The Micheaux Film Festival

The Micheaux Film Festival is a multicultural film festival that showcases and celebrates diverse representation in the entertainment landscape, while cultivating a community that gives artists an opportunity to tell their unique stories. With a cutting-edge and fresh take on the festival experience, we bring independent creatives together and curate an environment for artists to build relationships with future collaborators in the television, film, and digital space.

The festival is aptly named after Oscar Micheaux, a pioneer filmmaker described as the most successful African-American filmmakers of the first half of the 20th century. His legacy lives on through his writing, directing, producing, and distribution of over 44 feature films during his lifetime.

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion lies beyond a buzzword. Diversity refers to the traits that make people unique, while inclusion refers to the behaviors and social norms that ensure people feel welcome. Our main focus is to curate an environment where all feel welcomed, part of a community, and able to identify with the stories they see play out on screen. We invite all aspects of individualism and uniqueness including: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, military service, or other non-merit factor.

In our 2020 season, we received over 120 submissions and showcased over 60 projects of diverse up-and-coming and award-winning directors, writers, producers, and actors. The festival brought out more than 700 guests throughout the event weekend to the world-renowned Regal Cinemas LA Live: A Barco Innovation Center, one of the most technologically advanced theaters in the nation.

In addition to the screening content, filmmakers and attendees had access to networking mixers, Q&A panels, and several Master Class workshops: Writing for Film (sponsored by Final Draft) Cinematography (sponsored by Panavision), Editing / Post Production, Raising Capital (sponsored by Seed & Spark) and Marketing and Distribution. To conclude the weekend, at our awards ceremony, we awarded outstanding projects that screened at the festival, and featured two special honorees: Christina Cooper (South Central Love on BET Her) and Deon & Roxanne Taylor of Hidden Empire Film Group (Black and Blue, The Intruder, Traffik).

Going into our third year, we are excited to continue growing and expanding, accepting feature length films and documentaries, as well as shorts of all genres. We are expanding on our networking mixers, implementing a designated happy hour, as well as introducing more Master Classes and fireside chats throughout the festival weekend.

For the second year in a row, we're honoring two established industry professionals with the Michael Ajakwe Pioneer of Influence Award and the Oscar Micheaux Trailblazer of Excellence Award. These awards go to creators who embody independence while operating within and outside of mainstream Hollywood, creating their own path, while simultaneously opening the door for others.

"Outstanding" category winners will be determined by a jury of industry professionals.

***SUBMIT FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO SCREEN AT OUR 2021 FESTIVAL***