The importance of film festivals for independent and burgeoning filmmakers cannot be overstressed, especially in an ever-consolidating industry focused on “event entertainment”. Festivals are the lifeblood for emerging filmmakers to screen their work and build their careers through recognition and prizes given by the events.

The Founding of Film Crash

One such festival is Film Crash, an annual international film festival and screenplay competition annually in West Los Angeles. Founded in 1985 in Manhattan’s Lower East Side by filmmakers Matthew Harrison, Karl Nusbaum and Scott Saunders, Film Crash programs the best new short films and screenplays from around the world. The event is held on one Saturday morning in mid-October at the Laemmle Royal Theater on the west side of LA,  where both the winning films and shorts of out of competition screen.  Following the program, Harrison moderates a  Q&A with filmmakers, and presents awards to the winners of the screenplay competition.

Ted Hope, director of feature films at Amazon, a supporter of the festival since its founding, recently said “Film Crash is more important now than ever.” Hope makes a salient point, not only is it important for independent filmmakers to have their work seen and celebrated, the intimate festival allows for creatives do so meaningfully whereas at larger festivals such as Sundance, TriBeCa, and SXSW, it’s easy to get lost in the fray and studio premieres. While the festival may be miniature, the founders promise films of soaring ambition.  Film lovers, specially those drawn to art-house, indie, and experimental films across narrative and documentary, will particularly enjoy Film Crash.

Film Crash Marks 40th Anniversary in 2024

This year marks a special anniversary for the festival. “As Film Crash prepares to celebrate 40 years of programming the best new short films and screenplays from around the world, we look back with gratitude on an ever-expanding family of friends we have made,” shares co-founder and filmmaker Matt Harrison. “From our beginnings in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, to screens around the globe, and now our home in Los Angeles, the mission of Film Crash has always been, and continues to be, for filmmakers and writers to meet, build community and make great movies.”

In-person networking and community-building for filmmakers has never been more needed on the back of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2023 Writers and Actors Strikes, and the dreaded “Hollywood contraction” that seems to be sweeping entertainment. Apart from the prospect of making new connections, Film Crash provides a space for people facing the same challenges to commiserate and rally around each other while pursuing their passion.

Submit to Film Crash 2024

Harrison and Film Crash’s founders tend to select new, special, filmmaker-driven movies. For 2023’s festival, they we screened 3 documentaries, 2 dramas, 1 animated film, and 1 experimental film. Film Crash doesn’t screen nudity, blood, or horror, Usually, the program strives to maintain a PG or PG-13 rating for all shorts.

Film Crash’s Early Bird Deadline is March 29, 2024, and their Regular Deadline for programming and screenplay submissions is April 26, 2024. 

If you have a short film or screenplay you’d like to submit to Film Crash for consideration, you can enter HERE. 

Learn more about the festival on Film Crash’s WEBSITE.