Believe Psychology Film Festival

Welcome to Believe Psychology Film Festival and Screenwriting Contest! Make your mark on the history of cinema by including your film or screenplay in a celebration of movies and stories influenced by psychology.

HISTORY:
Psychology has been a part of the film industry since the 1930s-1940s. As the field of psychology became popular in the United States, Hollywood began producing a large number of psychological movies reflecting both psychopathy (mental illness) and the healing effects of psychology (mental health) in people’s lives. Today, the topic of psychology and mental health has received national attention and movies reflecting psychology are needed for widespread distribution.

Both internationally and within the US, we find filmmakers, directors, writers and producers like yourself contributing your vision of how psychology influences modern day storylines.

MISSION:
Believe Psychology Film Festival aims to promote films and screenplays that include dynamics of psychology and portrays them with honesty and compassion. We are looking for films and scripts that address, depict, represent, tell the story, show, highlight, teach, expose, explore, offer guidance, celebrate and/or raise awareness about topics related to psychology.

Themes of psychology are varied and multifaceted. It is not limited to stories labeled mental health or mental illness. It includes stories of everyday life. Psychology movies tell stories of joy, disappointment, triumph, loss, perseverance, hardship, and growth while exploring the complexities of interpersonal relationships. We are looking for stories that capture a peek into the lives of their characters and expose viewers to their unique perspective.

The path to reducing stigma toward the field of psychology is to increase the number of stories being told that are influenced by psychological themes and to do so with compassion and honesty. We invite filmmakers and screenwriters to share their artistic contributions and inspire a world to a deeper understanding of the human capacity.

SELECTION PROCESS USING HYBRID APPROACH: (READ CAREFULLY)
The pandemic changed the world and subsequently changed the production of artistic festivals. In the last year, festivals have adjusted by shifting from in-person to online screenings. We have had success with the online platform and yet cannot deny the value and specialness of in-person events. For this season, we have decided to offer both in-person and online screenings within a hybrid model.

Films will be selected to screen in-person with an option to screen online as well. You get an in-person screening + an online screening. Some films have distribution limitations so it is optional to screen online if you are selected to screen in-person. We get lots of questions on this one so repeated 3x for emphasis.

We want as many films to reach an audience as possible. However, due to limited theater space, some films will be selected for our online platform only. If you decline to screen online, just let us know during the selection process.

Please note, all films that are submitted are eligible to be selected for an in-person screening. All films that are officially selected are eligible for awards in their category including Grand Prize Awards which include premium prizes and gifts.