Artists internationally are invited to apply with a short movement-based film to the 10th annual F-O-R-M (Festival Of Recorded Movement) in November 2025.

All movement genres and practices are invited to submit.

If selected, artists will receive a minimum screening fee of $250 CAD as well as free admission to all festival screenings and events.

—About F-O-R-M—
F-O-R-M presents films that investigate the body in motion through curiosity, experimentation, and imagination. We are interested in films that creatively explore our personal lived experiences and how such themes can be told through narrative or experimental approaches. Cinematography, experimental and DIY (Do It Yourself) editing approaches, and post-production effects are also considerations that contribute and add layers to the subject matter. We invite proposals to consider the interplay between the camera and the movement, regardless of the form.

Learn more about F-O-R-M on our About page here: https://www.f-o-r-m.ca/about

F-O-R-M strongly encourages and prioritizes applications from Youth artists, and those from intersectional and traditionally marginalized communities; Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, folks with disabilities, and diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions (LGBTQ2S+).

Our 2025 festival will offer a hybrid of in-person events in so-called Vancouver and online programming. Screenings will take place in cinemas, our Digital Library, and outside in public spaces through our Public Screens Program.

—How F-O-R-M Defines “Movement”—
F-O-R-M is interested in how movement can be utilized as a vehicle for expression. Some ways we’ve seen movement be expressed are through walking, sports, shadows, animation, the movement of nature, and dance practices.

Movement can be understood in relation to the body, or it can extend beyond into other realms. We believe that every day gestures and mundane interactions are forms of movement. Movement can also be represented through the intangible, such as a transformative social justice movement. Our curiosity is to broaden the scope and possibilities of recorded movement.

Additionally, we recognize the movement that happens behind the camera, such as approaching filming and editing as choreography. We’re constantly evolving our understanding of how movement and film relate, and your films help us shape these curiosities.

How do you define movement? How do you portray this definition within your practice or discipline? How does this movement collaborate with film?

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Our programming team makes an ongoing effort to invite artists to submit who have not historically seen themselves represented on screen or have not previously connected with F-O-R-M. We will be prioritizing films that consider and incorporate either accessibility and/or street dance in their work.

Learn more about these creative approaches here: https://www.f-o-r-m.ca/short-film-submissions-2025

—Submissions—

Submit for FREE via our website application form: https://www.f-o-r-m.ca/short-film-submissions-2025

If you have any questions about our application process please e-mail Associate Artistic Director Erin Lum at erin@f-o-r-m.ca

Artists may apply with a maximum of 2 films each.

Applicants must identify as either a Youth Artist or Emerging Artist.

We are accepting submissions from international applicants

Film genres accepted (but not limited to):
- Animation (i.e., drawing, stop motion)
- Documentary
- Experimental
- Narrative
- Music Videos

We prioritize films that are between 3-15 minutes.
***While we prioritize films within this length, we are open to discovering films shorter or longer than this. Please reach out via email if you have questions about your film's eligibility.
Please note: we unfortunately cannot consider films that are 35+ minutes.

All applicants must agree to the Rules and Regulations listed below
***Please note: if selected, artists must own all necessary rights and permissions of the video and audio material in their films (i.e., you must have the rights to use copyrighted music) by September 2025.
Here is a resource about Licensing Music for Short Films (source: Show Me Shorts Festival) https://www.showmeshorts.co.nz/education/filmmaker-resources/hitting-the-festival-circuit-xnwzz-yxk8b-h6pre-nn22t-4a8d2

—Rules and Regulations—
Individuals and groups (“Applicant”) submitting short films to F-O-R-M for consideration and possible showing must possess all necessary rights and permissions for all video and audio tracks submitted to F-O-R-M. F-O-R-M is not responsible for clearing, publishing, performance or other rights for the short films it screens or promotes on its site or at the festival.

Any lead applicant(s) younger than 18 years old at the time of the submission deadline must send a letter to F-O-R-M written by a legal guardian (e.g. parent) in order to apply to the festival. This letter must include the guardian’s contact information. Due to legal requirements we cannot accept applications by people younger than 18 years old without consent from their legal representatives.

