Hollywood Storytellers is a premier film festival dedicated to celebrating, supporting, and rewarding exceptional voices in independent cinematic storytelling. Our inclusive platform champions bold, original work across genres and formats, connecting filmmakers with engaged audiences and industry professionals on both a local and global scale.

With a strong focus on elevating historically underrepresented voices, we cultivate a compassionate, collaborative creative community—one that values perspective, craft, and originality over convention. Filmmakers of all ages, races, sexual orientations, gender identities, abilities, and belief systems are welcomed and encouraged to submit.

A CURATED HYBRID FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE:

In 2026, Hollywood Storytellers proudly joins the evolving landscape of leading film festivals as a hybrid event, thoughtfully designed to honor cinematic presentation while expanding access and visibility for filmmakers worldwide.

Our second annual festival season opens with an in-person red carpet reception hosted at the renowned TCL Chinese 6 Theatre, located on Hollywood Boulevard in the heart of Los Angeles. A curated selection of official filmmakers will be invited to participate in an on-site Q&A Filmmaker Showcase, offering meaningful industry and audience engagement in a prestigious theatrical setting.

Following the in-person celebration, the festival continues with a week-long, festival-only digital screening presentation, curated and hosted by Hollywood Storytellers in collaboration with the TCL Chinese Theatres and sponsored partners. This controlled online environment allows official selections to reach a broader audience while maintaining the integrity and exclusivity of a traditional festival experience.

FOR SCREENWRITERS:

Submissions to our 2026 Genre Script Competition are currently open on FilmFreeway and Stage 32. Writers are encouraged to explore our script competition page to view last season’s reviews and accolades.

Script Competition Link:
https://filmfreeway.com/hollywoodstorytellersscriptcompetition

WHO WE ARE:

The Hollywood Storytellers Film Festival is an all-inclusive, international media festival and awards platform committed to recognizing remarkable filmmakers from all backgrounds.

Our mission is to bring real value to independent artists—supporting their current projects, helping make their next ones possible, and moving them closer to meaningful, sustainable careers in film and media.

We believe deeply in the power of perspective. Diverse storytelling enriches our industry, expands mainstream narratives, and creates space for new voices to be seen and heard. Filmmakers of color, female-identifying filmmakers, LGBTQ+ filmmakers, disabled filmmakers, filmmakers over 50, and other historically underrepresented voices are especially encouraged to apply.

WHY SUBMIT:

Hollywood Storytellers is judged by a diverse jury of active entertainment industry professionals, including award-winning filmmakers, producers, directors, actors, writers, casting director associates, development executives, and investors.

Our jury members have professional affiliations with major studios and platforms including NBCUniversal, Peacock, Sony, Disney, Touchstone Pictures, Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix, and more.

We are committed to attracting top independent talent from around the world and providing a high-quality, filmmaker-friendly festival experience—from transparent communication during submissions to thoughtful programming through the festival’s conclusion.

IF YOUR PROJECT IS SELECTED, YOU WILL RECEIVE:

-An exclusive invitation to our in-person red carpet reception and Q&A Filmmaker Showcase at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatre in Los Angeles (December 2026).

-Inclusion in our curated digital festival screening, presented in a secure, festival-only environment designed to preserve the integrity of your work.

-Jury and audience awards consideration.

-Eligibility for sponsored grand prizes and continued promotion.

ELIGIBLE CATEGORIES:

We accept cinematic projects across all live-action and animated genres, including:

Feature Films
Short Films
TV Pilots (Short-Form, Half-Hour, One-Hour)
Documentaries
Music Videos
Experimental Films
Proof-of-Concept Teaser Trailers

*Unique and diverse voices are strongly encouraged*

*We do not encourage submissions that involve excessive or unnecessary harm to animals*

BENEFITS OF SUBMITTING:

-Invitation to attend our red carpet reception and Q&A Filmmaker Showcase at the historic TCL Chinese Theatres on Hollywood Boulevard.

-Your project presented to a global audience through a carefully curated hybrid festival experience.

-Evaluation by a diverse jury of active industry professionals known for cultivating competitive, high-quality programming.

-Inclusion in an inclusive, supportive creative community that champions independent filmmakers and writers.

-Affordable submission fees, with discounts for FilmFreeway Gold Members.

-Optional executive feedback, revised submission waivers, and economic hardship accommodations.

-Official Selection laurels and award certificates (for personal and public display)

-Sponsored grand prize packages and opportunities supporting current and future projects.

-Selected projects promoted across our social platforms and shared directly with our industry network for consideration in representation, distribution, and beyond.

We look forward to discovering and supporting the next generation of bold, original storytellers.

Once a Storyteller, always a Storyteller.

