Top Festivals 2023-2024 for Mobile Phone Filmmaking

In the past several years, mobile filmmaking has seen a huge surge in popularity, not only with the advancements in the phone's camera technology but also with the increase in short form content with social media marketing.

As a result, there are many film festivals dedicated to mobile filmmaking. These festivals offer filmmakers a chance to show off their work and gain recognition for their efforts. Here is a short list of mobile filmmaking festivals around the world:

1. International Mobile Filmmaking was founded in 2009 by S. Botello Productions. They are having their 13th Annual International Mobile Film Festival in San Diego, CA in April 2024. The purpose of the festival is not only to create interest and spark creativity in people of all ages with limited income or resources but to actually inspire creative filmmakers to live to their potential and realize the opportunity to fulfill their dream.  

2.  The Mobile Journalism Awards is an annual global competition produced by the Visual Editors Non-Profit to identify, advance and celebrate the best mobile journalism reporting each year. Winning work is featured in international screening events and winners receive prizes. Call for entries is open now and will close on February 14 2024. If you want a chance to see and hear from the winners of last year, there is Live Awards show on Oct. 16. Free to attend, register now 

3. FilmicFest is an online mobile film festival with a chance to win $25,000. The one-of-its-kind online film festival showcases exceptional works in various categories, including narrative, documentary, music, travel, experimental, and ultra-short films 30 seconds or less, of course shot on your phone. Call for entries is open now and closes on December 15th, 2023.

4. Dublin Smartphone Film Festival (DUBSMARTFF) is an international festival dedicated to celebrating work shot on Smartphones. Not just a festival, they offer unique workshops, live filming exercises and panel discussions. Entries are open now and close on January 31st and the event is in March.

5. SmartFone Flick Fest SF3 is Australian's international smartphone film festival open to all ages. SF3 is also a leader in the smartphone education space, teaching smartphone filmmaking workshops throughout the year both live and via Zoom. VIP screenings and the event takes place in November but it's not to late to submit.

This is just a quick list of our top 5 festivals dedicated to smartphone filmmaking or storytelling. In 2012 with our documentary, “The Revenge of the Great Camera Shootout”, we said “It’s not the gear that determines greatness anymore, it’s you!” Get out there with the tools you have and tell a great story, learn from each project and make each project better.