Lady Filmmakers Festival is a trend-setting and forward-thinking film festival known by veteran Hollywood insiders and rising indie filmmakers alike for screening outstanding films from around the world and having top notch speakers and networking events. Lady Filmmakers is dedicated to creating a fun and fulfilling festival experience. All festival events take place in the world-famous Beverly Hills, California.

In 2021, we hosted in-person screenings in Beverly Hills as well as virtual screenings available worldwide. We also launched the Lady Filmmakers Channel in Spring 2021 accessible online and through devices such as Apple TV, Roku, and more will be added to maximize availability to showcase alumni films from prior festivals. 2020 included virtual screenings and events as well as a Myrtle Beach, South Carolina drive-in.

Lady Filmmakers celebrates women in leadership roles and the men that hire, work with, and work for these talented female storytellers. The week long festival includes film screenings, script readings, musical performances, art exhibitions, industry panels, networking events and of course hosted parties with live entertainment! Online festival will take place over a minimum of 1 week with virtual events leading up to the festival and during.

Lady Filmmakers looks for great storytelling in any genre and length! At least one woman must fill the role of Writer, Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Production Designer and/or Editor to qualify to screen at our festival. Our main programming themes are:

*Ladies Illuminate- documentaries, social awareness, or family issue films
*Ladies Kick Butt- action, comedies, or experimental films
*Dance- music videos and dance films
*Family Friendly- films appropriate for families with children
*Halloween Teasers- horror, thrillers, scary, creepy, and/or freaky films

Short Screenplay finalists will get a staged reading in front of a live audience at the festival. One or more shorts may be optioned to participate in the Script 2 Screen Program.

Feature Screenplay finalists will be offered a taped table read of their script. The festival will provide the space and refreshments for the table read along with assisting the writer with finding a director for the reading and helping with casting.

Musician finalists are invited to perform at one of the parties during the festival. Art finalists are invited to exhibit art during one of the festival events.

Long after the festival is complete we continue to promote our "Alumni" filmmakers, cast, and crew throughout the year!

Awards & Prizes

Best of the Festival and Best Short Film receive Tiffany gifts. All actress/actor winners will receive Tiffany gifts if present to receive award at Sunday ceremony. For in person ceremonies only.

Online Distribution offers will be made to award winning films and more.
Top awards will receive a copy of Final Draft.

BEST OF THE FESTIVAL (Feature)
BEST SHORT FILM

FEATURE FILM AWARDS
Best Documentary
Best Foreign Film
Best Ladies Illuminate
Best Ladies Kick Butt

SHORT FILM AWARDS
Best Ladies First
Best Ladies Illuminate
Best Ladies Kick Butt
Best Alumni
Best Animation
Best Comedy
Best Dance
Best Documentary
Best Experimental
Best Family Friendly
Best Foreign
Best Halloween Teaser
Best Music Video
Best Student
Best Webisode
Jury Awards

ACTRESS/ACTOR AWARDS
Best Actress (feature & short)
Best Actor (feature & short)
Best Supporting Actress (feature & short)
Best Supporting Actor (feature & short)

SCRIPTS
Feature Finalists
Short Script Finalists

Rules & Terms

FILM SUBMISSIONS- At least one woman must be credited in one of the following positions in each selected film: Writer, Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Production Designer, and/or Editor.

-Screeners: We only watch submissions visible through the FilmFreeway portal (no download files or Google Drive screeners.)

-Submission fee waivers: Lady Filmmakers does not offer any fee waivers at this time. Please submit during early deadlines for lowest fees.

-Selected Films: Official Selections will get a web page dedicated to their film and have an opportunity to participate in the online and theatrical festival trailer. Official Selections will also receive dedicated posts on social media prior to the festival

-Exhibition materials: All selected films must provide a DCP (Digital Cinema Package) or work with our sponsor Simple DCP to produce a DCP from their source files (for a fee).

MUSIC SUBMISSIONS - Send a maximum of ten minutes of a musical performance. Must be the actual selection that would be performed live and acoustically at the festival. Musical performances will be at festival events. Performances are LIVE only. No recorded music will be played.

ART EXHIBIT SUBMISSIONS - Art Exhibits include Photography, Paintings, and Sculptures to be displayed at a party venue. The Artist must be a woman OR the subject matter must include women. Artwork will be provided to the festival at the artists expense. Artwork will only be returned to the artist by request at expense of artist.

*venue, screening theater and date subject to change to meet the needs of the festival
126 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Marny Eng

    Honored to have been selected to the Lady Filmmakers Festival for our feature film GRINGA...and then devastated that we couldn't make it in person!!! Patricia and Mike were so incredible; communication was impeccable and we felt so welcome and included even though we were not there!
    And then to have our leading actors (Steve Zahn/Jess Gabor) and supporting actors (Roselyn Sanchez/Nico Bracewell) nominated! And the icing on the cake...The "Best Ladies Kick Butt Award" in the Feature Film Category!!!
    An overall experience that we will cherish and definitely a festival that we will recommend! We hope to have another opportunity so that we can attend!!! Again, thank you to the entire LFF Team!
    Much aloha, Marny Eng & EJ Foerster (co-directors)

    January 2023
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  • Arden Teresa Lewis

    We had a blast at Lady Filmmakers 2022! Honored to receive Best Feature Documentary for Leveling Lincoln. The Fine Arts Theatre was a great place to screen and the events were well attended and fun. Emails were answered quickly and the staff was charming and helpful. Patricia and Mike love filmmakers and it shows in this great high quality event. Thank you Lexi and Sandy as well! See you again soon we hope!

    October 2022
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  • Nya Chambless

    Great people, great time, loved meeting everyone and enjoyed every moment of it. I hope to be able to have future projects with Lady Filmmakers Film Festival.

    October 2022
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  • KT Curran

    We have just had our World Premiere of our film, Bridge to the Other Side, at Lady Filmmakers Film Festival. Wow! This was an amazing and awe-inspiring festival - a mix of totally glamorous and fun and exciting parties and networking, but also this is a festival deeply rooted in respect for filmmakers and indie films. We were thrilled and grateful to win the Best of The Festival Feature Film Award. Every moment of the festival was topnotch - From the sparkling, cinematic, opening night party on Rodeo Drive with filmmakers from all over the world - to our screening at the gorgeous vintage Fine Arts Theatre with Dolby Sound and gorgeous projection that really showed our film as it was created -to the the wonderful panels on writing, directing, casting with experts in their fields.... so inspiring! Finally -the closing night awards ceremony in Beverly Hills was unforgettable -with glowing faces, happy filmmakers, lifelong connections, music, and sparkling lights - I can't say enough about this beautiful festival. I am so grateful to Patricia, Mike, Lexi, Sandy, and the entire staff and volunteers. The festival is run by real filmmakers and it shows. We are so grateful. Unforgettable. Thank you!!!

    October 2022
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  • Kymberly Harris

    Excellent festival that truly took care of the filmmakers and prioritizes us feeling valued and meeting each other, and learning.

    October 2022
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