Fogo Island Arts is seeking submissions of short films (running time of 30 minutes or less) for the 2019 edition of Fogo Island Film: Resistance and Resilience. Winning submissions will be screened during two festival weekend events on Fogo Island and in St. John’s, Newfoundland, in November 2019. Submitting filmmakers will also have the opportunity to qualify for a Residency Award with Fogo Island Arts and Story Development with the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) and other partners to encourage new creation.

Fogo Island Film (FIF) is an international program on Fogo Island devoted to films that examine the diversity of relationships between nature and society. Organized by Fogo Island Arts, Fogo Island Film is devoted to actively supporting independent and experimental film production and to participating in contemporary artistic and scientific debate that addresses nature and culture as an indivisible whole.

From May to November 2019, Fogo Island Film: Resistance and Resilience presents a selection of short and feature-length films completed within the last two years by emerging and established authors whose work explores the art of cinema and storytelling. Feature films are programmed by invitation. For the first time in 2019, FIF will be enriched by a competition in the Short Film category. Winning submissions will be screened at the Fogo Island Inn Cinema from November 15 to 17 and at The Rooms, St. John's, from November 22 to 24, 2019, as part of special events featuring highlights from the series and invited guests in conversation around the themes of the program.

Successful applicants to the open call for short films will be selected by a jury which includes Annette Clarke, Executive Producer, NFB Quebec Atlantic Studio; Lasse Lau, director, editor, producer; Alexandra McIntosh, Director of Programs and Exhibitions, Fogo Island Arts; Matthieu Orléan, artistic collaborator, Cinémathèque Française, Paris; and Goran Petrović-Lotina, researcher, theorist and founder of FIF.

Awards & Prizes

For the first time in 2019, FIF will be enriched by a competition in the Short Film category, offering a Residency Award with Fogo Island Arts along with Story Development with the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) and other partners to encourage new creation.

One filmmaker will have the opportunity to, first, undertake a residency with Fogo Island Arts as part of its international program (www.fogoislandarts.ca) and, second, develop, in collaboration with NFB producers, a story treatment for production consideration with the NFB (www.nfb.ca) and other partners.

Rules & Terms

The FIF Short Film Competition is open to documentary and experimental films that examine the diversity of relationships between nature and society, broaching such themes as environmental degradation, the interconnectedness of species, geopolitical migration, the commodification of nature, Indigenous perspectives, social activism, as well as lives lived in deep connection with the natural world.

- Submissions may be documentary, narrative, experimental or animation but must address the themes and mandate of Fogo Island Film.
- Running time must be no longer than 30 minutes.
- The film must have been completed on or after March 1, 2017.
- The film must be available for up to 4 screenings during Fogo Island Film’s festival weekend events (November / December 2019).
- There must not be a screening fee associated with the film.
- Non-English films must be subtitled in English.
- Filmmakers are responsible for ensuring their materials are copyright compliant.
- Any technical issues with submitted films are the responsibility of the applicant.
- By submitting to Fogo Island Film, you give us the right to screen your film in front of a live audience and make use of excerpts and/or stills of your film for promotional purposes.
- Fogo Island Film retains the right to change the date and venue of film screenings under special circumstances. All filmmakers will be informed of any changes.
- Submission fees are non-refundable.

SUBMISSION CHANNEL
Submissions are accepted exclusively via FilmFreeway. You may submit more than one project. Applications must include a completed entry form and a preview via online link.

SELECTION PROCESS
Fogo Island Film’s international jury for the Short Film Competition is composed of individuals recognized in the cinema and cultural world. Upon completion of the selection process, FIF will contact applicants using the contact information provided on the submission form. All applicants will be notified of their application status by August 30, 2019.

ABOUT FOGO ISLAND ARTS
Fogo Island Arts is a residency-based contemporary art venue for artists, filmmakers, writers, musicians, curators, designers, and thinkers from around the world. Since 2008, FIA has brought some of the most exciting emerging and renowned artists of today to Fogo Island, Newfoundland, to take part in residencies and to present solo exhibitions at the Fogo Island Gallery. FIA also presents programs in cities across Canada and abroad, including the Fogo Island Dialogues interdisciplinary conversation series, as part of its international outreach. FIA is an initiative of Shorefast, a registered Canadian charity with the mission to build economic and cultural resilience on Fogo Island.