Cinequest Film & VR Festival

San Jose, California
United States

ABOUT THE CINEQUEST FILM & VR FESTIVAL

Cinequest Film & VR Festival was voted Best Film Festival by USA Today Readers. Cinequest programs 90% of its festival from paid submissions annually - one of the highest percentages of the world's most influential film festivals, and has helped discover countless artists including: Edie Falco (The Sopranos, Nurse Jackie); Alejandro González Inñárritu (Amores Perros, 21), Deepa Mehta (Water, Midnights Children); Jason Reitman (Thank You For Smoking, Juno); Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, X-Men); Mira Sorvino (Mighty Aphrodite); Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos); Renee Zellweger (Chicago, Jerry MacGuire); and Gavin Hood (Tsotsi, Wolverine), among many others. Click here for additional Cinequest Programming Highlights

Cinequest Film & VR Festival (CQFF) will occur both Live in San Jose / Silicon Valley and Globally via its proprietary Virtual platform. Cinequest has been a leader in building community, audiences, and opportunity for film and filmed media via groundbreaking tech and paradigms for decades and will continue the golden combination of live and online post pandemic.

Organizationally set in the home of the world's most influential media technology companies (Apple, Cisco, Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, LinkedIn, Occulus etc.) CQFF showcases premier films, renowned and emerging artists, and breakthrough technology empowering global connectivity between creators, innovators and audiences. CQFF has led the world in its showcase and implementation of the technologies that have revolutionized film making, exhibition and distribution. CQFF's blend of the artist and innovator gains focus through its Maverick Awards. Its Maverick Spirit Awards recognizes artists (Harrison Ford, Nicolas Cage, Elle Fanning, J.J. Abrams, Tatiana Maslany, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bill Nighy, Sir Ben Kingsley, Rosario Dawson, Spike Lee, James Franco, Neil Gaiman, and Sir Ian McKellen are among the guest recipients). Its Maverick Innovator Award recognizes technologists (including Martin Cooper, father of the cell phone, and Steve Wozniak, Co-founder of Apple Inc.). A Maverick stands apart from the crowd willing to create and innovate from a place of personal yet global vision.

Cinequest connects artists, innovators, media, and audiences as people converge to experience a potent mix of immersive stories from around the globe and breakthrough technologies. Yet, Cinequest's stellar reputation not only hinges on its knack for creating a powerful line-up, but also for securing distribution for many of its honored filmmakers. Netflix, IFC Films, Amazon, MSNBC Films, Oscilloscope, Sony Pictures, Magnolia Pictures, Kino-Lorber, eOne, Lionsgate, PBS, and HBO are just a few of the many that have signed deals with some of Cinequest's success stories. Cinequest Distribution has also successfully released 85 Film Festival favorites.

Also, as an Academy-qualifying festival for the short film categories, Cinequest is proud to honor the winners of its Best Short Narrative and Best Short Animation prizes with a shot at every filmmaker's dream... Oscar gold.

DEADLINES & FEES

Opening Submission Date
May 1, 2023

Notification Date
January 31, 2024

Event Date
March 7 – 17, 2024

 
Visit the Cinequest Film & VR Festival website for more information.