Malibu Film Festival

Malibu Film Festival's focus is on supporting emerging directors. As a nonprofit arts organization, the Malibu Film Foundation has held the Malibu Film Festival for close to twenty five years to support emerging directors and introduce their work to audiences, creating a community around independent storytelling.

Malibu Film Festival is produced and staffed by members of the Director's Guild of America (DGA). Emerging Directors interested in joining the DGA, this festival is for you!

The 23rd Malibu Film Festival will take place in-person in 2023 and is now open for film submissions exclusively on FilmFreeway.

Since 1999, Malibu Film Festival has been recognized as a premiere festival for discovering emerging directors. Honorees and Filmmakers who first presented their work at the festival are now amongst the biggest names in the industry include Academy Award® winning director James Cameron (Avatar, Titanic, Terminator); Academy Award® winning director Bryan Fogel (Jewtopia, Icarus, The Dissident);

ABOUT PROGRAMMING
The festival program is selected entirely from a blind submissions pool. No films are given special treatment based on who made them or who they know. Malibu Film Festival programers are comprised of award winning filmmakers, festival alumni, and working union members including DGA, SAG/AFTRA, IATSE and WGA.

DISCOUNT ENTRY FEE:
Malibu Film Festival may provide filmmakers in need of support a discount entry fee code on a case by case basis. Discount Entry Fee Request must be submitted via email info@malibufilmfestival.org. Email Subject Line: Discount Entry Fee Request

CASH AWARDS:
Select films and filmmakers will be receive cash awards up to $500.

Jury Award for Narrative Feature
Jury Award for Documentary Feature
Jury Award for Narrative Short
Jury Award for Documentary Short
Jury Award for Animation Short
Jury Award for Experimental Short
Jury Award for Breakthroughs
Audience Award for Narrative Feature
Audience Award for Documentary Feature
Audience Award for Best Episode
Audience Award for Best Short Film

Please check Malibu Film Festival's website www.malibufilmfestival.com for General Rules, Terms and Conditions of entry, to which all entrants must agree.

Overall Rating

Quality

Value

Communication

Hospitality

Networking

Gonghee Lee

I am very happy and grateful for the selection and screening of my film.
I will make more amazing movies.

September 2022

Helpful
Human Telegraphs

We absolutely love Malibu Film Festival and we were so excited that our series, Human Telegraphs was selected to screen there! While we were disappointed when the festival had to move to virtual due to Covid, we thought the festival did a great job of hosting a virtual event! The communication was great too! Highly recommend!

July 2022

Helpful

Response from festival:

Thank you Human Telegraphs for the kind words and participation. We loved the performances from Fern Lim, Rachel Kay Barclay, and Kayla Conroy. A great comedy series!. Thank you for another 5 star review!
Hique Montanari

My feature film YONLU was selected for the 2022 edition of the Malibu Film Festival and we were very honored to be together with so many other great films in this great event of world cinema. Cheers!

May 2022

Helpful

Response from festival:

Thank you Hique for bringing your Brazilian influences to the cinema screen! YONLU won over the audience worldwide. So happy to have your involvement in this year's festival! Thank you for another 5 star review!
Minima Films

A fantastic festival with a great selection of films. Thanks to Malibu Film Festival for their dedication toward indie projects and the language of cinema.

May 2022

Helpful

Response from festival:

Thank you Minima Films for your sharing "Migrant Birds Fly". You have honored the three legendary female poets, Anna Akhmatova, Forough Farokhzad, and Li Qinzhao. Keep making films that inspire the world. Thank you for another 5 star review!
Marc Martinez

Well run festival and eclectic festival.

April 2022

Helpful

Response from festival:

Thanks Marc for documenting history! Dream Big (A Golden Time In The Golden State) instills the movement and the times. A great first feature documentary. Thank you for another 5 star review!

