Do you have a child between the ages of 12 and 18 who cares about the environment? And who wants to win $1,000? Then this is for you!
Environmental Film Festival Announces New Film Award, Exclusively for DC Youth
Digital Shorts Competition for #DCEFF25
The Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital (DCEFF) turns 25 this year and is launching a competition for digital short films via social media.
Funded by a Who’s a Washingtonian? grant from the Humanities Council of Washington, DC, in partnership with DC’s Office of Cable Television, Film, Music & Entertainment, the new, online film competition aims to activate and inspire the next generation of environmental innovators, impact storytellers and global leaders using the power of film.
DCEFF announces an open call for films, from Nov. 14 through Jan. 13, in partnership with other local arts and educational organizations. Films eligible for the competition must be 60 seconds or less in length and explore city life, identity and the environment. During the submission process, interested young filmmakers will have an opportunity to participate in a master class media workshop, presented by DCEFF’s Executive Director Maryanne Culpepper, formerly President of National Geographic Studios. The workshop, which will take place in mid-December, will provide participants with expert knowledge and guidance, in addition to hands-on experience with storytelling and production using smartphones, tablets and other accessible technologies. More information about the workshop is available at dceff.org/youth-award/. The jury selecting the winning film will include Gregory McGruder, DCEFF Advisory Council Chair and Vice President of Live Events at National Geographic Society.
Only DC residents, between the ages of 12-18 will be eligible for the competition.
“Almost everyone – including middle and high school students – has access to a smartphone or a tablet these days. That means they have a high quality video camera. We hope this competition will inspire them to use that tool to promote environmental stewardship and community-driven narratives,” said Arjumand Hamid, DCEFF’s Director of Educational Outreach.
The winner will be awarded a $1,000 cash prize. He/she will also have a chance to present the winning film at DCEFF’s annual youth screening, which hosts approximately 1500 public and charter school students each year, as well as during the 2017 Environmental Film Festival, March 14-26, which boasts an annual attendance of over 27,000.
The winning film will also be added to the growing catalog of the DC Digital Museum (http://wdchumanities.org/dcdm/index), an online resource of over 800 humanities projects created by the people of Washington, DC.
About the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital
The Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital is the world’s premier showcase of environmental film and the largest and longest-running festival of its kind in the U.S. The Festival celebrates Earth and seeks to inspire wise stewardship of the planet through the power of film. The 25th anniversary Festival will take place from March 14-26, 2017 in Washington, DC. Find out more at dceff.org.