Awards & Prizes

PLACEMENT STRUCTURE:

Projects are reviewed and recognized through official placement tiers, announced in the following order:

Honorable Mentions
Quarter-Finalists
Semi-Finalists
Finalists
Official Selections
Award Certificate Winners
Grand Prize Package Winners

Digital award laurels will be issued to all Finalists and Official Selections.

OFFICIAL SELECTION RECOGNITION:

All 2026 Official Selections will receive one (1) complimentary admission to our IMDb-qualifying red carpet reception hosted at the historic TCL Chinese Theatres in Los Angeles, California.

Officially selected filmmakers who are unable to attend the in-person showcase are invited to participate in a pre-recorded Q&A with the Festival Director. Participation in either the in-person or remote Q&A Filmmaker Showcase is optional.

JURY AWARD CERTIFICATES:

Following the conclusion of the festival, our jury will present digital Award Certificates recognizing outstanding achievement in both above-the-line and below-the-line disciplines. These honors are voted on by the jury and awarded to “The Best” in the following categories, including but not limited to:

Writing
Directing
Cinematography
Casting
Performance by a Lead Actor
Performance by a Supporting Actor
Ensemble Performance
SFX / VFX
Sound Design
Production Design
Costume Design
Makeup & Hairstyling
Lighting
Editing
Color Grading
Music Scoring

Additional recognition may be awarded for:

Foreign Film
Local Film
Student Film
Inclusion Film (cinematic stories that celebrate diversity, equity, and representation)
Impact Film (cinematic stories addressing environmental, social, political, or cultural change)
Genre Excellence, including: (Drama, Comedy, Horror/Supernatural, Thriller/Suspense, Action/Adventure, Faith/Family, Holiday/Romance, Mystery/Crime, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical/Biopic, Western/Period, Animation) and more.

GRAND PRIZE AWARDS:

Grand Prize Winners are selected for outstanding Best Cinematic Achievement in the following six (6) categories:

Feature Narrative
Short Narrative
Feature Documentary
Short Documentary
TV Pilot
Other (Music Video, Experimental Film, or Teaser Trailer)

Grand Prize Winners receive sponsored prize packages that include both tangible resources and educational opportunities. These packages are designed to support filmmakers in advancing their next project—from development through post-production.

Prize offerings vary by sponsor and are updated seasonally. Current and ongoing sponsored prizes are listed on our official website.

*Please note: The Hollywood Storytellers Film Festival is not responsible for how prize packages are distributed among a winning project’s creative team*

ACCEPTED CATEGORIES:

We accept completed cinematic live-action and animated projects in the following categories:

Narrative Feature Film (40–120 minutes) – live-action or animated

Narrative Short Film (1–39 minutes) – live-action or animated

Feature Documentary (40–120 minutes)

Short Documentary (1–39 minutes)

TV Pilot / First Episode of a Digital Series (short-form, half-hour, or one-hour)

Other: Music Video, Experimental Film, or Teaser Trailer (1–15 minutes)

*Only completed projects will be considered. In-progress projects may submit a cinematic proof-of-concept teaser or trailer under the “Other” category*

*Local Los Angeles filmmakers who are able to attend the event with their team are encouraged to note this in their submission*

Rules & Terms

Please read carefully. By submitting a project to the Hollywood Storytellers Film Festival, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to the following rules and terms:

GENERAL PARTICIPATION:

By submitting, entrants acknowledge that they are submitting their project for festival consideration only. Submission does not guarantee acceptance, screening, promotion, award recognition, or prize placement.

Official Selections may be invited to participate in:

-An invitation-only red carpet reception and filmmaker Q&A showcase at a selected Hollywood venue,
-A curated digital screening presented to a global audience via a secure, festival-only platform, and
-Awards and Grand Prize consideration, announced following the festival.

Hollywood Storytellers aligns with leading international film festivals (including Sundance, Cannes, Tribeca, Venice, and SXSW) in maintaining a non–pay-to-play model. All invitations are merit-based. No screening fees are ever provided to Officially Selected filmmakers for their participation.

ELIGIBILITY & SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

Only completed projects are eligible for consideration. In-progress projects may submit a cinematic proof-of-concept teaser or trailer under the “Other” category.

All Official Selections must provide:

-A downloadable digital screener, and
-A trailer suitable for promotional use.
-Screeners must be submitted digitally via FilmFreeway or another secure online platform.
-Physical media (DVDs, Blu-rays, USB drives) will not be accepted.
-Entrants are responsible for providing all required screening materials and promotional assets within seven (7) days of acceptance notification.
-Projects previously aired on major U.S. television networks or publicly available for purchase on DVD or commercial streaming platforms prior to the festival are not eligible.
-International submissions are welcome.
-There are no premiere status requirements.

