Founded in 1977, the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival is the longest-running, largest, and most widely recognized queer film exhibition event in the world. As a community event with an annual attendance of more than 63,000 (89,000 virtual attendance in 2020), the Festival is the most prominent and well-attended LGBTQ+ arts program in the Bay Area. In 2021, Frameline's Festival was named by MovieMaker one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World. In 2023, Frameline was ranked #8 in USA Today's Readers Choice poll of the 10 Best Film Festivals in the US. Frameline is a BAFTA Qualifying Festival. In 2024, Frameline made MovieMaker’s annual list of 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee. Frameline is also a BAFTA Qualifying Festival.

Frameline49: the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival will return to the Bay Area with its signature showcase of the world’s leading queer cinema. Frameline unites diverse communities for 11 days of innovative and socially relevant content. Discover emerging talents and embrace an unparalleled community of festival-goers at the world’s largest celebration of queer media. The Festival pays tribute to LGBTQ+ experiences through pioneering documentaries, gripping features, delightful shorts, cinematic classics, engaging episodics, and more.

Each year, Frameline hosts at least 400 official Festival guests, including directors, producers, actors, programmers, distributors, and buyers that range from small, independent entities to studios such as A24, Neon, Strand Releasing, Wolfe Video, The Film Collaborative, TLA Releasing, HBO, Showtime, and Warner Bros. The Festival is one of the largest annual business meeting places for theatrical and educational film and video buyers in Northern California.

Committed to showcasing the best and most diverse work by, about, and of interest to the LGBTQ+ community, we strongly encourage applications from women, people of color, transgender people, intersex people, asexual people, non-binary people, disabled people, and other underrepresented people and communities. The Festival is produced by Frameline, a non-profit arts organization dedicated to the exhibition, distribution, funding and promotion of LGBTQ+ media arts.

Frameline49 will be a competitive film festival with three juried awards for Outstanding First Feature (Narrative), Outstanding Documentary Feature, Outstanding Narrative Short, and Outstanding Documentary Short. Frameline49 will also have cash prizes attached to the two Audience Awards for Best Narrative Feature and Best Documentary Feature. Introduced in 2022, the Out in the Silence Award is an annual honor conferred to an outstanding film project that highlights brave acts of visibility, especially in places where such acts are rare and unexpected because of the dominant systems that make it difficult for LGBTQ+ people to live authentic lives.

Frameline47 introduced The Colin Higgins Youth Filmmaker Grants which are presented by Frameline centered on providing LGBTQ+ youth filmmakers with financial support to continue their work. Eligible applicants must be LGBTQ+ filmmakers under the age of 25 who currently reside in the United States. Up to three cash prizes of $15,000 each will be awarded in conjunction with the Frameline Film Festival. Frameline will curate up to 10 short films from which the Colin Higgins Foundation (CHF) Board will select up to three grantees.

Since 1983, our audience has been responsible for selecting the Best Narrative Feature and Best Documentary Feature of the Festival. Putting the power in the audience's hands, the Frameline Audience Awards offer cash prizes to the awarded titles.

Frameline, the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, accepts films of any length and genre about LGBTQ+ people and their communities.

ENTRY FORM
All submissions must be made via FilmFreeway. We do not accept submissions by email. A separate Entry Form is required for each film being submitted. Once a film is submitted for entry, it may not be withdrawn.

SUBMISSION FEE
We encourage filmmakers to submit by the Early Bird Deadline before fees increase. Entry fees are not refundable. Frameline only allots a small number of fee waivers for Festival alumni as well as filmmakers based in countries that cannot legally send money to the U.S. Discounted submission fees are granted on a case-by-case basis for filmmakers who demonstrate a financial need. No additional discounts are available with Student Discounts or Early Bird pricing. Requests can be directed to programming@frameline.org

REQUIREMENTS & PREMIERE STATUS
Feature films previously exhibited publicly in the Bay Area—either theatrically, at another local festival, via television, or widely available via streaming—are not eligible for submission. There is no premiere requirement for short films.

ELIGIBLE EXHIBITION FORMATS
For theatrical screenings, Frameline49 will exhibit all films via DCP. For streaming screenings, we will reach out with format specifications. All non-English language entries must have English subtitles.

ROUGH CUTS & WORKS-IN-PROGRESS
Rough cuts and works-in-progress are eligible for submission only if completed by May 9, 2025.

NOTIFICATION
All FilmFreeway submissions will be marked "In Consideration" once payment, entry forms, and an online link of the film have all been received. Entrants will be notified of festival selections in early May 2025.

SHIPPING
Exhibition copies must be sent to the festival prepaid. The Festival will pay for return or forward shipping. The Festival cannot accept nor assume responsibility for damage or loss of materials while in transit. In case of loss or damage during the Festival, the responsibility of the Festival is limited to the costs for repair or replacement of the print.

AWARD ELIGIBILITY
All feature films selected are eligible for the Audience Awards.
To be eligible for a juried award, a film cannot have screened or been broadcast on television or on VOD in the San Francisco Bay Area prior to the Festival.

PROGRAM SELECTION
All entries will be reviewed in their entirety by at least two members of the Festival Screening Committee or by one Programmer. The Screening Committee is composed of industry professionals, filmmakers, students, longtime festival screeners, and movie lovers.

RENTAL FEES
The Festival does not pay rental fees; instead, we choose to invest our resources in producing the best possible showcase for your work and promoting your work as widely as possible.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
I give Frameline permission to use up to 3 minutes of footage or photographic stills from the work for broadcast, web publication, or other promotional purposes. Frameline must be notified in writing of any press or photo restrictions.

Frameline must be notified in writing of any press restrictions, including hold reviews.

If accepted to the Festival, I agree not to have a full copy of the film available online or thru VOD prior to the Frameline screening.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Star Amerasu

    I really had a great time, saw an amazing niche Holly Woodlawn film, among some amazing new films by queer directors. Though the day my film screened I had to perform in NY for Pride, I was so happy that this festival was the place to premiere my short film ‘After Hours’. I got amazing feedback and it was just a lovely experience being a part of the magic.

    July 2024
  • Gregory Brecher

    Had a really wonderful time at the festival, the programming team did a great job of thematically pairing our short film with a feature for one of our screenings. It's a really great vibe and lovely group of people organizing and attending the fest.

    July 2024
  • Heroic Impact

    We had the most amazing time screening Extremely Unique Dynamic at Framline48. From the screenings to networking events to parties, Frameline was one of the most well-organized fests we attended. All screenings had fantastic attendance and the entire staff was extremely helpful and kind. We also had a lot of great press leading up to the festival and a lot of outreach from other festivals wanting to screen our film afterward as well!

    July 2024
  • MMS Short Film Distribution Agency

    Very good festival with a great communication policy.
    Despite we cannot attend the festival, we are very happy to join it.
    Their communication were excellent!
    Thank you so much for your dedication!

    July 2024
  • THE VERY BEST!!! so much respect for Allegra and her team <3 thank you so much for all the support, attention, care and love! THANK YOU. I highly recommend frameline to everyone <3

    July 2024