Film Invasion Los Angeles

Our festival showcases the best undiscovered films possible in a beautiful, state-of-the-art theater with amazing projection and luxurious leather recliners!

FI-LA embraces the work of filmmakers from diverse backgrounds and communities. It is our philosophy to honor their work as filmmakers and not place their work in separate categories based on race, sexual orientation, or gender identification. We have been proud to honor films from every community as Official Selections and Award Winners, honoring their work as filmmakers without being balkanized as "Black filmmakers" or "LGBTQ filmmakers" or "Women filmmakers." At FI-LA, all of our filmmakers are filmmakers and we honor them equally.

Podcast + TV Series
FI-LA head programmer Jeff Howard established the "Discover Indie Film" podcast in 2017 and has had over 250 filmmakers sit for an in depth interview. In 2019 the TV series "Discover Indie Film" premiered on Amazon Prime Video; DIF TV is an anthology of shorts handpicked from the festival circuit.

Our team is passionate about forming a community around the wonderful films and scripts we discover on the festival circuit. We invite our alumni to return as jury members and we hold Bi-Monthly Mixers at our festival venue to foster the creative community. In fact we know of several collaborations that began with an introduction at our festivals and mixers!

YOW.tv BEST IN FEST AWARDS
Best Feature Film (over 40 mins) - $1000 Prize
Best Live Action Short Film (40 mins or less) - $500 Prize

Best Documentary Short (40 mins or less) - no cash prize
Best Animated Short (40 mins or less) - no cash prize

GRAND JURY AWARDS (chosen by selection jury)
Best Feature Film - Animation
Best Feature Film - Comedy
Best Feature Film - Documentary
Best Feature Film - Drama
Best Feature Film - Experimental/Arthouse
Best Feature Film - Horror
Best Feature Film - Sci-Fi
Best Featurette - Animation
Best Featurette - Comedy
Best Featurette - Documentary
Best Featurette - Drama
Best Featurette - Experimental/Arthouse
Best Featurette - Horror
Best Featurette - Sci-Fi
Best Short Film – Animation
Best Short Film – Comedy
Best Short Film – Documentary
Best Short Film – Experimental/Arthouse
Best Short Film – Dance
Best Short Film – Drama
Best Short Film – Horror
Best Short Film – SciFi
Best Featurette – Animation
Best Featurette – Comedy
Best Featurette – Documentary
Best Featurette – Experimental/Arthouse
Best Featurette – Drama
Best Featurette – Horror
Best Featurette – SciFi
Best Music Video
Best Web Series

Best Director, Feature Film
Best Director, Short Film
Best Actress in a Lead Role
Best Actor in a Lead Role
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Best Performance by a Full Cast
Best Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Screenplay (Produced)
Best Screenplay (Unproduced)

AUDIENCE AWARDS (audience selections)
Audience Award, Feature Film
Audience Award, Short Film
Audience Award, Documentary Film

FILMMAKERS AWARDS (Jury of filmmakers from past festivals)
Outstanding Short Films
Outstanding Directors
Outstanding Screenplays
Outstanding Acting, Cast

PROGRAMMER'S PRIZE
(festival programmer's discretion)

Technical Requirements:
Video - DCPs are required for ALL theatrical screenings. FI-LA has a technical sponsor who assists in this process.
Audio - A volume level of -20 LUFS to -18 LUFS during dialog scenes is highly recommended. Your editor should be able to give you an output in this range before you create your DCP.

Q&A's:
The makers of each project are welcome to be part of a Q&A session immediately following their screening. Key cast and crew are also welcome to participate.

Online Availability:
Many festivals have a ban against films that are available online but our philosophy is different. If a film is great, we make it an official selection. We believe that screening in a state of the art DCP theater with amazing audio is a little different from being on YouTube or Vimeo. We have held wonderful screenings of films that were also available online.

Promotions:
Participants agree that their project and material related to their project may be used and/or published in the program program, website and for promotional purposes related to the festival.

Submission materials:
Film, video and script submissions are only accepted digitally through FilmFreeway. No physical media or scripts will be accepted at the festival's office address.

Trademark:
If selected, all commercial/private property including all trademark/copyrighted materials shown or recorded on the project is the responsibility of the filmmaker. The festival does not take responsibility for any infringement of copywritten materials.

Rules are subject to change at any time without prior notice.

Run Times & Page Limits:

Feature Films: over 60 minutes
Featurettes: between 60 and 20 minutes
Short Films: under 20 minutes
Music Videos: any length
Screenplays: no page minimum or maximum, standard format and standard title page recommended. Movie and Television screenplays are both accepted.

Overall Rating

Quality

Value

Communication

Hospitality

Networking

Tobin Carter

Amazing selection of films and incredible opportunities to network! Everyone on our team had a wonderful time, and we cannot recommend it enough for filmmakers at any level of their careers!

