๐–๐ž๐ฅ๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐‡๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ˆ๐ง๐๐ข๐ž ๐…๐ข๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐€๐ฐ๐š๐ซ๐๐ฌ โ€“ - ๐ˆ๐Œ๐ƒ๐› ๐๐ฎ๐š๐ฅ๐ข๐Ÿ๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐…๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐š๐ฅ ๐๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ ๐…๐ข๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐€๐ฐ๐š๐ซ๐๐ฌ

Are you a filmmaker looking for a festival that truly connects you with the film industry? Look no further! HBIFA is ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ž ๐Ÿ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐Ÿ๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐š๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ ๐…๐ข๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐€๐ฐ๐š๐ซ๐๐ฌ and IMDb Qualifying Film Festival that bridges the gap between Los Angeles and Tokyo, providing a platform for independent filmmakers from around the world to showcase their talent and connect with industry professionals.

Last year, we honored the directors who were ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐Ž๐ฌ๐œ๐š๐ซ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐๐€๐…๐“๐€ ๐ง๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ. The festival is based on a professional approach. In the evaluation, we focus on the technical design of the film, the idea of โ€‹โ€‹the film, dramatic gradation, the tone of the film, the script, the conflict, the reality of the action, the acting performances and we attention to the details on which your film is composed.

The festival is seasonal - 4 seasons: spring, summer, autumn, winter. At the end of each year, we will have a screening.

With ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž๐ซ ๐Ÿ“๐ŸŽ๐ŸŽ๐ŸŽ ๐Ÿ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐š๐ค๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ ๐Ÿ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ ๐๐ข๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐ž๐ซ๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐œ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ฌ already trusting us, we understand the challenges and costs associated with finishing a film project. We have been filmmakers ourselves and have experienced the limitations of traditional festivals that offer little in terms of industry connections. But at HBIFA, we go beyond just showcasing your film โ€“ we connect you with the film industry.

We ourselves are filmmakers, producers and entrepreneurs. We know how difficult it is to show the world that someone appreciates your work. That's why we came up with a unique project in which we involved several jurors from around the world and created a new opportunity to show your film to the world. Our mission is to recognize talent and passion and to award the best film project.

Our festival can have a greater reach and be more effective for filmmakers than a live screening festival, because nowadays everyone in the world can watch online screenings, not just from one city.

Previous winners of our festival are well-know directors such as ๐’๐ญ๐š๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐š๐ง ๐‰๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง, ๐‡๐ž๐ง๐ซ๐ข๐ค ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐š๐ง (Sweden), ๐’๐œ๐จ๐ญ๐ญ ๐Œ๐œ๐‚๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก (USA), ๐๐ž๐ง๐ฃ๐š๐ฆ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ซ๐ฒ๐š๐ง๐ญ (USA), ๐‰๐ข๐š๐ช๐ข๐ง๐  ๐‹๐ข๐ง (China), ๐—๐š๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ซ ๐“๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง (France), ๐„๐ฆ๐ฆ๐š๐ง๐ฎ๐ž๐ฅ ๐๐ž๐ซ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ฅ๐จ๐ญ (United Kingdom), ๐‰๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ฃ๐ฌ ๐Š๐ซ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ž (Latvia), ๐‰๐š๐ฆ๐ข๐ž ๐๐ž๐š๐ฅ๐ž (United Kingdom), ๐‘๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐š๐ง ๐…๐ซ๐š๐๐ค๐ข๐ง (Latvia), ๐’๐ญ๐ž๐ฏ๐ž ๐‘๐š๐ฆ๐ฌ๐๐ž๐ง (United Kingdom) and others.

Promoting independent film means finding talent and budding filmmakers looking for a job in the film market.

๐Ÿ“‘ ๐–๐ˆ๐“๐‡๐ˆ๐ ๐Ÿ•๐Ÿ ๐‡๐Ž๐”๐‘๐’ ๐Ž๐…๐…๐ˆ๐‚๐ˆ๐€๐‹ ๐Ž๐‘ ๐๐Ž๐๐Ž๐…๐…๐ˆ๐‚๐ˆ๐€๐‹ ๐’๐„๐‹๐„๐‚๐“๐ˆ๐Ž๐ + ๐‘๐„๐•๐ˆ๐„๐– + ๐€๐‹๐‹ ๐‚๐€๐“๐„๐†๐Ž๐‘๐ˆ๐„๐’: Don't you want to wait a few months to find out the results of the festival? We offer you a unique opportunity! Submit your film in this category, which guarantees you maximum value from the festival. You will receive an answer within 72 hours whether your project is in the Official Selection or not. If he is in the Official Selection, it means that he will be able to compete in all categories. And you'll get a 100-word review.

