A Festival That Honors
Every Craft of Filmmaking

Because great films are built by many hands.

SIMI Film Fest 2026

September 12-20, 2026 - Simi Valley, CA

We Watch EVERY Film. Period.

NEW IN 26 - THE FILM MUSIC COMPETITION

Win the chance to have your score played LIVE by the Symphony Orchestra

Learn More Here

Why Filmmakers Choose SIMI Film Fest

Every Submission Is Watched

Every film submitted to SIMI Film Fest is viewed in full by our programming team and judges.
No algorithms. No shortcuts. Your work is respected.

Awards That Open Doors

Our Jury Prize for Best Film includes a three-month mentorship with CAA agent Matt Smith, designed to support filmmakers at the next stage of their career.

One Festival. Many Creative Voices.

SIMI Film Fest brings together feature and short films of all genres, youth films, music videos, and a live film music competition — all under one curated festival experience.

Curated By Creatives Who Care

SIMI Film Fest is built by working filmmakers, composers, and music supervisors — people who understand the creative process and the courage it takes to submit your work.

A festival built with intention — for filmmakers who care about their work.

CELEBRATING:
Acting • Directing • Cinematography • Editing • Sound • Orchestral Scores • Non-Orchestral Scores • Music Placement • Production Design • Costume • Hair & Makeup • Stunts • Locations • Writing • Set Design • Visual FX
RECOGNIZING GENRE AWARDS INCLUDING:
• Drama • Horror • Thriller • Comedy • Animation • Documentary • Sci-Fi • Magical Realism • Experimental • Series Concepts

One Festival. Four Distinct Experiences.

SIMI Youth Film Fest

Saturday, September 12

A dedicated day within SIMI Film Fest honoring young filmmakers whose work reflects creativity, intention, and respect for the filmmaking process.

SIMI Music Video Fest

Sunday, September 13

A dedicated event putting the spotlight on filmmakers who push creative boundaries through the craft of visual storytelling set to music. A space where filmmakers and music artists network and celebrate their artistry together. 

SIMI Film Fest

September 14-20

A multi-day presentation of feature-length and short films across all genres, showcasing selected works representing the strongest submissions from filmmakers aworldwide.

Film Music Concert

Thursday, September 17

A live orchestral concert celebrating film music, featuring iconic scores alongside selected works from the festival and winning entries from the film music competition.

Submissions are now open via FilmFreeway.

Congratulations To The SIMIFF 2025 Winners

Best Actor

JACOB Loeb
Killing Off Conner

Best Supporting Actress

Georgia Ximenes Lifsher
Shangri-La

Best Writing

Alysha Haran
Stone Garden

Best Score

Forrest Gray
Stone Garden

Best Production/Set Design

And Now I Lay Me Down
 

Best Comedy

Church Of Phil
 

Best Storytelling

Old Goat
 

Best Sci-Fi

Black Light
 

Best Of Ventura County

Tails California
 

Best Actress

Jane Kaczmarek
And Now I Lay Me Down

Best Director

Benjamin Santgerma
Black Light

Best Editing

Slava Denisov
The Ride

Best Music Placement

Finding JaMia’s Spirit

Best Hair/Make-up

Lian Uritsky
The English Rose

Best Originality/Creativity

The Rocket Man
 

Best Emerging Filmmaker

Emma Elizabeth Steiger
Wait To Tell Mother

Best Horror/Thriller

Killing Off Connor

Best Onscreen Duo

Escape Artist
 

Golden State Award

The Most Biodiverse Place In America

Best Supporting Actor

Jason Kelley
Homeward Dawn

Best Cinematography

Andrey Valentsov
The Ride

Best Sound

Black Light

Best Visual FX

NOON
 

Best Wardrobe

Stone Garden
 

Best Location

Come Out, Wherever You Are
 

Best Drama

Light Bunny
 

Best Magical Realism

Stone Garden
 

Best Series Concept

Tracey
 

Congratulations To This Year's Official Selections

A Private Investigation

And Now I Lay Me Down

Another Path

Ask the Blessing

BAD KARMA

Be Nice

Black Light

Church Of Phil

Come Out, Wherever You Are

El Último Tramo

ELM

Escape Artist

Fairy God Bro

Fidelidad

Finding JaMia’s Spirit

Homeward Dawn

I Could Eat Episode 2

Inheritance

Jared And Cosmo

Killing Off Connor

Light Bunny

May I Put You On Hold?

