The Poppy Jasper International Film Festival (PJIFF) has delighted audiences in the greater San Francisco Bay Area for over 18 years. PJIFF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and educational organization dedicated to promoting inclusion, diversity, and women empowerment. Our mission is to educate people of all ages about filmmaking, encouraging them to find their voice through film, and fostering a strong sense of community around the art of visual storytelling.

The festival takes place in the picturesque towns of Morgan Hill, San Martin, Gilroy, Hollister, and San Juan Bautista, with additional events in Los Altos (Poppy Jasper Asian Film Festival) and San Jose (Poppy Jasper Queer Film Festival). These special events are programmed with films submitted to PJIFF and follow the main festival. PJAFF and PJQFF participants will receive separate notifications for each program.

Last year's festival featured 270 films from 40 countries, alongside six panel discussions and 15 special events. Over 500 filmmakers and 30 industry professionals participated, solidifying PJIFF's reputation as a premier event. Our mission emphasizes inclusivity, diversity, and women empowerment in every aspect. We also offer eight educational programs for youth, high school students, and young adults, as well as specialized programs for older generations, including the 40 & UP, 70 & UP, Veterans, and Music Video programs. These efforts have earned PJIFF several accolades, including the Nonprofit of the Year award from the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce in 2021, the “Best of the Fest” from FestForum in 2019, and two MovieMaker Magazine Awards in 2021 and 2022.

PJIFF programs a variety of unique screening venues across five communities. In addition to showcasing a diverse array of films, tributes, and galas, the festival offers panels with industry professionals, including directors, writers, producers, women in film, emerging technologies, and VFX professionals. We do Q&A’s with all attending filmmakers, and coordinate filmmaker mixers and lounges throughout the festival. Our goal is to elevate indie films and the filmmakers who create them, providing opportunities for success through networking and mentorship.

Testimonials:

I was so honored to take part in this spectacular international film festival. What a joy taking brisk morning walks through storybook-wonderful Gilroy and its equally enchanting sister cities, enjoying the delicious local fare — I still taste the garlic burger, sipping incredible local prime wines and beers, hanging out casually with film legends, ground-breaking, down-to-earth, inspiring industry mavericks, so many sweet and brilliant and diverse filmmakers from literally all around the world. Such powerful new voices and views, truly beautiful labors of love that just embraced and taught and moved me to laughter and tears. I am still glowing. And I might smell a bit still of garlic. I loved everyone and everything. I hope to be invited back. I’m renewed. And so grateful. Jeffrey Sherman, Writer/Director/Producer at Disney

"This is one of the single greatest festival experiences I have been through. It's not one you want to miss. The festival director, Mattie, puts her entire soul into making this whole event go off without a hitch - she made every filmmaker at the festival feel welcomed, seen, and heard. Screening our movie and talking about it with her and the audience afterward was unforgettable. This crew has created a film festival that matters. That’s hard to do, but they did it. It encourages diversity and provides filmmakers with amazing, unforgettable events to network and just have a good time celebrating film. SUBMIT TO THIS FESTIVAL!" Braden Swope, filmmaker

"Spent a wonderful six days at the 16th Annual Poppy Jasper Film Festival in Northern California. The dynamic L. Mattock Scariot staged events in 4 neighboring towns. So much strong work. It felt so good to be in an environment where artists were supporting each other and giving voice to their visions. There was a very illuminating woman’s panel as well as industry panels, good brunches and parties, good discussions, and lots of laughs. There was even a block of films made by local youth. It was amazing to see local businesses and people from these 5 areas donate their time and businesses to support this effort to bring a cultural event to their community. I was touched by the community goodwill of the people in these towns. " Janet Chamberlain, filmmaker

Before You Submit

Please submit your film to the category in which you would want your film to be considered for selection and “Best Of” honors.

