HALO, powered by Lights On

HALO (High Atelier Lights On) is a new project designed by Lights On.

It’s a mentorship program focused on empowering the strengths of your short movie.
If you have a work in progress project or a short movie which has newly started its festival’s run, you are eligible to apply!

Lights On is a world sales company of quality cinema founded in 2016.
Our line up includes short movies, feature films and documentaries from international emerging talents.
Support and develop independent cinema on an international level is our first commitment. Our goal is to be the film’s main promoter, exploit the potential of the movie, until it reaches the widest possible audience.

We have distributed “The Criminals” by Serhat Karaaslan presented at Sundance Film Festival 2021 and among the 15 films shortlisted at the Oscars 2022. Pham Thien An’s short film "Stay Awake, Be Ready" winner of the Illy Award for Best Short Film at the 51st Director's Fortnight in Cannes 2019, as well as other acclaimed shorts like “Community Gardens” by Vytautas Katkus premiered in Critics Week - Cannes 2019, “The Trap” by Nada Riyadh which was screened both at Cannes Critics Week and Toronto International Film Festival 2019, "A Trip to Heaven" by Linh Duong premiered at Locarno Film Festival 2020.
In 2021 Lights On took part at the 78° Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica di Venezia with three short films in the Orizzonti Short Films Competition 2021: ”4AM” by Mehdi Fikri, “Techno, Mama” by Saulius Baradinskas, “Hair Tie, Egg, Homework Books” by Luo Runxiao.
Lights On participated at the 70th Berlinale in 2020 with the World Premiere of Lois Patiño 2nd feature film RED MOON TIDE.

Rules & Terms

The selected projects will have the chance to enter the HALO mentorship program which consists in two tailored consultancy sessions with Lights On team.

The aim is to help you to get ready to distribute your short film by providing the necessary tools to have a better knowledge of the film festivals world and the sales system. From finding new worldwide audiences for your movie to targeting the most suitable festivals, we will help you boost the potential of your film.

If your short movie is selected the cost of the consultancy service is 390 Euros.
The sessions will be held online and they will be scheduled accordingly to the participant's and Lights On Team needs. The second consultancy session will take place between 3 and 5 months following the 1st session, as a follow up session to continue with the distribution process according to the outcomes collected in the first months of distribution.

Submissions are reviewed and selected by Lights On Team under their own personal evaluation criteria. The number of selected projects is in Lights On's sole discretion.
The submission fee is non refundable and in no way guarantees acceptance into HALO mentorship program. Notifications will be sent within one month from the date of the submission.
The acceptance into HALO mentorship program does not guarantee of being part of Lights On line-up under any circumstances.
The selected projects shall have the right, at their own expense, to include HALO logo on all prints and copies of the Short Movie and on all advertising and publicity materials for the Short Movie, together with all appropriate text, indicating that the Short Movie has been part of HALO mentorship program.