Indie Gold: Monthly Berlin Theatrical Premieres for Independent Features

Indie Gold is a unique monthly cinema series in Berlin, dedicated to giving outstanding independent feature films a proper theatrical premiere they deserve. Each month, we select one exceptional indie feature for an exclusive big-screen screening in a real cinema — complete with professional sound, a dark room, a curious live audience, and a moderated Q&A with the filmmaker(s) on stage.

In an era where too many great films vanish after the festival circuit, Indie Gold keeps remarkable work alive by providing a dedicated night in front of real audiences. We handle all marketing and promotion to fill the seats, building a filmmaker-driven theatrical distribution network for indie cinema.

Key Highlights & Unique Benefits:
- No submission fees ever — submissions are always free and rolling (no deadlines).
- Theatrical Berlin premiere — for films that haven't yet played in Berlin (world, international, European, or German premiere status preferred).
- Filmmaker attendance required — for an in-person Q&A (travel assistance provided for those coming from outside Germany).
- Focus exclusively on feature-length films (70+ minutes, all genres: narrative, documentary, animation, experimental).
- A rare opportunity for post-festival-circuit exposure on the big screen with an engaged local audience.

We're seeking bold, completed indie features (from December 2024 onward) in English or with accurate English subtitles, without existing distribution deals or public online release.

Submit today via FilmFreeway or directly at indie-gold.com. Join us in celebrating indie cinema the way it was meant to be seen — in a cinema!

Awards & Prizes

Each month, Indie Gold selects one outstanding independent feature film as our Monthly Spotlight Winner.
The selected film receives:

Indie Gold Monthly Spotlight Award – An official winner title recognizing the film as the month's premier selection.
Exclusive theatrical Berlin premiere in a professional cinema venue, with full marketing and promotion to attract a live, engaged audience.
In-person moderated Q&A with the filmmaker(s) on stage (filmmaker attendance required; travel assistance provided for international selections).
Official Laurel and digital Certificate of Achievement (high-resolution PDF/JPG, ready for print and IMDb credits).
Permanent feature on indie-gold.com, including film details, trailer, poster, and dedicated winner spotlight page for ongoing visibility and post-festival promotion.
Social media promotion and inclusion in our filmmaker-driven network for extended exposure.

This award provides rare post-festival-circuit theatrical exposure, helping keep remarkable indie films alive in front of real audiences. No cash prizes - our focus is on delivering meaningful big-screen opportunities for bold, completed features.

Rules & Terms

By submitting your film to Indie Gold, you agree to the following terms:

Project Type and Length
Submissions must be feature-length films (narrative fiction, documentary, animation, experimental, or hybrid).
Minimum runtime: 70 minutes. Maximum runtime: 150 minutes (2.5 hours), including credits.
Films under 70 minutes or over 150 minutes will be disqualified.

Completion Date
Films must have been completed within 1 year prior to the submission date (e.g., for a submission in January 2026, completion no earlier than January 2025).
Rough cuts or works-in-progress are not accepted; films must be fully completed.

Premiere and Distribution Status
Preferred: World, International, European, or German premiere.
Films must not have had a prior theatrical screening in Berlin.
No existing distribution deals that prevent theatrical exhibition.
Films must not be publicly available online (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo public, streaming platforms) at the time of submission or screening.

Language and Subtitles
Films in any language are accepted.
Non-English language films must have accurate, hardcoded English subtitles.

Q&A Requirement
Filmmaker attendance (director, producer, or key cast/crew member) is strongly preferred for an in-person moderated Q&A on stage in Berlin.
Remote/live-streamed Q&A is allowed only in exceptional cases (with prior approval).
At least one representative must be available and committed to participating upon selection.

Submission Guidelines
Submissions are rolling and always free (no submission fees).
Provide a secure online screener (Vimeo preferred; password-protected).
Upon selection, you must provide a high-quality exhibition file (DCP preferred for theatrical screening; ProRes or high-bitrate MP4 acceptable as backup).
Multiple entries from the same filmmaker are allowed but considered separately.

Selection and Screening
Each month, one film is selected as the Monthly Spotlight Winner for an exclusive theatrical premiere in Berlin.
Decisions are final and at the sole discretion of Indie Gold programmers.
Not all submissions will receive feedback.

Rights and Permissions
You warrant that you hold all necessary rights to submit and exhibit the film.
Selection grants Indie Gold the non-exclusive right to screen the film once (or more if agreed) in a theatrical venue, promote it (trailers, clips, stills), and feature it on indie-gold.com.
No screening fees are paid.

General Terms
Submission does not guarantee selection or screening.
Indie Gold reserves the right to disqualify any submission that does not meet these rules or for any reason.
Participation implies full acceptance of these rules.