDIOS PRIZE:
A full day of rental at DREAM MAGIC STUDIOS in Los Angeles for your next project worth $2500.00. This prize will be awarded to a local filmmaker (you must live in the LA vicinity) and be an Official Selection attending City of Angels Women's Film Festival to qualify.

***New prize package added from SELLING YOUR SCREENPLAY.COM includes the following:
- 1 year subscription to SYS Select.
- Entry into SYS’s Screenplay Database for 1 year.
-1 SYS Email/Fax Blast to our list of agents, managers, and producers!
- You will be highlighted in a special newsletter that goes to hundreds of working producers!
- You will be featured in The Budget List (the best un produced low budget screenplays) at the end of the year!

New and unique prizes will be awarded to those attending the Awards ceremony . We highly recommend you attend. * We will not mail trophies.

NEW PRIZE FOR WRITERS 2023:
This year's COAWFF 2023 BEST SCREENPLAY winner will win a prize package from Selling Your Screenplay.com worth $550.00 retail:
-- 1 year subscription to SYS Select
-- Entry into SYS’s Screenplay Database for 1 year
-- 1 SYS Email/Fax Blast to our list of agents, managers, and producers
-- Highlighted in a special newsletter that goes to hundreds of working producers
-- Featured in The Budget List at the end of the year

CATEGORIES FOR AWARDS FOR FILMS AND SCRIPTS:
Best Feature Film (overall)
Best Comedy Feature
Best Dramatic Feature
Best Science Fiction Feature
Best Science Fiction Short
Best Short Film (overall)
Best Short Short (overall)
Best Comedy Short
Best Micro Short
Best Dramatic Short
Best Feature Length Documentary
Best Short Length Documentary
Best Female Protagonist Film
Best Female Driven Cast Film
Best Animated Film
Best Horror Film
Best Female Driven Action Film
Best LGBTQ+ Themed Film
Best Student Film.
Best Experimental Film.
Best Webisode (must be under 6 minutes)
Best T.V. Pilot
Best Cinematography
Best Editor
Best Director
Best Composer
Best Ensemble Cast Comedy (both short and feature length film)
Best Ensemble Cast Drama (both short and feature length film)
Most Innovative Feature Film
Most Innovative Short Film
Audience Award
Best Foreign Feature Length Film
Best Foreign Short Length Film
Best Social Commentary Award Short Film.
Best Social Commentary Award Feature Film.
Best Actress Award
Best First time Female filmmaker
Angel Award for Inspiration and Excellence.

SCRIPTS:
Best Feature Film Script
Best Short Film Script
Best Drama Script
Best Comedy Script
Best Social Commentary Script
Best Teleplay
Best Webisode
Best Sequences (under 10 pages)
Most Innovative Script
Best Synopsis (under 2 pages)

Rules & Terms

FESTIVAL RULES AND REGULATIONS/FILMS

All festival submitters guarantee the City Of Angels Women's Film Festival that they have the legal authority to act on behalf of their project and to give COAWFF the right to screen and promote their work(s)/project(s).

1. City of Angels Women’s Film Festival accepts submissions for feature films, foreign films subtitled in English, short films, feature documentaries, short documentaries, TV Pilots, student films, feature-length screenplays, short screenplays, scripts for television/web series and synopses for both film and television.

2. All films must be submitted with an online screener.

3. All feature narrative and feature documentary submissions must be 45+ minutes in length.

5. All short film narrative and short documentary submissions must be under 45-minutes in length.

6. Student film submissions of all lengths will be considered. When submitting as a student, please submit under student pricing and make sure to include a copy of your student id under your "files & attachments."

7. Festival will present selected films as a live in-person event from September 2-4, 2022.

8. All Submission fees are non-refundable. Please do not submit under student pricing if you are not a student. Doing so, will result in disqualification.

9. PLEASE NOTE: Festival dates, location and/or format are subject to change as festival deems needed.

10. Festival will abide by all local Covid rules and regulations in order to protect its participants and guests as stipulated by city and state regulations.

