Indie Film Awards Hollywood Indie Festival
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Hollywood Indie Festival · Spring 2026 Season

Where Independent Film Shines

Awarding excellence in unique film stories — bold shorts, fearless features and the voices behind them, honored every season.

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Indie Film Awards champions the art of independent filmmaking — showcasing bold stories, celebrating unique voices, and fostering a community where creativity thrives.

About the festival

1000+

Films Submitted

50

Awards Granted

80+

Countries Represented

100%

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Gallery of Honor

The films our juries fell for

Every season closes with a new constellation of winners — from first-time shorts to festival-hardened features.

View Spring 2026 Winners
Poster for the documentary Allowed to Birth: The Journey of a Global Midwife

Allowed to Birth

Poster for the film Bye Bye Baby, a woman with a guitar walking down a country road

Bye Bye Baby

Poster for the documentary Victoria the First, a sepia portrait of Victoria Woodhull

Victoria the First

Poster for the comedy Spot's Day Out, a toy dog gazing up under a blue sky

Spot's Day Out

Two filmmakers in conversation at a table by a city window

Filmmaker Interviews

In conversation with the winners

On craft, courage, and getting the film made against the odds.

Read conversations with our award-winning filmmakers — the stories behind the stories, straight from the directors, writers and actors we honor.

Read the interviews

Submissions Open

Your film belongs on this stage

Join filmmakers from more than 80 countries. Submit your short, feature, documentary or screenplay for the next seasonal edition.

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Entries reviewed every season via FilmFreeway