Since the COVID lockdowns, there has been a substantial increase in the number of fake film festivals on the FilmFreeway film festival platform. The sole purpose of these so-called festivals is to profit from independent filmmakers. They take advantage of filmmakers looking to gain recognition for their films and develop their careers. These festivals however take often large fees and give nothing or very little in return.

These festivals manage to convince FilmFreeway that they are legitimate by meeting the platform's criteria. However, once accepted, FilmFreeway has limited control unless users file complaints. FilmFreeway benefits from these festivals by taking a percentage (usually 6%) of the fee filmmakers pay.

To help identify these fake festivals, here are some tell-tale signs to watch for:

• Their name often ends with "AWARDS" (e.g., Random City Film Awards, Movie Awards, Gold Awards).
• Lack of proper contact information for the administrators or generic email addresses.
• Similar names to reputable festivals in the same cities.
• Generic and often cloned websites with minimal information.
• Excessive awards categories (20 or more, sometimes even up to 70).
• Monthly or bimonthly events.
• Winners are required to pay approximately $300-400 for their award statuettes.
• The transparency indicator on FilmFreeway shows they are managed in a different country.
• Selecting everyone who submits.

These fake festivals not only harm independent filmmakers but also pollute the industry and create a profit-driven mafia. FilmFreeway must take action to prevent this exploitation. By signing this petition, you are contributing in asking  FilmFreeway to police its platform more rigerously by:

1. Strengthen the criteria and review process to weed out fake festivals.
2. Implement stricter monitoring and control over festival listings.
3. Provide better support and protection for independent filmmakers.
4. Take proactive measures to shut down fraudulent festivals.
5. Allocate funds from the platform's profits to support legitimate independent film festivals.

We urge all filmmakers, industry professionals, and film enthusiasts to support this cause by signing this petition and sharing it widely. Together, let's protect the integrity of the film industry and ensure that independent filmmakers receive the recognition and opportunities they deserve.

To learn more and contribute to the list of dubious film festivals, visit: https://www.submittingtofilmfestivals.com/scam-film-festivals/

Thank you for your support in fighting against these parasite scammers and advocating for a fair and transparent film festival ecosystem.

Anthony Straeger

Email: help@submittingtofilmfestivals.com