As part of the upcoming Fly Fishers International Virtual Expo this fall, FFI is excited to announce the inaugural FFI Film Competition. The winning submission will take home a $2,000 prize. We are asking for your creativity, your passion, and your stories. Filmmakers can win great prizes and share their creative vision with a passionate and engaged fly fishing audience.

In keeping with the mission of the FFI to preserve the legacy of fly fishing for all fish in all waters, the objectives of the First Annual FFI Film Competition are to invite and encourage filmmakers of all ages, abilities, and experiences to tell their fly-fishing-related stories through original films. Experienced or novice, young or old, close to home or in exotic locations, all are invited to submit their original films.

Films can cover a variety of topic such as conservation, education, community, destination, or just a good fishing story. The Film Competition are free to enter, and open to the public.

The judges will pick the top 10 submissions which will be aired during the 2021 FFI Virtual Expo.

The panel of judges will be personalities from within the fly fishing community and their identity will remain confidential until after the film selections are made.
FFI is thrilled to partner with For Travels Sake and IF4 International Fly Fishing Film Festival in presenting the FFI Film Competition. The winning film may be shown during the 2023 IF4 Film Festival tour. Please note that winning the Film Competition does not guarantee entry into IF4.

All submissions must be a complete story with a beginning, middle and end and should not be focused on how-to, instructional, and business promotion of any kind.
Filmmakers are limited to one submission and can find the full list of rules and regulations on FFI’s website at FlyFishersInternational.org/Film-Competition.

Awards & Prizes

First place - Larry Gibbs First Place Prize of $2,000.00. The film will also be featured in the 2023 IF4 International Film Festival.

Second Place - $750 retail value in merchandise from an FFI Industry Partner

Third Place and Fan Favorite – Cheeky Reel

All prize levels will also receive an FFI hat and t-shirt.

Rules & Terms

• Open to EVERYONE and it is FREE!

• All submissions must be fly fishing related, and can feature topics related to conservation, education, community, destination, or just a good ol’ fishing story.

• All submissions must be original material.

• Must be filmed in HD quality 1920x1080 ProRes 422 or other HD Codec

• Entries must have a copyright or airdate in 2021.

• Only one submission per filmmaker.

• Entries must be received with a completed online entry form.

• Submission can be any length up to 15 minutes.

• Submissions cannot be how-to, instructional, or business promotion of any kind.

• Submissions must tell a story with a beginning, a middle and an end.

• Entries may not include any unauthorized copyrighted material, including music, images, or film.

• You must be able to provide legal documentation of your permission to use any copyright material.

• Submissions must be accompanied by a JPEG thumbnail for display on the FFI Film Awards website, a JPEG photo of the filmmaker(s), a description of the film (500-word max.), and a biography of the filmmaker(s) (500-word max.).

• Copyrights to the video remains the property of the film(s)producer and/or owner. However, the producer and/or owner of the winning film(s) must give permission to FFI to utilize the film(s) at no charge for a period of one (1) year from date of the announcement of the winning film(s).