Upcoming International Film Festivals in 2011

 

If you want to make a video on your own and want to present it to international audience for productive criticism or valuable feedback you should know about these below mentioned International Film Festivals. People participate in these film festivals from around the world. You can also be a part of these upcoming video competitions or film festivals by just submitting your video before the deadline.

Take a look at these leading events that we think are worth exploring, attending and talking about. Of course, there are so many more, but we invite our readers to take an in-depth at look at this collection.

Tribeca Film Festival

Dates: April 20, 2011 – May 1, 2011

Shortly after the World Trade Center attacks in 2001, Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff announced a new film and arts festival in downtown Manhattan that would reinvigorate the spirit and economy of the downtown communities. Thanks to their star power and the support of sponsors like American Express, the Tribeca Film Festival was very quickly able to establish itself as one of the most important film events of the year in New York City and within the larger US and international film festival landscape. Because of the vibrant film and art community in the city, the festival is filled with creative people.  Panels are packed with VIPs on stage and in the audience. Red carpet premieres and fiery Q&As abound.

San Francisco International Film Festival

Dates: April 21, 2011 – May 5, 2011

The oldest event of its kind in the United States, “the International,” as organizers affectionately refer to it, is also the preeminent film festival in Northern California. While not typically considered a “discovery festival” (one where you may expect to find prominent unseen work), the festival showcases a fantastic round of international and domestic fare with 150 feature films programmed.

Hot Docs

Dates: April 28, 2011 – May 8, 2011

North America’s largest documentary film festival and conference, Hot Docs has in recent years stepped out of the shadow of its city’s other festival, the Toronto International Film Festival, to become an international event in its own right.  Held every Spring, the festival screens more than 170 films from around the world, many of them world and North American premieres.  In 2009, the festival attracted over 2000 delegates, including documentary filmmakers, buyers, programmers, distributors, and commissioning editors from around the world.

Cannes Film Festival

Dates: May 11, 2011 – May 22, 2011

The annual Cannes Film Festival (officially Festival de Cannes), held in the French Mediterranean city that bears its name, is the Grande Dame (or Grande Dragon, depending on your point of view) of all festivals. Quite simply, it is the pinnacle of the world’s top tier events.  Every May in its 60-plus years it has attracted a who’s who of the world’s top directors, stars and cinematic wunderkinds of the moment. It is probably safe to say that cinema’s post WWII history closely parallels the history of Cannes.

Seattle International Film Festival

Dates: May 19, 2011 – June 12, 2011

At three and a half weeks, the Seattle International Film Festival is one of the longest fests in America – and probably the world, though organizers typically host out-of-town guests and filmmakers during a “core week” around the beginning of June. With such a long event, SIFF can afford to screen a wide variety of genres, through organizers have been great about keeping an intimacy to the fest despite its length. Filmmakers and other guests have given indieWIRE very positive feedback from their stay, with the fest offering up nice accommodations, and organizers making sure that everyone is having a good time.

Sheffield Doc/Fest

Dates: June 8, 2011 – June 12, 2011

An increasingly important documentary festival in the north of England, Sheffield Doc/Fest has gained stature over the course of its sixteen years, becoming a key stop, especially for British industry and international visitors.

Edinburgh International Film Festival

Dates: June 15, 2011 – June 26, 2011

Born alongside Edinburgh’s International Festival in 1947, this event was one of the world’s first international film festivals.  Set amidst one of Europe’s most gorgeous cities (which can serve as a major distraction for visitors attempting to focus on the festival), its initial focus was on bringing documentaries to a wider audience.  Today, the festival serves as a business hub for the UK and international film industry, world premiering numerous films (predominately, but certainly not exclusively, from the UK) while also bringing highlights from fests like Cannes and Berlin to Edinburgh audiences.

Frameline Film Festival

Dates: June 16, 2011 – June 26, 2011

Frameline: The San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival is unquestionably the grand-daddy of all LGBT film festivals. Founded in 1977, this popular event is the longest running, largest, and most widely recognized and respected LGBT film event in the world. It annually draws attendance of 60,000-80,000, representing the culturally diverse Bay Area LGBT and LGBT-friendly audiences, as well as significant tourists from the rest of the U.S. and internationally.

