We are pleased to announce that the Golden State Film Festival will hold its fourth edition, at the TCL Chinese Theater Hollywood!

The Golden State Film Festival we take pride in creating a fun relaxed and exciting festival for independent films.

The Festival will feature an opening night party event gala and red carpet awards ceremony at the conclusion of the event.

All Dates are subject to change until official announcement soon!

The festival is programmed and organized by an experienced team of festival organizers. The Golden State Film Festival is designed to be a contending platform for independent filmmakers to promote independent films in California The "Golden State". The festival caters to independent filmmakers of shorts and feature projects looking to promote to distributors and film aficionados in the Los Angeles area and California.

Awards & Prizes

One short film and one feature film will win a week-long theatrical engagement in Los Angeles at the Arena Cinelounge
Additional Awards and Prizes TBA

Rules & Terms

Submitting your film does not guarantee festival acceptance or screening. Acceptance into the festival does not guarantee award or prize. Submission fee's are nonrefundable. Golden State Film Festival reserves the right to change programming without notice.
129 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
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Networking
  • Marcos Soriano

    Well run festival! Great venue!

    June 2020
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  • Vanessa Bloom

    I had a wonderful time at the Golden State Film Festival. The Event organizers were wonderful, and the Chinese Theater was fantastic. I had a great time!

    May 2020
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  • Eugene Khazin

    This is combined reviews of series of film festivals (Marina Del Rey, Culver City, Golden State - as all of them run by same organizers).

    I’d say, it is definitively those ones of of few unusual film festivals in LA area. Despite being indie, and run mostly just by two persons - Peter Greene and Jon Gursha - this festivals provides quite the scale - firstly, being a series of 4 events through year (check out in addition to mentioned three above also a Silver State Film festival in Las Vegas), and each one showing around 100 or so films (last Golden state, I believe, was around 200), which gives you very decent amount of diverse audience, to show and see how your movie affect different kind of people and make some useful contacts in-between screening.

    Second great thing - Peter and John usually select and show in big established cinemas (Golden state happened at TCL Chinese theater, while during Marina and Culver my movie was shown at Cinemark 18), which adds points to publicity for yours project.

    Thirdly - they have very broad selection, and give chance for showing to a different kinds and genres of movies (I was present during several days of different festivals, excluding my own showing days, and can say that probably almost any filmmaker will fit it in and any kind of viewer will find something for themself).

    And last, but not least - however it is impossible, organizers give personal attention to each and every project - I always received e-mails with dates, address, technical specs or such at proper time, all my questions or troubles was answered in a timely manner and so far it was only one festival, from which I received a phone call (most others prefers just e-mails in communication).

    And they staying in price range affordable for most filmmakers.

    I definitely advise to try and submit your project for one of theirs festivals.

    May 2020
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  • Kevin Williams

    It was a cool experience and staff.

    April 2020
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  • Antonette Trussoni

    I had a blast attending at the 2020 festival at the iconic Chinese Theatre. The event directors provided very good communication regarding dates, times, and information regarding all programs and events. I met some wonderful filmmakers and actors. A very memorable experience!

    April 2020
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