Yucca Valley Film Festival

🌵🏜️🌴 $2.000 PRIZE MONEY Best Short Film: ---> $250 Best Feature: ---> $250 Yucca Valley Award: ---> $200 (for local artists only) Best Animated Short Film: ---> $150 Best Script: ---> $150 Best Music Video: ---> $150 Best Dance Film: ---> $150 Best Student FIlm: ---> $150 Best Documentary: ---> $150 Best Experimental /Visual Art: ---> $100 Best Music Composer: ---> $100 Audience Award: ---> $100 Best Photography: ---> $50 Best Drone Video: ---> $50 (2020 numbers, may be updated by the Town Council later in 2021). 🌵🏜️🌴 INTRODUCTION Yucca Valley is the economic hub for the Morongo Basin is the natural gateway to Joshua Tree National Park (2.4M visitors in 2020). The Town already lives to the rhythm of artists and creative minds, coming to Yucca Valley in search of the perfect spot to create and find a receptive audience. In 2019, the Town offered its first Film Festival, generating a buzz with local audiences (3 packed screening nights with red carpet), attracting attendance by international talented filmmakers, and benefiting from a large press coverage. The Film Festival was listed as the main cultural event for the Town in the Hi-Desert Star, and got covered by NBC, Z 107.7, Spot on California, Desert Road Trippin', Greater Palm Springs... (See PRESS albums on Facebook and FilmFreeway). The Yucca Valley Film Festival became a recurring, family friendly annual rendez-vous for all the Hi-Desert Community, film lovers and art lovers. 2020 was a digital edition reaching more than 30,000 viewers and interactions through screenings, QnAs, roundtables, a Masterclass with William BALDWIN... 2021 will once again be a celebration of movies and visual arts in the heart of the Mojave Desert, wether in person or hybrid. Yucca Valley also carries a vast movie heritage in itself, and also with the historic movie sets of Pioneertown. In 2016, TIM BURTON shot scenes of “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” on Old Woman Springs Road. More than 50 titles are listed on Imdb with scenes shot here. 🌵🏜️🌴 Each filmmaker’s presentation will include a short introduction, film screening and opportunity for brief Q&A with the audience. 🌵🏜️🌴 EVENT PROGRAM Our typical program includes: FRIDAY Kick off event - Yucca room - Event presentation - Red Carpet - Mayor’s opening speech - Opening short film(s) - Feature film Yucca Valley premiere SATURDAY Screenings & talks - documentaries in competition - followed by talk with artists and audience - Audience vote - Script roundtable with script writers talking about their work ​Screening & talk - Animated films in competition Screening & talk - Student films in competition - followed by talk with artists and audience - Audience vote Screening & talk - Short films in competition - followed by talk with artists and audience - Audience vote SUNDAY Screening & talk - Visual Arts in films (experimental and visually creative audiovisual work) - Music Videos - followed by talk with artists and audience - Audience vote Closing event with - Red Carpet - Result of the week-end drawing lots - Result all official winners (every category) - Result of the audience votes (every category) - Screening of the winning movies with artists’ introduction & followed by talk with filmmakers - Closing speech by the Mayor Program is subject to change, check our website for final and updated program at all times. 🌵🏜️🌴 CALL TO LOCAL ARTISTS AND DESERT RELATED FILMS AND PIECES Your film, music video, art video, art film, documentary... Shot scenes in Yucca Valley? Features a local landmark? Features a local talent? Or you ARE a local talent based in Yucca Valley, the Morongo basin, along Highway 62 or the larger San Bernardino County? Please contact us by email for a special discount. We'll consider your work for a the Yucca Valley Award, with prize money and special event.