Los Angeles Film Festival

Dates: June 16, 2011 – June 26, 2011

The Los Angeles Film Festival saved itself from what looked like a slow death when it was taken over by one of America’s premier film organizations, Film Independent, some years ago. With the take over, the organization re-located the event to Westwood, one of the sprawling city’s most pedestrian-friendly areas. And luckily for all around, the L.A. neighborhood already boasted some great and fairly modern venues for the festival to use, including (at least for its really huge premieres) the Fox, which is often the site of massive Hollywood premieres that typically get plastered in splashy publications worldwide. Although LAFF – and Film Independent – champion the independent filmmaker, they don’t mind partnering with a big A-list driven Hollywood studio production debut if the timing is right – though we’ve noticed in the past that its emerging filmmakers are invited as well (and hell, we were there too!)

Silverdocs

Dates: June 20, 2011 – July 26, 2011

Many consider the American Film Institute’s Silverdocs Film Festival to be the premier documentary film festival in the United States. It has consistently screened docs that have gone on to be major award contenders. The festival has become one of the essential stops for the year’s greatest documentary films and for the US and, increasingly, the international documentary industry.

Karlovy Vary International FIlm Festival

Dates: July 1, 2011 – July 9, 2011

Founded in 1946, Karlovy Vary is one of the oldest film festivals in the world and also one of the most unique. While the festival can feel a lot like Cannes, Jr. upon first glance, it quickly becomes clear that this is far from the case. For one, the setting – rightfully described as a “Baroque Disneyland” by many – arguably makes Cannes look like Fort Lauderdale. And those onlookers?  Unlike Cannes, they actually get to see the films. In 2009, the festival sold 143,781 tickets (which cost just 65 koruna, or $3.50) – a new record – mostly to a wide array of young backpackers and students from the Czech Republic and surrounding countries who camp out during the 8-day event. With beer stands set up throughout the town to accomodate the festival’s demographic, you often question whether you’re at a film festival or a college orientation week.

Outfest

Dates: July 7, 2011 – July 17, 2011

As Southern California’s largest film festival, and one of the largest LGBT fests in the U.S., Outfest has certainly made a name for itself, and has managed to forge impressive ties with Hollywood’s Pink Mafia, as is evident by its long standing tradition of splashy openings, traditionally attended by gay and non-gay actors, directors, and other prominent Hollywood industry. The festival typically showcases the latest in a wide spectrum of LGBT film, and has a strong reputation with the LGBT community in Los Angeles, who typically come out in droves during the July fest.

Melbourne International Film Festival

Dates: July 21, 2011 – August 7, 2011

The largest film festival in Australia, with nearly 200,000 attendees annually, the Melbourne International Film Festival showcases both new Australian cinema and international films.

San Francisco Jewish Film Festival

Dates: July 21, 2011 – August 8, 2011

The SFJFF is the oldest and largest Jewish film festival in the world. Begun in 1980, the festival is presented primarily at San Francisco’s Castro Theater. While indieWIRE has not attended this festival, it is widely regarded as the leading Jewish festival in the country. The festival paved the way for similar events around the country as well as for other culturally-based festivals.

Sarajevo Film Festival

Dates: July 22, 2011 – July 30, 2011

For a city that went through complete hell only a decade and a half ago, Sarajevo boasts a fantastic event, despite the aftermath of war, and a resource pool that is much smaller than many of its Western counterparts. For a first-time visitor, the city, the capital of Bosnia & Herzegovina, is surprisingly beautiful with its old town intact and surrounded by beautiful hills (which were the city’s curse when the Serbian army used their vantages for sniper fire and bombings over nearly four years – the longest siege in modern history). While its citizenry tend to be conservative (a gay festival that opened there faced riots, forcing it to go underground), the festival still manages to show an impressive array of work from around the world and from emerging filmmakers, particularly in its Panorama section, which has been programmed for a number of years by American film journalist, Howard Feinstein.

Locarno International Film Festival

Dates: August 3, 2011 – August 13, 2011

Launched in 1946, the Locarno International Film Festival began when festivals in Venice and Cannes were reinstated following the end of WWII, igniting a wave of new films festivals that continues to this day.

