Heather Brittain

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Film Festival Insider

Heather Brittain

Actress. Filmmaker. Film Festival Insider.

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theheatherbritt

🎬 Helping indie filmmakers navigate the festival circuit
🎟️ Festival Programmer | Founder @filmfestinsider
📰 Variety Featured
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Day 2 at HollyShorts left me feeling inspired. Aft

Day 2 at HollyShorts left me feeling inspired.
After an exciting Opening Night - where my client @lisasteadman short film @taintedloveshort won the @stage32 Grand Prize and kicked off the festival with a fantastic block of films - today’s highlight was attending Beyond the Pages, a terrific panel hosted by Jean Vallesteros @jeanbooknerd .
A big thank you to Jean and the incredible author panelists - Mary Ting, D.J. MacHale, Angela Corbett, Clarissa Jacobson, Bradley Beaulieu, Angel Payne, and Lauren Kate - for such an engaging conversation about the relationship between novels and screenplays.
One of the ideas that really resonated with me was that, for many filmmakers, writing a novel isn’t a detour - it’s simply another path to getting the movie made. There isn’t one “right” way into this industry, and sometimes the story itself tells you what medium it wants to live in first.
Looking forward to another few days of great films, great conversations, and meeting more talented filmmakers.
And a special shoutout to my client @arbyrnes , whose beautiful short film Viewfinder has been nominated for the HollyShorts Made in LA Award. If you’re at the festival, don’t miss it - it screens Wednesday, August 19 at 12:00 PM as part of the Made in LA block.

#hollyshorts #filmfestival #filmfestivalinsider #filmfestivalstrategy #filmfestivals

I posted a reel the other day. Asked filmmakers to

I posted a reel the other day. Asked filmmakers to comment FREEWAY if they wanted the link.

My phone was blowing up.

Every comment is a filmmaker who didn’t know their FilmFreeway page was a pitch. And it was costing them.

Filmmakers are catching on.

Don’t let your next submission go in blind.

Comment FREEWAY below. 🎬

#filmfestivalinsider #filmfestivals #filmfestivalstrategy #filmfreeway #filmfestival

I’m in the middle of reviewing submissions for our

I’m in the middle of reviewing submissions for our 2027 festival right now.

And I’ll tell you what I see before I press play on your film — because most filmmakers have no idea this is happening.

Your FilmFreeway page lands in front of me before your screener does. And it’s either telling me this filmmaker is serious, or it’s not. That impression follows your film into the screening room whether you know it or not.

It’s not just newer filmmakers either. Some of the most experienced filmmakers I see have the most incomplete, unprofessional project pages. Which tells me nobody ever showed them what a programmer actually looks at.

FilmFreeway is a marketplace. Your page is positioning your film — whether you’re doing it intentionally or not.

I built Freeway Fixr™ because I kept seeing strong films get passed over for reasons that had nothing to do with the film. Five lessons. Both sides of the table. Less than the cost of one wrong submission.

You really can’t afford another wrong submission.

Comment FREEWAY below, and I’ll send you the link. 🎬

#filmfestivalstrategy #filmfestivals #filmfestivalinsider #filmfestival #indiefilm

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the U.S

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the U.S. premiere of my client Lisa Stedman’s short film, tAInted Love, at LA Shorts International Film Festival—an Oscar®, BAFTA, and Canadian Screen Award qualifying festival.

It was a packed house, a strong block of films, and tAInted Love was a clear standout. It was fantastic hearing the audience respond throughout the screening, and wonderful to finally experience the film on the big screen.

Congratulations, @lisasteadman ,on a terrific premiere. I’m so excited to see where the rest of the festival journey takes this film.

One of the most rewarding parts of what I do is helping filmmakers build a thoughtful festival strategy, then getting to celebrate moments like this alongside them. There’s nothing quite like watching months of planning culminate in a room full of people connecting with a story. 🤍🎬🤍

#filmfestival #filmfestivalinsider #festivalstrategy #filmfestivals

Online film festivals exploded during COVID for a

Online film festivals exploded during COVID for a reason — the world needed connection and they delivered it.

But here’s what most filmmakers don’t account for when they’re chasing laurels from an exclusively online festival: you’re submitting your film into a fish bowl. Someone might fish it out. They probably won’t remember who put it there.

Your film is a very expensive business card. And handing a business card to someone in person — making eye contact, having a real conversation — is categorically different from dropping it into a pile.

