Early Bird Deadline February 29

The Ojai Film Festival and Screenplay Competitions opened to submissions February 1. 

Ranked one of the top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals on FilmFreeway, the Ojai Film Festival continues to grow in prestige. The festival showcases the finest new films by emerging and established filmmakers from around the world. In the festival’s 24 years 15 alumni filmmakers received Academy Award nominations, two won an Oscar, and numerous others went on to gain distribution and win prestigious awards.

"Our festival provides a valuable service to filmmakers," Artistic Director Steve Grumette said. "We give them access to a highly appreciative audience, including film industry professionals who can help guide their careers."

Selected films become eligible to win the festival’s “Libbey” trophies and awards. The Limelight Award for Best Student Film comes with a Panavision camera rental package worth $60,000 USD. Other honors include the Sergio Aragones Award for Best Animated Film, and the Bill Paxton Award given to a filmmaker from Ojai or Southern California.

The event provides audiences with a diverse lineup presenting many groundbreaking works otherwise inaccessible to the public. All selections embody the festival’s theme: “Enriching the Human Spirit through Film.” Past submissions of short and long narratives, short and long documentaries, and animations represent over 46 countries. Now in its nineth year the Screenplay Competition brings in entries from all over the globe.

In addition to film screenings the festival also offers receptions, panels, and special events. Guest speakers at previous Ojai Film Festivals include Ellen Kuras, Steven Poster, Emily Best, and Chloé Zhao.

In 2020 the Ojai Film Festival ventured into streaming film selections. The popularity of this option prompted the festival to extend the virtual portion, giving filmmakers a broader national and international audience.

DEADLINES AND FEES

Early deadline (February 29): 
Features $35/$21 Students
Shorts $30/$18 Students
Screenplays $30/$23 Students

Regular deadline (March 31)
Features $45/$27 Students
Shorts $30/$18 Students
Screenplays $40/$30 Students

Late deadline (April 30)
Features $55/$33 Students
Shorts $50/$30 Students
Screenplays $55/$45 Students

Extended deadline (May 31)
Features $65/$39 Students
Shorts $60/$36 Students
Screenplays $65/$55 Students

Accepted entries will be notified in August.