The Central American International Film Festival nurtures and promotes Central America’s burgeoning film movement by showcasing and supporting filmmakers, writers and talent from Central America and its diaspora communities throughout the United States and beyond-a varied audience that has yet to see their themes and realities explored on the big screen.

The Central American International Film Festival is now accepting film submissions for its fifth annual showcase that will take place during December 11 y 12, 2020 via online, in Los Angeles, California, the greater metropolitan area with the highest number of Central American immigrants in the United States and one of the largest community of immigrants in the world.

CAIFF encourages submissions on a range of topics: immigration, family stories, social justice, sexual orientation and gender identity, as long as they center the experiences of Central American people, subjects, communities whether they live in or outside the region.

Guest Country: Each year the Festival showcases films from a guest country in the region. For 2020 the guest country is the Caribbean -filmmakers can submit films that center the experiences of people, subjects and communities from the Caribbean and its diasporas.

El Festival Internacional de Cine Centroamericano nutre y promueve el movimiento del floreciente cine Centroamericano para destacar y apoyar cineastas, escritores y talento del cine de Centro America, en Los Estados Unidos y en otros países- una audiencia con mucha diversidad que le faltan ver los temas y sus realidades en la pantalla grande.

El Festival Internacional de Cine Centroamericano abre su convocatoria y recomienda temas acerca de inmigración, historias de familia, orientación sexual y identidad de género, justicia social, siempre y cuando estas experiencias sean de Centroamericanos y de sus comunidades ya sea dentro o fuera del país Centro Americano.

País invitado: Cada año el Festival muestra películas de un país invitado. Para el 2020 el país invitado es el Caribe - convocamos a cineastas de el Caribe o su diáspora que manden películas que exploran las experiencias de personas y comunidades de el Caribe y sus diásporas.

For the 2022 festival, we will be awarding Laurels for all selected films.
Additional awards and introductions will be announced after official selections are made.

SUBMISSION PROCEDURES

1. Make sure your work meets the conditions stated in the Programming Guidelines
2. Fill out the Online or .PDF Submission Form via the official Central American International Film Festival submission platform or Designated Official Platform Submission Partners.
3.Works that are not finished will not be accepted.
4. Include link to the online screener.
5. We do not pay licensing fees to screen films.
6. You will not be reimbursed the amount paid for submitting your project. The Festival reserves the right to disqualify any work that is sent if it does not meet the required requirements including: if it is late, it does not cover eligibility, is not finished, changes in status, and absence of the required paperwork.
ACCEPTANCE NOTIFICATION

All filmmakers whose work has been accepted will receive notification of such by e-mail using the contact information provided. It is the filmmaker’s responsibility to ensure the contact information included in the submission form is current.

Filmmakers will then be asked to send final screening copies of the films, completed Acceptance Notification forms and supplementary materials by the date and time given when notified by email.

SCREENING COPY FORMATS
Central American International Film Festival screens high-quality Quicktime files, and receives them by private Vimeo screener (Vimeo, Youtube, etc.); downloadable link (Dropbox, Wetransfer, etc.) and Blu-Ray disc as an alternative method (this latter format must be sent by regular mail to the Festival Address).

SHIPPING

Shipping costs of all submission materials to the Festival will be paid by the participant, including customs fees and taxes. Mark packages clearly with the title of film, the Festival’s address, and sender’s return address. For international shipping, the customs declaration must read: “Cultural material of no commercial value.” Send the Festival the airway bill number by email: [insert festival e-mail here]. The Festival does not return exhibition copies or materials.

Spanish:

PROCEDIMIENTOS DE PRESENTACIÓN

1. Asegúrese de que su trabajo cumple con las condiciones establecidas en las Directrices de programación
2. Rellene el Formulario de Presentación en línea o .PDF través de la plataforma oficial de presentación Festival Internacional de Cine de América Central o Designado plataforma oficial de presentación Partners.
3. Trabajos que no estén terminados no seran aceptados.
4. Incluir enlace al screener en línea.
5. No pagamos derechos de licencia para proyectar películas.
6.No se le rembolsara la cantidad pagada por someter su proyecto. El Festival se reserva el derecho a descalificar cualquier trabajo que sea mandado si es que no reúne los requisitos requeridos incluyendo: si llega tarde, no cubre la elegibilidad, no esté terminado, cambios de estatus, y ausencia de el papeleo requerido.

NOTIFICACIÓN DE ACEPTACIÓN

Todos los cineastas cuyos trabajos hayan sido aceptados recibirán notificación de tal por correo electrónico utilizando la información de contacto proporcionada. Es el reponsibilidad de la cineasta para asegurar la información de contacto incluida en el formulario de presentación es actual.

Cineastas continuación se le pedirá que envíe copias finales de exhibición de las películas, completados los formularios de notificación de aceptación y materiales suplementarios en la fecha y tiempo que se le dan en la notificacion por el correo electronico.

FORMATOS DE COPIA DE DETECCIÓN
Pantallas del Festival Internacional de Cine Centroamericano archivos QuickTime de alta calidad, y los recibe por Vimeo screener privado (Vimeo, Youtube, etc.) ;, enlace descargable (Dropbox, WeTransfer, etc.) y el disco Blu-Ray como un método alternativo (esto Este último formato debe ser enviado por correo ordinario a la dirección del Festival).

ENVÍO

Los gastos de envío de todo el material enviado al Festival serán pagados por el participante, incluyendo los honorarios de aduana e impuestos. Marcos paquetes claramente con el título de la película, la dirección del Festival, y la dirección de retorno del remitente. Para el envío internacional, la declaración de aduana debe leer: "Material cultural sin valor comercial." Envía el Festival el número de embarque aéreo por correo electrónico: [indicar festival de e-mail aquí]. El Festival no devuelve las copias o materiales de exposición.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Cecilia Brizuela

    Wonderful event! Thank you for showcasing my film "The Call". The film selection was great.

    February 2020
  • taracena anais

    I leave in Guatemala, and I haven't assist at the Festival but two of my films have been screened at the festival in 2017 and in 2019. This year my shot film "Entre voces" won the best shot award and I'm very great full

    December 2019
  • Thank you CAIFF for accepting Hyphen! Great selection of inspirational Central American-based films. A welcoming group of volunteers and important Q&A after the screening. Would have loved to seen more advertising/networking after as it's a lovely area.

    December 2018
  • A really lovely and diverse experience to attend and present work at this festival. The organisers do a great job and there is a lot of support for the festival in LA and from Central America. Very good attendance too.

    November 2018
  • Kase Peña

    I had one of the most important dialogues regarding the film/TV industry status quo during the Q&A following the screening of my short film Familia? So thankful that the organizers invited me to participate.

    November 2018