#ScreenOpps #ScreenOppsDec15

Women in the Arts & Media Coalition,

and WomenArts presents

#ScreenOpps
#ScreenOppsDec15

Submission opportunities for women in film/video.

(previously known as Film/Video Funding Newsletter)

**Opportunities starred are for women only.

##Opportunities with double hashtags are for special populations.

Special Opportunity

30% DISCOUNTED SUBMISSIONS
LIVERPOOL AND HONG KONG LIFT OFF FILM FESTIVALS

Liverpool Lift-Off is the only Film Festival in Liverpool and is one of the best attended international film festivals in the North of England. With sell out screenings that span a week of celebration, where the focus is sat heavily on the directors and teams behind each piece that we showcase. All of the awards are audience choice and our winners get to enjoy full official selections at every-single subsequent Lift-Off Film Festival around the world.

Hong Kong has a film industry bursting with opportunity for filmmakers from any where the world. Hong Kong is a priority city for the Lift-Off Global Network. As more and more film professionals head there from countries all over the world, this mega city for cinema is quickly becoming an alternative professional destination for filmmakers outside of NYC, LA and London.

Liverpool and Hong Kong Lift-Offs are film festivals that form part of a wider network of connected film festivals around the world. A unique channel consisting of ten global cities and an on-demand platform. By submitting to any Lift-Off Film Festival you are giving your work the unique possibility of joining the only real alternative to global distribution.

If your work wins Liverpool or Hong Kong Lift-Off then you could be screened to audiences in Hong Kong, Liverpool, Tokyo, Las Vegas, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Singapore, Sydney and London. Along with the possibility of earning money by forming part of Lift-Off's On-Demand Initiative at the end of the respective season.

Lift-Off's aim is to help you launch your professional life in film.

Showcasing your work, building press coverage, exposing you to global production companies, industry agencies, and worldwide producers.

Our motto and selection ethos...

Look beyond the gloss. Put talent before technology.

If your work is rich in substance, has exceptional subject matter, a superior execution of story structure and you want to screen your work to a truly remarkable and global audience then this is your film festival.

For more information, deadlines, and to submit, visit: https://filmfreeway.com/festival/LiverpoolLiftOffFilmFestival and https://filmfreeway.com/festival/HongKongLiftOffFilmFestival.

FOR DISCOUNT CODE: Be sure to email specialoppscode@gmail.com to retrieve the discount code for 30% off of the submission fee - available only to #screenopps subscribers!

Festivals

Aspen ShortsFest (Aspen, Colorado; April 5-10, 2016) - Aspen Shortsfest is one of the world's premier international showcases for the trend-setting art form: the short. This Oscar®-qualifying international competition offers a lively, thought-provoking, and humorous selection of drama, comedy, animation and documentary - all at 40 minutes or less. Fees: $35-100. For more information and to apply: http://www.aspenfilm.org/index.php/events/aspen-shortsfest.  Deadline: December 15, 2015 (late); December 31 2015 (extended).

Short. Sweet. Film Fest. (Cleveland, OH; March 4-6, 2016) - These films must be either made in the greater Cleveland area or made by filmmakers who reside in the greater Cleveland area.The Short. Sweet. Film Fest strives to showcase up and coming filmmakers at the local, national and international levels who strive to advance the art of film. In today’s film climate it is hard to showcase short films. Many festivals only care about features and it seems like this art is dwindling to silly videos about kittens on the internet. Even though we love kittens (who doesn’t?) here at the Short. Sweet. Film Festival, we love short films (heck, short is even in our title). Our festival will take place in the Alex Theater at the Metropolitan at the 9 hotel in the heart of downtown Cleveland. Filmmakers and patrons can stay at the hotel at a discounted rate and enjoy food and beverages throughout the festival. For more information and to apply, visit http://shortsweetfilmfest.com/. Deadline: December 1, 2015 (Extended)

Chicago Underground Film Festival (June 1 - 5, 2016; Chicago, IL) - CUFF welcomes a mix of films and videos of all lengths and genres, but the festival’s dominant focus is on works that chart new, experimental ground in form or content. Selected feature filmmakers receive travel stipends to attend the festival, as well as all-access passes to screenings, parties, and other events. Every day at CUFF is filled with unforgettable screenings, and every night is packed with invigorating parties and concerts. For more information and to submit, visit http://cuff.org/. Fee: $15 -55. Deadline: December 1, 2015 (Regular), January 5, 2015 (Late).

