Animal Behavior Society (ABS) Film Festival

The ABS Film Festival features outstanding films that portray important concepts in animal behavior in the context of research, education and/or conservation. The festival takes place annually at the Animal Behavior Society conference (https://www.animalbehaviorsociety.org/web/index.php) which is attended by several hundred scientists, professors, applied practitioners, and students from across the globe.

Categories include both professional (commercial) and amateur (non-commercial) films produced in the past five years.

Commercial: Films made by professional photographers with the express purpose of earning a profit from the endeavor. Scientists may or may not be used as consulting experts, but typically scientists are not the individuals initiating production of the film. Films in this category are usually promoted through advertising, and are suitable for broadcast.

Non-Commercial: Films made by persons largely associated with animal behavior from a teaching, research, and/or applied perspective. The assistance of professional photographers or a university media/photography department is allowed. However, the film must be made primarily for educational/research purposes, and not with the major goal of obtaining an income for the individual or the professional photographers.

1st place for the commercial and non-commercial categories and 1st and 2nd runner up when applicable.

Films must be in documentary or similar format depicting animal behavior in a research, educational or conservation context. Films must depict animal behavior in a natural context and cannot be fictional and/or purely animation.

Films are judged based upon how much animal behavior is depicted in the film, narration and film quality and uniqueness of content. Narration should be in English or have English subtitles.