12+1 Best Black Film Festivals for Emerging Independent Films and Filmmakers 🍿

🎙️ On this episode, we present the 12+1 Best Black Film Festivals for Emerging Independent Films and Filmmakers 🍿.

ABOUT 12+1 Best Black Film Festivals for Emerging Independent Films and Filmmakers 🎬

When I wrote my first list of the “Top 12 Black Film Festivals” in 2008 for eZineArticles, I had no idea that nearly 15 years later, it would emerge as the most-referenced and borrowed-from definitive list of Black film festivals. By popular demand, I have updated the original list with a fresh take on the “12 Best Black Film Festivals for Independent Filmmakers” in 2023.

A good film festival strategy includes applying to as many film festivals as you can with a goal of 40 festivals submissions, if you can swing it. Those 40 submissions should be evenly divided between large festivals, medium size festivals, niche festivals, and micro-film festivals.

For your niche film festival strategy targeting film festivals that specifically support emerging independent filmmakers of color, you should apply to all 12+1 of these film festivals which I have ranked in order of friendliness, impact, and likelihood of becoming an official selection.

My Black film festival selection criteria is based upon the combination of the size of the film festival slate, number of films that are curated versus programmed through open submissions, and how often the film festival programs films that do not have any high-profile Hollywood celebrities attached to the films. But if your independent film was financed with a larger budget and has stars, you definitely want to work your way through the list from the bottom up.

When your film is an official selection, you are granted an all-access pass to all the screenings, events, and activities for the film festival, including numerous insider official selection filmmaker only events and networking opportunities. After you start screening your film on the festival circuit and your film generates buzz and racks up domestic and international awards, you’ll discover that film festivals will reach out to you to screen your film, and many will pay to fly you out to the festival.

As you begin to screen rack up festival screenings and awards, please share your success stories with us, and give us and this list a shout out on social media. We want to celebrate your wins with you.

🎯 CLICK HERE to submit your film to the next "Our Vision Caribbean and Latino Film Festival" to share your work, reach your audience, and turn your dreams into reality.