NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) presents the NFMLA Monthly Film Festival, a uniquely intimate opportunity that provides a filmmaker focused festival approach by an intently devoted team. The model, a monthly festival with a very small number of official selections per month, generally fewer than 20, provides filmmakers with maximum attention and commitment from the Festival audience, participants and staff. This format allows NFMLA to serve a similar number of filmmakers as most annual Festivals (around 200 per year), while being able to dedicate its efforts to a core group every 30 days throughout the year.
Each NFMLA Monthly Film Festival provides its official selection filmmakers meetings with professionals, press interviews with publications such as MovieMaker Magazine, industry panels, screenings, audience Q&A sessions, networking receptions and qualification for the Best of NFMLA Awards.
The Festival boasts over 120,000 indie film supporters in the LA area and regularly has executives and creatives participate from Sony Pictures Entertainment, Amazon Studios, Showtime, Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery, United Talent Agency, NBCUniversal, HBO, NEON, Endeavor, STARZ, Bad Robot, Creative Artists Agency, Management 360, AMC Studios, MGM, FilmNation, Lionsgate, Magnolia Pictures, Paramount, Circle of Confusion, MACRO, Skydance and Blumhouse among an abundance of other agencies, management companies, production houses, distributors, studios, streamers and more.
NFMLA screens short and feature films (narrative, documentary, experimental and animation), as well as music videos and new media projects by content creators of all backgrounds throughout the year in addition to our InFocus programming, which places a special emphasis on diversity, inclusion and region. All filmmakers are welcome and encouraged to submit their work which will be considered for all upcoming NFMLA Festivals, regardless of the InFocus programming.
NFMLA is seeking submissions from filmmakers who are eager to gain access to industry professionals, audiences and resources. Our programming includes Festivals at the South Park Center in Downtown Los Angeles and select Festivals presented in partnership with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Submissions are open year-round and NFMLA highly encourages filmmakers to submit their newest work as early as possible to maximize their project’s consideration window. While diversity, equity and inclusion within our programming is incredibly important and focused on, all filmmakers are welcome and encouraged to submit their work which will be considered for all upcoming NFMLA Festivals, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, etc.
NFMLA is a not-for-profit organization that champions emerging filmmakers from around the world and has screened over 3,000 films from 85+ countries. In an effort to showcase, support, educate and build relationships for next-gen filmmakers, NFMLA has rapidly expanded beyond the NFMLA Monthly Film Festival to host an array of workshops, panels, competitions and networking programs. NFMLA offers an unforgettable festival experience that helps kick start the careers of new storytellers.
NewFilmmakers Los Angeles selections are in competition for NewFilmmakers Los Angeles’ annual Best of NFMLA Awards, which take place each spring and award films played the preceding calendar year across multiple categories. All projects selected as part of the festival are in consideration for the Best of NFMLA Awards.
In addition, NFMLA awards cash grants through various NFMLA programs and initiatives such as NewNarratives in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery 150, the Anthony Rhulen Film Fund and more. In 2022 NFMLA awarded over $125,000 in cash grants and prizes.