Showcase your film at the San Diego International Film Festival! Mix & mingle with film lovers as you network with filmmakers and celebrities from across the globe. Our festival features 6 days of films, networking, parties and panels that represent the very best in cinematic storytelling. Set in vibrant downtown San Diego and La Jolla; and just steps from the beach... San Diego offers a big city vibe mixed with California style restaurants, brew pubs and stunning natural scenery.

Just 120 miles south of Los Angeles/Hollywood, the San Diego International Film Festival (SDiFF) has quickly become a favorite of industry insiders and celebrities. You’ve worked so hard to create a compelling film...why not showcase it in “America’s Finest City”?

Notable features of the festival include:
- Opportunities to network with industry professionals AND audiences
- Unique parties in iconic San Diego locales
- Walkable villages with VIP lounges - perfect to mix & mingle in 120+ independent films and sneak peeks at Oscar worthy film premieres.
- Highlighted Curated Film Tracks include: Environmental, Social Impact, American Indian, Equestrian, and Military.

Awards & Prizes

The slate of films that are selected at the festival offers a wide range of programming from creative narrative features to thought-provoking documentaries to engaging and enlightening short films. Topics in film we specifically cultivate include Women in film, American Indian Cinema, film exploring the role of veterans and the Armed Forces, Student Film projects, Sports, Horror, Equestrian, Animation and World Cinema.

Gala Premieres which have been nominated for or won major awards from the festival include: THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING MISSOURI, THE BALLAD OF LEFTY BROWN, BREATHE, CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, MARSHALL, LION, DENIAL, HELL OR HIGH WATER, CAPTAIN FANTASTIC, ROOM, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE, THE IMITATION GAME, WILD, ST. VINCENT, WHIPLASH, MR. TURNER, SEPTEMBERS OF SHIRAZ, I SMILE BACK, HE NAMED ME MALALA, ROOM and many more.

Filmmaker Hospitality & Benefits:
- 2 Filmmaker Badges with full access to all screenings and events
- 5 Complimentary Tickets for the filmmaker's screening
- Filmmaker Brunch including networking with industry professionals
- Discounted accommodations for filmmakers
- Industry-oriented seminars and workshops
- Potential for one-on-one meetings with prominent entertainment industry professionals
- Complimentary admission for some of the leading tourist and cultural attractions in and around San Diego.

Rules & Terms

SUBMISSIONS
The nonrefundable entry fee must be payable in US dollars to SAN DIEGO FILM FOUNDATION. Entries must be POSTMARKED by the deadline. Submission costs vary depending on category and discounts. When submitting to the festival you are agreeing that, if selected and the invitation accepted, to screen the submitted film during the dates of the festival. SDiFF will not pay any screening fees for presentation of the film during the festival. The only exception would be if there is a negotiated agreement preceding the submission of the film to SDiFF.

ENTRY REGULATIONS
The SDiFF is a competitive showcase for domestic and international feature films, documentaries and shorts. The SDiFF reserves the right to determine the eligibility of any project submitted. All films must be a minimum of a San Diego Premiere and NO theatrical, cable, television, satellite, DVD, VHS, VOD, internet screenings or availability of any kind in the San Diego region prior to the SDFF dates. Only works completed in 2018 are eligible for selection. There is no limit to the number of entries.

FILM/VIDEO ENTRIES
All foreign language entries must have English subtitles. Projects must be submitted for consideration on DVD, BluRay or as an online screener. PAL format will not be accepted. Works in progress will be considered for the SDiFF. Works in progress will not be screened in the festival. Screening material, press and any application materials sent to SDiFF will NOT be returned. If you did not receive a confirmation of submission, please email programming@sdfilmfest.com. All features and documentaries submitted must be available in BluRay and DCP for festival presentation.

COMPETITION
The San Diego International Film Festival is a competitive event and unless notified otherwise, all films officially selected are eligible for competition. For a list of competitive categories, please see our awards page. All films are nominated and voted upon by an impartial jury of filmmakers, industry professionals, festival programmers and film aficionados.

PRESS MATERIALS
If selected, the SDiFF will require an Electronic Press Kit (EPK) to include high-resolution production stills, key art, bio and filmography of the director, production notes and full cast and crew credits.

LIABILITY
Although every possible care will be taken with tapes, films, drives and files while in our possession, we cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage. Do not send original or master prints, tapes, files or drives. Please keep the SDiFF notified of any address/phone number changes.

SHIPPING
The cost of shipping all entries and films to the festival must be paid by the entrant. The SDiFF will not pay the cost of shipping the print back to the filmmaker. SDiFF will not be responsible for expedited or overnight shipping charges to other organizations. Also, SDiFF cannot guarantee shipment of prints to other festivals during the days of the festival. All international entries must be sent 'free domicile' to the SDiFF office with all transportation charges, duties, and taxes prepaid by the shipper.

REPRODUCTION AGREEMENT
Submission of an entry gives the SDiFF permission to have excerpts of accepted work, including film trailers, shown in all promotional activities related to the festival.

NOTIFICATION
Films selected for the SDiFF will be notified no later than September 1, 2019.

28 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Marco Kyris

    I was thrilled to have my short doc film screen here. The venues were top notch, and the staff was extra personable. I already miss it, and the incredible efficient programmers/organizers/volunteers. Thank you to all. :)

    October 2019
    Helpful
  • Ravin Gandhi

    Tonya, Stephanie, and everyone else were really helpful and supportive - they love filmmakers and the whole event is very well run, and fun. Highly recommend it!

    October 2019
    Helpful
  • Sam Friedlander

    Great festival. Fun parties, great location, well attended. I've had 2 films here and would definitely love to screen there again in the future!

    October 2019
    Helpful
  • Nick Frangione

    This is a prestigious, fun, and artful festival that cares for and nurtures filmmakers.

    October 2019
    Helpful
  • Monique Sorgen

    I only got to attend for 2 days and I wished I could've stayed longer, because I missed out on a lot of great opportunities the festival had to offer. But that's the point. The festival offers lots of great opportunities to meet other filmmaker and the community, which is a passionate film-loving audience. At my theater, there was not only a filmmaker's lounge, but also a VIP lounge, where drinks were free most of the day. They threw a lot of parties and the feature films playing were great. If you can stay for the whole thing, you won't run out of fun things to do and great people to meet.

    October 2019
    Helpful