The Northern Virginia International Film & Music Festival and CAPITAL Film Market (The NOVA Fest)

“Fernando Mico is a force. Nobody is more in command of an event from concept to planning to execution than he is. He is perfectly organized and stages events on a grand scale that support artists at all stages of their careers. It’s that humanitarianism coupled with his experience and know-how that gets the job done every time efficiently, on budget and schedule, and with a dramatic impact.”

-Michael Uslan, Executive Producer of the Modern Batman Film Franchise (November 2022)

.

“Mr. Mico is a "can do" machine. If his vast experience in this industry isn't statement enough, he is a truly genuine, thoughtful human being, who is totally committed to excellence.”

-Russell Williams II, Legendary, First, 2-Time, Back-to-Back, African American Oscar Winner for Sound in the films Glory and Dances with Wolves (November 2022)

.

Welcome to The NOVA Fest X! The Northern Virginia International Film & Music Festival is celebrating its 10th Anniversary!

After hosting several hundred films from over 35 countries, and celebrating industry leaders like Eduardo Sanchez of The Blaire Witch Project, Michael Uslan, the executive producer of JOKER and all modern BATMAN films, and Russell Williams II, the first African-American to win back to back Academy Awards for his work on Glory and Dances With Wolves, in the Spring of 2023, we returned to live screenings and our awesome Awards Ceremony; celebrating the latest season’s Stan Lee Foundation Award Recipient Kelly Hu.

We are also continuing our highly successful film market. The CAPITAL FILM MARKET works in conjunction with The NOVA Fest and the Virginia Film Office to bring sales agents, domestic & international film offices and buyers from around the globe, searching for and buying new content. In the age of new media CAPITAL fully embraces and offers an environment to sell content to platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, iTunes, Google play and on and on.

Seminars, panels, receptions and party after party, lead up to an elaborate Oscar-style Awards Ceremony! Please stay tuned, as we gear up for a special celebration to commemorate our 10th Anniversary. The NOVA Fest will continue to be both virtual and live, Once again.

*Unprecedented times require unprecedented action. Just like on set, we're having to improvise when forces beyond our control impose themselves. 2024 and the immediate future will be a continuous course correction.

**** Please read our DCP Policy before submitting. ***

GO-NOVA Film Festivals – Live & Virtual Screening Policy
As the dust begins to settle into Live events, new screening policies have been instituted in terms of content delivery and platform presentation. Going forward, The NOVA and GO Independent Film Festivals will screen both Live and Virtually. Live screenings will take place in the best venues. We have selected the Angelika Film Centers and the Silverspot Cinemas. Both theaters require film content to be in DCP format.

In concert with both format upgrade and returning to accepted cultural norms (travel, attendance, etc.), the following are our policies for screening both Virtual and Live, Accepted film content going forward.

Virtual 

1. We require a .mp4 or .mov file, saved as an h.264.

Live 

1. We require a DCP File of your content.


2. The DCP File is produced by our, internal production house, from your submitted h.264 file for a fee. Fees cover encoding, quality check, and efficient, film transfer to our venues. 
a. Fee (under 25 minutes): $150

b. Fee (between 25 and 55 minutes): $350 

c. Fee (between 55 and 90 minutes): $450
d. Fee (over 90 minutes): $600
.

3. We handle all Quality Checks and Communication with the venues. 


4. The DCP file is yours to keep, after the festival. 


5. If you have submitted, and are accepted to more than one of our festivals, only the One (1) DCP file, which we produced, is required.
a. A 50% charge is still required to screen Live for each, individual festival.


6. A minimum of 3, separate, DCP submissions are required per festival screening block. If the minimum requirement is not met, your DCP fee will be refunded. In other words, the film submitters are only responsible for any DCP fees, if their content screens Live, in our venue. 


7. DCP files are OPTIONAL for those wishing to screen in theaters. 


8. DCP orders are NOT required to be selected, nominated, or eligible to win awards at our festivals. Judgements are solely based on the quality of your submission(s).

Frequently Asked QUESTION. 
Why is DCP so expensive?

Answer: Standard DCP encoding rates range from $125 -$30K, depending on its length and quality. (Please Google it).

Furthermore, DCP files are both massive AND can only be Quality Checked on site, and on the venues systems. Currently the technology to check DCP content anywhere else is unavailable, unlike an .mp4 file. Both producing and sending multiple, and extremely large files to and for the venues is laborious at best, daunting at worst. A transfer system has already been established with our theater partners.

Please understand that policies and protocols will adapt in accordance with factors within and beyond our control. We will do our best to share, with as much notice as possible, any changes in schedule, venue, or procedures.

Please stay tuned for any updates. We will do our best to maintain as much stability, as we have control over. Thank you for your patience and understanding. As always, we will make every decision based on what is best for our artists.

Please be well during these incredibly provocative times!

***COVID STATEMENT***

We are producing a hybrid, live and virtual film festival. HOWEVER, we are susceptible to country, state and local laws, which enforce specific, gathering guidelines. To that end, circumstances beyond our control include venue policy and protocol, and insurance limitations.

For the year 2023 and for the foreseeable future, we will be producing both a virtual and live event. Please understand, before submitting, that with little to no notification, we may have to change presentation formats, venues, and/or dates.