The We Make Movies International Film Festival celebrates the Do-It-Yourself filmmaking aesthetic. Held in Hollywood every year, WMMINTL serves to highlight DIY filmmakers across the spectrum of the industry in every genre. In 2023, we're excited to expand our festival to also include a short film screenplay competition, where winners will hear their scripts read live by professional actors in Los Angeles.

From horror to drama, comedy to documentary, experimental and underground to video art and music videos, we salute filmmakers who embrace the true indie spirit by making quality art on their own terms. Based on the idea of "making the film that YOU want to see," this week-long festival provides networking and social events, industry panels, a showcase of shorts, features, series, and video art from around the world, live multi-media performances, and an awards ceremony. By bringing filmmakers of all ilks together, we strive to elevate artists and revitalize the industry that we want to be a part of.

Our festival attracts not only brazen storytellers with a distinct point of view, but enterprising creatives who think outside of the box when it comes to the process of filmmaking. We applaud filmmakers who understand the importance of, and know how to wear the many hats required on a true indie production. We welcome seasoned professionals and veteran storytellers, emerging voices and new talents, and everything in between, but the filmmakers who challenge the way things have always been done by finding imaginative and unique solutions to common pre-production, production, and post-production problems are our heroes. If you are a filmmaker who takes chances and asserts your authenticity, we are interested in discovering and promoting you because you are the future of film and filmmaking.

WMMINTL is a natural extension of We Make Movies (wemakemovies.org), a film collective with a thriving worldwide community, a service hub for all pre-pro, production, and post-production needs, a practical alternative to film school, and a digital branding and marketing agency for businesses, organizations, and indie artists alike. WMM actively bolsters filmmakers by connecting them to a supportive community of like-minded artistic professionals and cost-efficient and dependable resources and educational tools, as well as providing an outlet for artistic expression, collaboration, and evaluation through our labs and international film festival.

​Our goal is to empower our fellow filmmakers, provide a custom experience tailored to the needs of each project, budget, and artist, and ultimately bridge the gap between the filmmaker and the business of film.

Best Narrative Short Film (All Genres)
Best Documentary Short Film
Best Experimental/Video Art Short Film (including Music Video)
Best Narrative Feature Film (All Genres, including Experimental/Video Art)
Best Documentary Feature Film (including Experimental/Essay docs)
Best Pilot/Series (Web/TV)
NEW in 2023: Short Film Screenwriting Competition Awards

- Previously premiered films fine.
- Films that were submitted to previous years' WMMINTL Fests will not be viewed.
- No Rough Cut Submissions -- film must be completed upon entry. Acceptance to festival will be determined on merits of first film submitted.
- Selected filmmakers must provide requested materials -- poster or other digital images, a high-resolution copy of the film, and a film summary, including key players from the cast and crew, filmmaker bio, and the film runtime for the program -- as requested by the festival organizers.
- We Make Movies International Film Festival does not pay screening fees to selected films.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Hui Tan

    It is my great honor to receive your announcement!
    I deeply appreciate We Make Movies International Film Festival to provide this opportunity for filmmakers to represent their films and share their experiences!
    Tan, Hui

    December 2022
  • Sassy Mohen

    We Make Movies was amazing!! What a supportive team, great networking events, and superb communication up to and including throughout the event. They truly love showcasing films and connecting people together, I highly recommend!

    October 2022
  • Janet Marrett

    Super friendly team and very well-organised festival. Communication is excellent with loads of opportunities to engage WMM, their filmmaking community and other filmmakers.

    This really feels like a festival designed by filmmakers and so their approach feels quite intuitive. Stoked and delighted that ASUNDER won Best Actress for Kemi Awoderu and Best Director for Janet Marrett.

    The WMM INT'L team is such an awesome group of people.
    It was an honour to be part of the festival in-person this year!

    October 2022
  • A festival with specific goals, full support of the filmmaker, a good event and a lovely memory

    October 2022
  • An absolutely delightful event! Terrific networking, great films, OUSTANDING communication (before, during and after) and a wonderfully warm atmosphere of support and a love of artists and the art they create -- all headed up by Eric Michael, Whit and Tehana. A high recommendation to submit (and to hopefully be selected and then attend!)

    October 2022