Lady Filmmakers Festival is a leading film festival known by Hollywood insiders and indie filmmakers alike for screening outstanding films from around the world and having world-class industry speakers at events. Lady Filmmakers is under the umbrella of the Lady Filmmakers Foundation, a 501c3 tax exempt charity. We screen excellent visual stories from women and men student filmmakers and seasoned award-winning professionals. Lady Filmmakers Festival is in its 10th year and celebrates women in leadership roles in the entertainment industry. Our Film Festival celebrates women filmmakers, artists, and musicians and the men who collaborate with them. We have an entire weekend of films, music, art, mentoring workshops/panels and of course parties! We promote and support opportunities for artistic and career growth through our many different workshops, panels and networking events. We look for extraordinary visual storytellers for our programming. The festival encourages collaboration between men and women currently in the industry and to instill this idea within future filmmakers. Our speaker series and events are designed to help our filmmakers expand their network and further career goals. Lady Filmmakers is a safe environment to exhibit works and to find future collaborators and mentors. The festival promotes diversity and strong female lead driven content. We wish to INSPIRE & ENTERTAIN!

Screenings and majority of festival events take place at the Wilshire Screening Room in Beverly Hills, CA.

One Woman has to fill the role of Writer, Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Production Designer or Editor to qualify to screen at our festival!

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

Enjoy our Music and Art Programs this year too featuring men & women artists and musicians!

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

Our main programming themes are:
Ladies Illuminate - films that bring social awareness
Ladies Kick Butt - films that appeal to a broad audience
Ladies First - films that are World, US, West Coast, or Los Angeles Premieres
Young Ladies & Gentlemen - films made by students/youth
Family Friendly- films appropriate for families with children
Halloween Teasers- films that are horror, psychological thrillers, scary, creepy, and freaky!

* dates and venue subject to change to meet the needs of the festival.

Awards & Prizes

Below are the awards categories. Prizes vary from year to year. Please see web site for more details

Best of the Festival
Best Feature
Best Feature Documentary
Best Narrative Feature
Best Short Film
Best Short Documentary
Best Ladies Illuminate - films that bring social awareness
Best Ladies Kick Butt - films that appeal to a broad audience
Best Ladies First - films that are World, US, West Coast, or Los Angeles Premieres
Best Young Ladies & Gentlemen - films made by students/youth
Best Family Friendly- films appropriate for families with children
Best Halloween Teasers- films that are horror, psychological thrillers, scary, creepy, and freaky!
Best Visual Effects
Best Alumni Film
Festival Director's Awards
Artistic Directors Awards
Best Staged Reading
Screenplay Winner Finalists
Best Web Series

Rules & Terms

FILM SUBMISSIONS- Women must fill the role of at least one of the following positions in the films: Writer, Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Production Designer, and/or Editor. SELECTED FILMS, ART, SCREENPLAY FINALISTS, & MUSIC WILL BE NOTIFIED ON OR BEFORE August 2018.

-Screeners:
2 DVDs- NTSC region 0 or 1
Films must be in English or have English subtitles
Go Green! We will gladly accept a quality online screener to view but you must submit dvds if requested. If you do not use an online screener you MUST send two dvd screeners within four business days of entry to ensure your film is watched promptly.
Screeners will not be returned.

-Selected Films:
Films accepted will get a web page dedicated to film
Films accepted must provide 1-3 production stills for web and 1 high resolution still, 30 second clip, 2 dvds and should provide promotional web site, film trailer for promotional purposes.
One DVD or BluRay will be kept by the festival.

-Exhibition materials:
Will only be returned upon request and at the expense of the filmmaker.
Arrangements with self address, pre-paid envelopes must be made PRIOR to the festival. Posters and Collateral must be picked up by the close of the festival.
Exhibition Formats: 35 mm, DVD, BluRay

-Location: Beverly Hills, CA in September 2017

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 before film programs. Also, one act will be selected to perform at one festival party. Only microphones will be provided at the theatre. Must have at least half of the performers as women. Performances are LIVE only. No recorded music will be played.

ART EXHIBIT SUBMISSIONS - Art Exhibits include Photography, Paintings, and Sculptures to be displayed in the theatre gallery.

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.

