Women’s Voices Now Prizes
Women’s Voices Now (WVN), a New York-based not-for-profit social enterprise is calling for
film submissions for Women’s Voices from the Muslim World: A Short-Film Festival. The
Festival is open to filmmakers of all genders, nationalities and faiths.
Subject Matter:
The Festival aims to give voice to women of all faiths living in Muslim-majority countries and
Muslim women living as minorities around the globe. The Festival is a unique project that
will highlight pro-women voices from within the Muslim World and present an unfiltered and
honest account of these women’s stories-focusing on the struggle for freedom of expression
and inalienable human rights. The scope of the films' subject must be pertinent to the spirit
of the Festival and should address the experiences that shape these women's lives, the
challenges that must be overcome before gender equality becomes the status quo, and the
people who are making this transformation happen.
Categories:
Filmmakers may submit into one of the following four categories:
Documentary Shorts
•Films must present factual materials with little or no fictional additions.
• Films must be under 21 minutes in length (Submitted as Part 1 and Part 2 pursuant
to YouTube time limits)
• Anyone may submit to this category.
Fiction Shorts
• Films must be under 21 minutes in length (Submitted as Part 1 and Part 2 pursuant
to YouTube time limits)
• Anyone may submit to this category.
Experimental Shorts
• Any type of non-traditional films are welcome, including silent films, mobile films,
animated films and photo montages.
• Films must be 90-300 seconds in length.
• Anyone may submit to this category.
Student Shorts
• Students must be enrolled at time of submission.
• Films must be under 10 minutes and 30 seconds.
Submission:
The Festival will accept submissions from both amateur and professional filmmakers.
Pursuant to WVN's goal of reaching and educating people around the world, WVN requests
that films be made available for viewing on-line. Filmmakers may apply and upload their
films via the WVN website (www.womensvoicesnow.org). All submitted films must be final
cuts. All requests for confidentiality and anonymity will be honored.
Deadlines:
Submissions are currently open and will remain open until November 1, 2010
without charge. However, filmmakers may submit films until November 24, 2010
for a US$20 fee.
Viewing:
Films admitted to the Festival will be available for viewing on the WVN website. Top films,
coupled with panels of speakers providing further insight and context, will be screened
during an event at the Los Angeles Film School in February 2011 and subsequently in
communities around the world.
Judging:
The Festival administrators, in conjunction with an on-line contest held in December 2010,
will select the top films in each catagory. The top films will then be judged by a panel of
experts, who will select the prize winners. The prize winners will be announced at the
February 2011 event in Los Angeles.
US$35,000 IN CASH PRIZES:
Cash prizes totaling $31,000 will be awarded to the top three films in each category. Eight
Honorable Mentions will receive an additional $4,000.
Contact detail: info@womensvoicesnow.org
Moreinfo: www.womensvoicesnow.org