LA Under the Stars is an international film festival held in Los Angeles. Listed as one of the TOP 100 BEST-REVIEWED FESTIVALS on FilmFreeway, LAUTS is home to the best up-and-coming talent in Hollywood. Network with the top filmmakers, discuss films/scripts during the Filmmaker Q&A, vote for your favorite film, take pictures on the red carpet, & close the evening with an Award Ceremony.

Held at the historic El Cid Theater on West Sunset Boulevard, LAUTS offers guests the best venue in Los Angeles. El Cid is located in the heart of the Silver Lake neighborhood. Unpretentious and atmospheric, the iconic theater, restaurant, and bar offers guests a new experience while retaining its original passion and soul.

Each year, an international panel of 12 judges selects several films to showcase during the annual event. All selections are showcased on our website, social media, & given coverage during our highlight reel. As an IMDB-accredited festival, we pride ourselves on being competitive while distinctly worth the price of submission. Submit & join us under the stars!

Awards & Prizes

"SUPERSTAR" goes to the best rated film
"WONDER WOMAN" goes to the outstanding female filmmaker
"M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN" goes to the best twist
"AUDIENCE CHOICE" goes to the audience-voted best film of the night

Awards are also presented to:
BEST FEATURE (film & screenplay)
BEST NARRATIVE (film & screenplay)
BEST COMEDY (film & screenplay)
BEST HORROR (film & screenplay)
BEST EXPERIMENTAL
BEST SCI-FI
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
BEST ANIMATION
BEST DOCUMENTARY
BEST SMARTPHONE SHORT
BEST STUDENT SHORT
& MORE!

Rules & Terms

No waivers!
All films must be in English or have English subtitles at the time submitted.
Films must be original works.
By submitting the material, the applicant hereby agrees to indemnify, hold harmless, and defend the festival & its employees from any liability, claims, and damages in connection with the submission and from any fees and expenses, including but not limited to reasonable attorneys' fees, that any of them may incur in connection therewith.

I/We understand that failure to adhere to the competition rules and regulations will result in disqualification and forfeiture of entry fee.

I/We agree to hold the LA Under the Stars harmless from and defend them against all claims, demands, losses, damages, judgments, liabilities, and expenses (including attorney’s fees) arising out of or in connection with any and all claims of third parties, whether or not groundless, based on any film submitted to the Festival.
56 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
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Networking
  • Jessica Redish

    Super fun and classy festival! A great evening. Thanks for selecting my short film AIRWAY and so honored it won Best Comedy! Highly recommend LA Under the Stars!

    May 2022
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  • Catarina César

    I really enjoyed my first experience with LA Under The Stars Film Festival. It was an honour and a privilege to be given the opportunity to speak about my unproduced screenplay "Knitting Out" on the red carpet. It is great to see a festival so dedicated not only to films and filmmakers but also to writers! I felt part of the family and everybody was kind, enthusiastic and lovely. Wonderful selection of shorts, communication and networking were amazing. Would go again.

    April 2022
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  • Jeremiah Granden

    Excellent experience. It was an honor to be a part of LA Under the Stars Film Festival!

    March 2022
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  • Nicola Morris

    This is a very professionally run festival. And even though I couldn't be there in person, I still felt included and a part of the festival, which was wonderful.

    February 2022
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  • Ren Montoro

    This was my first time being in the LA Under the Stars Film Festival, and it was an absolutely wonderful experience. Everyone was kind, some truly incredible work was shown, and they created an overall lovely environment.

    February 2022
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