Come make history at the SignLight International Film Festival! For the first time, Deaf filmmakers from around the globe will be gathered together in Hollywood, the center of the entertainment business, to showcase their work to the industry, and to the Deaf community and allies worldwide via our special streaming platform. All four days of the festival take place at the landmark Pacific Design Center, providing plenty of space for mingling, lounging, and discussing the films screened in the plush state-of-the-art Silver Screen Theater. A gala filmmakers’ welcome reception and closing live-streamed awards ceremony bookend a weekend of special presentations, panel discussions, Q&As, and workshops. Travel and lodging assistance will be offered to accepted entrants to ensure the invaluable opportunities for showcasing, learning, and networking are available to all!

To be ELIGIBLE, FILMS MUST SATISFY at least ONE of the following criterion:

1) be made by a DEAF FILMMAKER
2) be made by a TEAM OF DEAF-HEARING CREATIVES
3) prominently feature SIGN LANGUAGE

ABOUT SIGNLIGHT
A nonprofit subsidiary of SignWorld Studios, SignLight, Inc. provides professional online and in-person training as well as internships for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals aspiring to work in the entertainment industry both above- and below-the-line. Founded by CJ Jones in 2020, SignLight brings the vision of an inclusive entertainment industry to life through advocacy and consultation with industry leaders, job placement, and talent promotion. Engaging all-deaf creative teams and deaf/hearing collaborations alike, SignLight and SignWorld Studios bring compelling stories by Deaf Filmmakers to deaf and general audiences worldwide.

Awards & Prizes

• Best Director, Screenwriter, Performance, and Ensemble awards
• Best Short Film
• Best Documentary
• Best Animated Film
• Best Comedy
• Best Music/Song Video
• Best Student Film

• Special Merit Awards ­– in recognition of especially creative, innovative, or impactful presentations of Sign Language or the Deaf Experience, these awards will be determined by Jury discretion

• Industry Accelerator Awards – packaged by entertainment industry studios and communications and media technology companies, these prizes will be presented to the most promising emerging directors and writers to support their next production.

Rules & Terms

SUBMISSIONS
The nonrefundable entry fee must be payable in US dollars to SIGNLIGHT, INC. Submission costs vary depending on category. 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. SignLight, Inc. will not pay any screening fees for the 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 SIFF.

ENTRY REGULATIONS
SIGNLIGHT INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL is a competitive showcase for domestic and international short films and short documentaries by Deaf filmmakers with production teams comprised of all deaf or a collaborative mix of deaf and hearing artists and technicians. Films that have received prior theatrical, cable, television, satellite, DVD, VHS, VOD, or internet screenings are eligible. All films must have been completed between 2020-2023; films made prior to 2020 are eligible to be screened in one of SIFF’s smaller showcase rooms but are not eligible for award consideration. SIFF reserves the right to determine the eligibility of any project submitted. There is no limit to the number of entries.

FILM ENTRIES
All foreign language entries must have English subtitles. Projects must be submitted for consideration as an online screener. If you did not receive a confirmation of submission, please email Global Content Curator Shelly Guy: shelly@signworldstudios.com.

COMPETITION
For a list of competitive categories, please see our awards page. All films are nominated and voted upon by an impartial jury of deaf and hearing filmmakers, deaf and hearing industry professionals, prominent figures in the domestic and international Deaf Community, and principal festival organizers.

PRESS MATERIALS
If selected, the SIFF 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
Every precaution is taken when handling your film once submitted but we cannot accept responsibility for lost or damaged files that are submitted to us.

REPRODUCTION AGREEMENT
Submission of an entry gives SIFF permission to have excerpts of accepted work, including film trailers, shown in all promotional activities related to the festival.
2 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • SAHERA KHAN

    Thank you for selected My Glow.

    April 2024
    Helpful
  • Lymon Thorn

    There were a lot of events and screenings that ended up being a few minutes late, and there wasn't enough transparency about what kind of catered food we would get, for those who could have had food allergies or intolerances. A lot of important events clashed with screenings and I wish there had been more leeway in between screenings and events so I didn't have to choose between two that I really wanted to go to.

    However, I enjoyed the films here, and I was impressed by how it was all organized even if it was choppy and scattered without much direction - that's growing pains for a new film festival, I think, and I hope they learn from their mistakes and improve on next festival. What changes I would like to see the most are:

    1) COMMUNICATION! Be clear about where to go and what will happen when, and follow through on the times! Definitely announce changes in plans. The schedule felt chaotic because of this. I had no idea filmmakers were supposed to do Q&A questions after their films - or if we needed to show up for our film screenings.

    2) PREPARATION! I saw that quite a few people went hungry because they didn't know when to get food or if food would be served at all events. Also, the provision of water - which you did good on after the first day, but it should still be more clear where you can get refreshments or if you can't get any.

    3) DEAF SPACE FRIENDLINESS! This is surprisingly the least deaf-friendly space I have been to - the entire venue save the hallways had poor lighting, interpreters and presenters alike kept scrambling to find good lighting to sign under. I think if you are choosing a venue, you should keep deaf space in mind and test every room's lighting conditions beforehand.

    4) Accessibility. I saw plenty of spectators in wheelchairs, so I assume the venue was good for that - but it wasn't very friendly in other aspects, including what I said about deaf space. The restroom doors didn't have buttons for wheelchair users, the spaces used for mixers felt cramped and the lighting was terrible to the point I worried I'd get a migraine. I am autistic and I feel overwhelmed in crowds, so you could have a designated sensory friendly area for people who want to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Also, see what I said about food and possibly listing the foods served for catering in detail so people can know and prepare in advance.

    That's all for my review. Thank you for a great film festival :)

    April 2024
    Helpful