LA femme

OPEN CALL FOR ENTRIES

http://www.lafemme.org/submissions/ 

MISSION & OBJECTIVE 
LA Femme Film Festival will support and nurture the artistic entertainment productions of women for the benefit of an international and domestic audience. We are a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and sexually diverse Festival devoted to women in key positions of film productions internationally.

OBJECTIVES:

The main objectives of the festival are: 

> To Platform new emerging talent and support established women in crossover roles. 

> Support the upward growth potential of entertainment opportunities for women in film.

> High profile film festival celebrating filmed entertainment "by women for everyone" in October yearly which is highly promoted to industry professionals. 

> To assist in independent filmmakers distribution of their feature films which are platformed in our festival with domestic theatrical and home video distribution. 

> To create opportunities for feature film production for women. 

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
About LA Femme.org and LA Femme International Film Festival

Our chief goal for LA Femme International Film Festival is discovering emerging artists, presenting alternative points of view, platforming films and filmmakers that have strong enough legs to secure domestic and worldwide distribution and to assist in creating distribution outlets for such artists. We want to help get your film distributed and you recognized!

Some of our winners have enjoyed the following: Winner 2005 "LA Femme Best Feature" category was "Green Street Hooligans" which opened in 2005 in 2000 theaters nation wide. All our festival selected have gone on to gain recognition for their films, agency representation, and production deals. "The Colt" award winner in 2005 was shown on the Hallmark Channel. In 2006 "Beautiful Dreamer" award winner was picked up by Showtime, "My Mother Children of War" 2006 winner received limited theatrical screening and others have gone on to receive limited distribution. In 2006 "TRE" has received distribution. In 2007 "Moondance Alexander" award winner has opened in selected theaters nation wide, just to name a few of our filmmaker success stories. One of our 2008 winners, "Counting Backwards" directed by Aprill Winneyand and our 2009 "Love Hurts" directed and Written by Barra Grant both gained distribution. 2009 "B-Girls" Written and Directed by Emily Dell went on to get domestic distribution, "Truth About Kerry" Written and Directed by Katie Torpey has received distribution and “Atlantic Crossing: A Robot’s Daring Mission” Produced by Dena Seidel well the subject of this documentary now lives in a National Museum to name just a few or our filmmaker successes. Five of our Documentaries are screening on the Independent Documentary Channel in 2012 and they have screened all of the documentaries at the festival for 2011.
In 2012 our filmmakers received distribution deals from the major studios and continued film funding from our independent producers.

Film Festivals and their events have become a powerful advertising tool and some support general groups. We have remained a step ahead of our competition through exemplary programming, networking, and panel events. We offer a professional atmosphere which creates a sense of 'opportunity' for participants to network with their peers and industry professionals. Our operating credo is: "By Women for Everyone."

We want all our filmmakers to go forward and secure distribution and recognition for their talents and we help you get there.

DISTRIBUTION FOR FESTIVAL WINNERS:
We offer a Producer's Rep contract for the winners of the Feature, Documentary categories. If the winning filmmakers choose to participate in this Award then LF Distribution will aggressively and actively assist in securing distribution nationally and internationally for those films.

EMPHASIS:
Our emphasis is on providing a complete film festival based on showcasing and celebrating commercially successful films written, directed, or produced by women and creating a system of access for those new to the industry directly to those established women industry professionals that they may not be able to access otherwise.
We also will be assisting in the distribution and networking of our festival filmmakers.

SUMMARY:
LA Femme International Film Festival is more than a festival it is an emergence of artistic, professional women who can make a difference in the entertainment community by creating productions that speak to a worldwide audience. We are the only festival of its kind to not only platform existing films and artists but will also assist in distribution and mentoring of such films and their artists. We also insure that our filmmakers get seen and are pro active in helping them active their dreams. Go to our website and read about our past honorees, panels, and our programing. We are the only woman's festival that has been around for almost a decade with a focus of really giving women in entertainment opportunities.

ORGANIZERS
Leslie La Page (Director / Founder) ; Leslie La Page (Director / Founder) ; Leslie La Page (Director / Founder) 

GENERAL RULES
PLEASE NOTE that our deadlines are not postmark deadlines. We must receive your submission materials in our Los Angeles office by these dates. No exceptions please. Also note you will disqualified if you are screening in another woman's festival in LOS ANGELES during the weekend of our festival. We want to ensure that our festival attendees are able to participate and network with our industry professionals and if your attention is split then you may not make the most of the events.


DO I HAVE TO SELECT THE CATEGORY I AM SUBMITTING TO? 
Yes do your best to determine where it may fit. If your film is selected for the Festival, our Programming Staff will determine which program best suits the project. Make sure your application is complete. You will need to select and submit under shorts, features, screenplay, commercial or music video. It is the mid length films that most filmmakers have questions regarding. 

DO YOU HAVE TO BE A WOMAN TO SUBMIT A FILM? 
" NO this film festival is to support and nurture the development of women in leading film positions. But you will need to follow the below guidelines.