11. City of Angels Women's Film Festival does not offer fee waivers.

12. COAWFF must receive the materials for selected films for a screening in a timely manner in order for filmmakers to be given a screening during the festival. These materials include: an MP4 or .MOV file of your film, a high-res jpeg of your poster and a brief synopsis. The festival will communicate the deadline and requests that your deliverables are received by that deadline. If you miss the deadline, your film will still be in competition for awards.

13. Screening and event schedule is at the sole discretion of COAWFF. Change requests by filmmakers will not be considered after the schedule has been set and posted to the COAWFF website.

SCREENPLAY COMPETITION RULES AND REGULATIONS:

1. City of Angels Women’s Film Festival Screenplay Competition accepts feature-length screenplays, short screenplays, and TV Pilots screenplays. Feature-length screenplays must be no longer than 130-pages. Any screenplay over 130 pages must be submitted as part 1 and then separately as part 2.

2. Submitted screenplays cannot have been optioned, purchased, or otherwise produced at the time of submission.

3. Writers may submit as many screenplays as they’d like to the competition, however, each script requires a separate application and payment.

4. All entries must be submitted in English.

5. Submissions must include a title page with the author(s) and any relevant registration or copyright information. Submitting Writer must have the legal right to submit.

6. Screenplays must be submitted in PDF or MS WORD.

7. All screenplays are considered complete once they are received by City of Angels Women's Film Festival. No revisions or updated copies will be accepted.

8. Submission fees are non-refundable. Please do not submit under student pricing if you are not a student. Doing so, will result in disqualification.

9. Please be sure to read all rules and regulations prior to submitting your project.

10. We expect all participants to adhere to local health rules and regulations pertaining to Covid 19 as we endeavor to keep our participants and guests safe.

61 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Harri James

    Thank goodness for charismatic, talented, passionate, and caring film festival founders like Lisa K. Crosato. I had the honor of getting into the City of Angels Women’s Film Festival 2022! The quality of films and filmmakers, as well as the community and support was unparalleled. The panels and Q&A were always well moderated and professional. It’s starts at the top-- Lisa K. Crosato runs a beautiful festival and creates an awesome learning and networking environment, while celebrating creatives! This festival embraces you and your film and lets you shine!

    November 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you for such a stellar and heart felt review! You and your team were such a delight to have as part of our 2022 season! We are excited to be building a community with thoughtful and talented filmmakers like yourself and can't wait to see what's next for you! Thank you sincerely for the support!

  • Rachel Earnest

    A lovely festival! Our screening was well-attended which is always nice. Really appreciated the supportive, community vibe.

    November 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Rachel for your great review. We loved screening your amazing film and the Q&A with you. We hope you'll share your work with us again. Keep shining!

  • Lulu Valencia

    This was an amazing film festival. The staff are friendly, professional and extremely helpful. My film was selected to screen here and it was an honor bc there was so much talent in the room. The movies were amazing. I was in a room with filmmakers who flew in from Iceland, UK, Australia. It was empowering to be around female filmmakers. Such a supportive network. The panelists provides valuable information and knowledge. I can’t wait to go out next year. It’s definitely one of the best festivals!!!

    November 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you for such a stellar review! We were delighted to screen your amazing film and do such a great Q&A with you. Congratulations again on your win! We can't wait to see what's next for you! Keep shining!

  • Betty Kaplan

    Was happy to represent international selection with my short film Mauthaus produced in Berlin. I didn't attend, so I'm having a belated FOMO. Looks like a lovely festival as it's very nice to recieve communication and a note that the audience liked the film even though I didn't make it to LA. Will have to submit my next!

    October 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you for such a lovely review! We were delighted to screen your film and we wish you could have joined us but we look forward to seeing what's next from you and your talented team!

  • Mixed girl

    I won my first award for Best Social Impact at the COAWF. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity. The feedback for my short film "Mixed Girl" was fantastic.

    October 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks for such a great review! Congratulations again for your win for Best Social Impact Award for MIXED GIRL! It was a delight to screen your film and have such an amazing Q&A afterwards with you. Keep shining!