*** World Premiere is IMDb recognized and a top level California Film Festival that awards in multiple categories for a single entry fee! ***
It takes many talented people to make an excellent film but you can't afford to pay an entry fee for each member of your team!
We also want to level the playing field and provide an equal platform for all entries. To do this, we group films based on length and budget. Films with similar length and budget are evaluated together. So we do ask that you provide an approximate budget for your short or feature film.
We guarantee your project will be seen and judged fairly.

All winners will receive a beautiful WPFA certificate that you can be proud to display.

We have found that it costs an arm and a leg to get a review of your work. So we also offer an in depth review of your film for a very reasonable rate. Simply choose the appropriate review category in addition to your submission category.

A little bit about us…
The World Premiere Film Awards is a quarterly festival that finishes the year with a gala online event where a Grand Champion will be determined and presented with a handsome trophy. The Tenth Annual WPFA Gala will be held in June 2026. Finalists will be notified by email in spring 2026.
The quarterly selection schedules are:
Winter Selection (January – March)
Spring Selection (April – June)
Summer Selection (July – September)
Autumn Selection (October – December)
The entry deadline for our next selection is June 30 and the winners will be announced at the end of July 2026.

Awards & Prizes

Best Short under $5K
Best Short under $15K
Best Short under $25K
Best Short over $25K
Best Feature under $25K
Best Feature under $250K
Best Feature under $500K
Best Feature over $500K
Best Documentary Short
Best Documentary Feature
Best Animated Short
Best Animated Feature
Best Music Video
Best Trailer
Best Artwork
Best Screenplay Feature
Best Screenplay Short
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Ensemble Cast
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Best Color Treatment
Best Sound Design
Best Director
Best Student Film
Best 1st time Filmmaker
Best Original Score

We also award by genre, for example, Comedy, Thriller, Humanitarian, Adult ... and anything else we consider worthy.
Oh... and we don't charge you for the certificate or the Grand Champion trophy that you earned!

Rules & Terms

Rules:
You are entitled to enter as many films as you like during a festival quarter. If an entry does not win it may be re-submitted in another quarter. We prefer online screeners for the judging process. YouTube or Vimeo links are welcome and we will accept DVDs. We also require an electronic press kit (synopsis and poster or screen grab) to post on our site. Please identify the key credits for your submission. It helps us to award your team members correctly.
An accurate Production Budget amount must be entered in your submission. If no budget is entered for Short or Feature Films, the submission will be judged in the category having the highest budget.
First-Time Filmmaker (Yes/No) must be entered.
Screenplays should be in PDF format and in English.
Project completion date no more than 2 years old.
Must be in English (or with English subtitles).
WPFA will not make your property available online.
We DO accept partially completed films.

Notification:
Accepted entries will receive an Official Acceptance notification and after judging is completed, winners will receive a second email with their really nice certificate.
After an entry has been selected and the filmmaker notified, the film will be listed on the WPFA Facebook site as an Official Selection. After the final judging, the award winners will be listed on the WPFA Facebook site as Award Winners.

Disclaimer:
By submitting your film you agree that you own the rights to it and are responsible for the content. By submitting you are granting WPFA the right to post the name, synopsis and artwork on our Facebook site. There is no refund given if your film is not selected for the festival.

Laurels:
Filmmakers are allowed to use the WPFA Laurels on their winning or selected film ONLY. They can be used on posters as well as other related media.

135 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Franco Ceredi

    The World Premiere Film Awards is a truly outstanding festival — professional, well‑organized, and genuinely supportive of independent filmmakers. Communication is clear and timely, and the team shows real passion for cinema. Being awarded Best Comedy Feature and Best Family Feature with Call Me Joe was an incredible honor and a deeply rewarding moment for our entire team. The festival celebrates filmmakers with sincerity and respect, creating an experience that feels both meaningful and inspiring. I highly recommend it to any director looking for a festival that values creativity, dedication, and authentic storytelling.
    Franco Ceredi

    May 2026
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank-you, Franco. It means so much that you had a good experience with World Premiere Film Awards.
    We were happy to award Call me Joe. We wish you and your team the very best of success.

  • SCKYHIGH FILMS

    The experience was more than amazing. Thank you again for this opportunity to display our feature film Fatal Promises, giving it the platform to be seen in such a major way. We are definitely looking forward to submitting another project to your festival.

    May 2026
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank-you so much for your kind review. The many awards Fatal Promises received were all well deserved.
    We would welcome any other work you might have available to share with us, whenever it is ready. Best wishes.

  • Alex Brown

    Dear World Premiere Film Festival Team,
    I am beyond thrilled and incredibly honoured that Hit Me has been selected as a winner at your festival.
    Knowing that my work resonated with your team is both inspiring and deeply meaningful. Thank you for your time, dedication, and for championing filmmakers through your festival.
    I’m truly grateful for this recognition and would be delighted to submit future projects to your festival.
    With heartfelt thanks,
    Alex Brown

    May 2026
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    We are just as pleased that you chose to put your trust in World Premiere Film Awards. We saw some excellent work in HIT ME SIZZLE REEL “I AM BARNABAS”.
    Thank-you

  • Crystabel Goddy

    Getting nominated and eventually winning the BEST HUMAN INTEREST SHORT is a huge accomplishment and a great nudge to encourage fresh filmmakers like me that we are seen, our efforts count. I’m grateful. As I continue to move forward, learning and growing, this will always be a reminder that I can do more. Thank you.

    February 2026
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Congratulations to you and your team. We found KAMAR an interesting short about African folklore. As you continue to gain knowledge and experience, we wish you every success.
    Thank-you for taking the time to review.

  • Viktoria Zadori

    Thank you for all the awards! We really appreciate them.
    Jeno Hódi - director of Skating on the Raisor's Edge.

    November 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Skating on the Razor's Edge is a brilliant anthology on human nature. Thank-you for sharing with us.