ALL SUBMISSIONS
-Submitter grants Lady Filmmakers Foundation, its directors, officers, employees, contractors, consultants, and agents a non-exclusive license to use any trailer, movie clips, photographs, music, and information on the websites (www.ladyfilmmakers.com and www.ladyfilmmakers.org) and in any related promotional materials. Additionally, should submitter's film, music, or art be selected for the festival submitter grants Lady Filmmakers Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity, a license to screen the film, play the music, or display the art at the festival.

-Submitter represents and warrants that it is authorized to submit the film, music, or art. Submitter agrees to defend and indemnify Lady Filmmakers Foundation, its directors, officers, employees, contractors, consultants, and agents against any and all claims, demands, actions, or lawsuits arising out of or related to the screening of the submitted film, performance of the music, or displaying of the art.

-Lady Filmmakers Foundation has the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to change the festival date or location if necessary to ensure a successful festival.

Attention Writers: Submit Your Short Script Today!
Ready to hear your words read by actors in front of a live audience! Or even better, how about seeing your script brought to life on the big screen! Submit your short film script (5 pages maximum) today! The contest is open to male and female writers. At least the top finalist and possibly more will have their scripts read by actors at the upcoming 9th Annual Lady Filmmakers Film Festival in Beverly Hills, California and at least one winner will have production services and camera package (canon 7d with zeiss primes or higher) towards the production of the script with possibility of being optioned and produced by Lady Filmmakers Foundation. Rules & Restrictions Apply.

General Rules for Screenplay Submissions
Screenplay must not be optioned or sold at the time of submission and must remain available through the entire period from submission until notified by Lady Filmmakers Festival of decision regarding whether the script has been selected as a finalist; if selected as a finalist, the screenplay must remain available for 30 days after the Festival.
Screenplay must be the original work of the Submitter. If based upon another's life story, Submitter must attach a statement attesting to right to make such adaptation.

If selected as a finalist, Lady Filmmakers Foundation, in its sole and absolute discretion, may option the screenplay.

Applicant may submit more than one Screenplay. Each entry requires an separate submission form, payment, and script in PDF format. Scripts submitted without complete submission form or payment will not be considered.
Submitter represents and warrants that it is authorized to submit the script. Submitter agrees to defend and indemnify Lady Filmmakers Foundation, its directors, officers, employees, contractors, consultants, and agents against any and all claims, demands, actions, or lawsuits arising out of or related to the live reading of the submission and/or production of any selected Screenplay.
See Fees and Deadline Schedule online at www.ladyfilmmakers.com
Email PDF Script to script@ladyfilmmakers.com
Film Submission Page Music and Art Submission Page
ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT US
festivalinfo@ladyfilmmakers.com or call 424-777-3576

311 N Robertson Blvd #902
Beverly Hills, CA 90211

*venue and date subject to change to meet the needs of the festival
19 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Roxanne Marciniak

    I really enjoyed this film festival. I felt supported and celebrated as a female filmmaker.

    March 2018
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  • Deb Foster

    Lady Filmmakers festival was a fantastic experience. The theatre the festival was held in is intimate but feels very luxurious! The organization was excellent and I really enjoyed making connections with other filmmakers. Hope to be back again in the coming years!

    January 2018
    Helpful
  • Joe Crump

    Thank you, Mike and Patricia, for putting on such a great festival. You took care of us as filmmakers , were well organized and gave us an opportunity to meet other artists. Thank you for supporting women in film - Nancy and I wish you and your festival all the best of all good things.

    October 2017
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  • Linda Niccol

    I'm so glad I attended this festival, all the way from New Zealand! The quality of the films programmed were outstanding and the atmosphere was congenial. met a great bunch of women and was thrilled to have my short script staged to an appreciative audience. Thank you to Julia Camara and Mike and Patricia for your skills and effort.

    October 2017
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  • Teria Birlon

    LadyFilmmakers Festival is a wonderful festival! It truly pays respect to Lady filmmakers like no other! I was so honored to have my film INSTANCE be a part of such an amazing festival! Thank you again ladyfilmmakers festival for honoring us with the Director's award and best supporting actress award! This is a festival I am proud to be an alumni of....I hope all of my future work as a filmmaker will be a part of this festival.

    October 2017
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