Welcome to Global Peace 360 and its three programs slated for September 2026:
1. The Global Peace Film Festival is a week-long ticketed, live screening plus event focused on community action and social engagement. Films with impact campaigns are welcomed.
2. The Global Peace Film Festival - Free For All Shorts, a week-long online program of mostly shorts highlighting advocacy, activism and inspiration requiring either YouTube or Vimeo embeddable files for free on demand access.
3. GlobalPeace360 on International Drive, a live, ticketed, two-day festival spotlighting narratives, documentaries, animation, features and shorts celebrating multicultural and inclusive themes. Film and community awards will be presented at a closing ceremony.
A submission to this call for entries will be considered across all three film-centered events as programmers see fit. Please consider adding any preferences or background information in the Letter option provided by FilmFreeway.
ABOUT THE GLOBAL PEACE FILM FESTIVAL:
The Global Peace Film Festival (GPFF) is “story and community in action.” As Martin Luther King, Jr posited, “Peace is not only the absence of conflict, but also the presence of justice.” Since the search for justice resides in stories beyond war, GPFF seeks stories that make us laugh, think, cry, sit taller in our seats, then ask, “What can I do?” To answer that question, we pair films with post-screening discussions and events that inspire and catalyze our audiences to take positive, non-violent action.
Beyond the program, GPFF collaborates with filmmakers, changemakers and organizations to model, inspire and track peaceful change on the personal, local, national or global level. Our motto is “It starts here” because the real work of our mission starts when the lights come up and our audience meets the inspiration of our programming with their own good works.
To fulfill our mission, we center our programming decisions in our collaborations with community partners while weaving in stories from around the world. Models of positive action and peace are most welcomed.
WHY PARTICIPATE IN THE GLOBAL PEACE FILM FESTIVAL?
With so many festivals, GPFF understands that each filmmaker must carefully weigh the costs and benefits of each festival opportunity. GPFF is focused on catalyzing community engagement and positive, peaceful action. If part of your festival plan involves the launch/roll-out of an impact campaign or you are seeking opportunities to connect with audiences over the issues and ideas contained in your work, GPFF is a good fit.
To support impact campaigns centered on films, GPFF leverages over 20 years in the community. Impact campaign collaborations have ranged from the inclusion of campaign surveys to bringing together policy and community stakeholders around issues such as migrant workers, the environment, climate change, voting rights, women’s rights, trafficking, elder care, homelessness and more. GPFF is not a passive exhibition event, but a commitment to building relationships and resources aimed at increasing the presence of justice year round.
IN-PERSON GPFF SCREENINGS - SEPT 15 - 19, 2026:
- Mostly features and some shorts paired with post-screening discussions/panels/activities where possible.
- Filmmaker participation either in person (with some support for travel) or via Zoom, if preferred.
- Promotion to select community groups in cooperation with filmmaker/distributor/impact producer.
- Interviews recorded before the festival to promote the screenings and to provide additional content for filmmakers (Global Peace 360 website and YouTube channel).
- Exhibition format: Either from downloaded film file (preferred) or flash drive. Downloaded files are deleted and flash drives are returned immediately following the end of the festival.
FREE FOR ALL SHORTS (ONLINE) - SEPT. 21 - 27:
The Global Peace Film Festival embraces the expansive potential of the web to bring even more films to our audiences to stimulate discussion and action on the various topics key to realizing peace within our own hearts and minds, between our neighbors and across the world. Each year we receive many more films on important topics than we can accommodate in our in-person events. Since 2012, the work we have curated in this free online format has been embraced by locals in the Orlando area as well as by advocates and supporters of our mission around the world.
- Shorts that meet GPFF’s mission, but which could not be accommodated in our limited live slots.
- Exhibition format: Vimeo or YouTube link supplied by the filmmaker.
- Participation: If you do not wish your short to be considered for the Free For All Program, please note that preference in your festival letter.
GLOBAL PEACE 360 ON INTERNATIONAL DRIVE - SEPT. 26 - 27:
This new addition to the Festival takes place at a multi-stage production facility on International Drive, in the heart of Orlando’s tourist mecca and will reflect the expanded programming of Global Peace 360, the new brand of the nonprofit organization.
- Features, shorts, animation and documentaries celebrating multicultural themes.
- Filmmaker participation either in person (with some support for travel) or via Zoom, if preferred.
- Interviews recorded before the festival to promote the screenings.
- Juried awards presented in several categories at the closing ceremony.
GPFF works closely with educators, local civic groups and organizers. Because of GPFF’s partnerships with local colleges, our audience is younger than traditional film festivals and more economically diverse.
The cornerstone of our program is our service to the greater Orlando region and communities. The festival has always remained sensitive to the issues of our loyal audiences. Our community partners work on local campaigns on issues including juvenile justice, gun safety, immigration, refugees, trafficking, LGBTQ+ rights, ACEs, poverty abatement, civic engagement and (re)building unity based on our common humanity. We encourage and welcome Spanish-language work to serve our sisters and brothers in the growing Latino community in Central Florida. Narratives and documentaries, feature and shorts, personal and global stories, heart-wrenching and wryly humorous - all are welcomed for consideration.
CATEGORIES/THEMES
Global Peace/Activism
Conflict Resolution
Social Inequality (Class, Race, Gender, Ability, Age, etc.)
LGBTQ+
BLM/Diversity Equity and Inclusion
Differing Abilities/Ableism
Women's Rights/Women's Issues
Environment/Environmental Justice
Climate Change/Sustainable Energy/Economic Policy
Health & Healthy Living
Immigration
Interfaith/Philosophy/Religious Tolerance
Fair Trade/New Business Models
Food & Water Security and Related Issues
Aging
Music and the Arts
Human Trafficking/Slavery
Community Mediation
Youth as Change Agents
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
Comedy/Satire
Sports and Recreation
Rules & Terms
If a film is in a language other than English, it must have subtitles (or be dubbed into English) in order to be considered.
Awards will be presented on September 27, 2026. Filmmakers do not need to be present to receive an award. Awards will be presented in several categories and will include certificates and trophies. Best of categories include Narrative, Documentary and Short Film. Other special awards to be decided by the Jury.
