First Frame International Film Festival will be held live in Las Vegas, Nevada July 31st-August 1, 2021.
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Our winning film will walk away with a distribution deal. The best actor, actress, director, and writer are going to receive paid work and many other winners will get other unique prizes and consultations.
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Every story begins with a single frame. In its inaugural year, First Frame International Film Festival (FFI), has a mission to award filmmakers and screenwriters with more than just another laurel and fancy statue. As most know, showbiz is about who you know and how lucky you are, based on the amount of talent that goes undiscovered. We want to share our contacts and resources with our winning filmmakers and screenwriters to help them succeed in this highly competitive industry.

Note: Student Filmmakers, to enjoy the discount pricing of $25.00, a current/valid student ID must be emailed to the festival PRIOR to submitting. If Valid ID is not provided, you will be asked to re-submit as a non-student.

Awards & Prizes

FIRST FRAME INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION AWARDS:

There is only 1 winner per category for each award. Every winner will receive a Laurel and a certificate. Trophies will be given in the following categories: Best Feature, Best Short, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay. Winners that wish to purchase trophies or additional trophies may do so at the festival.  

Best Feature Film - The winning filmmaker(s) will receive a distribution deal as well as the services provided by www.DevelopYourMovie.com, all free of charge for their next feature film. 

​Best Short Film - The winning filmmaker(s) will receive development deal as well as services provided by www.DevelopYourMovie.com free of charge for their first (or next) feature film. 

​Best First Time Filmmaker - The winner will receive the services provided by www.DevelopYourMovie.com free of charge for their first (or next) feature film. 

Best Director - The winner will receive a job offer to direct in a Different Duck Film project in 2021-2022.

Best Actor - The winner will receive a job offer to co-star in a Different Duck Film project in 2021-2022.

Best Actress - The winner will receive a job offer to co-star in a Different Duck Film project in 2021-2022.

Best Screenplay - The winning writer will receive the services provided by www.DevelopYourMovie.com free of charge for their first (or next) feature film.

The winning filmmaker(s) will receive introductions to credible artists, and expert advice on getting the film sold and distributed for the following categories:

​Best Actor Reel
Best Actress Reel
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Foreign Film 
Best Documentary Feature Film 
Best Documentary Short Film 
Best TV Pilot 
Best Web Series
Best Animated Film
Best Student Film 
Best Music Video 
Best LGBTQ Feature Film
Best LGBTQ Short Film 
Best Horror/Sci-Fi Feature Film 
Best Horror/Sci-Fi Short Film 
Best Trailer
Best Newcomer 
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SCREENPLAY COMPETITION AWARDS:

Best Feature Screenplay - The winner will receive an option and development deal with Different Duck Films.

Best Short Screenplay - The winning screenplay will be funded and produced by Develop Your Movie and Different Duck Films. 

The winner will receive introductions to credible artists to help get your work made, and expert advice on what to do to get the screenplay produced and/or sold in the following categories:

Best TV Pilot Screenplay 
Best Web Series Pilot Screenplay 
Best Concept 
Best Writer 

Rules & Terms

FESTIVAL RULES AND REGULATIONS
Note: Student Filmmakers, to enjoy the discount pricing of $25.00, a current/valid student ID must be emailed to the festival PRIOR to submitting. If Valid ID is not provided, you will be asked to re-submit as a non-student.

1. Festival accepts submissions for feature films, foreign films subtitled in English, short films, feature documentaries, short documentaries, animation, TV Pilots, Web Series, music videos, student films, feature-length screenplays, short screenplays, scripts for television/web series.

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

3. All feature narrative and feature documentary submissions must be over 60-minutes in length.

5. All short film narrative and short documentary submissions must be under 40-minutes in length.

6. Animation, web series, and student film submissions of all lengths will be considered.

7. Music Videos must be under 8-minutes.

8. Festival will present selected films as a live in-person event from July 29th through July 31st, 2021. Award Show will be August 1, 2021

9. All Submission fees are non-refundable.

10. PLEASE NOTE: Due to the current COVID-19 health crisis, festival dates, location and/or format are subject to change.

SCREENPLAY COMPETITION RULES AND REGULATIONS:

1. First Frame International Film Festival Screenplay Competition accepts feature-length screenplays, short screenplays, TV Pilots, and Web Series screenplays. Feature-length screenplays must be a minimum of 60-pages and no longer than 150-pages. TV Pilots must be under 70-pages. Short screenplay and Web Series screenplay submissions must be under 60-pages.

2. Submitted screenplays can not 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.

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

7. All screenplays are considered complete once they are received by First Frame International Film Festival. No revisions or updated copies will be accepted.

8. Submission fees are non-refundable.

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

9 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Marty Beaudet

    The most disorganized, misinforming, chaotic, and aggravating festival I have ever encountered. Folks at the venue, which was hosting multiple festivals under the AoF umbrella, were completely uninformed and unaware of each other's directions and schedules. Even while watching a film, which was not the film scheduled for the theater I was in, no one at the info desk could tell me what film I was watching. (I walked in in the middle because another film was scheduled there at a later time.) The website I was directed to had conflicting or wrong schedule information and there was no printed program at the venue. Persons manning the desk simply directed everyone to a printout of the website for each day and knew nothing else.

    I paid $200 online for two tix to an awards show on Saturday night, only to be told upon arrival that my film's category winner would be announced at a completely different "free event" on Friday night, obviating the need to attend on Saturday. I was told I would be refunded for the unnecessary Saturday event. I was not. My emails about this were ignored. PayPal refused to pursue the refund because my only promise was oral and there was no written confirmation that a refund was offered.

    My film was screened 2 hours earlier than listed in the schedule, so anyone planning to attend it missed it. It was also screened simultaneously with a competing nomination, so that viewers had to choose between the two, nor could we see the competition. Only 8 people (outside of ourselves) saw my film. My EP was furious. I was promised a "nomination certificate," which they couldn't find when approached. I was told it would be mailed. It wasn't. My email went unanswered.

    My only positive comment was that Jessica was very nice, but ultimately she seemed to have no control over what happened. And, of course, I can say we were nominated, though not by a festival with any prestige.

    August 2021
    Helpful
  • Catherine Dao

    If you're starting out, and want to be a lifetime filmmaker, this festival is your starter festival. Rob and his team put their heart and soul into First Frame International Film Festival. Just the seminars/panels along is good enough reason to start here. So much info are packed into just these funding, advancing and tools of the trade. Bring a pad or cell to take notes. And, if this isn't enough, this festival will also get the winning films distribution and future film gigs and opportunities. For us indie filmmakers, that is rare. When you meet Rob, you will understand that he is the guy that can do what he promises. Thank you team First Frame for all the wonderful opportunities.

    August 2021
    Helpful
  • Bob Celli

    Thrilled to be part of this festival and it's inaugural year. Big shout out to Rob and partners for keeping arts alive in difficult times. They selected a great group of films and it was an honor to screen among them. Thank you to you al for keeping the arts alive having films be seen they way they were intended with audience reaction.

    August 2021
    Helpful
  • Paula Rossman

    I am so grateful for being included in First Frame's first festival! While I couldn;t join in the festivities in person - I felt heard and included and am looking forward to submitting a fully produced film in the future!

    August 2021
    Helpful
  • Harold L. Brown

    Jessica and Rob, and their FFIF Festival team, did a terrific job presenting one of the first LIVE festivals in more than 18 months since the COVID lock down. I will certainly submit future projects to their festival.

    August 2021
    Helpful