Superfest Disability Film Festival is the longest running disability film festival in the world. Since it first debuted in a small Los Angeles showcase in 1970 it has become an eagerly anticipated international event—hosted by San Francisco's Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability at San Francisco State University. For more than 30 years, Superfest has celebrated cutting-edge cinema that portrays disability through a diverse, complex, unabashed and engaging lens. Superfest is one of the few festivals worldwide that is accessible to disabled filmgoers of all kinds.

Awards & Prizes

All accepted films receive $100 short films / $200 features screening fee if they successfully deliver accessible formats (AD & CC) of their films for screening.

Best of Festival: Full Length Feature
A work of exceptional quality. The film judged to be the most outstanding full length feature film.

Best of Festival: Short Film (under 45 minutes)
A work of exceptional quality. The film judged to be the most outstanding short film.

P.K. Walker Award in Innovation in Craft
Film judged to make the most innovative use of narrative, cinematography, or other filmmaking techniques to encourage exploration of the experiences of people with disabilities. Added in 2006, this award recognizes Pamela K. Walker’s many contributions to Superfest as its leader from 1998-2002.

Disabled Filmmaker Award
Film judged to be an outstanding work in which a person with a disability has a significant role in producing the film, e.g. producer, director or writer.

Advocacy Award
Film judged to have the most powerful message for disability justice.

Artistry Award
Film that best links disability and the arts.

Access Award
Film with the best accessibility through captioning and audio description.

Liane Yasumoto Jury's Choice Award
Named for the former festival director Liane Yasumoto, this award is presented to the finalist deemed by the judges to be singularly outstanding film that is not recognized in other award categories.

Travel awards may be available.

Rules & Terms

By submitting to Superfest, filmmakers are granting permission to show their film at the festival (virtual and in-person as public health safety permits) and to exhibit all or portions of their film at Superfest Showcases during the one year time period that follows the festival (at which point, filmmakers can opt out moving forward). Filmmakers are also required to provide captioning and audio-description for accessibility to the widest possible audience by August 15 in order to have their film screened. To learn more about audio description, visit: http://www.superfestfilm.com/audiodescription If you already have a captioned or audio described version, please submit this version to the festival.

All films screened at Superfest 2024 that have met the access requirements will receive an honorarium. Short films receive $100 and features $200.
14 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
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Networking
  • brendan brady

    We had a fantastic time attending the virtual part of Superfest's hybrid festival with our short film, "Chronic." Superfest's organizers ensured we knew about the festival well in advance; their communication was excellent, and we also got to attend a filmmaker's panel, which was incredibly rewarding. Also, we loved the other films that were chosen.

    We highly recommend this festival!

    October 2023
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  • Greg Moran

    Great festival. Excellent communication. Unfortunately, we could not be there in person but felt Very fortunate to be selected. We felt very honoured to receive the innovation and craft award for our film Culicidae.

    October 2023
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  • Lindsay Zibach

    Superfest was communicative, supportive, engaging and so thoughtful in both the presentation of their selections and the conversation around them. I felt intellectually stimulated and creative fueled! A fantastic in-person festival with kind and generous organizers.

    December 2022
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  • Ariel Baska

    A stunningly well-curated and thoughtfully well-put-together festival. I can not give Emily Beitiks or her team a high enough rating to represent exactly how great the Superfest experience is. A great community that is seriously appreciative of filmmakers, and a great place for genuine discussion of the work.

    November 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks so much Ariel, this is so very kind!

  • Rebekah Louisa Smith

    AMAZING Festival - superb communication and stellar programming! This has to be one of the BEST festivals on disability in the world. Love it

    October 2022
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