“We realized that the important thing was not the film itself but that which the film evokes.” ~Fernando Solanas

From social to humanitarian issues, from politics to prejudice…we are looking for films that educate, inspire as well as entertain. The art of storytelling is a passion that is designed to share. You are asking your audience to invest a certain amount of their life to watch the sum of your passion… what will the take-away be for them?

Specific Rules for this Category:
• Maintain the Grand Rapids Film Festival rules and terms/conditions
• Minimum of 60 minutes

“Reality changes; in order to represent it, modes of representation must change.”
~Bertolt Brecht

Make no apologies for submitting a short! You know what you want to say. You use well the resources that are available, just remember, The art of storytelling is a passion that is designed to share. You are asking your audience to invest a certain amount of their life to watch the sum of your passion… what will the take-away be for them?

Specific Rules for this Category:
• Maintain the Grand Rapids Film Festival rules and terms/conditions
• Maximum of 30 minutes

“In feature films the director is God; in documentary films God is the director.”

The documentary category is designated for submissions that blend insightful probing of the truth with creative expression that best tells the story it uncovers. This category is not an editorial as much an insight that allows the viewer to come to their own objective conclusion. As the truth of the subject matter is revealed, it should educate and challenge the viewer.

Specific Rules for this Category:
• Maintain the Grand Rapids Film Festival rules and terms/conditions
• Minimum of 30 minutes

“Reality changes; in order to represent it, modes of representation must change.”
~Bertolt Brecht

As with the full-length documentary category, the short category stands by the same principles of researching and communicating the truth of a given subject in a creative way that enhances the understanding. These submissions can be just as powerful as full length submissions because they are straight to the point!

Specific Rules for this Category:
• Maintain the Grand Rapids Film Festival rules and terms/conditions
• Maximum total run time of 30 minutes

“My road is towards the creation of a fresh perception of the world. Thus I decipher in a new way the world unknown to you.”
~Dziga Vertov

Developing artificial images to communicate that which real life cannot. We are looking for animations that take the audience to a level of identification that real-life would struggle to reveal. With that said, show us a new level animated storytelling. Oh and by the way…there is nothing wrong with eye-candy!

Specific Rules for this Category:
• Maintain the Grand Rapids Film Festival rules and terms/conditions

“You have only 30 seconds in a TV commercial. If you grab attention in the first frame with a visual surprise, you stand a better chance of holding the viewer. When you advertise fire-extinguishers, open with the fire.”
~David Ogilvy

We are looking for attention grabbers that leave us wanting more. What can you do with 30 seconds? We are looking forward to finding out!

Specific Rules for this Category:
• Maintain the Grand Rapids Film Festival rules and terms/conditions
• Maximum of 30 seconds

"Style is something that's extremely important, but it must grow naturally out of who and what you are and what the material calls for. It cannot be superimposed." ~William Friedkin

The student categories of feature, documentary and music video will be held to the same guidelines as the professional entrants but because they will be judged separately we looking for peer to peer impact that will make an imprint on your culture

"Style is something that's extremely important, but it must grow naturally out of who and what you are and what the material calls for. It cannot be superimposed."
~William Friedkin

The student categories of feature, documentary and music video will be held to the same guidelines as the professional entrants but because they will be judged separately we looking for peer to peer impact that will make an imprint on your culture

"Style is something that's extremely important, but it must grow naturally out of who and what you are and what the material calls for. It cannot be superimposed."
~William Friedkin

The student categories of feature, documentary and music video will be held to the same guidelines as the professional entrants but because they will be judged separately we looking for peer to peer impact that will make an imprint on your culture