Los Angeles Film Festival Expands Internationally

LOS ANGELES - Dec. 11, 2018 - PRLog -- We Make Movies Inc., an LA-based collective of independent filmmakers, writers, and actors, is expanding its film festival (formerly WMMFest) worldwide. For the past six years, WMMFest, originated by COO Chad Kukahiko, has been exclusive to the WMM community, a membership of over 5,000 DIY filmmakers. The festival is rebranding as the We Make Movies International Film Festival, and will open submissions to the public, Saturday, December 15th.

Since its inception, the festival has found success by providing a platform for the WMM community to share their work with the industry-at-large. The impetus for the rebranding and expansion came from current co-directors Eric Michael Kochmer and Whit Spurgeon. "If you had an idea for a film and just went ahead and made it instead of waiting for someone else to make it for you, you are our kind of filmmaker and this is the film festival for you."

Known as the "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps" festival, WMMFest has always celebrated the self-starters and finishers of the filmmaking world. WMMINTL (https://www.wemakemovies.org/wmmfest) will recognize the DIY filmmaker with a 4-day festival, including on-screen programming, as well as panels that highlight the collective's signature pipeline of workshops that have enabled the community to create a substantial body of work.

From July 11th-July 14th, screenings will be held at the Second Stage space at the Broadwater Theatre, home of the nationally renowned Sacred Fools Theatre Company.

Submissions begin December 15, 2018 via FilmFreeway (https://filmfreeway.com/wmminternationalff).

About We Make Movies:

We Make Movies boasts the first functional format for a member-funded, owned, and run film and television collective, awarding thousands of dollars to filmmakers through their Rolling Production Fund challenges. (https://www.wemakemovies.org/film-challenges/) Founded in 2009 in Los Angeles, 2012 in Toronto, and in San Francisco this past fall, WMM provides free workshops, discounted resources and services, educational industry events, and fosters an inclusive community that empowers creative professionals who are developing and producing original works. WMM is also available for hire as an independent production company.

WMM has directly funded 28 films, co-produced over 150 short films as well as 10 feature films, hosted an official weekly WMM Sketch Show (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnAsrW7oNh5TOAyQCNXiYdS_SblfGw3QF) (filmed at YouTubeStudios LA), and has had hundreds of series, pilots, shorts and features come through the pipeline, as well as their first half-hour comedy pilot, OFF THE GRID (http://www.offthegridshow.com/) (entirely developed, written, cast and crewed from members in the WMM community). A considerable amount of WMM projects have accrued accolades in several film festivals around the world and have also found distribution on various VOD platforms.

For interview opportunities and additional information --

Media Contact:

Email: Allyson@wemakemovies.org

917.626.4321