The COVEN Film Festival is a Charming Stranger Films, LLC production, devoted to short films by emerging women filmmakers from the San Francisco Bay Area and around the world. 

Our event features a full day of short films made by women, panel, Q&As with filmmakers and excellent networking opportunities.

Film blocks featured at the festival are curated by Charming Stranger, and ‘best of fest’ programming partners, Bluestocking Films Series and Etheria Film Night; who have more than 25 years combined pushing for inclusion behind the camera and representation across screens.

Festival passes include: access to all films, Q&As with filmmakers, a creative distribution panel on building audiences, stellar networking opportunities, and awards party. Proceeds to benefit Cinefemme.

This event spotlights women storytellers, and recognizes that not every woman is young, white, middle-class, cisgender, or able-bodied. Our mission is to amplify ALL women's stories -- emphasizing indigenous, differently-abled and women of color -- told by women creators.

COVEN Film Festival reserves the right to change our programming without notice.

Awards & Prizes

Best Film
Best Director
Best Bay Area Film
Best Bay Area Director
Emerging Talent Award
Best International Film
Audience Award  
Best of Etheria and Bluestocking

All winners will receive an award and be featured across festival social channels, festival video and website.

Rules & Terms

This event spotlights women storytellers and recognizes that not every woman is young, white, middle-class, cisgender, or able-bodied. Our mission is to amplify all women's stories—emphasizing indigenous, disabled and women of color—told by women creators.
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RULES & TERMS​
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Entering a film into the COVEN Film Festival implies the acceptance of the following regulations. The Festival wishes all entrants the best of luck with their submission and their film.
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ELIGIBILITY
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Films must be directed or co-directed by a woman.
Submission is open to all short films 20 mins max duration that have been completed after January 1, 2018. We welcome narratives, documentaries, animations and student films.
Works-in-progress are not accepted.
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COPYRIGHT & LEGAL TERMS
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By entering your film for consideration to the 2019 COVEN Film Festival, you authorise that your work is cleared for festival exhibition and accept full legal responsibility for the intellectual property therein. The submitter and all filmmakers associated with the project shall indemnify and hold harmless the COVEN Film Festival and any representative or affiliates from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including, but not limited to, attorney's fees and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.
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CONDITIONS FOR ENTRY
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If accepted to screen at the Festival, the entrant agrees to provide a DCP format file for exhibition. Foreign language films must be subtitled in English. Any costs associated with any subtitling or formatting is the sole responsibility of the entrant. Our partner SimpleDCP offers a 20% discount.

Festival laurels will be provided to all Official Selections and Award Winners. Films should be presented in their original versions with English language subtitles or commentary where necessary.
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By submitting, you agree that the Festival is allowed to use film stills, film posters, and trailers, and share them on social media sites and on the Festival website. Prints may be made, including film posters and stills of all selected films.

The Festival does not pay screening fees. Please submit your film via the online submission platforms. By submitting, you agree that your film can be screened without a screening fee.
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Terms and conditions updated September 2018.