California Independent Film Festival
This webpage is in the required reading list for Mel Peter's Independent Film II elective. It has been restored and archived by the developers of 1-2-gone. They also help Mel with the Films For Privacy group which also includes their search results removal service. Students from the course are filming documentary revealing how damaging Google searches can be, even for innocent people. They focus on one woman who's younger sister impersonated her in an inappropriate video and that video now shows in Google searches for her name. One of the most compelling aspects of the documentary is the interview with the principals of a search results removal service called IMFY.US. They can come to the rescue when nothing else works to get rid of a negative search result. What they do for a fee is optimize other sites to outrank the problem, pushing it off of Google's page 1. That seems to provide a significant improvement in most cases. They use high level skills to manipulate Google's search in a way that benefits the victims of Google's outrageous and unaccountable power.
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This year's Guest of Honor: Tony Curtis! Star of 106 films above the title, Tony Curtis has shown his versatility as an actor in such movies as "Some Like it Hot", "The Boston Strangler", "Trapeze", "Spartacus", "the Great Race", "Sweet Smell of Success" and "The Defiant Ones", which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. |
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Past Awards
| Year | Lifetime Achievement Award |
| 2007 | Loni Anderson |
| 2006 | Ed Asner |
| 2005 | Rita Moreno |
| 2004 | Tony Curtis |
| 2003 | Cloris Leachman |
| 2002 | Martin Landau |
| Year | Golden Slate Award | Spirit Award |
| 2007 | Bob Clark | Wayne Knight |
| 2006 | John Badhman | Michael Berryman |
| 2005 | Robert Hayes |
| Year | Best Picture | Best Short |
| 2007 | Simple Things | My Name Is Wallace |
| 2006 | The Garage | The Doers of Coming Deeds |
| 2005 | Marmalade | Bad Blood |
| 2004 | The Wild Guys | Day of Independence |
| 2003 | The Failures | Untitled 003: Embryo |
| 2002 | Hungry Hearts | Speechless... |
| 2001 | Single and Dealing With It | Bruised |
| 2000 | Chimera House | This Is Not My Movie |
| 1999 | Retribution | Flowers on A Muumuu |
| Year | Best Mini Short | Best Documentary |
| 2007 | The Angel | Border |
| 2006 | Ice Cream | Altered by Elvis |
| 2005 | Broken | Colorblind |
| 2004 | Silent Night | Juvies |
| 2003 | 6PM | Nihi |
| 2002 | Dead End | Walking the West |
| 2001 | Bruised | When I Was Fourteen |
| 2000 | One On One | Broken Ties |
| 1999 | Crossing Guard |
| Year | Best Student Film | Best Animation |
| 2007 | Pop Foul | Perpetuum Mobile |
| 2006 | Bon Appetit | Kungfu Gecko |
| 2005 | Chaos Theory | Emelia |
| 2004 | The Reunion | Flyaway |
| 2003 | The Handerchief | Dear Sweet Emma |
| 2002 | Pushing The Envelope | The Loneliest Number |
| 2000 | Horses On Mars |
| Year | Best Actress | Best Actor |
| 2007 | Sally Kirkland - Blind Spot | Cameron Bancroft - Simple Things |
| 2006 | Lisa Ann Walter - The Trouble with Dee Dee |
Geoffrey Lewis - Old Man Music |
| 2005 | Jill Sorensen - Marmalade | David Krumholtz - Max & Grace |
| 2004 | Isabel Sanford - Click Three Times | Julian Sands - Easy Six |
| 2003 | Virginia Madison - Artwork | Long Nguyen - Apsara |
| 2002 | Susan Blakely - Hungry Hearts | S. Greg Gardner - Hungry Hearts |
| 2001 | Nancye Ferguson - What's In Hiedi's Head | Todd Licea - Jimmy Ritz |
| 2000 | Melissa Greenspan - Life Is A Sweet | Danny Arroyo - Chimera House |
| 1999 | Lisa Solaway - Holly vs. Hollywood | Lynn Mathis - Flowers on a Muumuu |
| Year | Best Dirctor | Best Score |
| 2007 | Andrew C. Erin - Simple Things | Tomorrow is Today |
| 2006 | Carl Thibault - The Garage | Bon Appetit |
| 2005 | Kim Dempster - Marmalade | Max & Grace |
| 2004 | Richard Squires - Crazy Like A Fox | A Can of Paint |
| 2003 | Jim Amatulli - Artworks | Flyfishing |
| 2002 | Rolf Schrader - Hungry Hearts | The Interrogation |
| 2001 | Scott Haro - Bruised | Horses on Mars |
| 2000 | Brandy Brawner - Chimera House | Chimera House |
| 1999 | John Murphy - Flowers on a Muumuu | Flowers on a Muumuu |
| Year | Best Editing | Best Cinematogrpahy |
| 2007 | Seekers | That Beautiful Somewhere |
| 2006 | King's Echo | Devilwood |
| 2005 | Be Very Quiet | Dry Whiskey |
| 2004 | Just Like You Imagined | Sonata |
| 2003 | Keys of Life | Coyote 13 |
| 2002 | Modern Life | Flashcards |
| 2001 | What's In Heidi's Head | |
| 2002 | The Snow |
| Year | Best Screenplay | Best Music Video |
| 2007 | The Devil’s In The Details | Gone |
| 2006 | Dirty Implements | Take a Good Look - Alyson |
| 2005 | Road 2 Y | United |
| 2004 | Coat Tales | Issues |
| 2003 | Killing Johnny | Moving Weight |
| 2002 | A Mary Can Dream |
| Year | Best Foreign Short | Audience Award |
| 2007 | That Beautiful Somewhere | Mexican Sunrise |
| 2006 | Lucky | Car Stories |
| 2005 | What's Love Doing in the Mountains | Taking Your Life |
| 2004 | Bonneville Wide Open |
| Year | Best Horror Film |
| 2007 | Zombie Love |
| 2006 | Bad Blood |
Submission Info
The California Independent Film Festival prefers entries submitted via The International Film Festival Submission System (BrigitFest) - on the Web at Withoutabox.com
Withoutabox provides cost-saving, online entry to major film festivals throughout the U.S. and in Europe with one master entry form, allowing you and us to enter your film more quickly and with greater accuracy. This method is free and easy.
