BIFF Adds Home Movie Category

Now in its 12th year, the Burbank International Film Festival (BIFF) has added a new pandemic-driven category for this year's awards: "Films Made From Home."

The content can be for commercials, PSAs, music videos, short films, and for streaming or VOD or other online platforms, or theatrical.

The films can't be longer than five minutes and will need to be submitted online between May 1 and June 30 to be eligible. They must also adhere to safety guidelines and restrictions during productions.

Semifinalists will be announced July 15 and will be screened as part of the festival, which is still scheduled for Sept. 9-13, 2020, in Burbank.

"At this time of COVID-19 production challenges, we are excited to launch our newest festival opportunity to spotlight the talented and innovative filmmakers who are creating remarkable movies from the confines of their homes," said festival president Jeff Rector.

The BIFF is dedicated to "promoting and supporting inclusive and culturally-diverse perspectives and content."

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.