The Arts In Healing Film Festival invites filmmakers from around the world to submit their works, to be viewed in person in Portland OR. The festival aims to highlight innovative work that has been documented in the therapeutic and healing arts from the United States and around the world. The festival will feature a broad spectrum of films that reflect various therapeutic art modalities in the helping profession. This involves multiple expressive media types that span across disciplines which includes and is not limited to: Art, Music, Dance, Psychodrama, Drama, Storytelling, Poetry, Play Therapy, Sand tray, Expressive Therapy etc. We welcome films that document collaboration across disciplines, organizations, and groups to generate public and interdisciplinary awareness and interconnectivity among the healing arts for advocacy and social transformation.
Films will be rated according to the following criteria:
1. The film demonstrates principles of creative practice that are used to assist people in healing, therapeutic and societal change, personal growth, and/or community participation.
2. The film conveys genuine, authentic engagement in therapeutic arts in ways that inform, instruct, inspire and/or contribute new awareness of their breadth and value.
3.The film offers thoughtful and sensitive portrayals of participants and activities that demonstrate cultural humility, and that honor and value diverse perspectives, identities, experiences, and ways of making meaning.
4. The film communicates effectively to its intended audiences, whether arts therapists, artists, educators, mental health and medical professionals, administrators, public policy setters, and/or the general public.
5.The film's visual quality, production, and editing are of professional quality.
6.The film’s sound quality, production, editing, and narrative are of professional quality.
There are two areas of focus for submissions. Filmmakers can submit to one or both of these categories.
About the Arts & Healing - These films will highlight educating the public about the use of art for healing. This is intended for a general audience. It responds to the question, “What are the arts in healing?”
Applying the Arts & Healing - These films will highlight the application of creative arts in therapeutic settings. This is intended for general and professional audiences. It responds to the question, “How are the arts used in healing?”
Short Films (5-15 mins)
Feature Films/Documentaries (Max length 1hr)
Disciplines represented: Art, Music, Dance, Psychodrama, Drama, Storytelling, Poetry, Play Therapy, Sand tray, Expressive Arts Therapy
Best Short: Applying the Arts In Healing
Best Feature: Applying the Arts In Healing
Best Short: About Arts In Healing
Best Feature About Arts In Healing
“The Judy” Judy Rubin Film Award- integrates two or more content areas
Content Areas:
An impactful example of social transformation
An impactful example of antiracism
An impactful example of equity based community practices
An impactful examples of theory in practice
Innovative couples work
Innovative group work
Innovative individual work
Innovative family work
Centering people of the global majority
Centering LGBTQ+ voices
Centering Indigenous practices and voices
Centering Black voices
Centering Disability Justice
Highlight individual and psychological change. Content might include: mental illness, trauma and recovery.
Also arts therapies in variety of settings ie.; schools, community centers, museums, hospitals, prisons, retirement communities.
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June 2025
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Grace Walcott
June 2025
