The Tarzana International Film Festival (TZIFF) celebrates its 4th year in the San Fernando Valley just minutes from Universal Studios, Warner Bros., Disney, Marvel, Netflix and ABC television to name a few. All festival screenings will take place at the beautiful Regal 16 Multiplex Cinemas, giving audiences and filmmakers a state-of-the-art screening experience.

The TZIFF celebration includes Red Carpet Premieres, Festival Screenings, Networking events, Parties and of course, the Semi-Formal Closing Night Dinner and Awards Gala with celebrity presenters at the exclusive Braemar Country Club in the hills overlooking Tarzana.

TZIFF offers filmmakers an arena to showcase their work and help launch careers that can change the entertainment industry. Our award-winning filmmakers, artists, judges, and collaborators continue to discover and nurture inclusive and diverse, international talent through various events and educational programs throughout the year. TZIFF's multimedia celebration is designed to elevate and amplify filmmakers, encourage new friendships and future collaborations, and showcase the best work from around the world.

Our mission is to showcase independent films that inform, inspire, and engage our audiences. These films include action/adventure, science fiction, fantasy & Horror, feature films, LGBTQ+, documentaries, music videos/trailers, films by women, faith-based films, , environmental concepts, foreign films, screenplays, and many others with a new category for CINEMATOGRAPHY, ENVIRONMENTAL CONCEPTS and a RETRO CATEGORY for films made between 2015-2025. TZIFF encourages attendance by all ages and is made possible by the generous donations of our sponsors, advertisers and festival attendees.

The city of Tarzana has a rich History of Film from being central locations for such diverse films from "Casablanca" to "Terminator 2", to "Boogie Nights". The name Tarzana is derived from the action/adventure character Tarzan created by world-renowned Edgar Rice Burroughs who made Tarzana his home. TZIFF is proud to partner with The Edgar Rice Burroughs Foundation and has created the Edgar Rice Burroughs Legacy Award. In addition to all the Tarzan books and films, ERB created "The Land That Time Forgot", "John Carter and the Princess of Mars" and "At the Earth's Core" to name a few.

Join our celebrity friends, filmmakers, industry professionals and mentors for this years festival and "Keep on making great movies!"

Awards & Prizes

At the Tarzana International Film Festival, we celebrate excellence, creativity, and innovation in independent filmmaking. Each year, outstanding achievements across all categories are honored with our signature Crystal Tarzana International Film Festival Award — a beautifully handcrafted crystal trophy, custom-engraved with the winner’s title and category.

These prestigious awards symbolize not only artistic excellence, but also the passion, dedication, and vision that define our global filmmaking community.

Rules & Terms

1. All entries must be submitted by the date of the Final Deadline by July 15th, 2023 unless special arrangements have been made with the festival.

2. Entrants must submit an online digital version of their film for viewing, judging and festival consideration.

3. All entries must be in English or subtitled in English if a foreign film.

4. Please submit at least one high resolution production still or screen capture from your film, a short synopsis and log-line along with the directors name and biography. Please let us know if your film will be a screening Premiere: World, US, West Coast or Los Angeles.

5. All films screened must be in a High Resolution Digital File or DCP format, depending on the Theaters screening requirements. If the filmmakers do not have a DCP, it can be converted for a nominal fee. Films selected for screening at the festival must also adhere to specific audio and video specifications.

6. By submitting your film, the filmmaker agrees to let the festival use excerpts from their screeners for use in TZIFF trailers, publicity and promotions.

7. The individual or entity submitting the film hereby warrants that it has all pertinent legal clearances and is authorized to submit the film for screening, and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations. Furthermore, once a film is submitted, approval is granted for festival screening whether it is accepted in other film festival or not. The undersigned shall indemnify and hold harmless the Tarzana International Film Festival from 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 material whether it is screened or not.

8. Exceptions to the festival regulations and guidelines must be authorized by the Founder. The Tarzana International Film Festival may opt to withdraw your work at any time for any reason and does not issue refunds.

35 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Ari F.

    On the positive side, the screening venue was excellent. The films looked and sounded fantastic. Also, Kevin Thomas, the moderator for our block, was knowledgeable about the films and did a great job making us feel welcomed.

    However, communication throughout was lacking, except when promoting opening and awards night ticket sales. Our film was marked as a “Finalist,” but no idea in what category, even after asking. We also never received any official laurels. We were emailed after the event: “Festival Laurels are available directly to you on FilmFreeway,” which really just meant we were expected to create our own.

    There was no time allowed for a Q&A, and the next audience started entering during the final film in our block. Filmmakers weren’t given credentials to attend other screenings and had to buy tickets.

    Overall, it was a mixed experience with minimal support for filmmakers.

    October 2025
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  • Brian Foyster

    A first-class festival from start to finish. Lori, Jeff, and the entire team were an absolute joy to work with—professional, welcoming, and passionate about film. From the stunning venue to the unforgettable gala, it was a truly incredible experience.

    October 2025
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  • jeremy Foley

    TZIFF is an incredible festival that really puts a lot of emphasis on its presentation and events and Lori & Jeff go out of their way to make the filmmakers feel valued. The screenings are held at one of the best theaters in Los Angeles and the awards gala feels like a real event. I can’t recommend this enough and I’m already looking forward to submitting again.

    September 2025
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  • Sterling Gates

    An absolutely top notch festival. Jeff & Lori go out of their way to make sure filmmakers know they're seen and valued, and your films are played in a state-of-the-art theater in Los Angeles. The awards gala is also a blast! I can't recommend this incredible festival enough.

    September 2025
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  • Sonia Jackson

    I am honored to have been a finalist and a part of the Tarzana International Film Festival. They were attentive in answering my calls and responding to my questions. The selected venues were beautiful.

    September 2025
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