Lonely Seal International Film, Screenplay and Music Festival

Welcome to the home of stories "aching to be told." We are a nonprofit organization in California and Massachusetts recognized by the Mass Cultural Council as a multiple grant recipient. We are a "Top 100 Best Reviewed" festival on FilmFreeway, and our 175+ Five-Star Reviews put us in the top percentiles of best-reviewed film festivals worldwide.

Discover the unparalleled blend of tradition and innovation at The Lonely Seal International Film, Screenplay & Music Festival. Our event occurs at the Regent Theatre, a 108-year-old Vaudevillian gem in Arlington, Massachusetts (Boston), renowned for its culturally diverse content. We also own Lonely Seal Streaming and Lonely Seal Releasing, which are dedicated to helping filmmakers with distribution.

Beginnings:
In the mid-1970s, Hammad Zaidi, a disabled kid with a rail-thin left arm, a useless hand, and a cowboy limp, watched a documentary on the clubbing of harp seals with his little sister Mona. All snow-white pups perished except for one called "The Lonely Seal." The name stuck, as did Hammad's intent to make the world a better place. A few decades and several charitable endeavors later, from limping door-to-door to wrangle donations for the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon in the 1970s to donating to several film festivals starting in the 1990s, including multiple-year contributions to Slamdance, SXSW, Nashville, and the Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee - Hammad's mission has been to help those in need. He donated to the Wooden Athletic Fund at his alma mater, UCLA, for nearly thirty years.

Hammad started judging film festivals in the 1990s. His first two opportunities were at Flickerfest in Bondi Beach, Australia, in 1997 and 1998, a timeless experience where he and his fellow judges would dive into the ocean between screenings. From there, Hammad became a Judge, World Cinema Screener, Filmmaker Advisor, Panelist, Screenwriting Contest Founder/Judge, Program Curator, Advisory Board Member, and or sponsor at multiple film festivals. These include Sundance, Slamdance, SXSW, Nashville, and more. Hammad serves on the Board of Directors of Cinema Without Borders.

Hammad has produced and written films, TV shows, and video games. He has also written 300+ articles through Going Bionic, launched a film distribution company, and joined the Producers Guild of America and the Writers Guild of America. Then, in 2018, The Lonely Seal International Film, Screenplay, and Music Festival was born.

Script Accessible:
A message from Script Accessible founder Hammad Zaidi

EMBRACE ABILITY.

These two simple words are our bedrock. The development process of creating "Script Accessible" started several decades ago, when a head injury turned my healthy six-month-old body into one that would someday house a writer who types with one usable hand. Since then, I've spent my entire life embracing my abilities rather than my inabilities. It's that passion that I created the "Script Accessible" screenwriting contest. My mission is to encourage writers with disabilities to make their voices heard and to inspire all writers to create more stories with disabled characters.

"The globe is our community, and we strive to inspire every inch of it."

Script Accessible was housed at the Slamdance Screenwriting Contest in 2009-2010 and was sponsored by WGA-West. Gia Milani, our 2009 winner, "All the Wrong Reasons," announced during Slamdance in January of 2010,  not only went on to be produced, but it won the Discovery Award at the 2013 Toronto Film Festival. 

Boston
"Mid-Week Music Movies and More" is our monthly series that searches for poignant music-oriented feature films and documentaries and screens them on Wednesdays. Selected monthly films will play at the Regent Theatre on Lonely Seal Streaming.; or both.

Other Cool Stuff
We're a multiple-time 'Top 100 Festival' on FilmFreeway. Group, we're here to help you thrive, but we can only do that once you submit your work!

At The Lonely Seal International Film, Screenplay & Music Festival, we're more than just an event. Our supportive community stands by you, championing your creative journey year-round. We invite filmmakers, writers, and musicians to connect with us beyond our festival dates. We're here to nurture your growth and success for a moment and a lifetime.

As part of the Lonely Seal Company Group, we provide a gateway to your career growth. Our parent company offers a range of services meticulously designed to support your professional development. From distribution through Lonely Seal Releasing and Lonely Seal Streaming to career-advancing webinars, online classes, and accelerator courses, we're here to help catapult your career to the next level, inspiring hope and optimism.

Our festival winners are not just celebrated; they are catapulted onto the global stage. They are showcased to cinema buyers at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival/Cannes Film Market and other vital sales markets our company attends worldwide, offering unparalleled exposure to your work.

So, don't hesitate to apply today and join our growing family!