Led by Miraya Berke: Los Angeles-based Rom Com Fest will shine a spotlight on the Romantic Comedy when it debuts in June

Rom Com Fest, led by Miraya Berke, announced a Call for Entries for the inaugural edition of a brand new film festival focused on and celebrating the romantic comedy, which will take place at Downtown Independent in Los Angeles (251 S. Main Street) on June 20-23.

Led by Founder and Executive Director Miraya Berke, Rom Com Fest will screen a mix of new and classic romantic comedies, as well as hosting filmmaker panels, parties, and other events to celebrate the genre and offer a touchstone on the West Coast for film fans and filmmakers that love and create romantic comedy films and film art. Highlights will include speed dating, craft night, and a pajama party, as well as the expected moderated Q&As with filmmakers, panel discussions, red carpet, and additional networking events.

Berke said, “We’re looking for empowered and uplifting stories that have us re-thinking the romantic comedy genre. We will showcase all types of film (feature film, foreign, shorts, music videos, web and television series), and even include a screenplay component. If you’re doing something different, we will take a look. Turn in interesting art about love. Rom Com Fest is designed to both celebrate romance and the romantic comedy, as well as examine the form, explore its future, and give it the respect and yes – the love, we feel it deserves. You could say we take our romantic comedies seriously at Rom Com Fest.”

Berke is a female entrepreneur – founder of Pop Productions event boutique studio and co-founder of Dessert Goals, the popular dessert festival in New York and Los Angeles. With a background in events and partnership and a personal love of romantic comedies, she is passionate about the romantic comedy genre and its legitimization in the eyes of film fans, filmmakers, and critics, in addition to the pure enjoyment of the films themselves.

Berke added, “There’s a film festival for everything it seems – even in this city (Los Angeles), but what about the romantic comedy? Especially nowadays, we all need something uplifting to escape to. Routinely dismissed by film critics as a lesser genre artistically, romantic comedies aren’t simply traditionally beloved, but also a true art form which has produced some of the most classic and enduring films we know today. These films should receive the recognition they deserve along with an experience to bring together a community of film fans that flock to them. Thus, we created Rom Com Fest.”

What will be the next WHEN HARRY MET SALLY?

All films submitted must have a romantic comedy theme. Films can vary in length from two minutes to two hours. Categories will include feature film, foreign, shorts, music videos, web/TV series, screenplay, etc..

Rom Com Fest will look to showcase female filmmakers and strong female characters. While open to all genders, the film festival will lean towards stories that are directed and/or written by women or have female-driven plots with dynamic female leads.