Offering more than simply a film competition, IIFF is a thrilling place to swap perspectives, merge ideas, engage in eye-opening debates, forge new friendships, and uncover unknown talents. It all unfolds in sun-dappled Irvine, California, not far from the entertainment capital of the world. Recent Academy favorites, including The Act of Killing and The Lady in Number Six: Music Changed My Life established early momentum at this festival.
Major film distributors and Academy Award-winning judges infuse IIFF with countless opportunities to champion, celebrate, and enhance promising filmmaking careers. 68 of the festival’s Official Selections were shortlisted for Academy Awards in the past 9 years. With so much talent funneled right to Hollywood’s back door, it’s no wonder so many industry heavyweights pay a visit, year after year.
IIFF eagerly welcomes international and American narrative shorts, documentary shorts, animated shorts, student films, American and international trailers, webisodes, music videos, and feature-length and short-form screenplays. At this spectacular festival, talent truly has no limits.
The festival thrills at opportunities to honor up-and-coming filmmakers and industry veterans, side by side. Past Lifetime Achievement Award Winners have been, seven-time Emmy winning actor Ed Asner (Up, The Mary Tyler Moore Show) , Academy Award-nominated director Mark Rydell (On Golden Pond), Academy Award inning director John G. Avildsen (Rocky), Academy Awards Winner Martin Landau, Golden Globe Winner Shirley Knight and Golden Globe Winner Sally Kirkland.
Submit your best work to IIFF today, and prepare to take your career to new and exciting heights!