THE ORANGE COUNTY INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL
The OCIFF welcomes audiences to discover hundreds of new independent, international, documentary, animated, and short films – selected from all around the world.
Feature Film screenings often include interaction with filmmakers, cast, and crew members to create connections between audiences, industry professionals, and creators (including, directors, producers, and screenwriters) with opportunities to interact, network and engage.
The backbone of the festival comes from support received from our friends at the Southern California Cinema Society Membership and Volunteer community. The SCCS is a community of film fans and professionals dedicated to supporting and nurturing new cinema and supporting the classic movie theaters of Southern California.
Learn more on this page about this year’s festival (including new additional streaming options), how to join SCCS as a Member, how to submit a film or screenplay, and find answers to most questions regarding festival attendance and ticketing.
FESTIVAL HONORS & AWARDS
Each year, our festival recognizes the finest talent with a comprehensive slate of Awards, with honors presented to the year’s best films, from feature films to short films, documentaries, animation, new media, music videos.
The powerful visions of Scriptwriters are honored with our Screenplay Awards and Unpublished Screenplay Contest – featuring a $3,000.00 Grand Prize for the 1st Place Best Screenplay Winner.
Click here to see the full list of our awards and honors.
MEMBERSHIP
The festival is assisted by donations of time and resources from the Southern California Cinema Society.
Learn more about supporting the festival through volunteering or joining the Southern California Cinema Society as a Member by visiting the Cinema Society Membership Page.
FESTIVAL UPDATES
Festival season returns to the beaches of Southern California again this year. Learn more about upcoming film premiere screenings and festival award and party event updates by subscribing to the festival social media accounts and by checking the OCIFF Festival Page.
Get your festival tickets and passes through our partners at Eventive
PARTIES
OCIFF is proud to call the spectacular Southern California coast home, and additionally honored to be able to host our festival Meet & Greet and After-Party events in some of the most picturesque locations in the world.
Stay tuned for announcements about this season’s networking and socializing events to be released as we get closer to opening day. Follow us on social media and visit the OCIFF Festival Page for up-to-date party news.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who Can Attend The Festival?
The Orange County Independent Film Festival is open to everyone. All attendees are required to have a purchased ticket or pass available on them in order to enter film screenings and attend festival events.
Do I Need A Ticket To Attend?
How Can I Purchase Tickets?
Tickets & Passes go on-sale around two-to- three weeks prior to the opening day.
Tickets are only available online. Official Festival Tickets will be available on the official festival website and on our social media accounts.
During festival event dates, Festival Tickets will also be available to purchase (during screening hours only) at our hospitality Box Office. Festival tickets are generally only sold directly by the festival’s ticketing service and not by any third party seller.
Bring a credit or debit card as some festival venues do not allow outside event cash sales at the door, as per insurance policy regulations.
All venue-related passes, subscriptions, etc are not applicable towards any Orange County Independent Film Festival screenings or events.
Can I Buy Tickets In Person?
It is recommended to purchase tickets online and in advance, as festival screenings and events may (and often do) sell out.
In person ticket sales may not be available at all festival venues. Whenever possible the festival offers on-site credit card sales (during festival hours of operation.) However on-site ticketing availability is dependent on venue policies making availability of on-site ticketing unable to be guaranteed.
When Should I Arrive At The Fest?
It is advised to arrive at least 45 minutes prior to any start time listed on your festival ticket.
Most guests will need to find parking, and all guests must check-in at our hospitality Box Office in order to gain entry to festival screenings and events.
Many festival screenings will start promptly at the exact time listed on the ticket. Due to the festival policy of scheduling the least number of trailers and advertisements – some screenings end up starting promptly at the time listed on the ticket. While not always the case, it is best to assume a prompt start time when attending any festival screening – to be sure not to miss a thing.
To find parking, arrive at the theater, get drinks and concessions, socialize with fellow attendees, and also be seated promptly by the time listed on your ticket – it is highly recommended to plan to arrive at our festival venues at least 45min prior to the listed screening start time.
For those arriving for early screenings in the mornings or early afternoons – note that If you are arriving for the first screening of the day (early matinees) the festival check-in box office area may not open until 30 minutes before the first listed screening start time for each day.
Can Minors Attend The Fest?
Minors can attend most events with an accompanying parent or legal guardian, as long as they do not disturb other festival attendees. Not all screenings or events at the festival will be suitable for minors – any such limited access screenings should be noted as such in our annual festival program & screening guide, as well as on the ticket’s description page.
