The Aspire Film Festival is for narrative short films made by K-12 Montana students. This festival is ran by the students & faculty of the Aspire Media Program (AMP). This festival is for students by students. AMP, Treasure State Studios, & Shoot Montana are partnering to inspire the next generation of Montana storytellers. Our goal is to encourage Montanans and give them a platform to tell their stories.

10 films will be selected and screened at the first annual festival in Missoula, MT. There are several awards including a grand jury prize, an audience award, and the Treasure State Studios Award which is a $20,000 production & post production package.

***IF YOU ARE NOT CURRENTLY ATTENDING A K-12 SCHOOL LOCATED IN MONTANA - DO NOT SUBMIT TO THIS FESTIVAL. Films that do not qualify will be rejected without a refund***

Awards & Prizes

GRAND JURY AWARD
Chosen by our judges for most outstanding film. Winner receives a certificate and a gift basket.

AUDIENCE AWARD
Voted on by the audience at the film festival. Winner receives a certificate and a gift basket.

Rules & Terms

This competition is open to STUDENTS CURRENTLY ATTENDING A K-12 SCHOOL LOCATED IN MONTANA ONLY. Films that do not qualify will be rejected without a refund.

***After submitting you will be asked to provide proof of enrollment in a Montana K-12. You must be enrolled in the school as of May 21, 2020. Submissions by persons not attending one of the schools will not be considered. Valid proofs are Student ID or letter from school***

We accept films of all genres as long as it it narrative. Meaning fiction only. No documentaries or reality TV. Animation, special effects, mockumentaries & found footage are allowed.

Films must have a running time of 20 minutes or less.

All films must be submitted in English or with English subtitles (if not in English).

Filmmakers must have full copyright of their film. Copyright infringement will rule the film ineligible for competition.

One film per person.

Premiere status is not required.

Entries must be submitted online through FilmFreeway. All submission fees are non-refundable. We will not compensate for any costs associated with the submission.

Films must be PG-13 level of appropriateness or under to qualify. This is art. Violence and language are expressions , however, if your content is CLEARLY PORNOGRAPHIC IT WILL BE DISQUALIFIED WITHOUT REFUND.

Please provide a valid email and phone number for us to use to contact you.

Submitting your film does not guarantee festival acceptance or screening. Acceptance into the festival does not guarantee an award or prize.