Hollywood Storytellers Film Festival (1)

Festival start: 08 March 2025      Festival end: 09 March 2025

Hollywood Storytellers is an International Film Festival and Script Competition that aims to celebrate, support, and reward exceptional voices in cinematic storytelling. Our inclusive platform allows diverse filmmakers and writers in multiple genres and mediums to showcase their unique talents and innovative perspectives worldwide.

Our film festival is an annual event. Each year, a diverse slate of extraordinary official selections are invited to screen their projects in person at the iconic TCL Chinese Theatres located in the heart of the entertainment industry on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, CA.

With a focus on promoting underrepresented voices, we strive to cultivate a compassionate community that encourages creative collaboration in our highly competitive industry, no matter age, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, or creed.

Call for entries are currently open and will close in January 2025. Notifications will be sent in February 2025, with ticket and screening information for the festival event in March 2025.

Entries to our 2024 script competition are currently closed, but we invite you to visit our website and read last season's reviews!
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WHO WE ARE:

The Hollywood Storytellers Film Festival is an all-inclusive, international media contest focused on giving remarkable filmmakers from all backgrounds the recognition they deserve.

​Our festival and awards focus on bringing value to all filmmakers, making it our mission to assist in necessary areas to reward their current projects, make their next ones a reality, and help move them closer to their careers goals.

​Our team believes in the power of perspective. It is essential in enriching the culture of our industry and bringing a more inclusive experience to mainstream genres and mediums. Filmmakers of color, female-identifying filmmakers, LGBTQ+ filmmakers, disabled filmmakers, filmmakers over the age of 50, and other relevant voices that have been historically underrepresented will be heard and encouraged to apply.

​​We look forward to supporting our community of talented, independent filmmakers.

​If you are interested in submitting to our festival but are experiencing economic hardship, please get in touch with us.

WHY SUBMIT:

The Hollywood Storytellers Film Festival is judged by a diverse team of active industry professionals including award-winning filmmakers, producers, directors, actors, film and television writers, casting director associates, music recording artists, development executives, and investors. Members of our esteemed jury include executive producers previously and presently associated with: NBC UNIVERSAL, PEACOCK TV, SONY, VILLAGE ROADSHOW PICTURES, DISNEY, TOUCHSTONE FILMS, WARNER BROS. STUDIOS, and more.

​Our festival aims to attract the top independent filmmakers from around the world. We offer a high-quality, highly anticipated event experience with welcoming communication and hospitality from submission entry to the fest's end. If we accept your project into our festival, you will enjoy (3) complimentary all-day event badges, a carefully curated screening of outstanding official selections, awards consideration, and sponsored grand prizes for our winners.

We are seeking cinematic projects in all live-action and animated genres. Full-Length Features, Shorts, TV Pilots (Short-form, Half-Hour, One-Hour), Documentaries, Music Videos, Experimental Videos, and Proof-of-Concept Movie Trailers.

​​Unique & diverse voices are encouraged.

​We do not encourage submissions that involve excessive harm or abuse to animals.

​BENEFITS OF SUBMITTING:

-Your project screened at the iconic TCL Chinese Theatres on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, CA.

-You want to be part of an inclusive community that champions independent filmmakers and writers on a supportive platform.

-Your project is seen and evaluated by a diverse team of active industry professionals that cultivate a competitive program.

-Affordable submission prices with discounts and economic hardship considerations.

-Official Laurels.

-Award Certificates.

-Sponsored prize packages and opportunities that will further your current and future filmmaking goals.

-Your project showcased on social and sent exclusively to our network of industry contacts.

All submissions that place in our festival but are not given the official selection to screen at our festival will have the option to stream their project on our online platform.

​Placements are given in the following categories:
-Honorable Mentions
-Quarterfinalists
-Semifinalists
-Finalists
-Official Selections
-Award Winners
-Grand Prize Winners

​Digital award laurels will be sent to all placements and official selections.

​Official selections will be sent (3) complimentary passes to our festival event.

​Digital award certificates for individual above-the-line and below-the-line talent will be sent after the screening. These certificates are voted on and awarded to "The Best" in: Writing. Casting. Performance by a lead/supporting female actor, male actor, and non-binary actor. Performance by an ensemble. Directing. Cinematography. SFX/VFX. Sound Design. Production Design. Costume Design. Makeup & Hairstyling. Lighting. Editing. Coloring. Music Scoring. First-Time Filmmaker, and more.

​Our festival's Grand Prize Winners will be selected from the following (6) categories for "The Best Cinematic" achievement in a: Feature Film. Short Film. Feature Documentary. Short Documentary. TV Pilot. Other (Experimental, Teaser Trailer, or Music Video).

​Grand Prize Winners will receive both tangible and educational opportunities provided by our sponsors to be of beneficial value to the winning filmmakers. These prize packages are designed to assist the filmmaker's next project from development to post-production. Sponsored prize packages are listed on our website (TBA).

The Hollywood Storytellers Film Festival is not responsible for how the grand prizes are distributed amongst the winning project's team.

ACCEPTED CATEGORIES:

Cinematic live-action or animated projects.

​-Feature Film (40-120 min) live-action or animated
-Short Film (1-39 min) live-action or animated
-Feature Documentary (1-120 min)
-Short Documentary (1-39 min)
-TV Pilot/First Episode Digital Series (short-form, half-hour, one-hour)
-Other: Music Video, Experimental, Teaser Trailer (1-15 min)

​Please leave a note in your submission if you are a local Los Angeles filmmaker and can attend the event with your team.

​Only completed projects will be selected. If a project is incomplete, you are welcome to submit a cinematic proof-of-concept trailer under our "Other" category.

Please read carefully: By submitting your project to the Hollywood Storytellers Film Festival, you acknowledge that you have read and agreed to the following rules and terms.

-All official selections must provide the festival with a DCP screener.

-English subtitles must be included in your screener to ensure the inclusivity of our event.

-Open Captioning, Closed Captioning, or Audio Description files are encouraged with your screener in addition to the subtitle requirement for non-English films.

-Entrants are responsible for providing a digital screening copy of their selected project within seven days from notification of acceptance.

-Only completed projects will be considered. If your project is incomplete, you are welcome to submit a cinematic proof-of-concept trailer under our "Other" category.

-Submission fees are nonrefundable.

-Due to circumstances beyond the festival's control, participants will be notified ASAP of any changes to the venue, date, or program schedule.

-The Hollywood Storytellers team is not responsible for travel costs or any expenses associated with attending the festival, including losses due to changes in venue, program dates, and times.

-Projects are not eligible if they aired on major US television before the festival event.

-Projects are not eligible if they are available to the public for purchase on DVD or online (Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, etc.)

-Please do not submit pornography or projects with abuse or harm to animals.

-Judges will only consider the version of your project submitted with your entry fee.

-Submitting your project does not guarantee festival acceptance.

-Acceptance into the festival does not guarantee an award certificate or grand prize.

-Projects must be submitted through a secure online platform such as FestHome.

-Screeners must be digital and able to download.

-We do not accept physical DVD screeners.

-Please note that by submitting, you are authorizing Hollywood Storytellers to use you/your project's materials for promotional purposes (film, trailer, poster, logline, synopsis, BTS photos, etc.)

-All copyright, ownership, and rights to the material submitted to the Hollywood Storytellers Film Festival remains with the original rights holders and/or filmmakers.

-You authorize that your work is legally cleared for public screening and accept full responsibility for the intellectual property. The submitter and filmmakers associated with the project shall hold harmless Hollywood Storytellers from any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, and publicity.