The Directing Change Annual Film Contest and Awards Ceremony celebrates excellence in mental health storytelling and includes screenings of youth-created films from across California, celebrity guest speakers, and the announcement of statewide contest winners. 📽️ Check out a recap of our last award ceremony: vimeo.com/861417135

The Directing Change Program is a non-profit organization established in 2012 that is devoted to amplifying the voices of young people across California in support of mental health awareness, suicide prevention, and other critical health and social justice issues. By following the program’s submission guidelines to create short films, narratives or art projects, young people can communicate positive, youth-focused, action-oriented messages promoting change to peers and their community.
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Awards & Prizes

Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Regional Prizes in each category:
• 1st place: $500
• 2nd place: $250
• 3rd place: $250

Walk in Our Shoes Prizes:
• 1st place: $500
• 2nd place: $250
• 3rd place: $250

Through the Lens of Culture Prizes:
• 1st place: $1,000
• 2nd place: $500
• 3rd place: $250

Animated Short Prizes:
• 1st place: $1,000
• 2nd place: $500
• 3rd place: $500
• 4th place: $250
• 5th place: $250

Statewide Hope & Justice category Prizes:
• 1st place: $500
• 2nd place: $250
• 3rd place: $250

🏆 Additional Prizes
All winning films will be featured on the Directing Change website. Additional prizes include:
-Schools and organizations associated with the first-place regional film in each category will receive a trophy.
-First-place regional winners will move on to statewide judging to compete with other winning films across the state.
-Up to two participants from the first-place film team will be provided with travel stipends to attend the award ceremony (subject to availability of funding).
-Films will be integrated into the statewide suicide prevention awareness social marketing campaign and possibly shown on TV, online, and in movie theaters.

Rules & Terms

Please review the Rules and Submission Category information on our website at DirectingChangeCA.org and submit your film to our entry form at DirectingChangeCA.org/entry-form for it to be entered into our contest.

Eligibility – To participate, you must be between the ages of 12-25 and located in California. Middle school, high school, and college students, as well as other young adults can participate.

Submission Deadline – Midnight PST on March 1, 2024

General Submission Requirements and Rules
-Films must be 60 seconds (except for Animated Short films, which should be 30 seconds)
-Films should include required title slide and end slate (available on website)
-Films in languages other than English should include captions
-Avoid brands and logos in films
-Entries must meet all copyright standards by obtaining releases for all copyrighted music and materials before submission
-Release forms be completed electronically for all members of the cast and crew
-Youth and young adult producers: please avoid potentially dangerous production situations that could put crew, actors, or the public at risk
-The Directing Change Team reserves the right to disqualify any entry that they believe at their sole discretion to violate the rules
-Entries can be submitted to other film festivals after the submission deadline.

Please contact us if you have any questions about the contest rules!