The connections you make in the room with other filmmakers. The live audience reaction when that jump scare actually lands. The moment someone remembers you and not just your film.

That’s what online-only festivals can’t replicate.

I was on the Film, Tech & Finance podcast with Kostantinos Kovanis breaking down exactly why in-person festivals are still where careers are made — and what filmmakers need to understand before they submit.

Full episode linked on my blog at FilmFestivalInsider.com. 🎬

#filmfestivalstrategy #filmfestivalinsider #filmfestivals #festivalstrategy #indiefilmmaker

FilmFreeway is a marketplace. And most filmmaker

FilmFreeway is a marketplace.

And most filmmakers are treating it like a filing cabinet.

Right now I’m reviewing submissions — and I’m watching it happen in real time. Talented filmmakers. Strong films. Submission packages that are quietly undermining everything they worked so hard to create.

The frustrating part? They don’t see it. And no one is telling them.

What’s obvious to someone who has sat on both sides of the submission table is completely invisible to the filmmaker on the other side of it. Until it isn’t.

That’s the moment everything changes.

I built Freeway Fixr™ for that moment. Five video lessons that show you exactly what programmers notice before they press play — so your submission package finally works as hard as your film does.

This is the foundation of your entire festival run. Get it right.

Link in bio. Or comment FREEWAY and I’ll send it straight to your DMs. 🎬

#filmfestivalstrategy #indiefilmmaker #filmfreeway #filmfestivalsubmissions #filmfestivalinsider

Filmmakers are out here building their entire fest

Filmmakers are out here building their entire festival strategy like this… 
and no one is questioning it.

“You can use the filters on FilmFreeway to find festivals that are a good fit.” 
“Look at films similar to yours and submit to those festivals.” 
“Look for festivals that are IMDb qualifying.”

It sounds logical. 
It feels like you’re being strategic.

But none of that actually tells you how your film is going to land in a programming room… 
or if the rooms you’re choosing are even right for your goals and your film.
And that’s the part that determines everything.

Because festivals are not selecting films based on filters, labels, or surface-level similarities.

They’re programming for tone, audience, timing, identity, and how a film fits into a much bigger conversation.

Most filmmakers aren’t lacking effort.

They’re making decisions based on signals that look credible… 
but don’t actually mean anything when it comes to selection.

So the strategy ends up feeling scattered. 
Inconsistent. 
Hard to trust.

If that’s been your experience, it makes sense.

You’ve been given tools… 
but not the framework for how to use them.

If you want support building a strategy that actually fits your film, I have resources for every stage of the process.

You can explore more at filmfestivalinsider.com or send me a DM if you’re not sure where to start.

#festivalstrategy #filmfestivals #filmfestivalinsider #filmfestivalsubmissions

There are moments in life that remind you why you

There are moments in life that remind you why you started.

Walking the Croisette. Sitting in packed theaters. Listening to filmmakers share stories they’ve spent years bringing to life. Watching audiences react. Feeling the energy of thousands of people who still believe that cinema matters.

This week in Cannes was one of those moments.

I came to support two incredible filmmakers whose work was showcased on an international stage. I left with something even greater: renewed faith in storytelling and the people brave enough to pursue it.

Behind every screening, every award, every premiere, every red carpet photo is years of uncertainty, sacrifice, rejection, persistence, and belief.

That’s the part people don’t always see.
But standing in Cannes, surrounded by artists from every corner of the world, I was reminded that great stories continue to find their way forward because people refuse to give up on them.

Feeling grateful. Feeling inspired. Feeling excited for what’s next.
The future of independent film is in very good hands.

🎬❤️

#CannesFilmFestival #filmfestivals #WomenInFilm #festivalstrategy #FilmFestivalInsider

Cannes has a way of reminding you why stories matt

Cannes has a way of reminding you why stories matter.

I spent the past week at the Cannes Film Festival supporting two Film Festival Insider clients, Ellen Ancui and Tatiana Blackington James, whose films were selected for the American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase, presented in partnership with Gold House.

Watching their work screen alongside so many thoughtful, moving, and beautifully crafted films was a privilege. The level of talent in this showcase was extraordinary, and I left inspired by the filmmakers who are shaping the future of independent cinema.

The week brought even more reasons to celebrate.