All successful applicants grant F-O-R-M the non-exclusive rights to reproduce the applicant’s video in whole or in part and to showcase the short film for the purposes of the festival and/or its promotion (until December 31, 2030).

F-O-R-M retains the right to alter, shorten or cancel the festival, and will not be held liable for compensation in any of these situations. F-O-R-M agrees that in the event of festival cancellation, all rights related to the selected submission will revert to the Applicant and where relevant, the Applicant's associates.

All applicants, by submitting to F-O-R-M, hereby allow F-O-R-M to preview the short film. By agreeing to these rules and regulations all applicants pledge that they hold the rights to this film and have the right to distribute this material to F-O-R-M. All applicants understand that once submitted, their entry cannot be withdrawn. They understand that although F-O-R-M will take every precaution, F-O-R-M cannot be held responsible for loss or damage of submission materials. If accepted, F-O-R-M reserves the right to keep all short films filed for F-O-R-M educational and archival purposes. If accepted, lead artists expressly grant F-O-R-M the royalty-free, irrevocable, non-exclusive right and license to exhibit their short film or video and to use, reproduce, publish, translate, and exhibit any and all publicity materials related to the film, including but not limited to stills, press releases, bios, and trailers, in whole or in part, without limitation to territory, and/or to include said publicity materials with other works in any form, media, or technology. F-O-R-M agrees not to claim these rights in relation to submissions that are not selected for the festival.

All applicants agree to hold F-O-R-M, its management, employees and volunteers, as well as any of its funders, sponsors and affiliated entities, harmless from any damages or losses relating to any materials applicants may submit.

Successful applicants may not have another public screening of their short film in Metro Vancouver between October 2025 and the Festival of Recorded Movement (November 2025) without express permission from Associate Artistic Director Erin Lum (erin@f-o-r-m.ca)

Successful applicants will be required to submit a high quality, screen-ready, digital version of their film to F-O-R-M (i.e. the short film must be at least 1080 pixels high, and in MPEG, MOV, AVI, or MP4 format). Failure to submit a film, meeting the minimum technical quality requirements, by July 30, 2025 (for Short Films), September 5, 2025 (for Mini Commissions Program) or October 20, 2025 (for Commissioning Fund Program) may result in elimination from the festival.

Films screened at F-O-R-M that include spoken dialogue must contain closed captions in the final version submitted for screening. If this requirement is a barrier, please contact Associate Artistic Director danielle Mackenzie Long (danielle@f-o-r-m.ca) to discuss alternative options / support for meeting this requirement.

Films commissioned by F-O-R-M must always credit F-O-R-M and Commissioning Fund Production Partners (i.e., Cineworks) when distributed/screened, and may be used for promotional or screening purposes, until December 31, 2030, at which point the promotional or screening rights are transferred to the lead artist; however, F-O-R-M retains educational and archival rights. Full length screenings of the film coordinated by F-O-R-M taking place between January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2030 will always be communicated to and approved by the lead artist.

No refunds will be issued once the application fee has been paid.

Last updated February 27, 2025

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  • Incredible festival!
    So well curated and hosted, F-O-R-M festival instantly makes you feel like part of the community. Truly unique!

    December 2023
  • Hadi Moussally

    I am very proud to be part of this festival, with it's selection & communication. Thank you for that and congrats for all the work you have done.

    December 2023
  • Being part of F-O-R-M was such an enjoyable experience. Most events took place online due to the pandemic but the festival organizers were very welcoming and took care of everything and everyone so well that you'd feel as if you were there in person. Not only is F-O-R-M a great platform to showcase your film (or watch other eye-opening films ), but it's also a space wherein they shed light onto the people involved in creating these wonderful works, especially through their Artist Talkbacks. Congrats to the entire F-O-R-M team for putting this up!

    October 2021
  • Unfortunately I couldn't attend. But it seemed to be an extraordinary event. Sophia and the entire team have been so easy to communicate with. And I loved the postcard we received to thank us for being part of the festival. This festival is definitely great support for new and established independent film makers!
    Thank you to all the festival team!

    October 2018
  • Sveinung Gjessing

    N-I-C-E film festival! Promotes dance on screen in a superb way!

    September 2018