ABOUT OUR JURY
Mida Kagolkina โ€“ Artistic Director of the Festival, championing bold independent cinema and strong creative vision

Janna Jones โ€“ Film professor and writer whose award-winning screenplays and books explore media culture with sharp humour and insight

Marco von Moos โ€“ Jury member recognising originality, confident directing choices, and cinematic craft

Shuo Zhao โ€“ Screenwriter and director trained at Beijing Film Academy, with work released internationally and award-winning debut direction

Nicolas Heinzel โ€“ Film and commercial director, cinematographer, and editor known for a dark, emotionally driven visual style

Lucas Buchholz โ€“ Jury member focused on storytelling clarity, pacing, and strong cinematic execution

Girma Negash โ€“ Writer with an academic background whose screenplays have earned multiple awards and competition recognition

Daniele Catini โ€“ Jury member valuing bold ideas, artistic risk, and strong independent storytelling

Paulo Ulisses Matola โ€“ Award-winning screenwriter and novelist exploring identity, folklore, and genre storytelling through Brazilian narratives

Maya Wills โ€“ Jury member supporting emerging voices and distinctive short-form and indie filmmaking

If you win, you can register your project on our IMDb page: https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0024787/2025/1/

In order not to miss any news, we recommend you to subscribe to our social networks:
๐ˆ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ ๐ซ๐š๐ฆ: https://www.instagram.com/best_film_awards/
๐…๐š๐œ๐ž๐›๐จ๐จ๐ค: https://www.facebook.com/bestfilmawards
๐˜๐จ๐ฎ๐“๐ฎ๐›๐ž: https://www.youtube.com/@BestFilmAwards

Best Feature Film
Best Feature Documentary
Best Short Film
Best Short Documentary
Best Student Film
Best Indie Feature Film
Best Super Short Film
Best American Short Film
Best American Feature Film
Best Indie Short Film
Best Indie Feature Film
Best Director Short Film
Best Director Feature Film
Best First Time Director
Best Young Director (under 30y.)
Best Male Director
Best Female Director
Best Drama
Best Director Drama Film
Best Comedy
Best Director Comedy Film
Best Animation
Best Director Animation Film
Best Horror
Best Director Horror Film
Best Thriller
Best Director Thriller Film
Best Web Series
Best Director Web Series
Best TV Pilot
Best Director TV Pilot
Best Music Video
Best Director Music Video
Best Microfilm (under 2 min)
Best Director Microfilm
Best Experimental
Best Director Experimental Film
Best Sci-fi
Best Director Sci-fi Film
Best Fantasy
Best Director Fantasy Film
Best LGBTQ Film
Best Director LGBTQ Film
Best Psychological Film
Best Director Psychological Film
Best War Film
Best Director War Film
Best Parody
Best Director Parody Film
Best Western
Best Director Western Film
Best Romance Film
Best Director Romance Film
Best Musical/Dance Film
Best Director Musical/Dance Film
Best Trailer
Best Docudrama
Best Cinematography
Best Editor
Best Vissual Effects
Best Costume Design
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Actor in an Indie Film
Best Actress in an Indie Film
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Child Actor (5-12)
Best Young Actor (13-18)
Best Child Actress (5-12)
Best Young Actress (13-18)
Best Duo
Best Esamble
Best Commercial / Promotional Video
Screenplay Contest - Features
Screenplay Contest - Shorts
Best First Time Screenwriter
Best Television Script
Best Drama Screenplay
Best Comedy Screenplay
Best Action Screenplay
Best Fantasy Screenplay
Best Horror Screenplay
Best Thriller Screenplay
Best Sci-Fi Screenplay
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โญ๏ธ VIP INTERVIEW

Language Requirements.

Films that are not in the English language must include English subtitles. Failure to provide English subtitles may result in disqualification.

Screenplay Submission
We accept this submissions only in PDF

Accepted Production Date.
Only films produced after January 1, 2022, are eligible for submission.

All entry fees are non-refundable.
Submission fees will not be refunded under any circumstances, including disqualification, withdrawal, or non-selection.

Multiple entries are permitted.
Applicants may submit multiple projects. Each project must be submitted separately and accompanied by a separate entry fee.

Final decision.
The decision of the festival selection committee and jury is final and not subject to appeal.

Original work and copyright compliance.
All submitted projects must be the original work of the entrant and must not infringe upon any copyrights, trademarks, moral rights, or other rights of any third party.
The entrant confirms that they have obtained all necessary rights, licenses, and permissions for music, sound, images, performances, and any other copyrighted material included in the submission.

