The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) is proud to present IFFLA Industry Day, the first-of-its-kind, day-long forum in Los Angeles for rising and established South Asian film and TV creatives, executives, and their audiences.

Conceived to complement IFFLA’s film festival which was established in 2002, IFFLA Industry Day gives the South Asian creative community an opportunity to connect in a curated forum, aimed at creating new networks and potential collaborations. Industry Day will spotlight exciting South Asian voices, while attendees will have educational opportunities to hear first-hand expert advice from industry professionals and engage in conversations around notable South Asian film and TV projects. We look forward to an inclusive and enlightening space to build relationships, gain mentorship and knowledge, and create the next wave of groundbreaking work from the South Asian community in Los Angeles and beyond.

The pinnacle event of IFFLA Industry Day is Launch Pad: A Pitch Competition, where pre-selected projects in development will be presented by their creative team to a diverse panel of executives. Invited projects will receive immediate feedback from the panelists who, upon completion of the event, will award one of the projects a *$10,000 development grant*.

LAUNCH PAD: A PITCH COMPETITION
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The key event of IFFLA Industry Day is a dynamic pitch competition session in which 5 finalists--selected from this call for entries--will pitch their film or TV project to a panel of producers, writers and filmmakers, in front of a live audience attending the event. Participants will get immediate, constructive feedback on their projects and pitching skills, and will be eligible for a $10,000 development grant awarded to one of the finalists.

Submissions are open to all creators of South Asian descent, *based in the US*. Applicants submit materials for a full length feature or a television project idea (no proposals for shorts or other media such as podcasts at this time). A complete list of rules and terms is provided in the last section.

WHAT FINALISTS GAIN FROM THE PITCH COMPETITION
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* A chance to compete for a $10,000 development grant

* Immediate feedback from an esteemed panel of experienced producers, writers and filmmakers, in front of a live audience

* Publicity, visibility, and buzz, since the finalists selected for the pitch competition will be mentioned on IFFLA's social media, press releases, website, and more

* Audience feedback, from audience members who choose to fill out a survey after the session

* The opportunity to form community with fellow South Asian creatives, network with industry professionals, receive and give mentorship, and connect with new Los Angeles audiences

IFFLA – FILM FESTIVAL
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If you’re looking for the submissions page for IFFLA's annual film festival, taking place June 27-30, 2024, please visit: www.filmfreeway.com/IFFLA

Awards & Prizes

The winner of the Pitch Competition, announced during IFFLA Industry Day, will receive a $10,000 development grant.

Rules & Terms

1. Applicants must be of South Asian descent AND be based in the US, but they do not have to be a US citizen. IFFLA defines South Asia as comprising Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, as well as their diasporas.

2. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age.

3. Applicants must be the writer of the project they are submitting for the pitch competition (writer-directors and writer-producers are also welcome). In case the applicants consist of a creative team, at least one team member must be of South Asian descent, and at least one must be the writer. If selected, a maximum of two team members will pitch, at least one of whom must be of South Asian descent and at least one must be the writer.

4. Applicants must submit their own original ideas, not adaptations or sequels, unless: (a) their ideas are based in the public domain, (b) they already have the rights to someone’s work or ideas and can provide documentation to that effect, or (c) they are adapting their own prior work based on an original idea.

5. Pitches for features and TV are the only types of submissions being considered. Proposals for shorts, podcasts, video games, or other hybrid media are not accepted at this time. Features and TV submissions encompass narrative, documentary, animation, or hybrids. Television encompasses half hour or hour long series, limited series, and anthological series. Your film or TV work can be in any genre.

6. While applicants must be of South Asian descent, the project idea being pitched does not have to be about South Asia, its diasporas or the South Asian experience. The goal of this event is to launch the ideas and projects of South Asian creators and producers, while connecting them to industry executives and facilitating intersections with the larger South Asian film and TV community in Los Angeles.

7. Only complete submissions will be considered by the selection committee. This includes responses to ALL prompts in the Custom Submission Form, and the submission of the first ten pages of the script you are pitching. In case you do not have a ready script, you can submit a treatment no longer than 10 pages.

8. You retain all rights to your work. IFFLA and its partners will not have any ownership of your work. If your project is selected for the pitch competition, IFFLA and its partners will not share it beyond the scope of IFFLA Industry Day (i.e. panel review, marketing and promotion), which includes sharing your idea in front of a live audience. If your project is not selected, your submission will not be shared with anybody outside of the selection committee.

9. All disputes, matters of interpretation, controversies and other issues arising under, or relating to the above submissions rules, terms and conditions shall be determined and resolved according to the laws of the State of California.