**Artemis Women In Action Film Festival** (April 22-24, 2016; Santa Monica, CA) - Artemis Motion Pictures brings you the first ever film festival dedicated to honoring female driven action films, the people who pioneered them and contributed to the success of the genre, and the undiscovered talent of the future.We celebrate powerful women taking action on the silver screen. From superheroes to super stuntwomen, from martial artists to mighty athletes, from women in law enforcement to women in the armed forces, we will shine a spotlight on females in fiction and documentary films who are fearless, fierce, and revolutionary. All submissions must feature women either starring or co-starring as a physical action character. For more info and to submit, visit http://www.artemisfilmfestival.com/. Deadline: December 15, 2015 (Regular), January 15, 2016 (Late), February 01, 2016 (Extended)

Santa Barbara International Film Festival (February 3-13, 2016, Santa Barbara, CA) – Seeking entries in the following categories: Feature Fiction (40+ minutes, Narrative Fiction film), Feature Documentary (40+ minutes, Non-Narrative Non-Fiction film), Feature Animation (40+ minutes, Animated Feature film), Short Fiction (under 40 minutes), Short Documentary (under 40 minutes), Short Animation (under 40 minutes), Feature Local (40+ minutes, must live or be a student in the Santa Barbara County, email: programming@sbfilmfestival.org to inform them your film is a local submission), Short Local (under 40 minutes, must live or be a student in the Santa Barbara County, email: programming@sbfilmfestival.org to inform them your film is a local submission).  Check the website for further information. FEE: $30-$95 ($5 discount with “Premium” Withoutabox account). Santa Barbara International Film Festival, 1528 Chapala Street, Suite 203, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. generalinfo@sbfilmfestival.org, http://sbiff.org/film-festival/submit_a_film/, sbiff.org.  Deadline: December 18, 2015 (drop)

Tribeca Film Festival (Tribeca, NYC; April 13-24, 2016) - The festival, once again presented by AT&T, will return for its 15th year on April 13-April 24, 2016, along with its key programs and attractions. For the second year, TFF’s creative hub will be Spring Studios, where attendees, industry and press congregate for innovation events, parties, Tribeca Talks® panels and the fourth annual Storyscapes program, TFF’s juried showcase of interactive storytelling, and the TFI Interactive lineup. This year’s TFF broke records in regards to gender diversity behind the camera, with 33% of the 2015 feature film program’s directors being women. That momentum will carry over into 2016, as TFF reteams with Coach to present The Nora Ephron Prize for the third straight year, awarding $25,000 to one special female filmmaker. Fees: $35-110. For more information and to apply: https://tribecafilm.com/festival/submissions.  Deadline: December 23, 2015 (late).

San Francisco Frozen Film Festival(July 21-24, 2016, San Francisco, CA) – Celebrating “razor’s edge independent films and bands” during July, the coldest month of the year in San Francisco. Seeking entries in the following categories: Filmstock Film (all forms, lengths, and genres; must be shot on 8, 16, or 32mm), Digital Film (all forms, lengths and genres; must be shot with a digital camera), Feature Documentary (45 minutes or longer), Short Documentary (under 45 minutes), Animation, First-Time Director, Student Director (filmmaker must be enrolled in high school or college during production), Surf/Skate Video (videos about skaters, surfers, and snowboarders; winners may be asked to skate or perform at opening gala), Music Video, International Film (made outside the U.S.), Music Documentary, and Environmental Film. FEE: $20-$55. San Francisco Frozen Film Festival, 588 Sutter St. #103, San Francisco, CA 94102, T: (415) 846-1375, FAX: (415) 392-7500, frozenfilmfestival@gmail.com, http://www.frozenfilmfestival.com. Deadline: December 31, 2015 (regular), March 31, 2016 (late), May 31, 2016 (extended, via withoutabox.com)

