The Festival List - 36 🔥 Film Festivals [Part 3 of 3]

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The Festival List

There are so many fests it’s often hard to keep track. This list is mainly focused on festivals that take place in North America. While there are so many amazing fests in various places like: Toyko, Hong Kong, Melbourne, South Korea and Spain, i figured considering 75% of my Substack audience is in Los Angeles, this would be a safe bet.

For some I added my favorite tidbit or film/filmmaker/writer who’s come out of them in the past few years. This is of course part of a my lil’ film festival series.

Are film festivals still a place for newcomers to make a name for themselves? [part 1 of 3]

6 steps to maximizing your film festival experience [Part 2 of 3]

Top 10 Festivals for Film Sales & Representation

These are extremely difficult to get into (and expensive) make sure you’re taking your budget into account when submitting to fests and ensure you’ve got a great range of options between 1-3 top fests and more focus on the smaller fests.

1. Sundance Film Festival (Park City, UT)
   The king of indie festivals—known for launching careers and securing distribution deals with major studios and streamers.

   1. Last year, It’s What’s Inside, A horror film centered around a pre-wedding party that goes awry was sold to Netflix for approximately $17 million

2. Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) (Toronto, ON)
   Although in Canada, it’s a crucial gateway for U.S. filmmakers looking for global recognition and U.S. distribution.

   1. Nightbitch sold for $25 million to Searchlight Pictures. The film, which stars Amy Adams and is directed by Marielle Heller, is based on Rachel Yoder's novel of the same name.

3. Telluride Film Festival (Telluride, CO)
   A prestigious, festival where industry insiders screen films before they debut elsewhere.

4. South by Southwest (SXSW) (Austin, TX)
   Known for indie films and breakout documentaries, SXSW is where new talent often gets picked up by major reps.

   1. Phoebe Jane Hart’s short film Bug Diner received the Special Jury Award for its innovative stop-motion storytelling, combining humor with heartfelt themes

5. Tribeca Film Festival (New York, NY)
   A great launchpad for new filmmakers, with significant representation from buyers and talent agents.

6. Los Angeles Film Festival (Los Angeles, CA)
   A key player for connecting with Hollywood insiders, agents, and distributors.

7. New York Film Festival (NYFF) (New York, NY)
   An elite festival known for screening high-caliber films that attract major attention from the industry.

8. Fantastic Fest (Austin, TX)
   Known for genre films (horror, sci-fi, fantasy), it’s a hotspot for sales and distribution deals, especially in those niches.

   1. Karan Kandhari's debut feature, Sister Midnight, won Best Picture in the "Next Wave" category. This award highlights new filmmakers breaking into the scene and emphasizes the festival's role in supporting fresh voices

9. AFI Fest (Los Angeles, CA)
   A hub for filmmakers to connect directly with Hollywood agents and managers, AFI has a strong reputation for industry attendance.

   1. It’s a frequent stop for Oscar voters, especially given the many AFI alums in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

10. Palm Springs International Film Festival (Palm Springs, CA)
    While glitzy, it’s also a place where many industry deals are made in the early part of the year.

Smaller Festivals for Sales & Representation

These are the fests that are STILL difficult to get into but can give you more focus, energy and networking opportunities, some even pay for your travel and lodging and set meetings for you!