Shine your talents in sunny SoCAL! The Southern California International Film Festival is a part of the GO Independent Film series of festivals in the FAME LLC family. Our goal is to give more opportunities for independent filmmakers and screenwriters to showcase and promote their art.

The SoCAL Fest is both virtual and live. We hold screenings, an Awards Ceremony, and after parties. Our current schedule is as follows:

Live Festival: (6/22) Thursday, (6/23) Friday, (6/24) Saturday, and (6/25) Sunday
Virtual Festival: (6/18) Sunday - (6/25) Sunday

We offer a separate, special bundle of benefits called the FAME FACTOR TICKET. “Get into One and you’re Done!” If eligible, 'Accepted' submissions receive Guaranteed Acceptance into our 4 GO Indie Film Festivals alongside Notification w/in 2 weeks! It's your Film Fest Fast Pass!

***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 a live event. Please understand, before submitting, that with little to no notification, we may have to change presentation formats, venues, and/or dates.

High Quality Trophies

We are accepting submissions for Feature & Short Narrative Films, Feature length & Short Documentaries, Web/TV Series, Screenplays, Teleplays, Music Videos, Trailers and Art & Design. All genres are welcome. The festival programming staff will place your film in the appropriate category.

All entries will be judged on content, creativity, imagery, story and skill of the filmmaker or screenwriter. Productions produced from May 2013 to May 2023 may be submitted. Works in progress will be accepted. All films must be submitted on DVD (Region 1), Blu-ray, external hard drive or online screener for consideration by our Jury.

All entries must be sent to FAME, LLC. Videos, discs and hard drives submitted will not be returned unless accompanied by SASE. Film and Video maybe also be submitted or shared via links online via YouTube, Vimeo, Dropbox, Google, WeTransfer, or similar. Submissions selected for The SoCAL Fest will be announced no later than May 29, 2023.

All presentation materials for The SoCAL Fest must arrive no later than May 15, 2023 (post marked by May 15, 2023). Please notify us by mail or email of any address changes.

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

GO-NOVA Film Festivals – Live Screening Policy

As we resurface back 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 Live, Accepted film content going forward.

1. We require a DCP File of your content.
2. DCP File produced by us from your submitted h.264 file for a fee. Fees cover encoding, quality check, and film transfer to our venues.
a. Fee (under 25 minutes): $150
b. Fee (between 25-55 minutes): $300
c. Fee (over 55 minutes): $450
3. We handle all Quality Checks, Transfer 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.
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).

For further details, please visit the bottom or our website, submission page:
https://www.gofilmfestivals.com/submit

LIVE Screenings are dependent on 4 Criteria beyond our control.
1. State/City/Regional Restrictions
2. Venue Policy and Availability
3. Filmmaker Content Submission (by required Deadline)
4. A minimum of 2-3 hours of content submitted by participating filmmakers in DCP format, encoded by the festival. There is a fee for encoding services.

The Southern California International Film Festival is hereby granted the right to utilize footage and promotional materials supplied by the submitting agent from any film submitted, film accepted, video, or project for exhibition at the GO Independent Film Festivals for promotional purposes. All accepted filmmakers agree that The Southern California International Film Festival may use footage from their projects in order to promote the festival, their film or The Southern California International Film Festival Event and F.A.M.E. related promotion via print, web, theater and broadcast television. The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening, and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations. The submitters shall indemnify and hold harmless The Southern California International Film Festival and F.A.M.E. LLC related entities, it's vendors, sponsors and supporters 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. The submitter acknowledges that all content submitted is approved, licensed, owned, or otherwise authorized to exploit, under the jurisdiction of standing copyright and trademark law, as determined by regional, county, state, United States, and international law.

If 'Nominated', presence at the Awards Ceremony is NOT required to Win.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Connor Williams

    Great team behind this one -- fast and friendly communication.

    November 2022
  • Fernando Mido always goes the extra mile for INDIE filmmakers. We were so thankful for this festival and winning Best Comedy Short for Driverless. What a great red carpet ride.

    November 2022
  • Excellent organization and very friendly and warm team

    January 2022
  • Lisa Wood

    Great fest. Enjoyed the screenings and appreciate the careful consideration when selecting official selections, nominations and winners.

    December 2021
  • Lovely experience, great festival, thanks for having me!

    December 2021