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. All festival events take place in the world-famous Beverly Hills, California.

Now in its 13th year, Lady Filmmakers celebrates women in leadership roles and the men that hire, work with, and work for these talented female storytellers. The 5 day festival includes film screenings, script readings, musical performances, art exhibitions, industry panels, networking events and of course hosted parties with live entertainment!

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. Top awards will receive 1 week light kit rental in following calendar year and 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.)

-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
88 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Melania Crisan

    It was an honor and a joy to win Best Romantic Short at the Ladyfilmmakers Festival. Thank you so much!
    Mike and Patricia really did their best to put up a great festival during this complicated period. Thank you!

    October 2020
    Helpful
  • Allyson Rice

    This was a really great experience. Mike and Patricia did such a great job with this, both the festival itself and the virtual events they created for festival participants during this pandemic, from hip hop dance to painting. (I wish I could've taken advantage of those, but work kept getting in the way. They looked like so much fun!) But I was thrilled to have my music video as part of the Ladies Kick Butt series, as well as part of the Drive-In event they're going to be having in Myrtle Beach, SC. I was also extremely honored to be the winner of Best Art for my multimedia art. They do a lot of things beyond just screen films. I highly recommend this festival!

    October 2020
    Helpful
  • Jenny Popovich

    Lady Filmmakers is a great opportunity for an artist to have their work shared. Having the opportunity to have a reading was tremendously helpful as a writer. I am honored to have been a part of this festival! I highly endorse the Lady Filmmakers Festival.

    October 2020
    Helpful
  • Brittney Grabill

    We loved virtually attending the Lady Filmmakers Festival! Even during a pandemic they made for an amazing festival experience! Great communication about different virtual events, easy to watch films, and great ways to network. Truly enjoyed Lady Filmmakers Festival and it shows that they put a ton of effort into making this a fantastic festival! Thank you for everything!

    October 2020
    Helpful
  • Lisa Cisneros

    Lady Filmmakers has been a wonderful experience. Mike and Patricia are warm, welcoming, attentive and awesome, answering questions quickly and making the festival a fun virtual experience despite the pandemic. Great programming, great festival.

    October 2020
    Helpful