PUFF is more than a festival
It’s a community.
Once a year we gather in West Hollywood to celebrate and promote 50 of the world’s best up and coming filmmakers the best way we know how. By throwing a massive party and inviting all of our friends!
That means filmmakers, execs, agents, managers, casting directors, actors and actresses. Everyone that a filmmaker could be looking to meet.
We are filmmakers ourselves and we started PUFF because we were sick of festivals that seemed more interested in promoting themselves than filmmakers. So when the party is over, we’re just getting started!
AND as we enter our 5th year we are happy to announce that we are expanding into Feature Films!! We've added three screening blocks and will be accepting feature films of all genres that are making their Los Angeles premiere!!
W H A T
4 Days of Screenings & Filmmaker Mixers, Capped with a Red Carpet Awards Ceremony
W H E R E
The Lee Strasberg Theatre
7936 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046
W H E N
AUGUST 22nd - 25th 2024
WHY SUBMIT?
JUDGES THAT MATTER: PUFF has judges from all aspects of the entertainment business. From Managers, Producers and Studio Execs, to working Actors and Screenwriters. We want our filmmakers to have their work exposed to people who’ve been where they are now and can offer insight into navigating this business.
NETWORKING: In between screenings, filmmakers are invited to get a drink in the beautiful Theatre Lounge and get to know their fellow filmmakers. Blocks are 60 min and do not overlap so it's possible to come and see every film playing over the weekend!
The PUFFY’s Award Show: Every year filmmakers tell us that the highlight of the weekend is our closing night award show. We go all out as our founders host a night of clips from all the nominated films, laughs and tears as we hand out awards and gifts from our sponsors and hear speeches from our winners!
What we’re looking for
We don’t care about genre. We don’t care about budget. We care about voices. We’re looking for filmmakers who have something to say, and we want to help you say it! We use the submission categories to make sure that the judge most likely to enjoy and champion your film, is the person that sees it.
Our programmers meticulously craft each hour long block of films around a different theme, so when you walk into a PUFF screening, you never know what you’re going to get!
CATEGORIES / SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Submit Feature Films in ANY genre! We are looking for something creative and fresh to premiere at our festival! (LA Premiere’s Only)
Short Film Categories: Comedy, Drama, Documentary, Sci-Fi, Horror, TV Pilot, Student, Music Video, Experimental
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
PREVIOUS JUDGES INCLUDE!
JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY (Oscar Winner, Moonstruck)
NATHAN MITCHELL
(The Boys)
CHELSEA ALDEN
(13 Reasons Why, Shameless)
KEGAN SCHELL
(Manager, Echo Lake Entertainment)
Courtney Haney (Executive Director Programming, STARZ)
LIBBY PETCOFF (Dir of Dev., Black Label Media)
JORDAN VANDINA
(The Binge, Animaniacs)
CHRIS WHITE
(Producer, Doors)
AMANDA RICHARDS
(Director, Talent & Casting Sony Pictures TV)
Kyle Castellanet (Creative Executive, Echo Lake Entertainment
JESSICA SCHWARTZ (Director of Development, Roundtable Entertainment)
ARLIE DAY (Casting Director, To Leslie)
LIAM O’DONNELL
(Beyond Skyline, Skylin3s)
JOE WIGGINS
(VP Development, Intrigue)
CHLOE JONES
(Development Coordinator, Faster Horse Pictures)
ROB BELL (Director of Development, Dark Castle Entertainment)
ABBY PALMER (Manager, Navigation Media)
REMI ADELEKE (Actor, Plane)
NICOLE SHIPLEY
(Trial of the Chicago 7)
JOHN C. HALL
(Cardinal Trio Pictures)
PJ MCCABE
(Director/Writer, THE BETA TEST)
Gabrielle Walsh (9-1-1)