Filmmaker contest for all levels

To enter the One Earth Film Festival – Young Filmmakers Contest, entrants must be in one of the following grade level categories at the time of submission. There will be one winner in each of the following seven (7) categories. Occasionally, there will be a tie, allowing for two winners in a category.

• Elementary (grades 3, 4, 5) (or ages 8 to 11)

• Middle School (grades 6, 7, 8) (or ages 11 to 14)

• High School (grades 9, 10, 11) (or ages 14 to 17)

• Senior Year + University (grade 12 or active, enrolled university students) (or ages 17 to 25)

• Post-Graduate (recent university graduate) (or ages 22 to 25)

• Animation/Stop-Motion (grade 6 to Post-Graduate) (or ages 11 to 25)

• Sally Stovall Planet Warrior Prize for Creativity (grade 12 to Post-Graduate) (or ages 17 to 25)

Note: students who have completed grade 11 and submit an entry before commencing grade 12 will be considered entrants for grade 12.

Contest entries may be submitted by an individual, or by a group of any size (ex: a group of friends, an after-school program, or an entire class). In the case of group submission, the appropriate entry level is the age/grade of the oldest group member. One prize will be awarded to the entire group as a whole.

Topic Categories

Topics differ based on age. Students in grade 11 and younger should choose one or several of the following topics on which to focus the theme of the film. 

• Climate
• Energy
• Food
• Transportation
• Waste
• Water
• Wildlife and Ecosystems

Entrants will then be judged on their ability to address the topic(s) of choice by being engaging, informative, inspiring, and creative through their film. All submissions must show a strong (research-supported) understanding of the topics and related issues. Submissions must share and highlight solutions to the issues discussed in the chosen sustainability topic(s). The film entry’s theme must be solution-based. The film should talk about an environmental/sustainability problem and then discuss what could be a potential solution to this problem. For example, consider a film that discusses over-logging and deforestation and then elaborates on how paper-based product industries can change their methods to harvest sustainably. We look forward to viewing your entries that talk about a current problem and how you propose we solve this problem as a community with the goal of sustainability.

Students in grade 12 and above have more freedom with content/topics. Their submissions should be environmental films that motivate viewers towards behavior change or activism. 

Film Length

Entrants may submit a film of no shorter than 3 minutes and no longer than 8 minutes.

Sponsor will accept and consider short animated films. The minimum length for animated submissions is 45 seconds. Animation/stop-motion films can present a solution or motivate viewers towards awareness or behavior change for one of the seven topics. In other words, animations from those in grades 11 and younger are not required to show a problem and solution within this shortened time frame, as they are required to do with live action films.

As a reminder, while a group of people (ex: a class or a group of friends) may submit an entry together, only one prize will be awarded to the group as a whole. Prizes are subject to change without notice.  

Judging Criteria

Sponsors and its judges will check for adherence to these Rules, including eligibility, compliance with all terms (legality, conduct, etc.), film length, format, etc. Films will be judged by One Earth Collective volunteers based upon quality and content of the film and its ability to educate, inspire, and raise awareness of the film’s chosen topic. 

We also stress that films from students in grade 11 and under will be judged on their ability to address a problem and propose a solution to that problem. Films should state a current environmental/sustainability problem regarding one or more of the topics listed above and propose a solution that can help solve/lessen that problem.

Films from students in grade 12 and above will be judged on their ability to educate, inspire, and raise awareness of the film’s chosen topic.

For more information, visit https://www.oneearthfilmfest.org/contest-details