Sherman Oaks Film Festival

SOFF offers filmmakers the opportunity to have their films screen in the heart of Los Angeles for an audience that loves independent film. Founded by longtime residents and movie veterans alike, the Sherman Oaks Film Festival looks to showcase the best undiscovered movies available in a beautiful, state-of-the-art theater that features the highest quality projection with cushy leather recliners.

SOFF 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 SOFF, all of our filmmakers are filmmakers and we honor them equally.

Individual Q&A's are held for every film at SOFF. We have never featured a 'firing squad' Q&A and never will. A moderator brings up every filmmaker (and anyone they wish to join them) for a 10+ minute Q&A devoted to only their film.

Podcast + TV Series + Streaming Service
SOFF head programmer Jeff Howard established the "Discover Indie Film" podcast in 2017 and has had over 200 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. Becoming a SOFF Official Selection affords you the opportunity to take part in any of these things, but participation is never required.

The Sherman Oaks Film Festival is proud of the Hollywood professionals who comprise our Board:

Michael Lynn : Television Producer (True Hollywood Stories)
Jamie Ball : Television Executive (Disney Channel)
Zac Reeder : Entertainment Executive (Head of Domestic Distribution at Electric Entertainment)
Shannon Makhanian: Casting Director (The Brothers Bloom, Unknown, Mysterious Skin)
Glen Reynolds: Producer/Manager (Conversations with Other Women, Night Train)

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

All other awards are based upon three film lengths, Feature (over 60 mins), Featurette (20 to 60 mins), and Short (under 20 minutes.)

GRAND JURY AWARDS (chosen by selection jury)
Best Feature Film - Arthouse/Experimental
Best Feature Film - Comedy
Best Feature Film - Documentary
Best Feature Film - Drama
Best Feature Film - Horror
Best Feature Film - SciFi
Best Featurette - Arthouse/Experimental
Best Featurette - Comedy
Best Featurette - Documentary
Best Featurette - Drama
Best Featurette - Horror
Best Featurette - SciFi
Best Short Film - Arthouse/Experimental
Best Short Film - Comedy
Best Short Film - Dance
Best Short Film - Documentary
Best Short Film - Drama
Best Short Film - Horror
Best Short Film - SciFi
Best Music Video
Best Director, Feature Film
Best Director, Featurette
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 Art Direction
Best Screenplay, Feature Film (Unproduced)
Best Screenplay, Short Film (Unproduced)
Best Screenplay, TV Pilot/Web Series (Unproduced)

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

PROGRAMMER'S AWARDS
For Exceptional Filmmaking

Rules:

Technical Requirements:
Video - DCPs are required for all theatrical screenings. SOFF 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.

Promotions:
Participants agree that their project and material related to their project may be used and/or published in the Sherman Oaks Film Festival program, website and for promotional purposes related to the Sherman Oaks Film 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: run time over 60 minutes
Featurettes: run time between 60 and 20 minutes
Short Films: run time 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

Michael D. Cohen

A great experience throughout! The team took great care of us and truly value their filmmakers.

June 2026

Helpful
Jasmine Hurt

I was excited that my short film was selected & screened at the festival. I was equally honored to receive the Programmers Prize for Exceptional Filmmaking! I enjoyed attending the festival and networking with other filmmakers!

April 2026

Helpful
Nathan Trumbull

SOFF was a great time and awesome venue for my short! Jeff has great taste and knows how program a good shorts block. Highly recommend submitting.

April 2026

Helpful
Regina Hoyles

While I was unable to attend in person, Jeff and the team at SOFF were true champions of our film! Our team was especially grateful to be honored with two awards and I love how they make such an effort to celebrate all of the films. Truly appreciate this fest!

March 2026

Helpful
Maxi Curnow

An absolute pleasure to be part of this wonderful festival, I'm very grateful.

March 2026

Helpful

Add to List

Dates & Deadlines

October 24, 2025
Opening Date
May 15, 2026
Early Deadline
June 15, 2026
Regular Deadline
July 15, 2026
Extended Deadline
August 15, 2026
Final Deadline
October 15, 2026
Notification Date
December 4 – 7, 2026
Event Date

Categories & Fees

Feature Film - Action/Thriller (over 60 mins)
Runtime over 60 minutes
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $49.50
Submit Now
Featurette - Action/Thriller (20-60 mins)
Runtime between 20 and 60 minutes.
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Short Film - Action/Thriller (under 20 mins)
Runtime under 20 minutes.
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Feature Film - Animation (over 60 mins)
Runtime over 60 minutes
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $49.50
Submit Now
Featurette - Animation (20-60 mins)
Runtime between 20 to 60 minutes
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Short Film - Animation (under 20 mins)
Runtime under 20 minutes
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Feature Film - Arthouse/Experimental (over 60 mins)
Runtime over 60 minutes
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $28
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $49.50
Submit Now
Featurette - Arthouse/Experimental (20-60 mins)
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Short Film - Arthouse/Experimental (under 20 mins)
Runtime under 20 minutes
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Feature Film - Comedy (over 60 mins)
Runtime over 60 minutes
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $49.50
Submit Now
Featurette - Comedy (20-60 mins)
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Short Film - Comedy (under 20 mins)
Runtime under 20 minutes
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Feature Film - Documentary (over 60 mins)
Runtime over 60 minutes
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $49.50
Submit Now
Featurette - Documentary (20-60 mins)
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Short Film - Documentary (under 20 mins)
Runtime under 20 minutes
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Feature Film - Drama (over 60 mins)
Runtime over 60 minutes
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $49.50
Submit Now
Featurette - Drama (20-60 mins)
Runtime between 20 to 60 minutes
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Short Film - Drama (under 20 mins)
Runtime under 20 minutes
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Feature Film - Horror (over 60 mins)
Runtime over 60 minutes.
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $49.50
Submit Now
Featurette - Horror (20-60 mins)
Runtime between 20 to 60 minutes.
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Short Film - Horror (under 20 mins)
Runtime under 20 minutes.
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Feature Film - SciFi (over 60 mins)
Runtime over 60 minutes.
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $55
- Student: $50
- Gold Members: $49.50
Submit Now
Featurette - SciFi (20-60 mins)
Runtime between 20 and 60 minutes.
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $45
Submit Now
Short Film - SciFi (under 20 mins)
Runtime under 20 minutes.
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Music Video
Any length, any genre. Music videos will be judges on filmmaking quality.
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Short Film - Dance
Inspired by our love for Dance Films!
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Extended 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, as we there is generally only time at the festival to show a single episode at the theater.
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $25
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $30
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $35
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Screenplay - Feature Film
Unproduced screenplays for feature films.
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $28
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $36
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $36
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Screenplay - Pilot / Web Series
Unproduced screenplays intended to be television pilots.
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $28
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $36
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $45
- Student: $40
- Gold Members: $36
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $50
- Student: $45
- Gold Members: $40
Submit Now
Screenplay - Short Film
Unproduced screenplay intended to be a short film.
- Early Deadline
- Standard: $25
- Student: $20
- Gold Members: $20
- Regular Deadline
- Standard: $30
- Student: $25
- Gold Members: $24
- Extended Deadline
- Standard: $35
- Student: $30
- Gold Members: $28
- Final Deadline
- Standard: $40
- Student: $35
- Gold Members: $32
Submit Now

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Michael D. Cohen

Jasmine Hurt

Nathan Trumbull

Regina Hoyles

Maxi Curnow