San Pedro International Film Festival ()

Festival start: 05 November 2020      Festival end: 08 November 2020

The San Pedro International Film Festival was founded to celebrate the diverse culture and community of San Pedro with a wide spectrum of independent film, documentaries, and shorts. SPIFF is committed to exhibiting films that embody inspiring entertainment for all. Works that express fresh voices and differing global perspectives, with the intent that these films enlighten audiences while providing invaluable exposure for filmmakers, local and international.

In our first year, we had the first Los Angeles screening of Silver Linings Playbook. In our second year we hosted Ernie LaPointe, Sitting Bull's Great Grandson. In 2015 we celebrated the 20th Anniversary of The Usual Suspects with director Bryan Singer. We also had two short films either win or be nominated for an Academy Award! In 2017 we hosted the 30th Anniversary of Friday the 13th with director Sean S. Cunningham. We are very excited about our seventh year!

Prolific American writer and poet Charles Bukowski called San Pedro home for 15 years. Some of DW Griffith’s early short films were shot in San Pedro. These days you’re more likely to find film crews for NCIS, Mad Men, and Dexter. Other films shot in San Pedro include ‘King Kong’, ‘Chinatown’, ‘Point Break’, ‘Silence of the Lambs’, ‘The Usual Suspects’, ‘Pearl Harbor’, ‘Titanic’, ‘500 Days of Summer’, and a ton more. SPIFF is thrilled to present our 5th edition in a city with such a rich film history.

Best of and Starlight Awards.

GENERAL RULES

LENGTH: Films for the competition will be in two categories and these times must include all titles and credits:

Short Film: 45 minute maximum
Feature Film: 65-150 minutes

STUDENT FILMMAKERS (22 and under) Please indicate the ages of film's writer, director, & producer in your submission.

FILMMAKERS UNDER 18 YEARS OLD: Please have a parent or legal guardian submit film on your behalf.

PREVIEW "SCREENER" FORMAT: All films should be uploaded or submitted on DVD or BLU-RAY. We require TWO DVDs, or TWO BLU-RAYs depending on media you choose to send. Please properly label (see below).

ONE FILM PER DISK: Please make sure there is only one film per DISK, multiple submissions require multiple entry fees and separate disks.

PRIZES: Prizes differ each year and will be announced as soon as we secure them from sponsors before the festival takes place.

SUBTITLES: All non-English language films must be subtitled or dubbed in English.

ENTRY FEES: Are non-refundable.
LABELING: YOUR SUBMISSION MUST BE LABELED PROPERLY TO ENSURE CONSIDERATION.
Please insure your DISK is clearly labeled on BOTH the DISC cover and the DISC itself in below format:
FILM TITLE
TOTAL RUN TIME
CONTACT NAME & PHONE NUMBER
CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS

DO NOT PUT STICKER LABELS ON DISCS, as they peel off and get caught in the players. Professionally painted discs, Permanent Marker or LightScribe labeling are best to label your Discs.

LABELING SCREENPLAYS: On cover page, include title, page count, writer's name, contact phone number, email address.
Professionally mastered DISKS are preferred for ease of use in various brand-name players.

AFTER SUBMISSION ACCEPTANCE: In order for your title to be included in the Festival, you must agree to provide the following materials to SPIFF within 14 days of acceptance:

1. For film, at least one screen shot of the title, and box art if available. Image must be in jpg format, 300 dpi,

2. If available, a trailer of the program in digital format.

3. Exhibition format(s) of your project, delivered no later than 14 days after acceptance (BluRay preferred).

4. Copies of press releases and additional press materials.

5. If you have costume characters, swag, or would be available to appear at the festival, please let us know in an email once your title is accepted.

6. In addition to the Exhibition Copy of your film (DVD, BLU-RAY, Film or HDCam: dependent on the venue we place you in and its available formats), we also require 3 DVD DISK copies for the industry jury of the competition. These DVDs will NOT be returned.

SPIFF prefers BLU-RAY for festival screenings of High-Definition Films. Filmmakers screen DVD's & Blu-Ray's at their own risk. If a participant chooses to screen their movie on DVD, they must send an additional 2 copies professionally mastered to insure against skipping. We also require back-up copies for all Blu-Ray discs in the form of 1 Blu-Ray AND 1 DVD. MAKE SURE THEY ARE FULLY TESTED AND FUNCTIONAL ON AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF BRAND NAME PLAYERS BEFORE YOU SEND THEM.

Participants agree that their film or clips from it and all other material related to their project may be used and/or published in the event program, SPIFF website and for any promotional purposes which SPIFF deems appropriate, for that current year of submission.

SPIFF holds no responsibility for lost or damaged prints. While the utmost care will be taken with regard to prints, it is solely up to the filmmaker to take full responsibility (i.e.insurance). The cost of delivery and pick-up of all materials is the responsibility of the filmmaker.

If selected, all commercial/private property including all trademark/copyrighted materials shown or recorded on the project is the responsibility of the filmmaker. SPIFF will NOT take responsibility for any infringement of copy written materials.