EVENT DATES
Summer Online Film Series: June 1 - August 31
Winter Online Film Series: January 1 - March 31
Theatrical Screening: TBA
MISSION & OBJECTIVE
Here at the CineManiacs Short Film Festival, we encourage an intellectual dialogue between filmmakers and viewers. That’s why each film accepted to the festival will accompany an official critique and be available online to view and comment on throughout the season to promote an ongoing conversation.
Members of the CineManiacs Short Film Festival committee are active in the world of independent filmmaking and hail from a multitude of specialties within the craft.
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
NOTIFICATION DATE
Summer Online Film Series: Approximately June 1, 2017 via email
Winter Online Film Series: Approximately January 1, 2017 via email
RUNTIME
Shorts: maximum 40 minutes
COMPLETION DATE
Films within the last five years
PLACE OF ORIGIN
Projects may originate from anywhere in the world
PREMIERE STATUS
No premiere requirement
DISTRIBUTION STATUS
Projects may not have distribution
GENERAL RULES
The CineManiacs Short Film Festival accepts all film genres: short films, narrative (drama, comedy, horror, sci-fi, fantasy), experimental, screendance, animation, and documentary. Specify only one main Category for your film. Films should have a total run time of no more than 40 minutes but we would prefer shorter films ideally.
Films or videos using non-licensed, copyrighted musical or literary properties without legal permission are not eligible. The competition is open to professional and nonprofessional filmmakers. Entries must be submitted in the completed form in which they will be judged. The decisions of the Jury are final.
We accept films from the United States and International entries, however non-English language films must be subtitled in English. Accepted films must be submitted in the following file formats: High Quality h.264 MP4 or MOV with a file size less than 10GB. All entries must submit preview screeners via online through FilmFreeway. Any other method must receive prior approval from the festival.
For both Online Film Series:
Best Picture
An award certificate will be issued to the Best Picture of the Online Summer Series and that film will be automatically entered into the Theatrical Screening to be in competition for the $250 Audience Choice Award.
Audience Choice Award
The films that move on from the Online Film Series to the Theatrical Screening in Long Beach, CA will be in contention for the cash prize of $250. Only one film will be chosen for the Audience Choice award at the live screening.