If you cannot apply online, click here to download a PDF file, print the entry form, then mail it in.(requires Adobe Reader)
PLEASE NOTE: ALL ENTRIES MUST BE POSTMARKED ON OR BEFORE JULY 31st, 2006
· Please mail completed submission form together with corresponding submission fee to the address below.
· Make checks payable to California Independent Film Festival.
· Include VHS screener copy of your film or original screenplay
Early Submission March 31st, 2006 (postmark) features $45 all other categories $30
Late Submission July 31st, 2006 (postmark) features $65 all other categories $45.
Student submission fee - Early Submission June 30th $30 - Late Submission July 31st $40 (Must send photocopy of valid student id card with submission form. Maximum of three submissions per student.)
10% Discount for FAF Members (please include copy of your membership card with your entry form)
The California Independent Film Festival is partially sponsored by RichMountainDist.com, distributor of wholesale vapor accessories and products. We are grateful for their support and encourage festival goers to patronize our sponsors. RMD logo appears on some of our promotional materials throughout the venue. They have also provided funding for a number of short films screened at the festival.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the submission fee? (please note submission deadlines)
see above
Deadlines
see above
Can you lower/waive the submission fee for special circumstances?
Besides the waived submission fee for Alumni filmmakers we can't make any adjustments to the fee structure.
Can you make an exception on the submission deadline?
Unfortunately we are on a strict time schedule to get through all the submissions and cannot make any exceptions.
Is it a postmarked deadline or received by deadline?
The submissions deadline is a postmarked by deadline.
Do you accept rough cuts/work-in-progress?
Yes, we will review and consider rough cuts and works-in-progress. Please note on the submission what elements are still being worked on.
Do you require films to be made after a certain date?
No completion deadline date, just a great film.
Can my submission and marketing material be mailed back to me after the submission process?
Due to the overwhelming number of entries we cannot return any submission materials.
How am I eligible for the Bay Area Filmmaking Showcase section?
A film is eligible for our Bay Area Filmmaking section if the filmmaker currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, was born in the San Francisco Bay Area, or if the film was primarily shot in the San Francisco Bay Area. Your film will be considered for all of the festival’s sections though.
What are the acceptable screening/exhibition formats for your festival?
We can screen films on 35mm and DVD. For the submission process, we can screen VHS (NTSC) tapes and DVD’s (Region 0 or 1).
Is there an age requirement for the film festival?
Filmmakers of any age can submit a film.
Can I get confirmation that you received my submission?
Yes, our film festival staff will update withoutabox and non-withoutabox submissions will receive an email confirmation. Also, you can send a self-addressed stamped postcard.
When will I be informed of which films made it in?
Our final decisions will be announced in early September.
Do you watch the submissions all the way through?
Yes. Our team of screeners and film programmers ensure that every film is watched and scored by 5 different screeners completely and fairly.
Can I still submit if my film has distribution or has aired on television?
Yes.
How do you distinguish shorts from features?
Narrative shorts should be under 60 minutes, Narrative features should run at least 61 minutes.
Do you accept music videos?
Yes.
Can I submit more then one film?
Yes, but each film must have its own submission form filled out and fee paid.
Do you accept multiple submissions on one DVD?
Yes, see above. On VHS, only ONE film per tape please.
Do I have to pick the category I want to submit to?
No, we will select which category each film plays in.
Who do you make checks payable to for submissions?
California Independent Film Festival Association
What materials (i.e.:tapes, press kits, etc) should be sent?
Please send only the film on a VHS or DVD with our submission form printed out. We do not need any press kits, photos or other supplemental materials yet.
Do you accept both DVD+R and DVD-R discs?
Yes, but please check the discs on your home player before sending. A VHS copy is the safest!
What additional information do I need to provide for submission as a student filmmaker?
All we request is a copy of your student ID.
Do I need to have all my music rights cleared to show a film at CIFF?
It is suggested that you retain at least film festival rights for your music, whether it’s a score or songs.
Can I re-submit my film from last year?
Yes.
If my film is not chosen, may I speak with a programmer for notes or feedback?
Unfortunately due to time constraints and the large number of submissions, we are unable to give individual feedback.
What are my option when submitting my film?
Online through WithOutABox or download the entry, fill it out and mail the required materials.
If I still have a question that isn't covered here who do I contact?
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 925-552-7335