Welcome to the Santa Cruz Film Festival

Join us for our 10th Anniversary, May 5-14, 2011

Now Accepting Submissions.  Apply Online!

The Santa Cruz Film Festival is now accepting submissions for its Tenth Festival, May 5-14, 2011!  All films and videos completed after January 2010 are eligible to apply.

Visit our Withoutabox page for more information and to enter your film.

Since 2002, SCFF has brought nearly 1000 films and over 94,000 film lovers and filmmakers from all over the world to the beautiful beaches and breathtaking redwoods of Santa Cruz for nine days of entertaining and enlightening cinema and events. The Festival champions voices and stories that are frequently absent in mainstream cinema and is a crossroads for the intellectually curious. Scintillating conversations between filmmakers, academics, students, programmers, the press and the public are a hallmark of SCFF.

The Festival continues to promote films that raise consciousness about environmental issues, educate people and mobilize support in its EarthVision Environmental Film section which was expanded in 2010 to include 26 films.

Honoring today's most creative independent films, SCFF presents Audience Awards for Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, Short Narrative, Short Documentary, Environmental Work, Animated Work, Experimental Work, Student-Produced Work, Youth-Produced Work and Locally-Produced Work.

Jury prizes are awarded in the Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, Emerging Filmmaker and EarthVision Environmental Film categories.

Do Elephants Pray (Paul Hills, UK/France)
2010 SCFF Jury Prize Winner, Best Narrative Feature

If you prefer, you can request a printable entry form via email, however, the Festival prefers online entries submitted via Withoutabox which provides a cost-saving, paperless, eco-friendly submission process. Withoutabox’s internet-only submission platform features online applications via one master entry form, online fee payments, and digital press kits. Fill out one master entry form and take advantage of quick entry, extended deadlines, and powerful submission management tools. There’s no extra cost to you, your information is secure and not shared with third-party marketers or government agencies, and by submitting, you’ll join Withoutabox’s global filmmaker community and stay in the loop about international exhibition opportunities. Click to submit your film today!

If you have any questions about entering your work, please email us at programming@santacruzfilmfestival.org

***************

Santa Cruz Film Festival Award Winners

Congratulations to the 16 films that were winners in the Grand Jury and Audience Award competitions.  The works made by this creative, diverse group is truly remarkable.  We are proud to be contributing to their success, and to supporting and celebrating the work of all 133 films the Festival presented in 2010.  They’re all winners.

GRAND JURY PRIZE WINNERS
Best Narrative Feature
Do Elephants Pray? (Paul Hills, UK/France)

Emerging Filmmaker Prize
Machotaildrop (Corey Adams & Alex Craig, USA/Canada)

Best Documentary Feature
House of Numbers (Brent W. Leung, USA/UK/Canada/China/South Africa/Germany/France/Switzerland)

Best EarthVision Environmental Film
Burning in the Sun (Cambria Matlow & Morgan Robinson, USA/Mali)

AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS
Morton Marcus Memorial Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature
Liquor Store Cactus (Eugene Kim, USA)

Best Documentary Feature
La Vie en Verte: The WAMM Movie (Charlie Hall & Bevin Bell-Hall, USA)

Best EarthVision Environmental Film
Paddle to Seattle: Journey through the Inside Passage (J.J. Kelley & Josh Thomas, USA)

Best Narrative Short
Cried Suicide (Lauren Palmigiano, USA)

Best Documentary Short
Ride a Wave (Rocky Romano, USA)

Best Animated Film
Dock Ellis & The LSD No-No (James Blagden, USA)

Best Experimental Work
Plastic and Glass (Tessa Joosse, France)

Best International Film
Garbage Dreams (Mai Iskander, USA/Egypt)

Best Locally Produced Work
Until We Meet Again… Building a School in Tanzania (Peggy Seltz, USA/Tanzania)

Best Student Produced Work
Annie in the Aisle of Irma (Tess Sweet, USA)

Evan Kuhn Memorial Audience Award for Best Youth-Produced Work
Youth Voices ’08 (Sydney Matterson, USA)

SPECIAL MENTION
Given by the Festival to a film that had a unique and special impact and response.
The Westsiders (Joshua Pomer, USA)

***************

Check out this video by Rocky Romano and The Go Big Project, creators of the Best Documentary Short Audience Award Winner, Ride a Wave.  Find out more about The Go Big Project at www.keeptahoereal.com.