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2019 Filmmakers Blog

Awards / Prizes
Awards / Prizes Announcement…
The semiannual Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer genre category winners advance as ‘nominees’ to the yearly grand finale festival and competition held annually every October in Chicago Il.
- The individual winners of the grand finale in each category wins an engraved crystal award with the name of the film, it’s category as well as the year it was awarded.
- Grand prize winners will also receive a combination of prizes and gift certificates from festival sponsors.
STARTING 2018 – 2019 SEASON
THE GRAND PRIZE!
- SELECT GRAND PRIZE WINNERS will ALSO be awarded a low budget film grant, to produce a short film that must premiere at the following years Various Artists independent Film Festival ceremony!
  But that’s not all. The selected winner will receive one on one educational and mentorship opportunities with step by step production instruction along the way. From development, through production and all the way to completion and delivery, there is no reason to fear the next step of your career, we are a community of artists and you will not be alone.
  
  You will receive instruction from working industry professionals that will meet you at your skill level and take you further than you thought you could ever go.
  
  The selected GRAND PRIZE WINNER will be announced LIVE at the conclusion of each yearly festival and competition screenings.
Rules and Regulations
Rules & Terms
Entrants must agree to all Entry Terms and Conditions, which also include deadline, footage use and entry material requirements. Please read all Entry Terms and Conditions in their entirety as submission fees are non-refundable.
1. ALL entries, videos, narratives or documentaries, must be completed and considered ‘final’ before submission into the competition.
2. ALL entries are allowed to have screened publicly and distributed to other film festivals worldwide. There is no ‘completed by’ date as ALL films are eligible for this festival, whether they’ve been selected for ‘Official Selection’ or denied inclusion in previous festivals. No premiere status required.
3. Please follow the details below in order to submit your project: All films submissions must be submitted via FilmFreeway, a safe and secure platform to upload and stream your film. If you submit via Vimeo, you must provide a link with a download option. Your media must be available for download at its highest resolution. It is the sole responsibility of the Film’s applicant to provide ALL information asked during the registration process via FilmFreeway. https://filmfreeway.com/VAiFF You are encouraged to complete all of the requested fields during your submission process. If there are any setbacks in your application, VAiFF will notify you by email. ALL projects must be submitted via FilmFreeway as a secure digital downloadable link. By submitting your project on FilmFreeway, you accept that this document has been read and understood. You can email programming@variousartists.tv with any festival or programming questions.
4. The festival categories are: Animation (Short) / Drama (Short) / Music Videos (Short) / Comedy (Short) TV / Web Series Pilots / Documentary (Short) / Foreign Film (Short) Horror / Thriller (Short) / Experimental (Short) / Children / Family (Short)
5. Each submission must be 45 minutes and under. Music Videos must be 8 minutes and under. Each submission is carefully considered solely on its own merit by the festival programming committee.
6. Applicants submitting Films that contain significant non-English spoken dialogue must provide on-screen English subtitles.
7. Filmmakers must allow VAiFF the right to use footage / clips from the submitted project to create, edit and produce festival marketing materials, promos and the like.
8. GRAND PRIZE WINNER(S) will be selected by the VAiFF Programming board.
Submissions
2020 Festival Info
Festival Information
ATTENDING THE LIVE EVENT:
The VAiFF returns with two days of workshops, seminars, film screenings and awards presentations. One Grand Prize winner will receive a production grant for their next film.

This year the I've event will take place:
- Saturday, October 12th 2019 (10:00am - 10:00pm)
- Sunday, October 13th 2019 (12 non - 6:00pm)
Event Location:

The NEW 400 Theater
6746 N. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60626

Tickets:

Tickets can be purchased for individual or group seminars, workshops or screenings for one day or two day packages at www.filmfreeway.com/vaiff

Follow @VAiFF on FB or @VAiFF01 on Twitter to get the latest information as it becomes available.
Members, Partners and Sponsors
Donate/501C3
Swag

Coming Soon
VA Foundation

Various Artists Foundation
The VISION statement:
Our vision is to be the premier incubator for filmmakers and creative artists of all ages and ethnic groups from around the world, by providing educational mentorship and real-world opportunities for their success and career achievements.
The MISSION STATEMENT:
The Various Artists Foundation provides a real-world incubator for filmmakers of varying skill levels by providing educational mentorship and creative opportunities to advance artists socially and professionally.
Contact Us

Awards / Prizes
- back
- Awards / Prizes Announcement…
  The semiannual Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer genre category winners advance as ‘nominees’ to the yearly grand finale festival and competition held annually every October in Chicago Il.
  - The individual winners of the grand finale in each category wins an engraved crystal award with the name of the film, it’s category as well as the year it was awarded.
  - Grand prize winners will also receive a combination of prizes and gift certificates from festival sponsors.
  STARTING 2018 – 2019 SEASON
  THE GRAND PRIZE!
  - SELECT GRAND PRIZE WINNERS will ALSO be awarded a low budget film grant, to produce a short film that must premiere at the following years Various Artists independent Film Festival ceremony!
    But that’s not all. The selected winner will receive one on one educational and mentorship opportunities with step by step production instruction along the way. From development, through production and all the way to completion and delivery, there is no reason to fear the next step of your career, we are a community of artists and you will not be alone.
    
