Sunscreen Film Festival

What Sunscreen Film Festival does

Sunscreen Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) non-profit independent film festival organized by the St. Petersburg-Clearwater Film Society, Inc., founded in 2005 by Tony Armer and headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida. The festival operates as an annual in-person event (the 22nd Annual scheduled for April 29 - May 2, 2027) centered at the AMC 12 Theatres at Sundial, featuring film screenings, filmmaker Q&As, educational workshops, panels, networking events, and awards across 17+ categories. Filmmakers from 75+ countries submit work through FilmFreeway, with 270 films screened in 2026 up from 35 in 2006, and attendance has grown from 600+ to 8,000+ over the same period.

The core technology stack is operational rather than proprietary: Eventive handles ticketing, pass sales, and scheduling (adopted in 2025); FilmFreeway manages film submissions; SignUpGenius coordinates volunteers; DCP (Digital Cinema Package) is the standard exhibition format, supported by partner DCP For All. The organization runs a multi-tiered sponsorship structure ranging from $500 (Contributor) to $75,000 (Headline) with eight published tiers, multi-year contracts, and bundled benefits including VIP passes, branding, and event naming rights. Customer segments include independent filmmakers (primary), film enthusiasts and general audiences (primary), film students, and corporate sponsors. Celebrity guest appearances (John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Patrick Wilson, Billy Dee Williams, among others) and brand recognition (MovieMaker Magazine '25 Coolest Film Fests', 2013-2014 Academy grant) form the marketing backbone. Revenue streams are festival passes and tickets, film submission fees, sponsorship packages, and merchandise sold through Spring by Amaze. A 2013 expansion to Los Angeles established a dual-city model, though the organization is founder-led and operates without disclosed private equity or venture capital backing.

Name

Sunscreen Film Festival

Legal name

Sunscreen Film Society, Inc.

Website

https://sunscreenfilmfestival.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sunscreen Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) non-profit annual independent film festival in St. Petersburg, Florida, founded in 2005. It serves independent filmmakers, cinephiles, students, and corporate sponsors through screenings, workshops, panels, awards, and tiered sponsorship packages across 75+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Film Festival Events

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPADAKAD

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Exhibition (Cinemas, Film Festivals, Screenings)

Keywords

• Independent film festival
• Film screenings
• Filmmaker submissions
• Film education workshops
• Festival sponsorships

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Petersburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Festival Passes and Tickets: The festival sells various tiers of passes (Platinum, Gold, Silver Screen, Film, Filmmaker, All-Access, Cinephile Day) and individual tickets for screenings. Ticket sales are managed through the Eventive platform.
2. Film Submission Fees: Filmmakers submit films through FilmFreeway with Early Bird, Regular, and Late submission deadlines. Submission deadlines for 2026 festival: March 17, 2026 (first), March 27, 2026 (last), with late fees applicable.
3. Sponsorship Packages: Corporate sponsorships at multiple levels from Contributor ($500) to Headline ($75,000). Each tier provides brand exposure, VIP passes, and marketing benefits.
4. Merchandise Sales: Apparel, tote bags, coffee mugs, and other festival merchandise sold through Spring by Amaze online retail store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Sunscreen Film Festival is an annual independent film festival held in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, that screens narrative features, documentaries, shorts, animation, and student films submitted by filmmakers worldwide. The festival produces screenings, filmmaker Q&A sessions, educational panels and workshops, networking events, award ceremonies, and tiered pass/ticket access for attendees, filmmakers, and industry professionals. Supporting offerings include film submission services (via FilmFreeway), multi-tier corporate sponsorship packages, official merchandise, and a volunteer program.

