Golden State Film Festival

We are pleased to announce that the Golden State Film Festival will hold its 9th edition on February 18th thru February 26th, 2026 in Hollywood, California

The Golden State Film Festival we take pride in creating a fun relaxed and exciting festival for independent films located in Hollywood, California screening at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres.

The Festival will feature an opening night panel and party event gala, special events throughout the festival and an 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 located in Hollywood, California. 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.

Screenings at TCL Chinese 6 theatres Feb 19 - 25
Opening Night Feb 18, 2026
Festival Gala Feb 26, 2026

Awards and Prizes TBA

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.

Golden State Film Festival and or vendors, employees contractors or anyone related to the film festival is not responsible for travel related losses, travel costs or any costs associated with attending the festival or any costs or expenses related to changes in programing including change in venue and dates and times.

All Tickets are Non-Refundable.

1 festival badge per filmmaker or person, regardless of how many projects submitted or accepted and not more than 1 badge per filmmaker. All other attendees must have a ticket to be admitted entrance.

Overall Rating

Quality

Value

Communication

Hospitality

Networking

Jamon Holmes

Thanks, Peter and John for selecting and screening my film for its World Premiere "HITMAN EX," This festival had a great atmosphere and experience.

April 2025

Helpful
Kathryn Hollis Peters

Peter is amazing and kept us in the loop. This is a great festival worth doing. Impressed that BETTER FATE THAN NEVER was an official selection and our entire team loved attending!

April 2025

Helpful
Sammi Jay

This was such a great experience for me. They are amazing.

March 2025

Helpful
SAG Actress

Peter and Jon are THE BEST ! I mean, we had our feature film screened at the Chinese Theaters ! Can't get better than that ! Unless we land a distribution with MG off course ! LOL
I love those guys !!!! They are so nice, humble and hard working ! Besides they run the best film festivals in town ! I enrolled my feature film and my screenplay. I will be working with them FOREVER. I highly recommend ! Patricia Miller

March 2025

Helpful
Kristen Snyder

I absolutely loved my experience at this festival. To screen at the Chinese Theaters in Hollywood was an incredibly rewarding experience. They also make sure the filmmakers get a Q&A after the film. The award ceremony was on a rooftop in downtown LA. Andddd my film was awarded best editing for a feature documentary. I highly recommend this festival to all filmmakers!

March 2025

Helpful

Add to List

Dates & Deadlines

March 17, 2025
Opening Date
May 17, 2025
Earlybird Deadline
June 17, 2025
Earlybird Extended Deadline
July 17, 2025
Earlybird Rush Deadline
August 17, 2025
Summer Deadline
September 17, 2025
Programmers Choice Deadline
October 17, 2025
Programmers Choice Extended
November 17, 2025
Fall Deadline
December 17, 2025
Winter Deadline
January 17, 2026
Winter Deadline Extended
February 17, 2026
Last Minute Deadline
February 18, 2026
Notification Date
February 19 – 25, 2026
Event Date

Categories & Fees

Golden State Film Festival Film Submissions
General Film Submission
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Rush Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Summer Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Fall Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Last Minute Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Golden State Film Festival Feature Film Submissions
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Rush Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Summer Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Fall Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Last Minute Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Golden State Film Festival Feature Documentary Film Submissions
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Rush Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Summer Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Fall Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Last Minute Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Golden State Film Festival Music Video Submissions
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Rush Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Summer Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Fall Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Last Minute Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Golden State Film Festival Short Film Submissions
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Rush Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Summer Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Fall Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Last Minute Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Golden State Film Festival Short Documentary Film Submissions
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Rush Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Summer Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Fall Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Last Minute Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Golden State Film Festival Web Series Submissions
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Rush Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Summer Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Fall Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Last Minute Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Golden State Film Festival TV Pilot Submissions
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Rush Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Summer Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Fall Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Last Minute Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Golden State Film Festival Experimental Film Submissions
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Rush Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Summer Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Fall Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Last Minute Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Golden State Film Festival Screenplay Submissions
General Screenplay Submissions
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Rush Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Summer Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Fall Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Last Minute Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Golden State Film Festival Feature Screenplay Submissions
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Rush Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Summer Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Fall Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Last Minute Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Golden State Film Festival TV Film and/or Pilot Screenplay Submissions
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Rush Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Summer Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Fall Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Last Minute Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Golden State Film Festival Short Film Screenplay Submissions
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Rush Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Summer Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Fall Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Last Minute Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Golden State Film Festival Animated Film Submissions
- Earlybird Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Earlybird Rush Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Summer Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Programmers Choice Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Fall Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Winter Deadline Extended
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
- Last Minute Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now

Other Festivals You May Like

Sponsored

Newport Beach Film Festival
View Listing
Sponsored

NEW YORK INDIE SHORTS AWARDS
View Listing
Sponsored

PROOF Film Festival
View Listing
Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival
View Listing
Sundance Film Festival
View Listing

Jamon Holmes

Kathryn Hollis Peters

Sammi Jay

SAG Actress

Kristen Snyder