Sold Out Screenings & Events?
It is recommended to purchase tickets online in advance as soon as they go on sale. As festival screenings and events are known to sell out.
When possible the festival does try to offer additional screenings or move events to larger venues to release more tickets in the event of sell outs – but this is not always possible, so do try to get your tickets early to films and events you must see.
Certain sold out screenings and events may have a Stand By or Rush Lines. These would be located at the festival box office. When a screening or event does sell out – you may inquire about Rush Tickets or an in-person Stand By line at the festival box office.
Additional screenings or encore events for sold out screenings will be announced online. Rush Ticket releases and event Stand By Lines are only available at the festival Box Office Hospitality Check-In desk one hour prior to the screening or event start time. Note that Rush Tickets and/or Stand By Lines may not be available for every sold out screening or event.
Q&A After Film Screenings?
Many film screenings will have filmmaker lectures or Q&A sessions after the film ends. However, due to time constraints, guest availability, and crowd size issues; Q&As / Lectures / Discussions will not be available after all festival film screenings.
Event scheduling is held at the discretion of festival and venue event agreements, and all scheduling of both screenings and events may be subject to change without notice at the discretion of the festival.
Meeting Filmmakers At The Festival?
Many filmmakers are in attendance at our festival film screenings and events. With a large percentage of our filmmakers attending the festival and their film screenings.However, due to time constraints and guest availability we cannot guarantee that filmmakers will be available to meet with guests after every film screening. Filmmaker appearances are dependent on each filmmaker’s schedule and availability.
If you see a filmmaker at their screening or in the halls of our festival venues – it is acceptable to approach them as well as any festival guest – after all networking and fan engagement are all part of the fun – but please always be polite, respect that people may be busy and not able to interact at every part of their time at the festival. Please use common sense and respectful manners when approaching all guests and attendees.
For industry professionals, in the event you would like to contact a filmmaker – you may contact the festival for such requests.
Meeting Celebrities At The Festival?
Celebrities certainly do attend festival screenings and events. Often a number of celebrity guests prefer to show up unannounced at festival screenings and events. Note that due to scheduling and work conflicts even announced celebrity festival guest attendance can never be guaranteed.
Refund Policy?
All tickets and sales are final with no refunds.
Refunds are not available for any tickets or passes sold for festival screenings, festival award ceremonies, or other festival events, nor for any festival party, meet and greet event, and/or other events held in collaboration with the festival.
The festival cannot offer refunds for late arrival, missed screenings or event events, illnesses, and/or changed plans, nor are refunds offered if the event of expulsion from any of our partner venues.
Can I Take Photos?
Personal photography is generally permitted only outside of cinema screening theaters and auditoriums.
No photography of any kind (video or still, personal or professional, phone or camera) is permitted inside of any of the festival cinema screening theaters or auditoriums. Any recording or photography will result in immediate expulsion from the venue without refund.
Photography in cinema lobbies and hallways or other public areas is subject to those venue policies and staff approval. Respect any privacy request from all festival attendees who prefer not to be photographed. Professional photography requests must be pre-approved by the festival.
Phone Use During Screenings?
None. The festival has a strict no phone use during any screening, this includes all photography and texting. Phone use of any kind after projection starts may result in expulsion from the screening without refund.
How To Request A Press Pass?
How Do I Submit My Screenplay?
All Festival submissions are handled though our FilmFreeway page.
If your project does not have a FilmFreeway account you will need to set it one in order to submit.
How To Screen At The Fest?
All Festival submissions are handled though our FilmFreeway page.
If your project does not have a FilmFreeway account you will need to set it one in order to submit.
What Is FilmFreeway?
FilmFreeway is the major online platform for filmmakers to submit their projects to film festivals, and is the current standard for most festival submissions.
SUBMITTING A FILM PROJECT
Interested in participating in the festival?
Feature Films & Short Films of all topics, ratings, styles and genres, made anywhere in the world – are accepted to screen at the festival.
If you have a film project to submit to the festival for potential acceptance and premiere – make sure to check out the OCIFF submission page for more information or click on the FilmFreeway link below and submit your film project today.
Screenplay authors are encouraged to submit to the Unpublished Screenplay Contest – featuring a $3,000.00 Grand Prize. Submit using the FilmFreeway link below, or visit the festival screenplay page for more info.
To submit visit us at FilmFreeway.