Winter Film Awards Indie Film Festival (Febuary 24-27, 2016, NYC) - WINTER FILM AWARDS announces a CALL FOR ENTRIES for the 2016 Indie Film Festival to be held Feb 24-27 2016 in NYC. We seek diverse, fresh voices & creative indie films from NYC and the entire world in all genres – feature length and shorts, narrative fiction, documentary, animation, horror, web series and music videos. Submissions deadlines: Early-Sept 1, Regular-Nov 1, Late-Dec 1. Now in its fifth year, the rapidly growing Festival showcases the work of emerging filmmakers, and we build our screening program from submissions, not invited films. Each year, roughly 90% of selected films were received via regular submissions. For the 2015 Festival, 76 films from 29 countries were selected for screening, including 34 by female directors and 20 student films, and 75% had a budget under $50k. Works of all genres, forms, and lengths are considered for Festival screening. Outstanding work will be awarded for each category, along with Best Director, Best Actor/Actress, Best Original Score, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Student Film and the NY PERSPECTIVES Award for best depiction of the New York multi-cultural experience. Submit films via https://filmfreeway.com/festival/WFA16; Visit www.WinterFilmAwards.com for more information! Deadline: December 1, 2015 (late)

Dallas International Film Festival (April 9-19, 2015, Dallas, TX) - During the past eight years, the Festival has featured the finest in U.S. and international cinema, including 1,518 films representing more than 50 countries, and has presented more than $545,000 in awards. One of MovieMaker magazine’s “25 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee.” Competitions include: Narrative Feature Competition, Documentary Feature Competition, Texas Feature Competition, Shorts Competition, Animation Competition and there are several awards including an Audience Awards series. To submit, http://www.dallasfilm.org/submit-your-film-for-diff-2016/. Deadline: December 4, 2015 (regular), December 11, 2015 (late)

**Through Women’s Eyes** (April 10-19, 2015, Great Falls, VA) – International festival featuring women directors, with a focus on international women’s issues, stories and lives. Seeking films directed by women in the following categories: Documentary, Feature, and Short. FEE: $40-$75. Through Women’s Eyes, 241 Bliss Lane, Great Falls, VA 22066, T: (703) 402-1428, tobrack@aol.com, http://www.throughwomenseyes.com, Deadline: December 1, 2015 (regular), December 20, 2015 (extended, via withoutabox.com)

##New York Indian Film Festival (May 7-14, 2016, New York, NY) -  Celebrating alternative, independent cinema from the global South Asian community. Seeking works by veteran as well as emerging South Asian filmmakers in the following categories: Feature (over 40 minutes), Short (under 40 minutes), Documentary (over 40 minutes), and Short Documentary (under 40 minutes). FEE: $25-$80. Indo-American Arts Council, 517 East 87th St., Ste. 1B, New York, NY 10128, T: (212) 594-3685, nyindianfilmfest@gmail.com, http://www.iaac.us. Deadline: December 1, 2015 (regular), February 1, 2016 (late)

##Boston LGBT Film Festival (April 2015, Cambridge, MA) – The largest, longest running LGBT media event in New England seeks films about topics of interest to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community in the following categories: Documentary Feature, Narrative Feature, Narrative Short, Documentary Short, and Experimental. FEE: $0-$35. Boston LGBT Film Festival, 955 Massachusetts Ave. #361, Cambridge, MA 02139, T: (617) 233-1190, bostonlgbtprogramming@gmail.com, http://www.bostonlgbtfilmfest.net/submissions/. Deadline: December 1, 2015 (early), January 2, 2016 (regular), February 1, 2016 (late), February 12, 2016 (extended, via withoutabox.com)

Seattle International Film Festival (Seattle, WA; May 19-June 12, 2016) - 25 days. More than 450 films from 90 countries. 150,00 attendees. Be part of the largest and most highly attended film festival in the United States, now in its 42nd year. SIFF has been bringing great film experiences to the Northwest for over 40 years! We connect the wide interests of our audience with the passion and craft of filmmaking artists. Partnerships with small businesses, international consulates, nonprofits, and community organizations throughout the region are vital to SIFF's mission. We collaborate with over 50 different organizations that sponsor and promote films directly impacting their interests and passions in our community. For more information and to submit: http://www.siff.net/festival-2016/call-for-entries-2016.  Deadline: January 4, 2015 (final).  

