CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS OF FIRST FRAME INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2023!
IT WAS GREAT SEEING SO MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE. SHARING YOUR ART WITH THE WORLD IS VITAL. WE LOVE THAT WE CAN HELP FILMMAKERS AND ARTISTS SHARE THEIR GIFTS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MORE PROJECTS FROM THESE FILMMAKERS AND NEW ONES. PLEASE STAY IN TOUCH WITH US BELOW.
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WE ARE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THE QUAD CINEMA IN NYC WILL BE THE NEW VENUE FOR OUR FESTIVAL MAY 22, 2023 - MAY 23, 2023!

WHY FIRST FRAME INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL?

ALL WINNERS receive continued consultation, our contacts, and support to elevate their current and future projects. Our top prizes will make your dreams come true!

*WINNER OF OUR GRAND PRIZE: First Frame International Film Festival will PRODUCE the winning screenplay for a maximum budget up to $500,000.00 USD. Yes, you’ve read that right. First Frame International Festival wants to turn your screenplay into a major motion picture!

LAST YEAR'S WINNER "WEREWOLF GAME" (in post-production): https://deadline.com/2022/03/lydia-hearst-joins-cast-of-new-social-media-horror-werewolf-game-1234983830/

★ IMDB Qualifying Festival ★

There is only ONE winner per category for each award.

2023 WINNERS

GRAND PRIZE - Bob’s Best Friends - by Bill Redding

BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE – Out and About - by Peter Callahan
BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM – Radioactive: The Women of Three Mile Island -by Heidi Hutner
BEST NARRATIVE SHORT – The Clown Affair - by Wesley Foster
BEST INTERNATIONAL / FOREIGN FILM – Everything Collapses - by Stefano Recchia
BEST DRAMATIC FILM – Three Grand Souls - by Jimmy Pravasilis
BEST COMEDIC FILM – The Manager Position - by Craig Trow
BEST HORROR / SCI-FI FILM – Zero Method - by Ben Myers
BEST ANIMATED FILM – Midas - by Ben Meyer
BEST PILOT / WEB SERIES – Couple of Guys - by Debra Markovitz
BEST DIRECTOR – Heidi Hutner, Radioactive: The Women of Three Mile Island
BEST ACTOR – Joseph Martinsen, The Clown Affair
BEST ACTRESS - Marlene Madenge, Immovable Objects
BEST ACTOR DEMO REEL – Lisa Naso
BEST FILM SCORE – Dawn Young, Who I am
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE SCRIPT - Out and About - by Peter Callahan
BEST DRAMATIC SCRIPT – Muntor’s Last Stand - by Frank Freudberg
BEST COMEDIC SCRIPT – Push Me Pull You - by Carnell Staples
BEST HORROR/SCI-FI SCRIPT – GUMS - by Jason Scott Goldberg
BEST TV PILOT/WEB SCRIPT – Old Timers - by Cassie Greutman
BEST PITCH – Susan Sweeney

FIRST FRAME INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL COMPETITION AWARDS:

BEST UNPRODUCED FEATURE SCREENPLAY CONCEPT *GRAND PRIZE WINNER*:
First Frame International Film Festival will start by PURCHASING or OPTIONING your screenplay, and produce it for a MAX budget up to $500,000.00 USD. IF your screenplay is a bigger budget, we will OPTION it and do everything in our power to get it produced. However, in any capacity, if we are NOT successful after one-year, the rights to the script will return to the writer(s), and FFIFF will reward you with $2,000.00 USD in cash.

The WINNING SCREENWRITERS of the following awards will receive our consultation and subjective advice, free of charge, to help build their talent and further their careers. The winner writers also will receive 3 free pitches on virtualpitchfest.com.

BEST DRAMATIC SCRIPT
BEST COMEDIC SCRIPT
BEST HORROR/SCI-FI SCRIPT
BEST TV PILOT/WEB SERIES SCRIPT
BEST FILM SCORE

FESTIVAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

Note: Student Filmmakers, to enjoy the discount pricing, a current/valid student ID must be emailed to the festival PRIOR to submitting. If Valid ID is not provided, you will be asked to re-submit as a non-student.

