Cinequest Film Festival

Cinequest was voted Best Film Festival by USA Today Readers. Cinequest programs 85-90% of its festival from paid submissions annually, one of the highest percentages of the world's most influential film festivals.

"I think the most important thing about Cinequest is it's definitely the first time I've ever come to a festival where my immediate reaction is, 'What do I have to do to be invited back?' and that's not normally my reaction. It's a perfect film festival in a glorious place." - Neil Gaiman, Maverick Spirit Award Winner

Cinequest connects artists, innovators, media, and audiences—as people converge to experience a potent mix of immersive stories from around the globe and breakthrough technologies. Yet, Cinequest’s stellar reputation not only hinges on its knack for creating a powerful line-up, but also for securing distribution for many of its honored filmmakers. Netflix, IFC Films, Amazon, MSNBC Films, Roadside Attractions, 1091 Pictures, Oscilloscope, Sony Pictures, Magnolia Pictures, Kino-Lorber, eOne, Lionsgate, PBS, and HBO are just a few of the many that have signed deals with some of Cinequest's success stories.

As an Academy-qualifying festival for the short film categories, Cinequest is proud to honor the winners of its Best Short Narrative and Best Short Animation prizes with a shot at every filmmaker's dream...Oscar gold.

Exhibiting unique social and artistic visions from around the globe, Cinequest’s dynamic festival engages audiences in thought-provoking dialogue, giving film artists and film lovers alike an opportunity to connect. Furthermore, Cinequest provides cutting edge technology and movie-making forums to empower professionals and students.

Cinequest Film Festival (CQFF) will occur both In-person San Jose/Silicon Valley and Globally via its proprietary Virtual platform. Cinequest has been a leader in building community, audiences, and opportunity for film and filmed media via groundbreaking tech and paradigms for decades and will continue the golden combination of in-person and online post pandemic.

Organizationally set in the home of the world’s most influential media technology companies (Apple, Nvidia, Zoom, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, LinkedIn, Cisco, etc.) CQFF showcases premier films, renowned and emerging artists, and breakthrough technology—empowering global connectivity between creators, innovators and audiences. CQFF has led the world in its showcase and implementation of the technologies that have revolutionized film making, exhibition and distribution.

CQFF’s blend of the artist and innovator gains focus through its Maverick Awards. Its Maverick Spirit Awards recognizes artists (Harrison Ford, Nicolas Cage, Elle Fanning, J.J. Abrams, Tatiana Maslany, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bill Nighy, Sir Ben Kingsley, Rosario Dawson, Spike Lee, Sam Neill, Eddie Izzard, Gemma Arterton, Neil Gaiman, and Sir Ian McKellen are among the guest recipients). Its Maverick Innovator Award recognizes technologists (including Martin Cooper, father of the cell phone, and Steve Wozniak, Co-founder of Apple Inc.). A Maverick stands apart from the crowd willing to create and innovate from a place of personal yet global vision.

"This festival is one that sets the trends and is actually ahead of the trends. Other festivals are copying Cinequest; I see it all the time."-- Chris Gore (Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide)

“What unites them all under the festival’s big tent is clear: Being a part of Cinequest is not to follow industry trends, but to witness the moment they’re being set.”-- MovieMaker (Max Weinstein)

JUST A FEW OF THE BIG FILMS & VR PROGRAMMED AT CINEQUEST:
The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (dir. Terry Gilliam; starring Adam Driver)
Hotel Mumbai (dir. Anthony Mara; starring Dev Patel)
The Public (dir. Emilio Estevez; starring Jena Malone)
Teen Spirit (dir. Max Minghella; starring Elle Fanning)
Beirut (dir. Brad Anderson; starring Rosamund Pike, Jon Hamm)
Borg/McEnroe (dir. Janus Metz; starring Shia LeBeouf)
Krystal (dir. William H Macy; starring Nick Robinson, Rosario Dawson)
Submergence (dir. Wim Wenders; starring James McAvoy)
What They Had (starring Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon)
The Humanity Bureau VR (starring Nicolas Cage)
Six Minutes to Midnight (starring Eddie Izzard, Judi Dench)
Rams (dir. Jeremy Sims; starring Sam Neill, Miranda Richardson)

JUST A FEW OF THE CINEQUEST WORLD AND U.S. PREMIERES WHICH RECEIVED DISTRIBUTION:
I Love You Both (narrative, Magnolia Pictures)
East Side Sushi (narrative, Sony Pictures)
This Is Not a War Story (narrative, HBO)
Push (narrative, IFC Films)
Auggie (narrative, Samuel Goldwyn Films)
Midnight Clear (narrative, Lionsgate)
Before the Fire (narrative, Showtime)
Beneath the Banyan Tree (narrative, Freestyle Digital)
Adventures in Success (narrative, Utopia Distribution)
Fixed (narrative, Gravitas Ventures)
Every Time I Die (narrative, Gravitas Ventures)
A Beginner’s Guide to Snuff (narrative, Indican Pictures)
Dear Zachary (documentary, Oscilloscope Pictures)
Impossible Monsters (narrative, Gravitas Ventures)
Dependent’s Day (narrative, Freestyle Digital)
Lost Solace (narrative, Raven Banner Entertainment)
Friends Effing Friends Effing Friends (narrative, Gravitas Ventures)
Search Engines (narrative, Indican Pictures)
ToY (narrative, Gravitas Ventures)
Wake (narrative, E1 Entertainment)
Blood Car (narrative, TLA Releasing)
Love in the Time of Monsters (narrative, Indican Pictures)
The Skeptic (narrative, IFC Films)
On the Doll (narrative, Peace Arch)
El Camino (narrative, Lifesize Entertainment)
Family Inc (documentary, Seventh Art Releasing)
Monster Camp (documentary, Lifesize Entertainment)
Critical Condition (documentary, PBS)
The Nature of Existence (documentary, Walking Shadows)
The Brainwashing of My Dad (documentary, Gravitas Ventures)
The Truth About Marriage (documentary, Gravitas Ventures)
God Knows Where I Am (documentary, BOND360)
Bel Borba Aqui (documentary, Oscilloscope)