Seattle True Independent Film Festival (Seattle, WA; May 2016) – Seeking diverse new voices in independent film from the Northwest and the rest of the world in the following categories: Short, Feature, Student Short (director must be enrolled at time of submission in a film school, college film program or high school; 16 minutes or under), Indepenetration (subjects that most people would find offensive), Documentary Feature, Documentary Short, Experimental, Web Series Episode. FEE: $20-$75. Seattle True Independent Film Festival, 2311 N. 45th St., #194, Seattle, WA 98103, T: (206) 650-7470, contact@trueindependent.org, www.trueindependent.org. Deadline: January 4, 2016 (regular), February 15, 2016 (late)

**The Gracie Awards** – Given by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, honors outstanding programming for, by and about women, as well as individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the industry.  Programming entries must reflect subject matters of interest and concern to women; entries that reflect diversity in women’s issues are encouraged.  Entries must be produced, directed, or written by at least one woman.  See website for complete guidelines and application.  Applications must be submitted online. FEE: $35-$250. Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, Gracies Call for Entries, 1760 Old Meadow Rd., Ste. 500, McLean, VA 22102, T: (703) 506-3290, info@allwomeninmedia.org, www.thegracies.org.  Deadline: December 10, 2015 (early), January 7, 2015 (final deadline)

Onscreen

Sunflower Sings - Casting lead actress, supporting roles and extras in 8 minute, magical realism, short film. LONGLINE: A single mother is trapped in a work-obsessed world. The growth of a giant magical sunflower will show her the path to freedom. Pre-production and rehearsals late December 2015/early January 2016. Filming in California in February 2016. 5 x 8 hour days. Seeking submissions nationwide/worldwide. Submit via Backstage: http://www.backstage.com/casting/sunflower-sings-96299/.

For more OnScreen opportunities, visit Backstage.com; ActorsAccess.com; or Playbill.com.

Offscreen

Reel Jobs NYC (NYC) - Reel Jobs List is a free job listing, which is limited to job opportunities in the film, television and theatre industries. It is published by the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting each Monday.  It can be downloaded in PDF format or picked up at our offices at 1697 Broadway in New York City between 9am and 5pm weekdays.  In the case of a public holiday falling on a Monday, the listing will be available on Tuesday. The Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting (MOFTB) accepts job listings by email only, which must be submitted using this email form.  The weekly deadline for filing new announcements is Thursday at 12/noon for the following week's Reel Jobs NYC.  Your free listing will run for one week.  If you would like the listing to run longer, please re-submit your listing for each week that you would like it to run.  The MOFTB is not responsible for changes in listings not reported to us.  The MOFTB reserves the right to edit and/or modify submitted listings, and has final approval for all listings. PDF format here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/film/html/jobs_training/reel_jobs_list.shtml.

Funding

Pacific Pioneer Fund - For filmmakers based in California, Washington, or Oregon, this grant offers $1-$10k to emerging documentarians. From PPF: To support emerging documentary filmmakers. The term "emerging" is intended to denote a person committed to the craft of making documentaries, who has demonstrated that commitment by several years -- but no more than ten -- of practical film or video experience. For more information and to apply: http://www.pacificpioneerfund.com/. Deadline: December 1, 2015

CrossCurrents Doc Fund - Administered by the Canadian doc fest giant Hot Docs, the CrossCurrents Doc Fund gives $10,000 a year to one applicant for a short to mid-range length project. From Hot Docs:

The CrossCurrents Doc Fund is an international production fund that fosters storytelling from within communities whose perspectives have been historically underrepresented or marginalized. The Fund supports the work of filmmakers from within these communities, and prioritizes emerging filmmakers who can illustrate a relationship between the film’s subject and their own experience. For more information and to apply: http://www.hotdocs.ca/i/crosscurrents-doc-fund. Deadline: December 2, 2015

