Ashok Khullar, founder and Executive President, welcomes you to the Standalone Film Festival & Awards (SFFA). This is a unique kind of film festival for independent filmmakers/content creators where there are no barriers to borders, languages, genres, etc. Based in California, USA, this festival is having an online Award Nomination Festival, live screenings, and Standalone Award Show in Los Angeles.

SFFA is consolidating filmmakers around the world for a wonderful presentation of cinematography and the unveiling of new talents. A committee comprising members from the film industry preview submitted films and select good works of motion pictures for the Award Nomination Festival.

The selected films participate in The Awards nomination Festival which is held for 4 months between Dec-March.

Films screen through this secure server screener where visitors and guests from around the world can witness and vote for the film. On the basis of viewers' choice and votes, films nominated for 42 categories of Awards which screen live from last week of March at TCL Chinese Theatre 6 Hollywood and to honor filmmakers, actors, technicians at The Standalone Awards Show in Los Angeles on on 7th day of live screenings.

Theatre venue is in the heart of Hollywood. We will screen all films here as well as look forward to creating year-round screening, filmmaking, and writing opportunities and to that end we are launching new festivals as part of the Standalone Film Festival & Awards.

SFFA Submissions are for feature narratives, Short films, Shows, Series, documentaries, and animation as even experimental films and music videos.

Standalone Best Film (Narrative)
Standalone Best Director (Narrative)
Standalone Best writer (Narrative)
Standalone Best Actor - Male (Narrative)
Standalone Best Actor - Female (Narrative)
Standalone Best Cinematographer (Narrative)

Standalone Best Film (Short)
Standalone Best Director (Short)
Standalone Best Actor - Male (Short)
Standalone Best Actor - Female (Short)
Standalone Best Writer (Short)
Standalone Best Cinematographer (Short)

Standalone Best Cinematography IN A MINI FILM 
Standalone Best Writer IN A  MINI FILM 
Standalone Best Director IN A MINI FILM
Standalone Best Actress IN A MINI FILM
Standalone Best Actor IN A MINI FILM 
Standalone Best MINI Film

Standalone Best Film (Documentary)
Standalone Best Director (Documentary)
Standalone Best Cinematographer (Documentary)

Standalone Best Show (Series)
Standalone Best Director (Series)
Standalone Best Actor - Male (Series)
Standalone Best Actor - Female (Series)
Standalone Best Writer (Series)
Standalone Best Cinematographer (Series)

Standalone Best Film (Student)
Standalone Best Director (Student)

Standalone Best Film (Animation)
Standalone Best Song (Music Video)
Standalone Best Mature Film (+18)
Standalone Best Mature Film (+16)

TO SUBMIT A FILM, YOU NEED TO:

COMPLY WITH PRESELECTION CONDITIONS & Standalone Film Festival & Awards:
FILL OUT THE ONLINE ENTRY FORM
UPLOAD YOUR FILM ONLINE
IF YOUR FILM IS SELECTED FOR AWARDS Nomination Festival, YOU MUST COMPLY WITH THE FESTIVAL’S RULES AND REGULATIONS
PRESELECTION CONDITIONS
FEATURE FILM

Films that have been produced not before 2019
The film must be more than 60 minutes long.
Films that have been released or not been released.
Every film submitted in the STANDALONE FILM FEST will be screened through a Virtual online secure screener during the Award Nomination festival. Any beneficiary, producer, or authorized representative submitting the feature film commits to honoring this clause.

SHORT FILM

Films that have been produced not before 2019
The film must be less than 60 minutes long.
Films that have been released or not been released.
Every film submitted in the STANDALONE FILM FEST will be screened through a Virtual online secure screener during the Award Nomination festival. Any beneficiary, producer, or authorized representative submitting the feature film commits to honoring this clause.

