PUFF is more than a festival. It’s a community.

Once a year we gather in West Hollywood to celebrate and promote 50 of the world’s best up and coming filmmakers the best way we know how. By throwing a massive party and inviting all of our friends!

That means filmmakers, execs, agents, managers, casting directors, actors and actresses. Everyone that a filmmaker could be looking to meet.

We are filmmakers ourselves and we started PUFF because we were sick of festivals that seemed more interested in promoting themselves than filmmakers. So when the party is over, we’re just getting started!

AND as we enter our 5th year we are happy to announce that we are expanding into Feature Films!! We've added four days of screenings and will be accepting feature films of all genres that are making their Los Angeles premiere!!

WHY SUBMIT?

JUDGES THAT MATTER: PUFF has judges from all aspects of the entertainment business. From Managers, Producers and Studio Execs, to working Actors and Screenwriters. We want our filmmakers to have their work exposed to people who’ve been where they are now and can offer insight into navigating this business.

NETWORKING: In between screenings, filmmakers are invited to get a drink in the beautiful Theatre Lounge and get to know their fellow filmmakers. Blocks are 60 min and do not overlap so it's possible to come and see every film playing over the weekend!

The PUFFY’s Award Show: Every year filmmakers tell us that the highlight of the weekend is our closing night award show. We go all out as our founders host a night of clips from all the nominated films, laughs and tears as we hand out awards and gifts from our sponsors and hear speeches from our winners!

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR!

We don’t care about genre. We don’t care about budget. We care about voices. We’re looking for filmmakers who have something to say, and we want to help you say it! We use the submission categories to make sure that the judge most likely to enjoy and champion your film, is the person that sees it.

Our programmers meticulously craft each hour long block of films around a different theme, so when you walk into a PUFF screening, you never know what you’re going to get!

Submit feature films in ANY genre! We are looking for something creative and fresh to premiere at our festival!

Submit your short films under 35 minutes in any of the following genres:
Comedy
Drama
Documentary
Horror/Thriller
Sci-Fi
Student
Television Pilot
Experimental
Music Video
Super Shorts (< 5 min)

PUFF is based in Los Angeles, CA at the historic Lee Strasberg Theatre.

Awards & Prizes

Best of Festival
Best Comedy Short
Best Drama Short
Best Thriller Short
Best Emerging Artist
Best Director
Best Screenplay
Best Performance by an Actor
Best Performance by an Actress

Rules & Terms

1. Submission Format
* Films must be submitted via online screener ONLY. We DO NOT accept DVD screeners. * Vimeo or YouTube links are preferred.
* Only one version of the film will be reviewed by programmers - updated cuts will not be reviewed.

2. Submission Eligibility
* All submissions must have been completed in the past 24 months.
* There is no premiere policy for short films we accept films that have screened at other festivals or online
*Feature Films must be LA premieres

3. Submission Fee
*All submissions for PUFF are to be paid through FilmFreeway platform. Submission fees are non-refundable.

4. Selection of Films
*Submissions are reviewed by a panel of judges and selected under the following criteria:
- Quality of narrative and production values.
- Independent nature of the production.

5. Notification
* PUFF endeavors to complete all selection procedures by listed dates and inform all submitting parties if their film has been accepted or not after that time. Successful submissions will receive a Filmmaker Festival Kit that will include information on press and publicity, screener requirements, contact information and how to make the most of participating in the Festival.

6. Festival Screenings - selected films ONLY
*PUFF aspires to provide the most quality projection possible but will not be held liable for any failure in the technical quality of the projection during screenings, nor will fees be refunded in any such case. PUFF assumes that the submitting party or filmmaker(s) has spot checked the submission.

7. Scheduling - selected films ONLY
* Screenings are scheduled at the discretion of PUFF. Every effort will be made to adhere to the published schedule however PUFF reserves the right to make changes at any time for any reason. PUFF will not be liable for any costs claimed as a result of a change in scheduling.

8. Promotion - selected films ONLY
*Selected films acknowledge that PUFF reserves the right to promote the films using both images and video that you provide.
33 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Marcel Simoneau

    Everything about the festival was done with careful taste. Nice reception in a new beautifully renovated space! What impressed me the most was the care taken to select and curate such wonderful films. All the selections were wonderfully inspiring! Highly recommended!

    November 2023
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  • Robbie Robertson

    We were so thrilled to have the West Coast premiere of Common as Red Hair at PUFF! The festival's organizers were so responsive and encouraging of our work and we are very proud to be associated with a festival whose mission of excellence and collaboration shone through!

    September 2023
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  • Curtis Sova

    Picture's Up! is a wonderful festival to be part of and attend. Great screenings and events, and a wonderful community! I'm keeping in touch with several professionals I met there, and I was impressed how they screened clips of nominees 'Oscar Style' at the awards ceremony.

    September 2023
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  • Sam Syrett

    Such a fun festival! Great films and people. Would recommend to any filmmaker

    September 2023
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  • Amy DePaola

    I adored the Picture's Up Film Festival! Our film, "Tiki Bar Funeral Home," was warmly welcomed with three nominations for Best Screenplay, Best Comedy, and Best of Fest. Griffin, Alyssa, and Paul did a tremendous job of producing the event, and you could see that in all the details: from how the posters were displayed to the reels cut before each screening, the awards ceremony, and how packed each of the screenings were!

    Our screening was just about sold out, and the quality of the picture and sound was incredible. I am so thrilled we submitted, and I look forward to being back with PUFF for years to come! Thank you again for such a warm welcome.

    September 2023
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