The Vero Beach Film Festival celebrates independent films and their filmmakers, now at an all new time of year, April 11-14, 2024. You bring the films and we’ll add the wine, food and FUN!
VBFF has been recognized as a “Top 100 Film Festival” by FilmFreeway and named “The Summer Sundance” by the Huffington Post. We feature a curated selection of independent films, paired with live screenings, fabulous parties, a hidden cellar and so much more. We screen your films at unique venues in our quaint and charming seaside town on Florida’s east coast. New seminars, roundtables and educational opportunities will be better than ever. We are bringing back our wildly popular podcast, Yak About Film with David Yakir and Susan Keller Horn. Year round events and film screenings are also in the works.
VBFF screens full length documentary and narrative features, as well as dramatic, documentary and comedy shorts. Local filmmakers on the Treasure Coast are featured in Vero Visions and Florida Students can submit in our NextUp! Category. We are introducing “Potpourri”, where you can submit social media stories (TikTok, Instagram, etc), web or TV pilots and more. If your work doesn’t quite fit our typical criteria, this is the place to submit.
All genres are welcome – drama, comedy action, romance, sci-fi, musical, film noir, historical, experimental, LGBTQ, sports, etc. We love it all, but are also looking for environmental, social activism, culinary, food, spirits and wine cinema.
We roll out the red carpet for our film makers. In-person festival benefits include festival passes and home host accommodations. Our warm and welcoming volunteers are helpful and knowledgeable. Film makers interact with industry professionals and audience members in one of the most intimate, relaxed and inspiring settings on the festival circuit. Our contagiously social and culturally aware audience supports independent films and loves getting to know you. The Q&A’s are highly anticipated and attended.
Our “Life Worth Living Legend Award” Honorees have included actor, author and activist George Takei; box office film star Burt Reynolds; and singer, songwriter and actress Gloria Estefan. Our Honorary Festival Chair people have included Jeffrey Lyons, 5-time Emmy award-winning film critic; and Peabody award-winning Director, Jeff Woolnough.
Many films have gone from screenings at the Vero Beach Film Festival to significant success and distribution. We look forward to screening your films and welcoming you to a warm and wonderful film festival by the sea which embraces independent filmmakers!
Here is what some of our filmmakers are saying about us:
Jane Rosemont – "Acting Like Nothing Is Wrong"
Vero Beach Film Festival blew me away on every level. They treat the filmmakers like royalty… The volunteers should receive trophies, I've never been to a festival where volunteers work as hard and are as lovely as they are at VBFF. Films were top notch. Still feeling the glow!
Leanne Melissa Bishop – "In Search Of"
Everything about this festival is just magical! I… am honored to be back again this year (2023). Vero is such a special town, the people, the networking, the wine... oh did I say the wine?! And the icing on the cake, they put their filmmakers up!
Jennifer Scott – "Eyes Upon Waking"
The Vero Beach Film Festival is on my top six of 99 film festivals I have been in. They way they cater to filmmakers is beyond. The love of film and events and the crowd they draw in is top notch… The festival events were not only fun and well organized, but beyond professional. I can't encourage enough to other filmmakers to submit to this festival.
Colin Alistair Campbell - "Fundamental Shapes"
Vero Beach Film Festival is an absolute gem - I loved every minute of it. … It’s a festival that’s both sophisticated and down-to-earth. A terrific curation of films, a welcoming community and team that treats you like extended family, … from the warm hospitality to the large audiences and excellent programming… This is the wonderful Faberge egg of film festivals.
VERO BEACH IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE from Florida airports in Melbourne, Orlando, West Palm Beach, and Fort Lauderdale. Breeze Airways flies directly into Vero Beach from Westchester Airport (NYC area) and Hartford Connecticut Airport.
"Life Worth Living" Film Award
JURY PRIZES:
Best Narrative Feature
Cash Award Value: $250 USD
Best Documentary Feature
Cash Award Value: $250 USD
Best Comedy Short
Cash Award Value: $100 USD
Best Documentary Short
Cash Award Value: $100 USD
Best Dramatic Short
Cash Award Value: $100 USD
Best TV/Web Series Episode
Cash Award Value: $100 USD
Best Social Media Story
Cash Award Value: $100
Vero Visions Award
Cash Award Value: $100 USD
NEXT UP! Student Filmmaker Award - Dramatic Film
Cash Award Value: $100 USD
NEXT UP! Student Filmmaker Award - Documentary Film
Cash Award Value: $100 USD
AUDIENCE AWARDS:
Best Narrative Feature
Best Documentary Feature
Best Comedy Short
Best Dramatic Short
Best Documentary Short
Best Potpourri Submission