The Pitch Competition takes place during the Minnesota Film Festival (MFF) March 19-23, 2025 in person at the Zeitgeist Arts Center in Duluth, MN.
Call for entries are now open!
In this annual pitch competition filmmakers from across the Midwest have ten minutes to pitch their next film production for financial support. Participants present their concepts or works in progress to a panel of judges composed of filmmakers and industry professionals, who will offer constructive feedback to all participants.
Pitch competition finalists will receive accommodations and all access passes to the 2025 Minnesota Film Festival. There will be 10 finalists total, 2 finalists chosen from each category listed below. Selected projects will have 20 minutes on stage (10 minutes to pitch and 10 minutes for feedback).
*** If you are selected you must be able to attend the festival in person.***
Short Film Pitch:
Open to filmmakers residing in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio. Any genre. The pitch must be for a film with an intended length of under 25 minutes.
Feature Narrative Pitch:
Open to filmmakers residing in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio. The pitch must be for a fiction film with an intended length of over 60 minutes.
Feature Documentary Pitch:
Open to filmmakers residing in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio. The pitch must be for a non-fiction film with an intended length of over 60 minutes.
MN Filmmaker Pitch:
Open to filmmakers who are residents of Minnesota. This can be any genre, any length.
Indigenous Filmmaker Pitch:
The project can be any genre, any length. Open to Indigenous filmmakers who are tribal citizens or tribal descendents of the Bois Forte—Anishinaabe, Fond du Lac—Anishinaabe, Grand Portage—Anishinaabe, Leech Lake—Anishinaabe, Mille Lacs—Anishinaabe, Red Lake—Anishinaabe, White Earth—Anishinaabe, Lower Sioux—Dakota, Prairie Island—Dakota, Shakopee—Dakota, Upper Sioux—Dakota. This category is sponsored by the American Indian Community Housing Organization - AICHO
Grants:
Short Film Pitch - First Prize $1000, Runner Up $500
Feature Narrative Pitch - First Prize $3000, Runner Up $500
Feature Documentary Pitch - First Prize $3000, Runner Up $500
Local Filmmaker Pitch - First Prize $3000, Runner Up $500
Indigenous Filmmaker Pitch - First Prize $3000, Runner Up $500