" A woman needs to be involved in one of the three film positions: Director, Producer, Writer

" Opening Night Premiere is by invitation only.

" We accept films from all countries world wide.

" We accept music videos and commercials.

HOW DO YOU DISTINGUISH "SHORTS" FROM "FEATURES"? 

The requirements are different for narrative Feature Films and documentaries.
NARRATIVE FEATURE FILMS

" 40 minutes or less running length is considered a SHORT 

" 60 minutes or more running length is considered a FEATURE 

" 50 minutes or more running length is considered a FEATURE DOCUMENTARY

" 5 minutes or less running length is considered a Commercial/Music Video

" 15 minutes or less running length is considered a Mobisode

" 30 minutes or less running length is considered a Webisode

" any length is considered for a Game 

Any film falling between the times will be accepted ( as a MID LENGTH FILM) but decided upon by the festival staff what competition category it will be entered into.

ANYTHING THAT FALLS BETWEEN WE WILL DECIDE WHAT CATEGORY OF FEATURE, DOCUMENTARY OR SHORT. 

WHEN DOES THE LA FEMME INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL TAKE PLACE? 

The Festival will take place in OCTOBER in Los Angeles, CA 

CAN I SUBMIT MY FILM AS A "ROUGH CUT"? 

"Rough Cuts," "Avid Cuts," or "Temp Prints" will be accepted for screening. You should always list directly on the tape box which elements of your film are missing. This will assist us in the judging process.

CAN I SUBMIT MY FILM WITH A "TEMP TRACK" OR "SCRATCH MUSIC"? 

"Temp Tracks," "Scratch Music," or "Temp Sound" will be accepted for screening and showing. Again, you should always list directly on the tape box which elements are missing.

CAN I ARRANGE A SCREENING FOR YOU OF MY FILM PRINT? 
No. We now screen everything on ?" VHS videotape or DVD.

DO YOU ACCEPT VHS TAPES IN PAL OR NTSC FORMAT? 
We accept VHS NTSC formats or PAL DVD formats ONLY

DOES LA FEMME PROJECT DIGITAL AT THE FESTIVAL? 
Yes we do project on digital projection. However, the digital projection options are given at time of film selection in the festival. 

HOW MANY FILMS CAN I SUBMIT? 
As many as you like. Or you can re-submit your film if it was not selected last year. However, each submitted film must have its own VHS tape or DVD, completed Submission Form, Entry Fee, and Supplemental Materials. DO NOT put multiple projects on the same screening tape or DVD. Even if you are submitting a commercial or music video. 

DOES IT MATTER HOW BIG MY BUDGET WAS, OR IF I HAVE AN AGENT OR CELEBRITIES, OR IF IT'S BLACK & WHITE, OR VIDEO, OR GENRE? 
Not at all. Just send in the work. We will be selecting a wide variety of projects so no worries. We want to see what the indie feature filmmaker is producing.

SO WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? WHAT KIND OF FILMS STAND OUT? 
Good story telling with a female in one of three key positions, Director, Writer, Producer. We look for well crafted films of all kinds with diverse voices that push the limits. 

IF MY FILM IS NOT CHOSEN, MAY I SPEAK WITH A PROGRAMMER FOR NOTES OR FEEDBACK? 
Unfortunately, no. With over 3,000 films to go through, we don't have enough time to speak or correspond with you individually about your film. Please forgive us. But what we will do is offer you one ticket to attend the festival and parties so that you can network if you film is NOT selected to screen.

WHEN WILL I FIND OUT IF MY FILM WAS SELECTED? 
We will contact you via email the first week of September for those selected. If you are not selected because of the volume of submissions we will not be able to notify you of your rejection. We are working to resolve this notification process but please be understanding we are a very small staff. Please make sure that the email address and telephone you provide will be operational at that time of festival selection which is in September. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. 

DO YOU ACCEPT SUBMISSIONS ON DVD? 
Yes, but since universal technical standards don't yet exist for burning and copying DVDs, please read the following FAQ carefully. Must be able to play any region.

DVD's must be submitted in plastic safe cases. These are the industry standard push-button hub, literature clip, full sleeve for artwork, dark plastic cases. Size is 5 1/4" by 7 1/2". No other cases of any kind will be accepted. If you do send an alternate case it will be discarded and replaced. Please don't waste money or efforts on artwork that fits other cases.

DVD's must be formatted for Zone 1 / North America or Zone 0 / All Regions. No other zones are accepted in the submission process, including projects in International Category.

DVD's must be formatted in MPEG video using the code of your choice. Neither QuickTime (.mov) or Microsoft (.avi) files are accepted.

DVD's must not include labels or stickers of any kind: only laser printed artwork, if any, should be on the disc itself. Many consumer labeling products (like stickers) can actually damage the disc and make it unplayable in our systems. If you are burning a consumer disc please write your Project Title, Film ID# and Contact # on the disc with a black Sharpie pen. PLEASE test your consumer-burned DVD on several makes and models of players BEFORE sending it to our offices. If in doubt, always send a back-up. Technical problems can delay the completion of your submission.