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 2024, we're also excited to continue our Short Film Screenplay Competition (introduced in 2023), where 5 finalists will hear their scripts read live by professional actors at the festival 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-production, 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 weekly labs and annual 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 Pilot/Series (Web/TV)
Best Mid-Length Film (25 to 50 minutes)
Best Feature Film (All Genres, including Documentary and Experimental/Video Art)
Best Performer
Best Director (Feature, Short or Mid-Length)
Short Film Screenwriting Competition Awards (1st, 2nd and 3rd Place)

- Short films that have previously premiered films are fine.
- Feature films that have not premiered in Los Angeles or in North America will be given priority.
- Feature films with distribution will not be considered.
- All Feature Films must commit to having two representatives at the festival.
- 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
  • David Beatty

    This is a great festival that focuses its interest squarely on the independent filmmaker. All within walking distance were the screening location, a pub where we could meet other filmmakers and several easy places to get food. Grateful to the fest creators for making the talk back time with filmmakers very generous and questions asked were specific to each filmmaker. Also love the energy and vibe of it all. You could tell these were people who love cinema.

    January 2024
  • Julie Phillips

    The We Make Movies International Film Festival continues to impress me year after year! I was honored to be included again this year. It felt like a homecoming. They are such a great group of creatives who champion independent filmmakers. The festival runs so smoothly, everything is well organized, and it's always a ton of fun. I could not recommend this festival more highly!

    January 2024
  • Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk

    Great festival and very nice audience.
    Thank you

    December 2023
  • WHAT AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE! We were honored to be part of such a vibrant festival right in the middle of Los Angeles. Whit and the team really go out of there way to curate an incredible lineup with filmmakers from all of the world. You can really tell WMM is committed to celebrating filmmakers and bringing people together. Fingers crossed we'll be back soon!

    November 2023
  • Roman Olkhovka

    It was amazing opportunity for us to be a small part of this friendly and powerful film festival!

    November 2023