Venice Film Festival

Dates: August 31, 2011 – September 10, 2011

The world’s first film festival, founded in 1932, belongs to Venice. Originally dubbed the Esposizione internazionale d’arte cinematografica (International exhibition of cinematographic art), the festival became a world class competition and showcase for international auteur cinema. It all began with Rouben Mamoulian’s “Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” at 9:15 pm on August 6, 1932, kicking off the modern film festival era.

Telluride Film Festival

Dates: September 2, 2011 – September 5, 2011

Heading into its 37th year in 2010, the Telluride Film Festival, held over Labor Day Weekend in a well-heeled Colorado mountain town, is in many ways the antithesis of what has become the model for American and international film festivals.

Woodstock Film Festival

Dates: September 21, 2011 – September 25, 2011

In its one decade, the Woodstock Film Festival has established itself on the US fest circuit as an impressive regional event that has attracted important independent industry execs and stars alike. It looks as though that will continue with the festival’s annual Trailblazing Award (which fetes an industry veteran) and its Honorary Maverick Award (which celebrates a director or actor) likely guaranteeing a steady presence of some of the film world’s movers and shakers. For the past several years in fact, some New York-based distribution execs have taken part in Woodstock’s programming, so higher profile titles have been given slots in the annual line up of almost 100 films, along with a number of first time and second time directors.

Chicago International Film Festival

Dates: October 6, 2011 – October 20, 2011

Launched in 1965, The Chicago International Film Festival is one of the oldest competitive festivals in the US. Held annually in October, from an industry perspective it has historically—and undeservedly—been overshadowed by high profile fall festivals such as Toronto and the New York Film Festival, but the program it presents is a popular, well-curated mix of foreign films, art-house fare, and awards season contenders.

Hamptons International Film Festival

Dates: October 13, 2011 – October 17, 2011

Nearing the two-decade mark, the Hamptons International Film Festival has become a fall weekend fixture at the end of Long Island, about 100 miles east of New York City. Organizers take advantage of a quieter post-season setting to draw locals and industry to the festival, which is mainly anchored in Southampton and East Hampton.

Morelia International Film Festival

Dates: October 15, 2011 – October 23, 2011

In just seven years, the Morelia International Film Festival in the Mexican state of Michoacan has become a magnet event for audiences and industry, with a nice mix of international guests to round out the festival.

International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA)

Dates: November 16, 2011 – November 27, 2011

Surprisingly, this festival still seems to be very much below the radar in North America unless you happen to be that rarist of rare breeds, a person who makes a living in the doc world. Well, the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam is pretty much the Grand Poobah of documentary fests, with all due respect to Hot Docs, Copenhagen, Sheffield, SilverDocs, and Full Frame. IDFA typically premieres major international documentaries that will eventually make their way through other premiere events, including Sundance – though watch your step with that one if your project is American. Doc lovers and insiders from all around the world come to IDFA, and the local audience is very supportive, with screenings often sold out at some beautiful venues – but be careful of the mice that run around inside. They typically scurry away when the house is full, but I wouldn’t be putting my bag or purse on the ground, and definitely not food!

Dubai International Film Festival

Dates: December 7, 2011 – December 14, 2011

Funding is always a challenge for most festivals in the world, but then again, Dubai isn’t like most places in the world. The Emirate (basically a city state ruled by an Emir that forms part of the United Arab Emirates, a cluster of monarch-ruled metropolises) is blessed with scads of its neighbor’s petro dollars. Nevertheless, reality has hit and the once high flying Emirate is facing billions of debt. So far, the festival has maintained a gilded facade. While Dubai is still in its relative infancy, it has managed to lure A-listers from the world over, and why not? If the festival sends out an invitation, you’ll live well – maybe not like the Emir himself, but very well indeed. In recent years, a large chunk of filmmakers, press, and industry have flown business class on the Emirate’s own airline called, well, Emirates (though the fest may need to limit those biz class tickets because of the new realities). The festival also puts you up in one of the city’s world class resorts. On top of that, the fest has hosted a sumptuous daily lunch at its main venue and guests are treated to a daily breakfast. If you’re not stuffed, just get yourself invited to one of the festival’s lavish parties where food is yours for the asking. Actually, living well in Dubai at the festival is much cheaper then staying at home. So what’s not to like? Well, for every Yin, there at least has to be a bit of a Yang…

For complete list you can visit imdb.