FILM FESTIVAL OPEN TO INDIGENOUS/NATIVE AMERICAN DIRECTORS ONLY!
(See NOTE in 'Rules & Terms')
First Nations Film and Video Festival Inc. hosts two annual festivals a year (May 1-10 & Nov. 1-10) dedicated to showcasing works by Native American Directors of all skill levels and providing a venue for their works that promote Native American first-voice and self-representation in film and media. Hosted by several venues across Chicago, Illinois and beyond, the FNFVF has become a major showcase for Native American films that sometimes screen nowhere else. Join us!
All FNFVF events are FREE and OPEN to the Public.
NOTE: Due the to COVID-19, it is POSSIBLE we will be hosting our Festivals online for the time being. If there are changes we will post the announcements to our website: www.fnfvf.org.
PLEASE! READ GUIDELINES CAREFULLY BEFORE SUBMITTING:
First Nations Film and Video Festival, Inc. (FNFVF Inc) is a grassroots Native American film festival dedicated to showcasing works produced by Native American film and video makers and artists of all skill levels. FNFVF Inc takes place twice a year with a festival in the Spring and Fall in venues across Chicago and surrounding suburbs.
The First Nations Film and Video Festival Inc. advocates for and celebrates the works of Native American film and video that break racial stereotypes and promotes awareness of contemporary Native American issues and society and to provide an appropriate venue for their works. All films screened directed by Native American artists from the United States, Canada, Central and South America, and Mexico.
FESTIVAL GUIDELINES:
The guidelines are simple: DEADLINE is JULY 15, 2024
1) Any film or video of any genre or length may be submitted as long as the Director is enrolled in a U.S. Native American tribe or of Native American/Indigenous American descent. (Producers or Distributors may submit on the Director’s behalf.) Co-directors taken on a case-by-case basis. See note below.
2) All submitted film MUST be made within the last five (5) years. This year we are accepting films made after January 2019.
And that’s it. Remember, there is NO ENTRY FEE for submitting films to the First Nations Film and Video Festival.
NOTE: We will be scrutinizing the technical aspects of our entries. If the audio mix or image issues are making the film difficult to watch, we will turn down the submission with a note to fix the issue and to re-submit the film for the next festival.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The First Nations Film and Video Festival considers "Native American", "Indigenous American" and "American Indian" to include people of heritage or enrolled with the indigenous peoples/tribes of the United States, North, Central, and South America, including Canada and Mexico. To protect Native American first-voice and self-representation, the Director MUST BE of U.S. Native/Indigenous American heritage or an enrolled member of a tribe of U.S. Indians. U.S.-born Native Hawaiian also accepted. CO-directors will be judged on case-by-case basis.
Also, FNFVF Inc is working to minimize the usage of the term "Indian" when discussing the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. Due to the terms origins, we feel that the term to be incorrect and offensive.
DO NOT: list your name, nationality, a name of a non-existent tribe, or a Native American Organization in the "Tribal Affiliation" field below. TRIBAL AFFILIATION MUST BE FILLED OUT.
We do research tribal names/recognized tribes and if we cannot find a tribal name, we consider the application "incomplete".
Please make sure your biography mentions your tribal affiliations to help with the process. Also, involvement or paid membership with a Native American Organization does not constitute "Tribal Enrollment".
All FNFVF events are FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC but the hosting venue may ask patrons for a donation on their own behalf to cover event costs. FNFVF, Inc. makes no money on the screening of your films. We simply work to put your works on screen in front of an audience.
Please note the information about the FNFVF Archive in "Rules and Terms" below and our use of your films for free educational screenings (with your permission).
We look forward to seeing your works and helping you find an audience. Thank you for your support of the First Nations Film and Video Festival.
FNFVF is a festival showcasing films DIRECTED by Indigenous/Native American filmmakers. Producers can submit on a filmmakers behalf. Any film found NOT directed by an Indigenous/Native American filmmaker will be labeled INCOMPLETE.
FNFVF is a non-competitive film festival, dedicated to getting as many films on as many screen in front of as many patrons as possible. You can submit up to five short films and two feature films for each festival.