October 2025

Helpful
Xander Copp

Jeff and his team at Film Invasion LA put together an amazing festival. It really felt catered to the filmmakers, with a great attention to detail. My short, CARTER, played in a block with two other films at the Glendale LOOK Cinemas. Every film got its own personalized Q&A and the attention it deserved -- I really liked the choice to shorter blocks for the short films with longer Q&As. The festival never felt rushed, yet the scheduling, communication and overall organization ran like clockwork. Can't say enough good things about how they run this festival. They're total pros and I think this festival will continue to grow because of its reputation amongst its alumni filmmakers.

October 2025

Helpful
Agnès Shinozaki

Film Invasion was a great festival to screen our film at. They have great communication and we felt welcomed and appreciated. It was a pleasure to screen Lollie at the festival this year!

September 2025

Helpful
hideyuki tokigawa

It was great to be part of this festival. They gave 6 awards to our film "Love Song from Hiroshima" it meant a lot to us. One of our lead actor participated Q and A in the screening and it was great.Festival poeple are very kind and has great heart for films.

September 2025

Helpful
Mark Perceval-Maxwell

I was impressed by how well organized this festival was and the extra effort Jeff and his team put into every detail. The individual Q&As were a great touch, and the venue and overall presentation felt very professional. Highly recommend.

September 2025

Helpful

Add to List

Dates & Deadlines

June 1, 2026
Opening Date
December 15, 2026
First Deadline
January 15, 2027
Second Deadline
February 15, 2027
Third Deadline
April 10, 2027
Final Deadline
June 19, 2027
Notification Date
August 21 – 23, 2027
Event Date

Categories & Fees

Animation - Feature (over 60 mins)
Films over 60 minutes are considered Features
- First Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $36
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $49.50
Submit Now
Animation - Featurette (20 to 60 mins)
Films between 20 and 60 minutes are considered Featurettes.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Animation - Short (under 20 mins)
Films under 20 minutes are considered Shorts.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Arthouse/Experimental - Feature (over 60 mins)
Films over 60 minutes are considered Features
- First Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $49.50
Submit Now
Arthouse/Experimental - Featurette (20 to 60 mins)
Films between 20 and 60 minutes are considered Featurettes.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Arthouse/Experimental - Short (under 20 mins)
Films under 20 minutes are considered Shorts.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Comedy - Feature (over 60 mins)
Films over 60 minutes are considered Features
- First Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $49.50
Submit Now
Comedy - Featurette (20 to 60 mins)
Films between 20 and 60 minutes are considered Featurettes.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Comedy - Short (under 20 mins)
Films under 20 minutes are considered Shorts.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Drama - Feature (over 60 mins)
Films over 60 minutes are considered Features
- First Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $49.50
Submit Now
Drama - Featurette (20 to 60 mins)
Films between 20 and 60 minutes are considered Featurettes.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Drama - Short (under 20 mins)
Films under 20 minutes are considered Shorts.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Documentary - Feature (over 60 mins)
Films over 60 minutes are considered Features
- First Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $49.50
Submit Now
Documentary - Featurette (20 to 60 mins)
Films between 20 and 60 minutes are considered Featurettes.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Documentary - Short (under 20 mins)
Films under 20 minutes are considered Shorts.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Horror - Feature (over 60 mins)
Films over 60 minutes are considered Features
- First Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $49.50
Submit Now
Horror - Featurette (20 to 60 mins)
Films between 20 and 60 minutes are considered Featurettes.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Horror - Short (under 20 mins)
Films under 20 minutes are considered Shorts.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
SciFi - Feature (over 60 mins)
Films over 60 minutes are considered Features
- First Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $49.50
Submit Now
Sci-Fi - Featurette (20 to 60 mins)
Films between 20 and 60 minutes are considered Featurettes.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Sci-Fi - Short (under 20 mins)
Films under 20 minutes are considered Shorts.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Thriller - Feature (over 60 mins)
Films over 60 minutes are considered Features.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $36
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $49.50
Submit Now
Thriller - Featurette (20 to 60 mins)
Films between 20 and 60 minutes are considered Featurettes.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $4
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Thriller - Short (under 20 mins)
Films under 20 minutes are considered Shorts.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Dance Film
For Dance we accept any length!
- First Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Music Video
- First Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Series Episode - TV/Streaming/Web Series
TV Series, Web Series, Streaming Series... call it what you like. We recommend submitting the pilot episode only.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Screenplay - Feature Film
- First Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $28
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $32
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $36
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Screenplay - Short Film
- First Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $28
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $32
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $36
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Screenplay - Pilot/Series
We do recommend only submitting the pilot script of an unproduced series.
- First Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $28
- Second Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $32
- Third Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $36
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now

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Tobin Carter

Xander Copp

Agnès Shinozaki

hideyuki tokigawa

Mark Perceval-Maxwell