Both filmmakers also screened as part of the Diversity in Cannes Short Film Showcase, where Tatiana received the award for Best Screenplay and Ellen received the Jury Award. Seeing their work recognized on an international stage was incredibly rewarding.

Beyond the screenings and events, what stays with me most are the conversations.

Conversations with filmmakers from around the world. Conversations about craft, persistence, audience, funding, rejection, success, and the stories people feel compelled to tell.

No matter where someone came from, the language was the same: a belief in the power of storytelling.

I attended fascinating panels, including IndieWire’s discussion on short films and career pathways, watched remarkable films, and finally experienced a screening at the legendary Lumière Theatre—one of those moments every film lover dreams about.

But perhaps my biggest takeaway is this:

For all the challenges facing independent filmmakers today, there is an incredible amount of talent, passion, and determination out there.

The future of filmmaking feels bright.
And after a week like this, it’s hard not to feel optimistic about what’s ahead.

#CannesFilmFestival #filmfestivals #WomenInFilm #festivalstrategy #FilmFestivalInsider

I’ll be attending Marché du Film at Cannes this ye

I’ll be attending Marché du Film at Cannes this year.

And this one feels especially meaningful because I’ll be there supporting two Film Festival Insider clients whose films are screening at The American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase.

Two first-time directors.

Two films selected for one of only 20 showcase spots.

And now, they get to screen at the Palais during Cannes.

That is the kind of moment that reminds me why this work matters so much.

Because a festival run is never just about getting in somewhere. It’s about putting the film in rooms where the right people can see it, talk about it, remember it, and help it move forward.

That is why positioning matters.

That is why strategy matters.

That is why what happens after the film is finished deserves just as much intention as the making of it.

If you’ll be attending Marché du Film or Cannes this year, let me know!

I’d love to raise a glass with filmmaker friends on the French Riviera and celebrate the films, the work, and the wild road that gets us there.

#mdf26 #marchedufilm #cannesfilmfestival #filmfestivalstrategy #filmfestivalinsider

Two of my clients are heading to Cannes. First-ti

Two of my clients are heading to Cannes.

First-time directors.�
Selected for The American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase.�
Out of 20 films.

And yes, they’re screening at the Palais.

But here’s the part most people don’t see, or don’t want to admit when they’re deep in FilmFreeway tabs at midnight trying to convince themselves more submissions equals more chances.

None of this happened because they “just kept submitting.”

Because throwing your film at festivals without a real strategy is like dropping your script in 50 inboxes and hoping one producer magically understands what you meant without context, positioning, or a reason to care.

It’s not about volume. It’s about placement.

Ellen and Tatiana showed up differently for this phase.�They made decisions with intention.�They positioned their films for the rooms that could actually move them forward.
And the result speaks for itself.

And it’s not just them.

In just the last few weeks alone, my clients have been stacking selections, screenings, and real momentum, not random laurels that look nice and go nowhere, but rooms that actually matter for where they’re trying to go next.

Because a finished film is not the finish line.

It’s the start of a second campaign, and most filmmakers are still treating it like a guessing game.

If you’re in that stage right now, film done, wondering what actually matters next, you don’t need more tabs open.

You need a strategy that holds up when the stakes are real.

Shoot me a DM, or hit the links in my bio, if you’re ready to move like someone who understands the room.

#ampav2026 #cannes2026 #filmfestivalinsider #filmfestivalstrategy #indiefilm

Two Film Festival Insider clients. Selected for Ca

Two Film Festival Insider clients. Selected for Cannes.

SAVERIO by Ellen Ancui. LAWYERED UP by Tatiana Blackington James.

Out of only 20 films selected for The American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase.

And featured in IndieWire’s lineup announcement, which adds a level of visibility that actually matters.

Both first-time directors. Both incredibly talented. Both with films that deserve to be seen in rooms like this.

Moments like this are why I care so much about the work I do.

Because a strong film deserves more than just being finished. 
It deserves to be positioned in a way that gives it a real shot at being seen, taken seriously, and moving forward.

Ellen and Tatiana did the work. They showed up for this phase with intention, and I’m so proud to have supported them as clients along the way.

This is a big milestone. And it’s a well-earned one.

If you’re in that stage right now, where the film is done and you’re trying to figure out what actually matters next, you don’t have to navigate that blindly.

Send me a DM and we can look at your next best move together.

#cannes #filmfestivals #filmfestival #festivalstrategy #filmfestivalinsider

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