BHFF Feature Films
By BHFF standards any film that is 50 minutes and over in length is considered a feature film. The term feature film evolved from the days when the cinema-viewer would watch a series of short subjects before the main film. The shorts would typically include newsreels, serials, animated cartoons and live-action comedies and documentaries. These types of short films would lead up to what came to be called the "featured presentation", or the film given the most prominent billing and running multiple reels. The BHFF carries on this tradition and makes way for new developments in feature films by selecting original, top-quality features to screen at the festival.
BHFF Documentary Films
The Beverly Hills Film Festival is dedicated to screening thought-provoking documentary films on a variety of subjects. The word "documentary" was first applied to films of this nature in a review of Robert Flaherty's film Moana (1926), published in the New York Sun on February 8, 1926 and written by "The Moviegoer", a pen name for documentarian John Grierson.
BHFF Short Films
The short-film form is to the full-length film what the short story is to a full-fledged novel. An art form all to itself, in many instances, the short film is the beginning of a promising career in film for young filmmakers. At The Beverly Hills Film Festival, those talents enjoy high priority. In order to give this special format the attention it deserves, any film that is 1 minute to 49 min 59 sec in length is considered a short film.
BHFF Animated Films
The glorious history of animation dates all the way back to Paleolithic cave paintings. Over the last two centuries, animation film technology has advanced from flip books to 3D animation and CGI. When selecting animated films for competition, the BHFF recognizes unique story lines, imagination, and technique.
BHFF Screenplay Categories
Feature-length Screenplays (50 minutes and over in length)
Great films start with great screenplays. The BHFF selects feature-length screenplays for competition that will grab the reader and audience passionately and captivate them, whether the characters are likeable or not. Expert storytelling can include a number of aspects, such as: well-developed characters, inspiration, conflict, romance, a mission, obstacles, drama, comedy, and risking losing something or someone. The BHFF looks for the heart of the story, the driving force; we want to see what’s at stake and feel so compelled with the story that it’s hard to put the screenplay down.
Short Screenplays (under 50 minutes in length)
The short screenplay is a unique form unto itself. The BHFF selects short screenplays for competition that will grab the reader and audience in a short time span. We want to see how the short screenplay draws the audience into the story or idea swiftly and with precision.
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About the Festival
