ORLANDO FILM FESTIVAL 2013 Call For Entries

Later this month I will begin my annual coverage of the Tribeca Film Festival but this post is actually about the only other festival I attend every year. I am of course talking about the Orlando Film Festival. And truth be told, if I could only pick one, I’d go with OFF every time. Their 2013 Call For Entries just opened up and I urge any filmmakers ready to hit the festival circuit to SUBMIT NOW.

My love for OFF dates back to when my first feature, STUCK LIKE CHUCK, screened in 2009. That led to the festival’s creation of the Jerry Cavallaro Indie Spirit Award and I’ve been going back ever since to hand it out. In 2010 & 2011, I brought Nic Baisley from FilmSnobbery.com along to help cover the festival. In 2012 they debuted my second feature, NIC & JERRY GET OFF, which as you can tell by the title is a gay porno. Just kidding. It is actually a fun and surprisingly honest documentary about my experience at OFF 2011.

Now after being part of the festival for four years, they have officially brought me on as their Director of Social Media & Submissions. I am honored to be picked for this position and humbled they trust me with so much responsibility. I know this will sound incredibly biased but OFF truly is an amazing festival. I thought about writing some of the reasons why but I already did that this morning when I put together our official press release. So after this quick trailer for NIC & JERRY GET OFF, which also works as a promo for OFF, you can read all the details about this awesome festival. And for anyone interested in submitting, here is a special Withoutbox Waiver Code exclusive to WAMG. The first filmmaker to enter HRGEDMX when submitting their film gets to submit for FREE. Submit now at http://bit.ly/send2OFF

ORLANDO FILM FESTIVAL CALL FOR ENTRIES BEGINS APRIL 1ST

No, it’s not a joke.  Submissions for the 2013 Orlando Film Festival are now open. This will be our 8th year and it’s also guaranteed to be our biggest. Our mission is to showcase incredible indie cinema against the beautiful backdrop of Downtown Orlando. OFF selects films of all genres from around the world to celebrate the movies, the talent behind them and the filmgoers themselves.

From October 16 – 20, filmmakers can expect large appreciative crowds and amazing parties that have become legendary to those who have previously attended. For anyone wondering, yes the beer & food are often free. Festival Chairman Dan Springen has even been known to create spontaneous after-after-after parties in the hotel lobby just to keep the celebration going. Other perks include impressive discounts at many local bars, hotels & restaurants, as well as discounted passes to Universal Studios Theme Parks. Filmmakers can even attend a private backlot tour at Universal. Perhaps the biggest perk is the incredible Cobb Plaza Cinema Café, which features twelve beautiful theaters with high-end digital projection & sound. Virtually all our events take place in or around this theater, which is just a free shuttle ride away from our official festival sponsored hotels.

At OFF we do not care about premiere status or if you are in the middle of a distribution deal. You can have a film full of A-list celebrities or something you shot at your Grandma’s house with some friends. Whether a student, feature, short, narrative or documentary production, all we care about is finding high quality independent cinema. If your film fits that simple criteria, please send it our way!

To submit to the Orlando Film Festival, please visit our Withoutabox page – http://bit.ly/send2OFF

You can also find us at the sites below:

• http://twitter.com/orlandofilmfest
• http://facebook.com/orlandofilmfest
• http://orlandofilmfest.tumblr.com

Thanks for your consideration. We look forward to viewing your films!

Jerry Cavallaro  –  Director of Social Media & Submissions   –  socialmedia@orlandofilmfest.com