    You will receive instruction from working industry professionals that will meet you at your skill level and take you further than you thought you could ever go.
    
    The selected GRAND PRIZE WINNER will be announced LIVE at the conclusion of each yearly festival and competition screenings.
Rules and Regulations
- back
- Rules & Terms
  Entrants must agree to all Entry Terms and Conditions, which also include deadline, footage use and entry material requirements. Please read all Entry Terms and Conditions in their entirety as submission fees are non-refundable.
  1. ALL entries, videos, narratives or documentaries, must be completed and considered ‘final’ before submission into the competition.
  2. ALL entries are allowed to have screened publicly and distributed to other film festivals worldwide. There is no ‘completed by’ date as ALL films are eligible for this festival, whether they’ve been selected for ‘Official Selection’ or denied inclusion in previous festivals. No premiere status required.
  3. Please follow the details below in order to submit your project: All films submissions must be submitted via FilmFreeway, a safe and secure platform to upload and stream your film. If you submit via Vimeo, you must provide a link with a download option. Your media must be available for download at its highest resolution. It is the sole responsibility of the Film’s applicant to provide ALL information asked during the registration process via FilmFreeway. https://filmfreeway.com/VAiFF You are encouraged to complete all of the requested fields during your submission process. If there are any setbacks in your application, VAiFF will notify you by email. ALL projects must be submitted via FilmFreeway as a secure digital downloadable link. By submitting your project on FilmFreeway, you accept that this document has been read and understood. You can email programming@variousartists.tv with any festival or programming questions.
  4. The festival categories are: Animation (Short) / Drama (Short) / Music Videos (Short) / Comedy (Short) TV / Web Series Pilots / Documentary (Short) / Foreign Film (Short) Horror / Thriller (Short) / Experimental (Short) / Children / Family (Short)
  5. Each submission must be 45 minutes and under. Music Videos must be 8 minutes and under. Each submission is carefully considered solely on its own merit by the festival programming committee.
  6. Applicants submitting Films that contain significant non-English spoken dialogue must provide on-screen English subtitles.
  7. Filmmakers must allow VAiFF the right to use footage / clips from the submitted project to create, edit and produce festival marketing materials, promos and the like.
  8. GRAND PRIZE WINNER(S) will be selected by the VAiFF Programming board.
Submissions
- back
2020 Festival Info
- back
- Festival Information
  ATTENDING THE LIVE EVENT:
  The VAiFF returns with two days of workshops, seminars, film screenings and awards presentations. One Grand Prize winner will receive a production grant for their next film.
  
  This year the I've event will take place:
  - Saturday, October 12th 2019 (10:00am - 10:00pm)
  - Sunday, October 13th 2019 (12 non - 6:00pm)
  Event Location:
  
  The NEW 400 Theater
  6746 N. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60626
  
  Tickets:
  
  Tickets can be purchased for individual or group seminars, workshops or screenings for one day or two day packages at www.filmfreeway.com/vaiff
  
  Follow @VAiFF on FB or @VAiFF01 on Twitter to get the latest information as it becomes available.
Members, Partners and Sponsors
Donate/501C3
Swag
- back
- Coming Soon
VA Foundation
- back
- Various Artists Foundation
  The VISION statement:
  Our vision is to be the premier incubator for filmmakers and creative artists of all ages and ethnic groups from around the world, by providing educational mentorship and real-world opportunities for their success and career achievements.
  The MISSION STATEMENT:
  The Various Artists Foundation provides a real-world incubator for filmmakers of varying skill levels by providing educational mentorship and creative opportunities to advance artists socially and professionally.
Contact Us

SPRING submission window opens March 16th 2020

Click the PLAY ICON to see how it works.

(Video 1 of 3)

VAiFF WINTER / 2020 Winners Announced Friday, March 13th 2020

Would you like to know what we’re all about?

Click the PLAY ICON to see how it works.

(Video 2 of 3)

SPRING submission window opens March 16th 2020

Head over to www.filmfreeway.com/vaiff to submit for the SPRING submission window.

Click the ICON and GOOD LUCK.

(Video 3 of 3)

Awards / Prizes Announcement…

Rules & Terms

Festival Information

Various Artists Foundation

SPRING submission window opens March 16th 2020

VAiFF WINTER / 2020 Winners Announced Friday, March 13th 2020

SPRING submission window opens March 16th 2020

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