STUDENT FILM

Films that have been directed by a student within his / her school curriculum
The film must be more than 10 minutes long.
Films that have not been presented at major film festivals except festivals of their country of origin.
Every film submitted in the STANDALONE FILM FESTIVAL & AWARDS will be screened through a Virtual online secure screener during the Award Nomination festival. Any beneficiary, producer, or authorized representative submitting the feature film commits to honoring this clause.

DOCUMENTARY / WEB SHOWS
Documentaries/Shows that have been made not before 2019
The documentary must be of more than 5 minutes long.
The Shows/Series must be of more than 15 minutes per episode.
Documentary or Shows or series that have been released or not been released.
Every film submitted in the STANDALONE FILM FESTIVAL & AWARDS will be screened through a Virtual online secure screener during the Award Nomination festival. Any beneficiary, producer, or authorized representative submitting the feature film commits to honoring this clause.
MATERIAL
Irrespective of the equipment used for shooting the film, the material of the film should be in the following format:
1. Feature Content (Movies/Series) *
Accepted Media Formats: MPEG 4 / QuickTime (ProRes) with embedded audio in .mp3 or .wav format Video: Resolution 1920×1080 and above (use codec H.264 for .MOV / .MP4)

2. Content Subtitles
Preferred: Media Formats: VTT or.SRT with Timecodes
Also, accept English Subtitles burnt on the video

3. Trailer – Same as feature content

4. Poster Image with Title *
Portrait Image in 1080 x 1920 (width x height) pixels

5. Banner Image *
Landscape image in 1920 x 1080 (width x height) pixels

NOTE: A Dropbox Link will be provided after the submission of the online form. Upload all the materials in the checklist above to the Dropbox link. (Max 50 GB can be uploaded at once.)

SUBTITLING
The Selection Committee will accept films:

Without subtitle, if the original language is English
WITH English subtitle for all other original languages
LANGUAGE
All
Terms & Conditions:
Standalone Film Festival & Awards Agreement read the terms conditions for virtual screening
All submissions grant SFFA, and its sponsors the full and free right and permission to use the film in any stage ( Submission / Selection / Nomination) for broadcast, duplication, and advertising in association with SFFA, for the purpose of viewing on Standalone Film Festival , television, in theatres, on the internet, on the SFFA website, on sponsors’ websites, podcasting and/or for archival purposes and for any other valid, lawful purpose in any and all media now known or hereafter developed or devised, worldwide and in perpetuity. The submitter may opt-out from any future use after the Award Show, by providing a thirty-day written notice after the final date of the festival, that the ENTRY may no longer be used. A copy of ENTRY may still be kept for archival purposes.

This contract shall be deemed to be entered into in Los Angeles County, California, and shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of California applicable to agreements entered into and carried out entirely within California. The submitter agrees that any and all disputes or controversies arising under this contract or any of its terms shall be resolved under the auspices of the American Arbitration Association, under its Commercial Arbitration Rules, through its Los Angeles, California office; provided, however, that the submitter agrees that his remedies for any breach of this contract by the Standalone Film Festival & Awards, its officers, agencies, employees, and sponsors will be limited to damages to an action at law to recover and in no event will he/she be entitled to rescind or terminate this agreement or to seek injunctive or any other equitable relief.
The Submitter grants the exhibition rights of the Entry film to SFFA for the LIVE SFFA Festivals in theatres across the world. In exchange for release theatres, the submitter accepts that there is no promise of payment, in any form of money or for likeness, image, biography, recording, equipment, or for any other contribution by SFFA on this submission.
The submitter is authorized to sign and give consent for everyone (including but not limited to performers, writers, directors, technical crew, distributors) who contributed to all ENTRY(IES) and all materials submitted with this application to the STANDALONE FILM FESTIVAL & AWARDS.

AWARD SELECTION:
Rules and Regulations
The STANDALONE FILM FESTIVAL & AWARDS is organized by UVTALKIES with the collaboration of STANDALONE FILM FESTIVAL & AWARDS
Article 1

The aim of the Festival and Award « STANDALONE FILM FESTIVAL & AWARDS » is to reveal and highlight the importance of the film shown at the STANDALONE FILM FESTIVAL & AWARDS, whose qualities emphasize the need to encourage the directors or the makers.

