Sundance headerIf you're a filmmaker who wants your films to help change the world and the lives of those in it, you may be interested in submitting your shorts into the first ever Sundance Institute Short Film Challenge. The Sundance Institute, in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, are looking for "an optimistic story about individuals and communities who are overcoming poverty and hunger, combatting disease, or improving health." If you're interested, continue on for submission and reward details.


The purpose of the SISFC is to not only start a conversation about how poverty and hunger affects people all around the world, but to also inspire empathy in those who experience the films. According to the film challenge's Tongal page, here's your goal as a participating filmmaker:

Create a unique, compelling and personal Short Film (fiction or documentary) that explores an empowering person or shares an optimistic story of individuals and communities who are overcoming poverty and hunger, combatting disease, or improving health. Your Short Film can be imaginative, unorthodox, daring or simple -- the style and structure are completely up to you but you must touch on economic inequalities.

To get an idea of what the Sundance Institute is looking for, check out the SISFC Sizzle Reel below:

The five chosen films will premiere at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, and each winner will receive a $10,000 prize, as well as an all-expenses paid trip to Sundance as the Special Guest of the Sundance Institute and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The SISFC is asking for submissions from filmmakers all over the world, but read the official rules to make sure that you are indeed eligible. It's up to you whether your film is narrative or non-narrative, but keep it within 3 to 8 minutes in length. Check out the SISFC requirements to be certain that your film adheres to them. There's no submission fee -- and you can submit up to 5 projects, but you've got to get them in by July 1, 2014!

Will you be submitting your short film to the Sundance Institute Short Film Challenge? Let us know in the comments!

Links:

[via Deadline]