LAIFA Judging Policy for 2025 Submission Entries
All submissions for the Los Angeles International Film Awards (LAIFA) are meticulously screened and evaluated by our appointed Preview and Selection Committees. These committees, selected by the festival steering committee, ensure that the evaluation process is thorough, fair, and confidential.
Each film entered into the competition categories is judged based on the following criteria: Overall Impact, Script, Direction, Cinematography, Sound Design, Original Music, and Editing. Each criterion is scored out of 10 points, giving each film a potential maximum score of 70 points from each judge. The individual scores from each selection judge are then compiled into a master score.
From the total entries received, only the top 150 scoring films will be selected for inclusion in the competition. These selections will be across categories including:
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Original Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best International Feature Film
Best Documentary Feature
Best Documentary Short Subject
Best Animated Feature
Best Animated Short Film
Best Live Action Short Film
Best Cinematography
Best Film Editing
Best Production Design
Best Costume Design
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Best Visual Effects
Best Sound
Best Original Score
Best Original Song
Once the films have been evaluated and scored by the Selection Judges, submitters will be notified regarding the status of their films in the competition.
The selected films will be screened multiple times throughout the festival at our main venue announcing in Fall 2024
The competition shortlist for each category, which will be announced late on May, 2025, will be determined by Category Judges who are recognized industry experts. The shortlist will be posted on our website, on our Facebook page, and in the Box Office window. The winning films in each category will then be chosen from the shortlist and announced at our prize-giving ceremony.
Both the winning and shortlisted films will be screened on from 9 AM to 4 PM at various venues around the town.
We look forward to another year of celebrating exceptional filmmaking talent and showcasing the best in cinematic art from around the world.