5 Best Film Fests You Should Be A Part of OR At Least Attend

Filmmakers have their own ways of getting inspired. But among them should be attending 1 or 5 Movie Festivals. Here are Shami Media's Top Picks.

1. King Cannes- Cannes, France 

The "masterpiece" of festivals, most years it attracts the latest from the world's top directors and emerging filmmakers. 

2. Sundance Film Festival- Park City, USA

Still the United States' most important film festival, Sundance is the cradle of the American indie movement. While the combination of economic downturn and massive restructuring within the industry have meant that deals made at the fest are not where they were five or more years ago, it is still an important place to do business and even its detractors would not dare miss it. The festival continues to showcase the most anticipated titles in new American cinema.

3.Toronto International Film Festival- Toronto, Canada

Toronto is an early must-stop in the long lead up to awards season with Fall titles using the event as a crucial launching pad for their release. Considered by many as North America's most important film festival, Toronto premieres first-rate titles from established and emerging filmmakers alike, many only days (or even hours) after their world premieres in Venice

4. South By SouthWest- Austin, Texas

This may be a controversial choice, but we're going for it. We believe that unlike any other festival, SXSW is uniquely establishing itself as the event on the cusp of technological innovation. while redefining what a festival is. SXSW made its name as a center showcasing new music. Later it established its film and interactive events, which have themselves rivaled the music component for attention

5. New York Film Festival- New York, New 

While not exactly what might be called a "discovery festival," the NYFF is nevertheless an important American showcase defining the most important voices in world cinema. The highly curated event typically picks a select number of films from the world's top film festivals, while also adding a more finite number of lesser known important titles from emerging filmmakers.