Product overview

The Sunscreen Film Festival is an annual independent film festival organized by the St. Petersburg-Clearwater Film Society, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The core offering is the annual festival event featuring film screenings, filmmaker Q&As, educational panels, workshops, networking events, and awards. Supporting products include tiered festival passes/tickets for attendees, film submission services for filmmakers via FilmFreeway, sponsorship packages for brands, official merchandise through Spring by Amaze, volunteer programs, and special guest/panel programming. The festival serves filmmakers, film enthusiasts, industry professionals, and sponsors through its unified event platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sunscreen Film Festival (Annual Event) Annual independent film festival held in St. Petersburg, Florida, featuring film screenings, Q&A sessions with filmmakers, workshops, panels, networking events, and awards ceremonies. The 21st annual festival runs April 30 - May 3, 2026.
• Festival Passes and Tickets Tiered pass system (Platinum, Gold, Silver Screen, Film, Filmmaker, All-Access, Cinephile Day) offering access to screenings, workshops, panels, and parties, plus individual screening tickets, sold via the Eventive platform.
• Filmmaker Submission Services Film submission process via FilmFreeway with deadline tiers (Early Bird, Regular, Late). Accepted filmmakers receive two Filmmaker Pass lanyards granting access to all screenings, workshops, and parties, plus access to discounted DCP creation via partner DCP For All.
• Sponsorship Packages Multi-tiered corporate sponsorship opportunities from Headline ($75,000) down to Contributor ($500). Benefits include VIP All-Access passes, brand recognition, award ceremony presentations, advertising/PR coverage, and event naming rights.
• Festival Merchandise Official Sunscreen Film Festival merchandise including apparel, tote bags, coffee mugs, and other branded items sold via the Spring by Amaze online retail store.
• Festival Awards and Special Recognition Annual awards recognizing excellence across 17+ categories including Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Foreign Film, Best Documentary, Best Short Film, the Dale Pople Sci-Fi Award, and the Dave Barrett Cinematography Award.
• Special Guests and Panel Programs Celebrity appearances, industry professional panels, workshops, and networking events featuring actors, directors, casting directors, producers, and entertainment executives.
• Volunteer Program Volunteer opportunities for festival operations including theatre management, production, ushering, and box office roles. Volunteers receive Cinephile Day Passes or Gold Passes in exchange for a minimum of 8 hours of service.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2026 festival: 270 films screened, 8,000+ attendees, 270+ films from filmmakers representing 75+ countries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• AMC 12 Theatres at SundialcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain venue partner for film screenings, located at The Mall at Sundial in downtown St. Petersburg. Provides 12 screens for festival screenings, panels, and workshops. Festival has been held at this venue since 2016.
• St. Pete-Clearwater Film CommissioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGold-level sponsor and key regional partner supporting the festival's presence in the Tampa Bay area. Helps promote the festival and attract filmmakers to the region.
• City of St. Petersburg, FloridacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBronze sponsor representing municipal support for the festival as a cultural event that enhances St. Petersburg's economic profile and draws tourism.
• Florida Arts & CulturemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGold-level sponsor providing state-level arts and cultural funding support for the festival.
• Goldberg Law GroupmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSilver-level sponsor providing legal industry support to the festival.
• Coastal CreativemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBronze sponsor, a production studio and event space in St. Petersburg. Founder Zach Moore serves as Co-Marketing Director for the festival.
• Greenlight CinemasminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBronze sponsor and venue partner for festival screenings.
• FilmFreewaycoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial film submission platform for the festival. Filmmakers worldwide submit entries through this platform.
• EventivecoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial ticketing and pass management platform adopted in 2025. Handles festival passes, individual ticket sales, schedule management, and event registration.
• Hilton Bayfront HotelmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial festival hotel and preferred accommodation partner. Located within walking distance of the venue. Discounted rate of $204/night for festival attendees.
• Film USA (National Film Commission Association)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational film commission association co-founded by festival founder Tony Armer. Supports film festival operations and regional film commission coordination.
• Carnish & Gentile Certified Public AccountantsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBronze sponsor providing accounting and financial services support to the festival.
• Florida Keys & Key West Film CommissionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBronze sponsor representing Florida Keys film tourism and production support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Slamdance Film Festival: Independent film festival running parallel to Sundance; directly comparable as an indie-focused festival with submission-fee revenue via FilmFreeway and a programming model aimed at emerging filmmakers.
• Tribeca Festival: New York City-based annual film and storytelling festival; directly comparable as an independent film festival with educational programming, celebrity guests, and a multi-tier sponsorship stack targeting the same filmmakers and brand sponsors.
• Sundance Film Festival: Premier U.S. independent film festival; directly comparable as the apex destination for independent filmmakers and a benchmark that any U.S. indie festival — including Sunscreen — competes against for premieres, sponsors, and prestige.
• Cleveland International Film Festival: Mid-sized U.S. independent film festival; directly comparable in scale and operating model (annual multi-day event, tiered passes, sponsorship tiers, educational programming) and competes for similar indie film submissions.
• Newport Beach Film Festival: Annual Southern California independent film festival; comparable in tier (mid-sized U.S. indie festival with celebrity guests, sponsor packages, and pass tiers) and overlaps with Sunscreen on submission-fee and sponsor competition.
• SXSW Film Festival: Austin-based annual festival with a prominent independent film component alongside music and tech; directly comparable as a multi-track independent film festival that competes for the same filmmakers, sponsors, and audiences in the U.S. festival circuit.
• Florida Film Festival: Orlando-based annual independent film festival run by the Enzian Theater; directly comparable as a Florida-based indie festival competing for the same regional filmmakers, sponsors, and cinephile audiences.

Others

• Enzian Theater: Nonprofit arthouse cinema in Orlando that operates the Florida Film Festival; comparable as a nonprofit film exhibition operator using tiered memberships, sponsorships, and event programming, and a likely partner/competitor for indie filmmakers in Florida.

Broad incumbents

• Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF): Large, globally recognized fall film festival; a broader incumbent in the same exhibition space that draws overlapping filmmakers, distributors, and press, setting the bar Sunscreen's programmers and sponsors reference.

Regional players

• Gasparilla International Film Festival: Tampa Bay-based annual film festival; a regional peer operating in the same metro and competing for local sponsors, attendees, and filmmakers in the Tampa Bay media market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sunscreen-filmfestival

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sunscreen Film Festival