If submitting in a Student or Local category, your film will be considered for selection for Student or Local filmmaker showcases. Remember to include proof of student status or contact address with California zip code for the local filmmaker category. If as a student or local filmmaker, you prefer to be considered for selection and honors in the main festival, please submit in a genre / type-specific category instead.

We are committed to inclusion and diversity and strive to select films that honor that ethic. We typically have a program of shorts and feature-length films. English closed captioning and audio descriptions are encouraged. Foreign-language films must have English subtitles.

Learn more about our communities by visiting their websites: https://visitgilroy.com/, https://www.visitmorganhill.org/, and http://www.discoversanbenitocounty.com/

Awards & Prizes
Poppy Jasper makes "Director's Circle" and “Jury’s Choice” awards unlinked to the genre, and chooses "Best Of Fest" awards in over a dozen categories, including:
Action
Animation
Comedy
Different Abilities
Drama
Feature Fiction
Feature Documentary
Feature Narrative
Horror
LGBTQIA
Music Video
Sci-Fi
Short Documentary
Student - Youth, High School, and College

The film's completion date should be between 2023 -2025.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Michele Noble

    The Poppy Jasper International Film Festival is super cool and so welcoming! Well run, brilliant social media presence with awesome blocks of films & parties. Thank you for screening our film, The Yellow Sponge is the Dish Sponge during your day dedicated to LGBTQ+ films and events! ❤️ It is an amazing Festival and completely deserves being named one of the 25 coolest film festivals in the world!

    April 2025
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Michele, we loved your film and look forward to what you do next!

  • As a Deaf Filmmaker it was a huge honor to participate at the Poppy Jasper Film Festival showing award-winning REAL. Mattie and the folks of the Festival truly welcomed me!

    I was given an opportunity to give a presentation "Authentic, Representation and Inclusion"--- and it shook the theatre, leading to some seeds to be growing to do better. I'm available to give presentation at other Film Festivals, events, conference etc. As, I now hope all Filmmakers become more accountable in captioning/subtitle their films to ensure equal access for all audience!

    Thank you Mattie, as Annabelle and I miss you!

    May 2025
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much, Michelle, for your inspiring presentation — your words will have a lasting impact on our festival. We’re truly grateful for you sharing your story and message with us. We miss you and Annabelle and hope to see you both again soon!

  • Laramie Dennis

    Communication was excellent from the start, we were SO warmly welcomed by Mattie Scariot, the festival director, who recognized me immediately and ran up to give me a big hug!! ✨We got to screen in a historic barn that felt like a location straight out of our movie✨ and we were so impressed by the quality of all the programming. (Sidebar: the tacos in Gilroy are no joke.) A+++ will go back every year

    April 2025
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much for your incredibly kind words! It was truly a joy to welcome you to Poppy Jasper! Hearing feedback like yours means the world to us. We can’t wait to have you back — tacos (and hugs!) will be waiting!

  • Christian Loubek

    Wow. Did not expect such a wonderfully curated and unique Film Festival. I knew it was on the Moviemaker list, I had heard great things but you have really have to be there to appreciate. The Barn Screenings, the Wine Tastings, the Daily Filmmaker Brunches, the Hikes, the Opening Night party at the ship! -- this festival is world class.

    I had never been to the Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Hollister Valley and PJIFF really puts it on the map. Thank you Mattie Scariot!

    So thrilled to have BELIEF screen here. So grateful to have it win an Audience Award for Best Narrative Short as well. Thank you for having us.

    April 2025
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    Response from festival:

    Cristian—thank you so much for the kind words! We were delighted you could join us, and it means a great deal to know you enjoyed the festival. It was a pleasure hosting you and screening your film.

  • Tony Jonick

    Such an amazing festival. As a local filmmaker I love that they have days devoted to local creators. While other local festivals are more interested in showcasing people from other countries, Poppy Jasper has become the go-to place for local creators to meet their colleagues and see their work. I try to promote their good work every chance I get.

    April 2025
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Tony!