***UPDATE, February 2023: Due to an extra-ordinary high number of submissions (over 2,000 short films), we are currently still in the reviewing stages. We will make an announcement when we have made any new decisions***

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"Orientation and Disorientation" is the theme of the inaugural philosophical short film festival and competition organized by the Hodges Foundation for Philosophical Orientation. Our organization was founded in 2019 to promote the study of orientation, and we believe that film and the arts more broadly are key forms of this exploration. Especially the genre of the short film may make significant philosophical contributions to our understanding of human life.

We organize our contest to promote talented film makers and philosophical interest within the artistic community. For our film competition, we are seeking high quality and creative works which engage with the ideas of "orientation and disorientation." You can find a brief definition of 'orientation' in our HFPO glossary (hfpo.com/glossary).

Awards & Prizes

The Foundation will provide prize awards to our top three finishers:

1st place: $3,000

2nd place: $2,000

3rd place: $1,000

In addition, there will be a live screening of our finalists at a physical location (location and date to be determined soon).

Rules & Terms

Entry to the competition is open to anyone no matter the background.

- max. length: 20 minutes

- we accept films in any style and genre (including documentary, horror, drama, comedy, etc.), with or without dialogue. You may also use computer animated imagery and post-production software. Please add English subtitles to non-English dialogue.

- no premiere/exclusivity rule; we accept previously released work

- if accepted, we ask that you provide your own marketing materials for us to promote the screening with.

- any copyrighted material in your film (including but not limited to music) must be cleared with the copyright holder prior to submission