Article 2

By feature film for virtual theatrical screening (whatever the format; fiction, documentary, or animation) of 60 minutes or more in length, and not released theatrically. A director who has previously made a student thesis film or a TV film can compete for the "STANDALONE FILM FESTIVAL & AWARDS” with his/her first feature film.

Article 3

The films (as defined in Article 2) which can compete for «STANDALONE FILM FESTIVAL & AWARDS» are those shown in the Official Selection (Competition, Out of Competition, Un Certain Regard) or in one of the Parallel Sections, “The Critics’ Week” or “The Directors’ Fortnight”.

Article 4

The winner of the «STANDALONE FILM FESTIVAL & AWARDS» award will be decided by a Jury of 6 members:
– one president
– one director (from the Society of Hollywood Directors)
– one director of photography (from the US Cinematographers),
– one film critic (from the American Film Critics),
– one industry professional or an International film buff,
– one representative of the Cinema and Audiovisual Industries.
No person implicated in any way with any of the films competing for «STANDALONE FILM FESTIVAL & AWARDS» may be a Jury member.

Article 5

The Jury votes under its own responsibility, without the STANDALONE FILM FESTIVAL & AWARDS or the other organizers being held responsible in any way.

Article 6

The Jury can only vote for one winner of each section of «STANDALONE FILM FESTIVAL & AWARDS». The President of the Jury will vote to settle any tie-breaking issues.

Article 8

The producer and director of the winning film, agree to use the logo «STANDALONE FILM FESTIVAL & AWARDS» in all advertising.

Article 9

The President of the STANDALONE FILM FESTIVAL & AWARDS has the power to settle all cases not covered by the present rules. His decision is final in any dispute that may arise out of these rules and the organization of the «STANDALONE FILM FESTIVAL & AWARDS» award.

Article 10

The rules are printed in English.

Article 11

Participation in the «STANDALONE FILM FESTIVAL & AWARDS » competition implies full and complete acceptance of all the aforementioned regulations.

Article 12
The President Mr. Ashok Khullar who is the founder of the festival is the permanent authority of the festival who cannot be removed in the lifetime of the festival, he reserves all the power to remove or add any submission, officials, or partners.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • They said that my short would be in the presentation at the Chinese theater but without notifying me they removed it from the program, they never answered my emails, they did not send me any document to show that I had been at the festival, but they did send a certificate to a friend who was selected for the video clip category. I was glad to be nominated for best horror actor but they have a very bad organization, terrible service, I felt completely ignored.

    August 2022
  • Thank you for giving such a great honor, Awards & hospitality.
    It was a great experience at the ' Standalone Film Festival & Awards.
    Very well organized, conducted & great communication.
    It is always been a dream of a filmmaker to show his movie in Hollywood, Standalone film festival fulfills this Dream by Screening our short film 'An Indian Girl' in one of the iconic Hollywood Theatre ' TCL Chinese Theatres -Los Angeles, California (U.S). We won here Best Director Award, it's like a dream come true. Very Thankful to Mr. Kumaar Aadarsh Ji & His Team.
    I highly recommend it to all filmmakers. <3

    Thanks & regards
    Sourabh Lakshkar
    An Indian Girl (Writer-Director)
    (Mumbai-India)

    November 2021
  • Thanks to be a part of your Festival 🎬 Greetings from Greece 🇬🇷

    October 2021
  • Luis Alberto Martín

    First of all, thanks for selecting our short to participate in the event. Even though, I consider communication could improve as there were emails for finalists sent to every participant and emails were not answered from their side. Also, some criteria and conditions they did promote at the start of the festival changed (I think for their own interest) as it developed.

    September 2021
  • An extraordinary festival. It is the perfect festival for independent cinema.
    Extremely high level of organizing and conducting the festival!
    Special congratulations to the amazing organization! Thank you very much. Endless thanks...

    August 2021