Last updated: October 2026
You spent years making the film. Now it needs an audience, a festival run, a distributor or all three, and every one of those decisions goes better with press behind it. This is our guide to where independent filmmakers can get reviews, interviews and coverage for a festival run or release.
The short version: use festival selections as your news hook, pitch indie film outlets (Film Threat, Indie Shorts Mag, Short of the Week, No Film School, Film Courage) and editorial magazines like The LA Note, send password-protected screeners, and start 6–8 weeks before your premiere or release date.
At a glance
- Festival submissions: FilmFreeway is where most festivals take entries.
- Reviews and interviews: The LA Note, Film Threat, Indie Shorts Mag, Film Courage.
- Shorts: Short of the Week, Indie Shorts Mag.
- Craft and behind-the-scenes: No Film School, Filmmaker Magazine.
- Trades (usually through a publicist): IndieWire, Deadline, Variety.
- Pitch The LA Note: thelanote.com/submit
1. Festivals — your news hook
A festival selection, premiere or award gives editors a reason to cover you now. FilmFreeway is where most festivals accept submissions. Pitch press as soon as a selection is announced, and again before the screening date.
2. Outlets that cover independent film
The LA Note
That’s us. The LA Note publishes long-form features and interviews with filmmakers, cinematographers and actors, like our recent profile of cinematographer Emma Quirós. We want the story of how the film got made and why it had to be. To pitch us, go to thelanote.com/submit.
More film outlets worth pitching
- Film Threat — one of the longest-running independent film sites, reviewing indie features and shorts.
- Indie Shorts Mag — reviews, interviews and festival coverage for short films.
- Short of the Week — a curated showcase of the best short films; selective and highly respected.
- No Film School — filmmaking craft and industry. Pitch a behind-the-scenes angle on how you made it.
- Filmmaker Magazine — the magazine of independent film, published by The Gotham.
- Film Courage — long-form interviews with filmmakers and screenwriters.
- IndieWire — the leading independent film trade. Festival, acquisition and release news usually comes through a publicist.
3. Timing and screeners
- Start 6–8 weeks out. Reviewers schedule screenings weeks ahead.
- Send a password-protected screener (private Vimeo or similar), never a file download.
- Have a press kit ready: logline, synopsis, director’s statement, stills, poster, credits and the trailer.
- Line up the dates: festival premiere, distribution announcement and release are three separate news moments. Pitch each one.
4. How to pitch so you actually get featured
- Lead with the hook: the festival, the premiere date, or the story behind the production.
- One logline, one link. Keep the pitch under 150 words.
- Offer access: the director, a cast member, or a behind-the-scenes angle.
- Prove you read them. Mention a recent piece the outlet ran.
Get featured in The LA Note
We feature filmmakers, cinematographers and actors with a story worth telling. Send a short pitch, a private screener or trailer link, stills, and a two-paragraph bio.
Go to: Submit to The LA Note
Planning a bigger push? A full campaign (several outlets, timed to your release) is a different job than one feature. Speak to a PR agent.
New to pitching? Start with our main guide: Where Independent Artists Can Submit Music & Get Featured (2026).
Frequently asked questions
Where can indie filmmakers get press for their film?
From independent film outlets like Film Threat, Indie Shorts Mag, Short of the Week, No Film School and Film Courage, from editorial magazines like The LA Note, and from trades like IndieWire, usually through a publicist.
When should I start pitching press for a film release?
Six to eight weeks before your festival premiere or release date, then again at each news moment: selection, premiere, distribution and release.
What goes in an indie film press kit?
A logline, synopsis, director’s statement, high-resolution stills, the poster, full credits, the trailer, and a password-protected screener link.
How do I get featured in The LA Note?
Go to: Submit to The LA Note with a short pitch, a private link to the work, one high-resolution photo, and a two-paragraph bio.
Image credits
- Featured image: A film crew at work on an Alamo set. Photo: Sean Devine at http://picasaweb.google.com/seanmdevine via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped with text added)
- Photo 1: Filming of “Radical” (2025) on Wellington Street West, Toronto, dressed as 1970s New York City. Photo: Can Pac Swire via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Photo 2: A camera crew filming Transformers at Edwards Air Force Base, 2007. Photo: 1st Lt. Brad Kimberly, USAF via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Vianka Petines is a sharp, versatile writer with a gift for creative flair and the colorful details that make an artist’s story come alive. One of The LA Note’s most prolific contributors, she covers music and entertainment across the board. Away from the keyboard, she’s happiest helping her family and playing with her pets.
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