Film Independent Documentary Lab - If you've got a feature doc in the rough cut stage, consider applying to this Lab for mentorship, feedback sessions, and support. From FIND: Held in Los Angeles in April, the Film Independent Documentary Lab is an intensive five-week program designed to help filmmakers who are currently in post-production on their feature-length documentary films. Through a series of meetings and workshops, the Documentary Lab provides creative feedback and story notes to participating filmmakers, while helping them to strategize for the completion, distribution, and marketing of their films. For more information and to apply: http://www.filmindependent.org/labs-and-programs/documentary-lab/#.Vjz2n0LInPA. Deadline: December 2, 2015

NEH Media Production Grants - The National Endowment for the Humanities is the big daddy of government support for documentaries that address the humanities. The application process isn't easy (you need an experienced team, a non-profit organization or fiscal sponsor, two humanities advisors, and a lengthy application -- Ken Burns' project descriptions are rumored to have been around 40 pages), but the payoff is worth it: one to three year grants in the $100,000 to $650,000 range. From NEH: NEH encourages projects that feature multiple formats to engage the public in the exploration of humanities ideas. Film and television projects may be single programs or a series addressing significant figures, events, or ideas and drawing their content from humanities scholarship. They must be intended for national distribution. The program welcomes projects ranging in length from short-form to broadcast-length video. For more info and to apply: http://www.neh.gov/grants/public/media-projects-production-grants. Deadline: January 13, 2016

NEH Media Development Grants - Like the above production grants, the development grants are for documentaries that address topics in the humanities, and the application process is just as extensive. The awards range from $40,000 to $75,000. From NEH: Development grants enable media producers to collaborate with scholars to develop humanities content and to prepare programs for production. Grants should result in a script or a design document and should also yield a detailed plan for outreach and public engagement in collaboration with a partner organization or organizations. For more information and to apply: http://www.neh.gov/grants/public/media-projects-development-grants. Deadline: January 13, 2016

Ford Foundation: JustFilms - If you have a social justice documentary at the rough cut stage, take a look at the JustFilms eligibility to see if you can apply. (A few topics of docs that are not eligible: health, sports, early childhood, advocacy, educational, scientific.) If you are located internationally, see if you are in one of the ten places where the Ford Foundation has regional offices. From the Ford Foundation: JustFilms focuses on film, video and digital works that show courageous people confronting difficult issues and actively pursuing a more just, secure and sustainable world...Beginning in 2011, we are investing $10 million a year over five years in documentary projects that address urgent social issues and help us understand our past, explore our present and build our future. Our goal is to expand the community of emerging and established filmmakers who often lack funding, and help them to realize their visions and reach audiences. Website: http://www.fordfoundation.org/issues/freedom-of-expression/justfilms/for-grant-seekers.

Deadline: Rolling

Residencies

Film Independent Documentary Lab - Held in Los Angeles in April, the Film Independent Documentary Lab is an intensive five-week program designed to help filmmakers who are currently in post-production on their feature-length documentary films. Through a series of meetings and workshops, the Documentary Lab provides creative feedback and story notes to participating filmmakers, while helping them to strategize for the completion, distribution, and marketing of their films. Additionally, the program serves to advance the careers of its Fellows by making introductions to film professionals who can advise on both the craft and business of documentary filmmaking. Lab Fellows attend multiple guest-speaker sessions with established documentary directors, producers, and editors, and each is paired with an experienced Creative Advisor who can provide support and insight as the Fellows ready their projects for release. Website: http://www.filmindependent.org/labs-and-programs/documentary-lab/#.VjQElBCrTVp. Deadline: December 7, 2015  

Hawthornden Castle (Midlothian, Scotland) – International 1-month retreats for creative writers of all types from anywhere in the world to work without disturbance. Residency provides individual room/study in shared house and meals. Artist responsible for travel. Applicants must be published writers. Contact them for application instructions. NO FEE. Hawthornden Castle, Lasswade, Midlothian, EH18 1EG Scotland, United Kingdom, T: +44 131 4402180, FAX: +44 131 440 1989, http://www.transartists.org/air/hawthornden-castle.  Deadline: Ongoing