SeeCalifornia.com

While California and Hollywood are considered the traditional home of moviemaking, today’s film industry is a worldwide enterprise. Feature films produced by U.S. companies are filmed across the globe. For many films, principal photography can and often does span more than one location. Popular animation movies such as the holiday release, COCO, get much of their computer work produced off-shore, as well.

The FILM CAPITAL has seen its movie power chipped away by international competitors such as the UK and other U.S. states like Georgia grabbing more and more industry dollars. California legislators responded with tax incentives for some production categories, and in doing so improved the state’s rank. California’s star power isn’t going down without a fight.

And, if creativity is a measure of THE FORCE, everyone’s a star in California where several hundred film festivals are in the hopper for the 2018 year! Festivals include films made by kids, about pets, the earth, ocean and so much more. Here are just a few to start the New Year.

California Film Festivals

• PALM SPRINGS: Palm Springs International Film Festival Jan.2-15
• NEVADA CITY – GRASS VALLEY: Wild & Scenic Film Festival Jan.11-15
• LOS ANGELES: Diverse Voices Jan.15
• COSTA MESA: Irvine International Film Festival Jan.26-31
• LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles Movie Awards Jan.17-18
• SANTA BARBARA: Santa Barbara Film Festival Jan.31-Feb.18
• SAN FRANCISCO: Independent Film Festival Feb.1-15
• LA JOLLA: Indie Film Festival Feb.6
• HOLLYWOOD: Reel Independent Film Festival Feb.7-27
• SAN DIEGO: Jewish Film Festival Feb.8-18
• BALDWIN HILLS: Pan African Film Festival Feb.8-19
• SAN FRANCISCO: Berlin Beyond Film Festival Feb.9-14
• SAN FRANCISCO: Jewish Film Festival Winterfest Feb.10-11
• WESTLAKE VILLAGE: California Underground Film Festival Feb.15
• GRASS VALLEY: Animal Film Festival Feb.17
• PASADENA: Poly Film Festival Feb.24
• SAN JOSE: Cinequest – San Jose / Silicon Valley Film Festival Feb.27-Mar.11