There are lots of festivals out there which means there are lots of possible premiere possibilities for your short or feature film. A few things worth considering when you begin to send out your film for the first time are deadlines, eligibility issues, entry fees, festival mission, is it competitive? is there a cash money prize?, community or industry driven, etc?) This page will be my ongoing list of select U.S. festivals, from reputable Latino themed or other niche genre fests – of which there are many to choose from – to mainstream that have previously supported US Latino films. Submit early! Want more specific advice? Hit me up on chicanafromchicago@gmail.com
JANUARY
Sundance Film Festival, January 16-26, 2014
Submissions open in July
Slamdance Film Festival, January (2014 tba)
FEBRUARY
CineFestival en San Antonio, the nation’s original and longest-running Latino film festival, will celebrate its 35th anniversary February 23-March 2, 2013
Deadlines:
MARCH
Miami International Film Festival
30th Edition March 1-10, 2013
June 25, 2012 | Early Deadline | $45.00 (SOS) | $65.00 (DVD)
July 23, 2012 | Regular Deadline | $55.00 (SOS) | $75.00 (DVD)
August 27, 2012 | Late Deadline | $65.00 (SOS) | $85.00 (DVD)
September 28, 2012 | Extended Deadline | $100.00 (S0S) | NO DVD ACCEPTED AFTER AUG. 27TH
San Diego Latino Film Festival
20th Annual San Diego Latino Film Festival March 7-17, 2013
155 feature and short films to be screened
Early Entry Deadline: September 7, 2012
Entry Fees: Short Film ($15), Feature Film ($25)
Normal Entry Deadline: October 5, 2012
Entry Fees: Short Film ($25), Feature Film ($35)
Late Entry Deadline: November 9, 2012
Entry Fees: Short Film ($40), Feature Film ($60)
South by Southwest (Austin, TX), March 8-17, 2013
Early Deadline – Thursday, October 4th, 2012
Features – $40
Shorts – $25
Music Videos
Late Deadline – Thursday, Nov 1, 2012
Features – $60
Shorts – $40
Music Videos – $40
Last Minute Deadline – Thursday, Nov 15, 2012
Features – $100
Shorts – $50
Music Videos – $50
APRIL
Chicago Latino Film Festival presented by the International Latino Cultural Center
29th edition April 4-11, 2013
Deadline: December 21, 2012
Submission fee: $50
16th Edition April 4, 2013
16th Cine Las Americas International Film Festival April 16 – 21, 2013 (Austin)
Deadline: January 15, 2013 at 5:00pm (Non-refundable entry fee US$20)
Late Deadline: January 31, 2013 at 5:00pm (Late entry fee US$40)
Tribeca Film Festival, April 17-28
- Early Entry Deadline (10/19/12) – Shorts: US$30; Features: US$45
- Official Entry Deadline (11/30/12) – Shorts: US$45; Features: US$65
- Late Entry Deadline (12/28/12) – Features only: US$100
MAY
JUNE
Early Bird Deadline: December 7, 2012 $50 features
Official Deadline: January 11, 2013 $60 features
Late Deadlines: Short films and music videos: February 8, 2013
Feature-length narrative and documentary films: February 15, 2013 $70 features
Marfa Film Festival, June 26-30
Regular Deadline March 11, 2013
Features 60
Shorts 45
Music videos 30
Late Deadline March 17, 2013
Feature 80.00
Short 50.00
Music Video 40.00
Extended Deadline March 25, 2013 (WAB only)
Feature 95.00
Short 70.00
Music Video 35.00
JULY
AUGUST
**HBO Presents New York International Latino Film Festival
Deadlines: TBA
SEPTEMBER
Cine + Mas Film Festival, September 13-28, 2012
Mexican Film Festival of the Americas, September 20-28, 2012 (Chicago, IL)
Fantastic Fest, September 20-27 (Austin) If you’ve made a genre film – and there’s nothing more sweaty than a latino genre flick, this might be the best fit for it
FEATURE FILM DEADLINES:
Earlybird Deadline: February 20, 2013 Regular Price: $35 / Discounted Price: $30
Regular Deadline: April 24, 2013 Regular Price: $40 / Discounted Price: $35
Late Deadline: May 29, 2013 Regular Price: $45 / Discounted Price: $40
WAB Extended Deadline: June 28, 2013 Regular Price: $60 / Discounted Price: $45
SHORT FILM DEADLINES:
Earlybird Deadline: February 20, 2013 Regular Price: $25 / Discounted Price: $20
Regular Deadline: April 24, 2013 Regular Price: $30 / Discounted Price $25
Late Deadline: May 29, 2013 Regular Price: $35 / Discounted Price: $30
WAB Extended Deadline: June 28, 2013 Regular Price: $50 / Discounted Price: $35
OCTOBER
Seattle Latino Film Festival, October 5-14, 2012
Portland Latin American Film Festival 12-18, 2012
Boston Latino International Film Festival October 25th – 28th 2012
Chicago International Film Festival October 10-24, 2013 – yikes pretty hefty entry fees!
Early Bird Rates (Postmarked by March 29, 2013)
Feature-length Narrative $90
Feature-length Documentary $70
Shorts $40
Regular Deadline (Postmarked by June 21, 2013)
Feature-length Narrative $100
Feature-length Documentary $80
Shorts $50
Late Deadline (Postmarked by July 8, 2013)
Feature-length Narrative $200
Feature-length Documentary $150
Shorts – under 40 minutes $70
Chicana from Chicago 