The Haydenfilms Institute (HFI) announces a call for entries for the $25,000 Haydenfilms 5.0 Online Film Festival, featuring shorts and feature films open to all genres!
The Haydenfilms Online Film Festival unites global filmmakers with unique life experiences to empower creativity and talent. Independent filmmakers will be celebrated with the 60-day online short film festival and the four-day (4 day) event based in Los Angeles, California during the month of January, 2024. These four days will include the award ceremony and screenings of the top four (4) short finalists and selected feature film finalists (TBD).
Founded in 2001 with a two-person team and a tiny office in northeastern Pennsylvania, the Haydenfilms Institute’s mission is to educate, empower and fund student and independent filmmakers. The Haydenfilms 1.0 Online Film Festival was launched in 2004, long before the modern-day need for a virtual option. In fact, the HFI holds the distinction of being host to one of the world’s first online film festivals. Every year, film entries were submitted through the festival’s website, where the top 50 entries were selected, competed and voted upon by a global audience; each year, one (1) winner took the grand prize of $10,000. In the effort to expand the celebration and empowerment of all members of the film industry, HFI launched the 1.0 Screenwriting Competition in 2021 where the winner received $10,000. The Haydenfilms 2.0 Screenwriting Competition will be announced in 2024.
The HFI believes in the power of accessibility and distribution to independent filmmakers. Today that mission reigns true. The HFI seeks to enable up-and-coming filmmakers with the platform, knowledge and networking to break into the industry. The HFI wants all filmmakers to bring their potential in our 5.0 Online Film Festival and to join the legacy of worldwide film professionals who have emerged from our organization.
Past Haydenfilms Online Film Festival winners:
1.0 Quinn Saunders "Fortunate Son"
2.0 John Burgess "The Powder Puff Principle"
3.0 Reda Mustafa "The Boot of War"
4.0 Johnny Ray Gill "My Turtle's Name is Dudley"
Past Haydenfilms Screenwriting Competition winners:
1.0 Quinton Buxton “The Revolving Door”
GRAND PRIZE | $25,000
The Grand Prize Winner will receive $25,000 for the achievement of the top-rated short film–voted on by the global online audience–from the 60-day Online Film Festival. The Grand Prize Winner will be announced at the four-day event in Los Angeles, California where the four (4) top-rated short films will be screened.
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD | $10,000
The Audience Choice Award Winner will receive $10,000 for the achievement of the top-rated feature film. The feature film finalists invited to the four-day event in Los Angeles, California will be screened and compete to be the top-rated film. The Audience Choice Award will be announced at this event and will be based on votes by attendees.