No Air for Angels

Noon

Old Goat

Operation: Phoenix Parts 1 and 2

Peaches

PROTECTED

Ripple

Seven Second Storyboarding With VEO2 – WIREHEAD

Shangri-la

She Could Be the One

Silent

Sirens

Stone Garden

Tails California

The Clark Family Road Trip

The Dinner

The English Rose

The Fires We Play With

The Good Boy

The Grief Counselor

The Imperfect Dog

The Keep

The Middle

The Missing Ingredient

The Most Biodiverse Place in America

The Rescue

The Ride

The Rocket Man

To Engage

Tracey

Traitor

Visualizer

Wabi-Sabi

Wait To Tell Mother

Walking With Elephants

What Is That?!

Why Are You Like This?

Why Dogs Howl

Wreckless

YES DEAR

Congratulations To The SIMIFF 2025 Nominees

Best Actor

Black Light – Yohann Chupin
Fidelidad – Erik Rozet
Homeward Dawn – Justin Jesso
Killing Off Connor – Jacob Loeb
The Good Boy – Taylor Behrens
The Rocket Man – Connor Price
To Engage – Seth Allyn Austin
Why Dogs Howl – Gary Teitelbaum

Best Supporting Actress

Fidelidad – Cecilia Salinas
Finding JaMia’s Spirit – Florence Avognon
Shangri-la – Georgia Ximenes Lifsher
Tails California – Elizabeth Woodworth
The Clark Family Road Trip – Maisy Caudle
The Dinner – Grace Lacey

Best Writing

And Now I Lay Me Down – Rani DeMuth
Killing Off Connor – Laurence Cohen, Suri Parmar
Light Bunny – Valerian Zamel
Sirens – Maria Valdez
Stone Garden – Alysha Haran
The Clark Family Road Trip – Madeline Diemer
The Ride – Grigory Borodavkin, Slava Denisov
Why Dogs Howl – Gary Teitelbaum

Best Score

And Now I Lay Me Down – Brad Oberhofer
Black Light – Benjamin Santgerma
Light Bunny – Rob Cairns
No Air for Angels – Joseph Edward Tucker
Old Goat – Eric Huang
Ripple – Greg Nicolett
Shangri-la – Quentin Chiappetta
Stone Garden – Forrest Gray

Best Set Design

And Now I Lay Me Down
Black Light
Light Bunny
Old Goat
The English Rose
The Ride

Best Locations

Ask the Blessing
Come Out, Wherever You Are
Escape Artist
Fidelidad
Noon
Traitor

Best Originality/Creativity

And Now I Lay Me Down
Black Light
ELM
Escape Artist
Old Goat
Stone Garden
The Ride
The Rocket Man

Best Series Concept

Fidelidad
I Could Eat Episode 2
Tracey

Best Storytelling

Escape Artist
Old Goat
The Most Biodiverse Place In America
The Ride
The Rocket Man
Wait To Tell Mother

Best Actress

And Now I Lay Me Down – Jane Kaczmarek
Black Light – Sophie Debieu
Killing Off Connor – Hannah Pearl Utt
Light Bunny – Karole Foreman
PROTECTED – Jocelyn Wright
Sirens – Susan Santiago
Tails California – Jennifer Ball
The Grief Counselor – Victoria Baxter

