Located within 30 miles of Hollywood, Moorpark has a long history of filmmaking serving as shooting locations for films like "The Fabelmans", "Chinatown", "Magic Camp" and "Some Kind of Nut".

The Moorpark Film Festival is committed to promoting and continuing education in both the cinematic and performing arts while raising awareness about international fundraising efforts. The festival is organized by the nonprofit Moorpark Morning Rotary Club and is hosted by the nonprofit High Street Arts Center. In 2025 the festival will serve as a fundraiser to support the historic High Street Arts Center and other local charities. Learn more about the High Street Arts Center Theater here: https://highstreetartscenter.com/info/history/

Moorpark Film Festival films are screened in a theatrical setting. We strive to promote and preserve the theatrical viewing experience . The Jury panel will be made up of motion picture industry professionals with years of filmmaking experience. Their knowledge will be crucial to helping filmmakers grow and hone in their skills. In each category there will be a jury award and an audience choice award. High value camera rental credits at Shadowcast Pictures will be awarded to jury prize winners and cash awards will go to audience award winners.

$20,000 credit towards equipment rentals at Shadowcast Pictures, LLC for the winner of the Narrative Feature and Documentary Feature Jury Award.
$3,000 credit towards equipment rentals at Shadowcast Pictures, LLC for the Jury Award Winner of the following categories: Narrative Feature, Narrative Short, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short, Music Video, Video Podcast, Web Series, TikTok/Youtube Shorts.
All winners of both Jury Awards and Audience Choice Awards will receive a trophy.
$100 cash award in each category for the Audience Choice Award winners.

Films must have been completed after July 30th, 2024.

Films may have screened in other festivals but we do not accept films with past theatrical distribution or that have been broadcast (televised) anywhere in the U.S. before July 30th, 2025.

Films must be submitted via FilmFreeway online screener.

No Fee Waivers are available.

Entry fees are non refundable.

No commercials.

We do consider works in progress but your film needs to be close to completion and if selected it must be completed before August 15th, 2025.

Do not send a press kit until your film has been selected.

All non-English language films must have legible English subtitles.

All multiple submissions must have separate forms and appropriate fees.

The selection committee's decisions are final.

If your film is selected, your screening print must arrive by August 15th, 2025 and must be submitted as NTSC High-Definition (720p minimum) .MOV (H.264 or Apple ProRes), .MPG, .MP4 video files on a Data-DVD/Blu-Ray, a USB flash-drive or downloadable through a supplied link (YouTube, Vimeo, Hightail, Dropbox, Googledrive, etc.) – Playable-DVDs are NOT acceptable. Preferred screening print resolution is 1920x1080. Youtube Shorts and Tik Tok videos may be submitted in their vertical format of 1080x1920.

All films MUST use a Stereo audio format/mix – no 3.1, 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound mixes allowed.

If your film is selected, you must provide two high-resolution screen shots or a poster and a secure online link for press by August 5th, 2025. You will also be asked to provide press materials and a trailer for the website.

All filmmakers under the age of 18 must have a legal guardian submit on their behalf.

Filmmakers must be authorized to submit their films to the 2025 Moorpark Film Festival (MFF) and are responsible for the accuracy of all information provided on the application form.

The Moorpark Film Festival may use images, sounds and excerpts from the films for promotional purposes in all media including the MFF website and may present accepted films at the 2025 MFF.

Due to the volume of submissions we receive we are unable to contact each applicant individually if we do not receive his or her film. It is your responsibility to ensure that your package arrives at our office before the deadline you have selected.

You must clear all copyrighted materials included in your film before you can publicly screen it. However, MFF does not check to ensure that you have obtained clearance for these materials at any point during the application process, nor will we be held responsible for any inclusion of uncleared materials in your film. It is the sole responsibility of the entity submitting the project to secure permission from the copyright holders of the material in question, whether it is music, stock footage, or any other elements that could violate an existing copyright.

You indicate that you have read and understand the MFF entry guidelines and rules and regulations and that you agree to the MFF Terms and Conditions. Furthermore, you indicate that you shall indemnify and hold harmless the MFF from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Javo Aguirre

    I had a wonderful experience screening my film Dreamer at Moorpark Film Festival. The audience reception was incredibly warm, and it was an honor to share the film alongside so many talented filmmakers. The festival was very well organized...friendly, welcoming, and highly professional from start to finish. The High Street Arts Center is a beautiful venue that made the screenings feel truly special. I also enjoyed the great networking opportunities and the fun afterparty at a local pub, which allowed us to connect even more with fellow filmmakers and film lovers. I look forward to submitting to the Moorpark Film Festival again in the future!

    November 2025
  • josh levine

    Moorpark is a wonderful festival. It's small, but punches way above it's weight. Their charming theater has great projection and sound, and comfortable seating. The programmers are very communicative. The post-screening event was great too - all of the filmmakers were interesting and generous with their stories and experiences. Overall, just a really nice festival!

    September 2025
  • Moorpark Film Festival, held at the history High Street Arts Center, was just what film festivals should be, all about the art and the artists. If you want a welcoming experience as an artist or an audience member, come to Moorpark Film Festival.

    September 2025
  • Ravit Markus

    Amazing festival. Amazing team that run it. Amazing parties. Amazing networking opportunities. Amazing movie theater .
    A festival to watch that has a huge future in front of it.

    September 2024
  • Paper Horse Pictures

    Being part of the Moorpark Film Festival was an incredible experience. While we couldn’t attend due to scheduling conflicts, we were truly impressed by the festival’s exceptional support and dedication to both the films and filmmakers. Their warmth and professionalism were amazing throughout the entire process.

    September 2024