All presentation materials (posters, postcards, goody bag promos) and screening discs, MPEG4s, DCPs for the First Frame International Film Festival must arrive at the FFIFF Offices no later than April 28th, 2023. If screening files and screening discs are not received by this date the film will be pulled and disqualified. NO EXCEPTIONS. It is the submitter's responsibility to ensure the First Frame Film Fest has the REQUIRED screening materials.

ALL ACCEPTED SUBMISSIONS MUST provide DCP (due April 28th 2023).
If sending DCP, Please Note that the Theater charges the filmmaker an Ingestion Fee. When sending a DCP we will still require an MPEG4 Film file.
DCPS must be logged out, signed for, and picked up after your screening. WE DO NOT RETURN/SHIP screening materials or promo materials (posters, postcards, goody bag items).

Submissions must be the original work of the entrant(s) and may not be based, in whole or in part, on any other fiction or nonfiction material, published or unpublished, produced or un-produced.

Entries may, however, be adapted from the entrant’s (or entrants’) original work, which should be noted in the logline required on the application form.
Entries lacking a logline on the application form will be disqualified.
If the script is based on a true story, historical or contemporary, the "based on true story/events" should be noted in the logline.

Collaborative work by two writers who share equally in its creation is eligible.
The collaborator’s name must be added during the online application process.
Writer's bio and headshot recommended.

All entries must be received by or before the Extended Deadline.

1. Festival accepts submissions for feature films, foreign films subtitled in English, short films, feature documentaries, short documentaries, animation, TV Pilots, Web Series, music videos, student films, feature-length screenplays, short screenplays, scripts for television/web series.

2. All films must be submitted with an online screener.

3. All feature narrative and feature documentary submissions must be over 60-minutes in length.

4. All short film narrative and short documentary submissions must be under 40-minutes in length.

5. Animation, web series, and student film submissions of all lengths will be considered.

6. Music Videos must be under 8-minutes.

7. All Submission fees are non-refundable.

8. PLEASE NOTE: Due to the current COVID-19 health crisis, festival dates, location and/or format are subject to change.

SCREENPLAY COMPETITION RULES AND REGULATIONS:

1. First Frame International Film Festival Screenplay Competition accepts feature-length screenplays, short screenplays, TV Pilots, and Web Series screenplays. Feature-length screenplays must be a minimum of 60-pages and no longer than 150-pages. TV Pilots must be under 70-pages. Short screenplay and Web Series screenplay submissions must be under 60-pages.

2. Submitted screenplays can not have been optioned, purchased, or otherwise produced at the time of submission.

3. Writers may submit as many screenplays as they’d like to the competition, however each script requires a separate application and payment.

4. All entries must be submitted in English.

5. Submissions must include a title page with the author(s) and any relevant registration or copyright information.

6. Screenplays must be submitted in PDF.

7. All screenplays are considered complete once they are received by First Frame International Film Festival. No revisions or updated copies will be accepted.

8. Submission fees are non-refundable.

9. Please be sure to read all rules and regulations prior to submitting your project.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Joe Leone

    Thank you for the recognition of short screenplay (DO UNTO OTHERS). It is much appreciated! 👍🏻🎉

    January 2024
  • Glad I was able to be a part of this competition. I was given an honorable mention!

    June 2023
  • Had a lovely time here. We had a round table before the screening to talk about film financing and production. Nice screening. Good films. I'd submit again.

    June 2023
  • This is a filmmakers festival. The best kind! The First Frame International Film Festival staff go above and beyond. They genuinely care about the art of filmmaking.
    The Quad Cinema was the perfect venue. It was truly an honor to be paired with some amazing films.

    Thank you so much.

    Rent a Neighbor - Short Film
    Instagram #clammyjames

    May 2023
  • We enjoyed our experience at your festival!!!

    May 2023