Best Director

And Now I Lay Me Down – Rani DeMuth
Black Light – Benjamin Santgerma
Killing Off Connor – Laurence Cohen
Light Bunny – Valerian Zamel
Old Goat – Teddy Alvarez-Nissen
Stone Garden – Alysha Haran
The Grief Counselor – Bishen Sen
The Ride – Slava Denisov

Best Editing

ELM – Jeff Mizushima
Killing Off Connor – Laurence Cohen
Noon – Marlon Streb, Avery Streb
Old Goat – Charles Garrett
Shangri-la – Ethan Maniquis
The Ride – Slava Denisov
The Rocket Man – Laurence Cohen
Wait To Tell Mother – Wylie Rush

Best Music Placement

And Now I Lay Me Down
Church Of Phil
Escape Artist
Fidelidad
Finding JaMia’s Spirit
Killing Off Connor
The Grief Counselor
The Ride

Best Wardrobe

And Now I Lay Me Down
Black Light
Escape Artist
Shangri-la
Stone Garden
The English Rose

Best Emerging Filmmaker

Tails California – Christine Machlin
The English Rose – Paula Crichton
The Missing Ingredient – Beatriz Santamaria Pinha
The Most Biodiverse Place In America – John Fiske
Visualizer – Carlos Alfageme
Wait To Tell Mother – Emma Elizabeth Steiger

Best Onscreen Duo

Escape Artist
Fairy God Bro
The Fires We Play With
To Engage
Wabi-Sabi
Why Dogs Howl

Best Drama

Homeward Dawn
Light Bunny
Old Goat
The Grief Counselor
The Ride
Wait To Tell Mother

Best Horror/Thriller

Black Light
Church Of Phil
Killing Off Connor
Silent
The English Rose
Wreckless

Best Supporting Actor

Church Of Phil – Alex Kravitz
El Último Tramo – Orlando Alfonzo
Fidelidad – Ryon Thomas
Finding JaMia’s Spirit – Marshall Norman
Homeward Dawn – Jason Kelley
The Clark Family Road Trip – Lionel Ward

Best Cinematography

And Now I Lay Me Down – Ernesto Lomeli
Come Out, Wherever You Are – Anh Vo
Killing Off Connor – Megan Richardson
Light Bunny – Steve Carter
Old Goat – Zayd Ezzeldine
Shangri-la – Alex Corn
Stone Garden – Mica Komagata
The Ride – Andrey Valentsov

Best Sound

Black Light
Killing Off Connor
Light Bunny
Silent
The Ride
The Rocket Man

Best Hair/Make-Up

And Now I Lay Me Down – Jennifer Turgeon
Ask the Blessing – La Luna Vela
ELM – Kenneth Calhoun
Shangri-la – Mandi Beneroski
Stone Garden – Melanie Tooker
The English Rose – Lian Uritsky

Best Visual FX

Come Out, Wherever You Are
ELM
Noon
Silent
Stone Garden
The Ride

Best Of Ventura County

A Private Investigation
Church Of Phil
Fidelidad
May I Put You On Hold?
Noon
Tails California
The Imperfect Dog

Best Magical Realism

ELM
Old Goat
Stone Garden
The Rocket Man

 Best Comedy

BAD KARMA
Church Of Phil
May I Put You On Hold?
The Clark Family Road Trip
Tracey
Why Are You Like This?

Best Sci-Fi

Black Light
Come Out, Wherever You Are
Noon
The Fires We Play With

Why Submit Your Film to SIMIFF

Putting Filmmakers In The Seen

AWARDS

Join Us On September 20th To Truly Honor The Winning Films Of SIMIFF 26

At SIMI Film Fest, we believe recognition should be earned — and be meaningful. Our awards honor a wide range of achievements, from standout performances and visionary direction to groundbreaking visuals, editing, sound, and the many areas of filmmaking that often go unrecognized. Whether you’re making your first short or delivering a powerful feature, we want to celebrate the work that makes a lasting impression. With over 27 award categories, our honors reflect the full spectrum of creative filmmaking — and help exceptional talent stand out in a crowded industry.