Add to List

Dates & Deadlines

April 11, 2022
Opening Date
May 16, 2022
May Deadline
June 13, 2022
June Deadline
July 18, 2022
July Deadline
August 15, 2022
Promotional Deadline
September 12, 2022
September
October 3, 2022
October
November 21, 2022
November
December 12, 2022
December
January 2, 2023
January
January 19, 2023
Notification Date
February 17 – 19, 2023
Event Date

Categories & Fees

Short
The 23rd Annual Malibu Film Festival is looking for original work in a variety of genres. Shorts broadly reflect trends and world events and receive prime time screenings at festival venues. Shorts are divided into thematic shows and may also be screened prior to feature screenings. Visit www.malibufilmfestival.org for details about past films, jury members, and award recipients. Past participants have gone on to receive the Oscar after screening at Malibu.
- May Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Gold Members: $27
- June Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Gold Members: $27
- July Deadline
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- Promotional Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- September
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- October
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- November
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- December
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- January
- Standard: $150
- Student: $100
- Gold Members: $125
Submit Now
Animated Short
The 23rd Annual Malibu Film Festival is looking for original work in a variety of genres. Shorts broadly reflect trends and world events and receive prime time screenings at festival venues. Shorts are divided into thematic shows and may also be screened prior to feature screenings. Visit www.malibufilmfestival.org for details about past films, jury members, and award recipients. Past participants have gone on to receive the Oscar after screening at Malibu.
- May Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Gold Members: $27
- June Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Gold Members: $27
- July Deadline
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- Promotional Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- September
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- October
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- November
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- December
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- January
- Standard: $150
- Student: $100
- Gold Members: $125
Submit Now
Experimental Short
The 23rd Annual Malibu Film Festival is looking for original work in a variety of genres. Shorts broadly reflect trends and world events and receive prime time screenings at festival venues. Shorts are divided into thematic shows and may also be screened prior to feature screenings. Visit www.malibufilmfestival.org for details about past films, jury members, and award recipients. Past participants have gone on to receive the Oscar after screening at Malibu.
- May Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Gold Members: $27.50
- June Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Gold Members: $27.50
- July Deadline
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- Promotional Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- September
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- October
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- November
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- December
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- January
- Standard: $150
- Student: $100
- Gold Members: $125
Submit Now
Episodic
The 23rd Annual Malibu Film Festival is looking for original work in a variety of genres. Visit www.malibufilmfestival.org for details about past films, jury members, and award recipients. Past participants have gone on to receive the Oscar after screening at Malibu.
- May Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Gold Members: $27.50
- June Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Gold Members: $27.50
- July Deadline
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- Promotional Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- September
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- October
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- November
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- December
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- January
- Standard: $150
- Student: $100
- Gold Members: $125
Submit Now
Documentary Short
The 23rd Annual Malibu Film Festival is looking for original work in a variety of genres. Shorts broadly reflect trends and world events and receive prime time screenings at festival venues. Shorts are divided into thematic shows and may also be screened prior to feature screenings. Visit www.malibufilmfestival.org for details about past films, jury members, and award recipients. Past participants have gone on to receive the Oscar after screening at Malibu.
- May Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Gold Members: $27
- June Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Gold Members: $27
- July Deadline
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- Promotional Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- September
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- October
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- November
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- December
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- January
- Standard: $150
- Student: $100
- Gold Members: $125
Submit Now
Documentary Feature
- May Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $40.50
- June Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $40.50
- July Deadline
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- Promotional Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- September
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- October
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- November
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- December
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- January
- Standard: $150
- Student: $100
- Gold Members: $125
Submit Now
Narrative Feature
The 23rd Annual Malibu Film Festival is looking for original work in a variety of genres. Visit www.malibufilmfestival.org for details about past films, jury members, and award recipients. Past participants have gone on to receive the Oscar after screening at Malibu.
- May Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $40.50
- June Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Gold Members: $40.50
- July Deadline
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- Promotional Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- September
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- October
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- November
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- December
- Standard: $100
- Student: $80
- Gold Members: $90
- January
- Standard: $150
- Student: $100
- Gold Members: $125
Submit Now

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Gonghee Lee

Human Telegraphs

Response from festival:

Hique Montanari

Response from festival:

Minima Films

Response from festival:

Marc Martinez

Response from festival: