B!tchFest Film Festival & Screenplay Contest (1)

Festival start: 08 February 2025      Festival end: 08 February 2025

Welcome to the 1st annual B!TCHFEST: An International Women’s & LGBTQIA+ Film Festival & Screenplay Contest with a groundbreaking in-person event for both Filmmakers and Screenwriters in the heart of Los Angeles. At B!tchFest we’re not just breaking glass ceilings; we’re shattering them into a million pieces by unleashing the Power of Female and LGBTQIA+ Voices in Film and Television!

Get ready for a cinematic celebration that’s not just a festival – it’s a movement. B!tchFest is on a mission to redefine the narrative by proudly showcasing the BEST Independent Films, Feature Films, Short Films, Documentaries, Animated Films, Student Films, Music Videos, Pilots, Web Series, Screenplays, TV Scripts, and Stage Plays crafted by the most Badass Women and LGBTQIA+ Creators in the industry.

In a world where only 26% of key production roles belong to women and a mere 16% of major studio films flaunt LGBTQIA+ characters, B!tchFest is determined to rewrite the script. We invite you to be a part of a whirlwind Film Festival featuring empowering stories, fierce creativity, and unapologetic voices at the forefront of cinema.

By providing a platform for recognition, awards, and promotion; we aim to break barriers, amplify voices, and pave the way for a more inclusive entertainment industry. Join us for a festival that goes beyond screenings—promote yourself and your projects during live panels, flaunt your creations to cheering audiences, walk the red carpet, and forge connections with leading industry trailblazers who share our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Our esteemed panel of award-winning industry professionals including directors, producers, agents, managers, executives, and casting directors will meticulously assess all film and screenplay submissions. The top contenders are then forwarded on to our executive industry judges, from various sectors within the entertainment and publishing industries, for final evaluations to determine the winners for each category.

The B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest is set to take place at the WhiteFire Theatre on Ventura Blvd in Los Angeles on November 24, 2024. The winning screenwriters and filmmakers will join our red carpet event, screen their creations in front of a live audience, snag trophies at our awards ceremony, participate in panel discussions that are recorded and streamed on our website for promotion, and engage in an industry meet-and-greet event aimed at making new connections.

Your story starts here— together we can make cinema HERstory! Submit your film or screenplay today and be part of a revolution that refuses to be silent.

SCREENWRITING AWARDS:

Best Feature Screenplay (60 - 140 Pages)

Best Short Screenplay (Under 60 Pages)

Best LGBTQIA+ Screenplay (Any Length)

Best First-Time Screenwriter Screenplay (Any Length)

Best TV Pilot Script (1/2 Hour or 1 Hour Script Format)

Best Web Series Script (Up to 60 Pages)

Best Stage Play Script (Any Length)

FILM AWARDS:

Best Feature Film (60+ minutes)

Best Short Film (1 - 60 minutes)

Best Documentary Film (Any Length)

Best Student Film (Any Length)

Best LGBTQIA + Film (Any Length)

Best Animation Film (Any Length)

Best TV Pilot Episode (1/2 Hour or 1 Hour Format)

Best Web Series Episode (Up to 60 minutes)

Best Music Video (1 - 30 minutes)

Best Short Social Content Video (5 minutes or less)

The entry fee is applicable per category.

By submitting your film to the categories of Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, Best Documentary Film, Best Animation Film, Best Student Film, Best LGBTQIA+ Film, Best Music Video, Best TV Pilot Episode, Best Web Series Episode, and Best Social Content Video, it not only qualifies your project for festival consideration but it also enables your Cast and Crew to be considered for additional accolades, free of charge.

CAST & CREW AWARDS:

Best of Festival / Grand Jury Award Winner
Best Actress / Actor
Best Supporting Actress / Actor
Best Director
Best Producer
Best Edit/VFX
Best Cinematography
Best Production Design
Best Costume
Best Hair & Makeup
Best Original Score

Winners of all Film Category Awards will have a live screening of their film at the in-person festival on November 24, 2024 at the WhiteFire Theatre in Los Angeles.

Trophy’s will be awarded in-person to all winners of the Film Category Awards, Screenplay Category Awards, and Cast and Crew Awards during the Festival Awards Ceremony. These winners will also be invited to speak about their project during the Festival’s Live-Recorded Panel which will stream on our website for promotion, take professional photos on the Red Carpet and attend the Industry Meet-And-Greet Event aimed at making new connections. Additionally, all Official Selections and Winners will receive two complimentary tickets to the festival.

The Best of Festival / Grand Jury Award Winner, Best Feature Film Winner, and Best LGBTQIA + Film Winner will receive a 1-Hour Zoom Mentorship Meeting with one of our Executive Film Industry Judges.

The Best Feature Screenplay Winner, Best Short Screenplay Winner, and Best LGBTQIA+ Screenplay Winner will receive a 1-Hour Zoom Mentorship Meeting with one of our Executive Screenwriting Industry Judges where they will get feedback on their script and advice on how to move the screenplay into production and gain distribution.

The Winner of Best Actress/Actor and Best Supporting Actress/Actor will receive a 1-Hour Zoom Meeting with a Casting Director from Tiffany Company Casting and free admission to TCC’s next scheduled Virtual Acting Workshop.

We welcome you to the B!tchFest family — where Badass B!tches reign supreme!

For consideration, projects should feature at least one WOMAN in a key production role, such as the Director, Writer, Producer, Cinematographer, Lead Actress, ect. Screenplays authored by WOMEN are preferred; however, if written by a man, the script must include at least one FEMALE lead character for submission. While projects helmed by men are welcome, they must either showcase a female protagonist or revolve around women's issues and themes to be eligible.

For LGBTQIA+ category submissions, projects should feature at least one LGBTQIA+ person in a key production role, such as the Director, Writer, Producer, Cinematographer, Lead Actor/Actress, ect. Screenplays, to qualify, must either include one LGBTQIA+ character, be authored by a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, or the storyline must prominently involve LGBTQIA+ issues and themes.

We wish you a B!TCHIN' time on your filmmaking & screenwriting journey and we hope to see you at the the 1st annual B!tchFest!!!

Please visit our website for a complete list of Rules and Terms: https://www.bitchfestla.com/rules

Please review all of the B!tchFest Film Festival & Screenplay Contest Rules & Terms before submitting. By submitting your project to the festival, you are agreeing to ALL of the following Rules and Terms in full. If you have any questions, please contact BFestivalLA@gmail.com.

B!TCHFEST FILM FESTIVAL & SCREENPLAY CONTEST GENERAL RULES & GUIDELINES:

1. All writers and filmmakers must be at least 18 years old for their project to be eligible.

2. All genres of films and screenplays are accepted.

3. There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit and multiple entries from the same submitter are accepted.

4. The entry fee applies to each category. Submitting to Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, Best Documentary Film, Best Animation Film, Best Student Film, Best LGBTQIA+ Film, and Best Pilot/Web Series qualifies your project for festival consideration. Additionally, it makes your Cast & Crew eligible for free consideration for Secondary Awards Categories like Best Actress, Best Director, Best Producer, Best Cinematography, etc.

5. For consideration, projects must have a key production role filled by at least one woman (e.g., Director, Writer, Producer, Cinematographer, Lead Actress, etc.). Screenplays authored by women are preferred, but if written by a man, the script must feature a female lead character. While projects helmed by men are welcome, they must either center on a female protagonist or address women's issues and themes to be eligible.

6. For LGBTQIA+ category submissions, projects must feature at least one LGBTQIA+ person in a key production role (e.g., Director, Writer, Producer, Cinematographer, Lead Actress, etc.). Screenplays, to qualify, must either include one LGBTQIA+ character, be authored by a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, or the storyline must prominently involve LGBTQIA+ themes.

7. Writers and filmmakers who reside in countries other than the United States are welcome to enter the contest; however, all scripts must be submitted in English, and all foreign language films must contain English subtitles or be dubbed in English.

8. Judges, sponsors, administrators, employees and independent contractors who currently or have previously worked with or for the B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest are not eligible to enter the festival, nor are their spouses or immediate family members.

9. Detailed entry fees are listed on the B!tchFest Website and on the FestHome site checkout form. All entry fees are non-refundable. No coupon or discount is applicable on a previously submitted entry. Entries must be received on or before the listed deadline dates by 11:59PM Pacific Time, and submission fee payment must be paid in full at time of the submission.

10. Our in-person festival will feature screenings for the winners of each applicable category, trophy award presentations, red carpet photos, live-recorded Q&A panels with film and screenwriting winners, and an industry meet-and-greet event.

11. B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest reserves the right to make essential changes, postponements, reschedules, or cancellations to competition dates, deadlines, announcements, awards, categories, and/or the festival venue at our discretion without contestant consent. The organizers may modify or opt not to award any listed prizes. B!tchFest reserves the right to amend our rules, terms, release agreements, and conditions at any time.

12. The decisions of the judges are final and cannot be contested in any manner. There is no score on a scorecard that guarantees advancement to the festival as advancement will be based on the total competition scores as a whole.

13. By submitting to B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest you agree to our terms and conditions and to receive marketing newsletters, film festival discounts, and updates relative to this contest and any affiliated sources in the form of emails. We will never sell your information to third parties.

14. Whoever submits a project shall hold harmless B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest and its judges and associates from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, credits, publicity, trademark, screening, and loss of or damage to any materials submitted to our festival.

15. Notification of Winners and Official Selections will be sent by email and posted on our website BitchFestLA.com. It is the entrant(s) responsibility to provide us with current contact information for notification purposes and to keep the submission service updated. B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest has no responsibility for correspondence that is misdirected as a result of the entrant(s) failure to provide us with current and correct contact information or that is sent to spam or junk mail folders.

16. Should an entrant win an award at B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest, they will receive the award in-person at the Festival Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles. If not present, it is up to the recipient to arrange the shipping and/delivery of their trophy and prizes at their own personal expense.

17. B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest and the employees and judges thereof, claims no ownership nor option on your work. All ownership and rights to screenplays and film projects submitted to this festival remains with the original rights holders.

18. All entrants understand and agree that there are a diverse amount of story contexts and ideas, and in no way is B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest responsible, not now or in the future, for borrowing or stealing from an idea, copy written concept, or storyline from any film or screenplay entry.

19. Entrants grant B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest permission to use their name, likeness, contact information provided, submitted work's title, logline, trailer, and Grand Jury results for publicity and promotional purposes.
Contest participation signifies entrants' consent for B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest, its agents, and contest sponsors to use their information for promotional purposes in any media, globally, without payment or consideration. All use of entrants’ information is in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

20. B!tchFest Film Festival & Screenplay Contest employs a panel of esteemed judges, consisting of industry professionals, to evaluate the submissions. Please understand that due to industry demands and schedules, the composition of our judging panel may evolve throughout the contest and evaluation process. B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest reserves the right to add, change, or remove any members of the judging panel at anytime, while still ensuring the contest’s high-quality evaluation standards are consistently upheld.

21. By entering this contest, you authorize us to use any trusted third-party, online and cloud-based services and databases for hosting, organizing, tracking, managing, reviewing, and/or transmitting your submission file(s). B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest cannot be held liable or financially responsible for any breaches in security with third-party, online and cloud-based services and databases used for managing this festival and its submissions, including but in no means limited to BitchfestLA.com and festival submission and management services, and other submission platforms. By submitting to our festival, you are authorizing us to handle your film and/or screenplay using secure third party softwares.

22. Official Selections and Winners are responsible for their own personal travel and accommodation expenses to attend the festival. Official Selections and Award Winners will receive two complimentary tickets to the festival. All other cast and crew members must purchase event tickets in order to attend.

SCREENPLAY CONTEST SUBMISSION RULES & GUIDELINES:

1. All scripts must be submitted in English. If parts of the script are in other languages, the English translations must be provided in the script.

2. All entries must be submitted in PDF format, adhering to the industry standard format (Courier 12 pt font), and pages should be numbered. All writers should be credited on the title page with contact information listed. Submissions are accepted via electronic submission only.

3. Once a script has been entered into the competition, we will not accept substitutions or revised drafts. If you wish to submit a revised draft of your script, you must enter it as a new submission and pay all applicable submission fees.

4. All submitted material must be the original work of the writer(s), and the sole property of the applicant(s) at the time of submitting. By submitting to the B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest, the entrant(s) warrants that all writers have authorized the submission.
Material written by writing teams must be submitted by one of the writers, with consent of the other(s). If a writing team is chosen as a winner, awards and any prizes will be given to the person who submits the project. Each team is responsible for dividing or sharing any prizes awarded as they deem fair.

5. Adaptations of books, plays, or other source material written by another author are not eligible. A script that has been adapted from your own book, play, or other source material is eligible, provided that you have retained all film and television rights to the property or if the work is in public domain.

6. By entering the B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest, you represent that your entry is your original work, and does not infringe on the copyright or rights of other people, legal entities or intellectual property. Entrant indemnifies B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest, its employees and subsidiaries, and holds them harmless from any claims regarding infringement or dissemination of materials.

7. It is recommended that original material be registered with the WGA or The Library of Congress before submitting to any competition, however we do not require registration in order to submit.

8. All entrants acknowledge and agree that there is a diverse range of story contexts, ideas, plots, themes, and formats. B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest, along with its officers, employees, representatives, sponsors, judges, and affiliates, are in no way responsible, now or in the future, for borrowing or stealing from an idea, copyrighted concepts, or storylines from a submitted script or film entry. The material submitted to the competition is solely at the risk of the individual registering, entering, or providing written or filmed material for scoring, analysis, judgment, or commentary. Submitting entrants agree to indemnify and hold harmless B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest against claims of any kind, and every employee, independent contractor, reader, analyst, system administrator, contest director, or officers of B!tchFest in perpetuity.

9. B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest will not share your screenplay with anyone except the official judges of the competition without prior permission.

10. Screenplays submitted to regular categories (without purchasing a Pro Analysis Coverage Package) will not receive any feedback, analysis, coverage or score cards.

11. Feedback files for the purchased (Pro Analysis Coverage Packages) will be sent to the writer approximately 45 days after submission. Feedback will be written based on the initially submitted screenplay and not on subsequent updates. Please be aware that feedback is subjective, based on the reader's experience, preferences, and knowledge. All written or verbal coverage, critique, criticism, or analysis of submitted material is provided subjectively and based upon objective standards applied to the material under consideration. Our Judges are instructed and agree to evaluate scripts based on our standard Judging Procedure; however, B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest and its administrators cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions on the part of the Judges. All feedback files are final, and we cannot offer any updates on them.

12. Comments provided by judges, readers, administrators, or other B!tchFest employees are strictly based on personal opinion and do not represent the opinions of management. Management, festival directors, judges, readers, and administrators assume no responsibility for the academic, creative, professional, economic, emotional impact or consequences of the opinions provided.

13. A script that has been sold, is currently under option, is in production by a third party, or is otherwise encumbered by a third party on the date of submission, is not eligible for an award. However, if a script is optioned, sold, or produced after the submission has been entered, it will still remain eligible for this year’s contest.

14. B!tchFest or any other partner, employee or agent associated with the contest claims no ownership nor first right of option to any original screenplay or submitted script. All ownership and rights to the submitted material remains with the original rights holder(s).

FILM SUBMISSION RULES & GUIDELINES:

1. All films must be submitted in English. If in a different language, films must include English subtitles or English dubbing.

2. We place no restrictions on your work in terms of premiere status, whether your work has been made available online, or whether your work has been screened at other festivals.

3. Projects must be submitted through a secure online screener, either as a password-protected Vimeo link attached to your submission or uploaded directly to this site. Online screeners must be streamable; we do not accept films that require downloading (e.g., Dropbox, Google Drive, WeTransfer, etc.). We DO NOT accept hard copy mailings of DVDs or Blu-Ray screeners. Additionally, we do not accept partial screeners, trailers, or links that require access other than password protected links.

4. Works in progress are accepted at the time of entry; however, if the project is still a work in progress, it must be indicated on the submission. Additionally, an email notification to BFestivalLA@gmail.com is required once the final project is updated on FestHome. B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest is ONLY responsible for considering the project, as it exists, at the time of review. We are under no obligation to revisit updated cuts once a screener has been seen and judged. Therefore, you should not submit a project if it is not complete enough to adequately represent the final product. Updated cuts must be accessible via your FestHome account. We cannot accept updated cuts via email.

5. Filmmakers are responsible for sorting out the copyright of their own materials. The individual(s) or company submitting the film hereby warrants that they are authorized to commit the film for screening (if selected). You must have all proper permissions, clearances, rights, (etc.), to submit your project and exhibit your film (if chosen). By submitting to B!tchfest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest, you give us consent and the right to screen your film in front of a live festival audience.

6. Films submitted must be the entrant’s original work and shall not violate any copyrights or rights of third parties. Contestants affirm that they have obtained all required copyright permissions for music, sound, images, etc., presented in their film, and that the film can legally be screened at the festival, (if selected). By entering your film for consideration in the B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest, you authorize that your work is cleared for festival exhibition and assume full legal responsibility for the intellectual property therein. The submitter and all filmmakers associated with the project shall indemnify and hold harmless the B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest, and any representative or affiliates, from any claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees and court costs) arising from any claims involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.

7. Each submission must be accompanied by a submission fee, paid in full, and a working screener in order to be considered. Please ensure that screener links and passwords are active throughout the entire festival cycle. It is the submitter’s responsibility to make sure that all submission requirements are met. If your submission is marked “Incomplete” and you’re unsure why, please email BFestivalLA@gmail.com. Any submissions that are incomplete by our final deadline will be disqualified without refund.

8. Press kits and cover letters are not required, but they are appreciated. If you wish to submit either, they MUST be attached to your online submission. We may promote approved clips from your film on our social media channels and website, based on the press kits you provide us with, but we will obtain your full permission prior to any postings.

9. All accepted films will be screened during the in-person festival in Los Angeles. All scheduling, screening venues, digital platforms, and time slots are at the sole discretion of the B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest staff and are subject to change. While every effort will be made to adhere to the published schedule, we reserve the right to make changes at any time for any reason. B!tchFest reserves the right to disqualify any submission without refund, even after a film has been invited to screen and final programming has been announced. B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest will not be held liable for any costs claimed as a result of a change in festival schedule or venue.

10. All selected works must have the final screenable version in the correct, required format available to B!tchFest by November 1st, 2024 for inclusion in the festival. Details on screening formats will be sent out via email on October 15th, 2024 to those selected for screening. If selected, it is likely that the festival venue will require a DCP for screening. You will be notified as to what specific formats will be accepted upon inclusion in the festival. We aspire to provide the best quality projection possible, however, B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest will not be held liable for any failure in technical issues or quality of the projections during the screening, nor will fees be refunded in any such case. B!tchFest is not responsible for any shipping expenses incurred for the film’s requested DCP, nor are we liable for any damage to or loss of festival screeners.

11. B!tchFest Film Festival and Screenplay Contest does not pay screening fees for submitted films. By submitting your project, you acknowledge that B!tchFest will not pay to present your work, if selected.