Awards Include

Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Editing
Best Sound
Best VFX
And 20+ more...

A 5 STAR FESTIVAL

Ryan Willer (Writer/Producer)

This is the best new festival around!!! I’ve been accepted the last two years (I didn’t get around to writing a review last year sadly…my bad) and it’s been the greatest experience!!

Joe and Katie are two festival directors who truly care! They make you feel welcome and appreciated. And their awards show is no joke, it’s competitive but fare. To even be nominated is a true accomplishment! This is a festival that is going places and anyone who submits should be proud to be given the opportunity to be accepted!

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Gigi Grigorian (Director/Composer)

An experience like no other! So happy I got to participate in this unforgettable event. This festival should be on everyone’s MUST APPLY LIST. Thank you Simi Film Fest!

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Chantal Massuh-Fox (Writer/Director)

The best festival I’ve ever been to! Wow Katie and Joe go above and beyond with the panels, activities, and selections. It’s truly amazing films of quality playing and it’s very inspiring to be grouped with the best. One of the most welcoming and fun events I’ve ever been to! The prizes were also incredible!

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Emily Sandifer (Director/Filmmaker)

Hands down worth going to every single day of this festival and to all their events, filmmaker opportunities, screenings, etc. Thank you so much, Joe and Katie, and the rest of the team/judges. We were blown away by Simi Film Fest. I could blabber on, but I think anyone reading this should just go enter right now. The best organization and communication of any festival I’ve been to. Thank you for the warm welcome, the personal touches, everything. Keep it up!!

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Julianna Robinson (Actor/Director)

You won’t find a festival that loves, cares for and honors filmmakers more that this one. Katie and Joe are so kind and generous and thoughtful and they work their tails off to ensure that your festival experience is the best is could possibly be. You will feel like a star here! Highly recommend.

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Lauren Moreno (Writer/Director)

The SIMI Film Festival was an unforgettable experience that truly honors filmmakers! From the moment I arrived on opening night, I felt immense care and quality that went into every detail, making it a truly exceptional festival!

Every event was meticulously crafted, from the intimate one-on-one conversations to the thoughtfully planned outings, ensuring a deep connection between filmmakers and the festival itself. It’s rare to find such a new festival with this level of care, attention to detail, and commitment to storytelling.

The passion, dedication, and sheer love for the craft of filmmaking were felt in every interaction and event. It’s a festival that celebrates not only the films but the filmmakers themselves, making it one of the most beautiful and memorable festivals I’ve ever attended!

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A Festival More Than Just A Screening. It’s a Full Experience.

At SIMIFF, the films are just the beginning.

Hands-on training at Cinemoves
SIMI Film Fest isn’t just about what’s on the screen — it’s about what happens around it. From exclusive field trips to real-world filming locations and hands-on workshops with industry gear, to one-on-one meetings with our panelists, we create opportunities that go beyond the theater.

Expect filmmaker mixers, unique live events, and behind-the-scenes access that turns a festival into something much more: a space to grow, connect, and take your next step forward.


One-On-One Panelist Meetings
Our 2024 Co-Sponsors, ShotDeck and Scriptation, provided real-world training and exclusive attendee discounts on their industry-leading tools.

Built for Filmmakers.

Backed by Industry.

Tools, connections, and a setting designed to propel your career.

At SIMI Film Fest, we’re not just celebrating filmmakers — we’re empowering them.

From access to cutting-edge equipment during hands-on training sessions, to meaningful conversations with producers, composers, distributors, and VFX professionals, this is where creators get what they need to level up. You’ll meet sponsors who believe in investing in emerging talent and experts who offer real-world insight — not gatekeeping.

And it all happens in an atmosphere that respects your work: laser projection, surround sound, plush seating, and in-seat dining at the state-of-the-art Studio Movie Grill in Simi Valley.

If you’re looking for more than a laurel — if you’re looking for momentum — SIMIFF is where it starts.