Next screening: 25th of July, 2025

Holly Films Film Festival

Welcome to Holly Films.
Where cinema is sacred.
And every story is a seed of something eternal.
This isn’t Hollywood. This is Holly.
Where every frame is a prayer.
With love and help of God we can create a better place through our cinema voices!

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HOLLY FILMS AWARDS

A celebration of cinema touched by soul, spirit, and something greater.

1. The Holly Crown

Best Film
For the work that stood tall among the rest—sacred, whole, and destined to endure. A crown not of gold, but of meaning.

2. The Lightkeeper's Flame

Best Director
Awarded to the filmmaker who held the lantern in the dark—guiding vision, heart, and story through the unknown.

3. The Book of Whispers

Best Screenplay
For the script that felt unearthed rather than written—where every word carried truth, myth, and mystery.

4. The First Anointment

Best Debut Film
A blessing upon the bold—this award honors a first-time filmmaker whose voice feels not new, but inevitable.

5. The Eternal Leaf

Best Short Film
Like a single holly leaf in winter, this film proves that even the briefest moments can carry eternal meaning.

6. The Sacred Pulse

Audience Award
Chosen by the collective heart of the festival, this film left an imprint that felt personal, universal, and alive.

7. The Spirit of Holly

Festival Essence Award
For the film that best captures our core: reverent, rebellious, and rooted in the sacred power of story.

8. The Choir of Stars

Best Ensemble or Collaboration
For a cast or crew that moved in harmony—many voices, one soul.

9. The Vessel

Best Performance
For the actor who became a channel—less performer, more presence. A body that held something divine.

10. The Oracle’s Eye

Special Jury Prize
Given at the jury’s will to a work that saw beyond. Bold, mysterious, and ahead of its time.

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About us

Holly Films Film Festival isn’t just another stop on the indie circuit , it’s a cinematic pilgrimage. Set against the golden hills and wide skies of Calabasas Bohemian Oasis, our festival offers more than just screenings: it offers space to breathe, reflect, and connect. This is where stories are born under open skies, where voices rise without filters, and where art is treated as ritual.

We call it Holly for a reason. It's a name rooted in reverence. Like the holly tree resilient, symbolic, evergreen our festival stands for stories that endure. And it’s a quiet echo of Hollywood, a reminder that cinema's true spirit lives not in the glare, but in the glow of campfires, conversations, and honest storytelling.

At Holly Films, we believe filmmaking is an act of faith. A leap into the unknown. A vision held through struggle and silence until it becomes light on a screen. This is a sanctuary for the dreamers, the rule-breakers, the ones whose work speaks in whispers and roars.

And in the in-between moments: those unplanned, sacred pauses. You may just find your next collaborator, or your next reason to believe in the journey.

Join

Rules

Submit with spirit. Come as you are.
Because here, stories aren’t content—they’re communion.

1. All Are Welcome, All Are Seen We accept films from every corner of the world, in any language. If your work carries heart, mystery, or meaning—it belongs here. Non-English dialogue must include English subtitles.

2. Every Frame Must Be Yours
Please submit only work you hold the creative and legal rights to. No borrowed visions. No stolen fire. Authorship is sacred.

3. Rhythm Over Rules
We accept:
Shorts (under 25 minutes)
Features (over 40 minutes)
Mid-length, experimental, or unclassifiable works—if it feels complete, it’s welcome.

4. From First-Time Visionaries to Seasoned Souls
Whether this is your debut or your return from artistic exile, we don’t judge by resume. We look for resonance, courage, and spirit.

5. Deadlines Are Real, Grace Is Possible
Submit your work within the official windows listed on our platform. Late submissions may be considered, especially if accompanied by good energy (or a kind email).

6. Boundaries Matter
We embrace bold, brave cinema—but we do not accept work that promotes hate, harm, or inhumanity. Honor your subjects. Respect your audience.

7. If Chosen, Join the Circle Selected filmmakers will be invited to present their work at our cozy indoor venue nestled in the Calabasas Bohemian Oasis. Think flickering lights, soft couches, and an atmosphere where every screening feels like storytime by a modern fire.

8. You Keep the Flame
All filmmakers retain full rights to their work. We only request permission to screen during the festival and may request short excerpts for promotional purposes—with your blessing.

9. Awards Are Ritual, Not Ranking
Yes, we give awards. But this isn’t about hierarchy—it’s about recognizing sparks that lit something sacred in us. Selection itself is a form of celebration.

10. Trust the Process
Every film submitted will be watched with presence and care. If your work is not selected, know this: it’s not rejection, it’s redirection. The path continues.

11. If your film is selected for screening you must send your work in mp4/mov format within a week

Copyright © 2025 Holly Films Film Festival. All rights reserved.