ACCESSIBILITY:

-English subtitles are required for all non-English language films.
-Open captions, closed captions, and/or audio description files are strongly encouraged for all projects to support accessibility and inclusivity.
-Hollywood Storytellers reserves the right to request subtitle or accessibility corrections prior to screening.

CONTENT GUIDELINES:

The festival does not accept pornography or projects involving excessive, gratuitous, or unnecessary harm or abuse to animals.

The festival reserves the right to disqualify any project that violates these guidelines or applicable laws.

REVIEW & FEEDBACK:

Judges will evaluate only the version of the project submitted with the original entry.

Filmmakers who purchase the Executive Feedback add-on will receive one opportunity to submit a revised version of their project after the final deadline using a complimentary revised submission waiver code provided with their feedback evaluation.

Jury decisions are final.

SCHEDULING & EVENT CHANGES:

The festival reserves the right to make changes to venues, dates, schedules, programming, and formats due to circumstances beyond its control.

Entrants will be notified as soon as reasonably possible of any such changes.

Hollywood Storytellers is not responsible for travel, lodging, or other expenses, nor for losses incurred due to schedule or venue changes.

FEES & REFUND POLICY:

-Submission fees range from $20 USD to $90 USD, depending on category and deadline.
-FilmFreeway Gold Members and students receive automatic discounts.
-Executive Feedback is available as an optional add-on for a flat fee of $50 USD and cannot be used with discounts or promo code waivers.
-Periodic discounts and economic hardship considerations may be offered through official festival channels.
-All submissions are placed into review immediately upon receipt.
-Submission fees and event tickets are nonrefundable.

RIGHTS, PERMISSIONS, & PROMOTION:

By submitting, filmmakers grant Hollywood Storytellers the non-exclusive right to use submitted materials—including film clips, trailers, posters, loglines, stills, BTS images, and cast/crew information—for festival promotion, marketing, press, and archival purposes.

All copyrights, ownership, and intellectual property rights remain with the original rights holders.

The submitter confirms that the project is fully cleared for public screening and that all necessary rights, permissions, licenses, and releases have been obtained.

The submitter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Hollywood Storytellers Film Festival, its partners, sponsors, venues, staff, and affiliates from any claims, liabilities, losses, damages, or legal expenses arising from copyright, trademark, publicity, or credit disputes.

FINAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

Submission does not guarantee acceptance, screening, promotion, awards, or prizes.

Acceptance into the festival does not guarantee a jury award or Grand Prize placement.

By submitting a project, the entrant agrees to abide by all festival rules and decisions.
14 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Fr3deR1cK Taylor

    This was truly the experience I as a filmmaker look for in a festival.

    I screened, lived and I learned. I met some incredible artists and some great people.

    Organization, love and great films.

    Bravo!

    Hollywood Storytellers you are the bomb!!!

    April 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you, Frederick! YOU'RE the bomb, too!!

  • Darren Burch

    I received a review request but have not received any info on our film’s status in this festival.
    Is it over?

    April 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Hi Darren. It's good to hear from you and we hope you are well! As the project's primary submitter, you were notified of your Semi-Finalist placement along with the link to your award laurel on Wednesday, February 5th at 4:35 PM. You replied to our notification email at 5:49 PM later that day letting us know that you "recently tweaked the film and improved the poster art in case that matters." The festival concluded on Sunday, March 9th. Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions. Thank you again for submitting and best wishes to you and your production team of "In Monster's Hands."

  • Thomas Dwyer

    The HSFF is the best Festival (of the 75+ to which we have submitted), bar none, to collaborate with us. Bernadett and Kim curate everything with clarity, discernment, and an ability to identify aesthetically sound, engaging films; the films we saw at the festival all were beyond excellent. Moreover, the HSFF
    has people connected to the Industry who serve as its judges. And the personal phone calls from Bernadett were exceptional, the first any festival person has ever made to us. They also have a contact who will ( for a reasonable cost) turn your material into a DCP file. And finally, the icing on this cake is that our film was screened in Hollywood’s most famous, historic theater, Graumann’s Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard. I cannot write highly enough about this festival or about Kim and Bernadett. My advice: if you have a film that you believe tells a story well, consider applying to this festival. If accepted, I hope you will think back to this review and thank me.
    Tom Dwyer
    Producer and Director
    Frank Bey: All My Dues Are Paid-a feature documentary film.

    March 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you kindly, Tom. We're deeply humbled by your words and are are beyond thankful for your glowing recommendation. All the best to you!

  • Salaheddin Noori

    I am very happy that I participated in the festival;
    A professional and well-planned
    festival in which competition is very serious due to the high quality of participating films.

    March 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you! We're so grateful for your participation and are glad to hear that you had such a positive experience!

  • Marek Wojtasik

    Greetings to the festival team, which I recommend to other creators, Marek Wojtasik

    March 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Hi, Marek! We appreciate the recommendation!