Liability.
The festival organizers are not responsible for any copyright violations or legal claims arising from submitted projects. All legal responsibility rests solely with the entrant.

Online screening consent.
By submitting a film, the entrant expressly agrees that, if officially selected, the film may be screened online as part of the festival program.

Geo-blocking.
All officially selected films will be geo-blocked and made available for online screening exclusively within the territory of the United States (USA). The festival is not responsible for unauthorized access attempts outside this territory.

Online screening rights confirmation.
By submitting a film, the entrant confirms that they hold all necessary rights and permissions required for digital exhibition and online screening within the United States.

Eligibility.
Submissions are open to production companies, film studios, sales agents, registered independent filmmakers, screenwriters, and film schools. Each entrant must have the legal authority to submit the project.

Promotional rights.
By submitting, the entrant grants the festival a non-exclusive, royalty-free right to use trailers, still images, excerpts (up to 2 minutes), titles, and names for promotional purposes on the festival website, social media platforms, press releases, and other marketing materials.

Disqualification.
The festival reserves the right to disqualify any submission that does not comply with these rules or contains illegal, defamatory, or otherwise inappropriate material.

Rule changes.
The organizers reserve the right to update or modify these rules at any time.

Acceptance of rules.
Submission to the festival constitutes full acceptance of all the rules and regulations stated above.

SCREENPLAY CATEGORIES
All writers of submitted material must be 18 years of age or older
โ€ข Entries must be in English
โ€ข Submissions via PDF file only
โ€ข Resubmits/changes incur additional fee
โ€ข Produced/optioned or otherwise encumbered scripts are ineligible
โ€ข All submitted materials must be the original work of the author(s)
โ€ข Adaptations of prior works must give source material credit
โ€ข Decisions of judges are final as per industry criteria
โ€ข Pages should be numbered.
โ€ข Full-Length Feature Scripts: 160 pages or under
โ€ข Short Film Scripts: 40 pages or under
โ€ข TV Pilots: 130 pages or under
โ€ข All written or verbal coverage, critique, criticism, or analysis of submitted material is provided subjectively based upon objective standards as they are applied to the writing submitted and under consideration.
โ€ข No warranties are expressed or implied as to the utility, value, or accuracy of statements written or spoken by our reader-analysts with regard to material submitted to us by writers, customers, or contest entrants.
โ€ข Comments provided by judges, readers, administrators, or other writers are based upon personal opinion only and do not reflect the opinions of management; management assumes no responsibility the academic, creative, professional, economic, or emotional impact or consequences of the opinions we provide.
โ€ข Submitting writers agree to hold harmless against claims of any and every kind, each and every employee, independent contractor, reader, analyst, system administrator, or officers of the company in perpetuity.
โ€ข Material submitted to the competition is solely at the risk of the individual registering, entering, or offering written material for scoring, analysis, judgment, or commentary.
โ€ข Once submitted material has been read, reviewed, analyzed, critiqued, scored, or commented upon by agents, employees, representatives, or management of the company, no refund of entry fee will be made.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • I'm so happy and honored that my film "Suddenly Red" was considered by the jury of this wonderful Hollywood Best Indie Film Festival and that I was chosen for the Official Selection - Female Director. Thank you so much for this privilege! Patrizia Masi

    May 2026
    Response from festival:

    Thank you for your kind words. We are delighted that you enjoyed the experience and are honored to have included your work in this edition of the festival.

  • KLEBER SABA

    Thank you very much for the opportunity to work on something new and for the creative freedom you have provided.

    May 2026
    Response from festival:

    Thank you for your kind feedback.

  • Thanks for choosing THE SECRET NOTES as the Best Psychological Thriller

    May 2026
    Response from festival:

    We are delighted to have recognized your work and appreciate your participation in the festival.

  • Best Film Awards

    Dear Best Film Awards,

    On behalf of Behind Silent Eyes Productions, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for recognizing our documentary, "Behind Silent Eyes," with the award for Best Director Short Documentary.

    We also truly appreciate the time the judges took to review our film and share their insightful feedback and reflections.

    Thank you again for this honor.

    Best regards,

    Iancu T Alin
    Owner / Founder
    Behind Silent Eyes Productions LLC

    May 2026
    Response from festival:

    Thank you for your thoughtful message. We appreciate your kind words and are pleased that the feedback provided by the jury was valuable to your team.

  • Jorge Troncone Osorio

    I am deeply honored with the Official Selection of my script The Venus War at this wonderful film festival.

    May 2026
    Response from festival:

    Congratulations Jorge and thank you for being part of the festival.