**Please submit each project to only one category.**

**Please note that we are unable to accept multichannel installations this year. However, we can accept expanded documentary performances suitable for a theatrical setting.**

**50% discounts on submission fees will be provided to previously selected Mimesis Artists (unlimited-use) and University of Colorado Alumni (single-use) upon request. To do so, please email mdf@colorado.edu.**

**Full submission fee waivers will be granted to current University of Colorado students upon request. To do so, please email mdf@colorado.edu from your colorado.edu email account.**

The sixth annual Mimesis Documentary Festival presented August 5-10, 2025 at the Dairy Arts Center in Boulder, Colorado is an immersive theatrical and virtual experience featuring in-person and at-home screenings, workshops, and conversations with documentary artists, scholars, and producers from across the world.

The Mimesis Documentary Festival is an artist-focused event celebrating short, feature, and expanded documentary ranging from traditional, experimental, ethnographic, and regional projects. We focus on personal, underrepresented, and culturally specific subjects that offer the most profound experiences of art made from life.

Mimesis is a not-for-profit initiative of the University of Colorado Boulder’s Center for Documentary and Ethnographic Media to create and foster a local, regional, and international network of documentary artists and scholars. We are artist-focused, community oriented, and committed to providing a platform for the infinite potential of documentary media.

Submission Categories:

Short Documentary
Feature Documentary
Short Regional Documentary
Feature Regional Documentary
Short Ethnographic Documentary
Feature Ethnographic Documentary
Short Experimental Documentary
Feature Experimental Documentary
Short Docufiction
Feature Docufiction
Student and Emerging Documentary Artists
Expanded Documentary Performance
Short Audio Documentary
Long Audio Documentary

Awards & Prizes

Jury Awards:

Best Documentary
Best Short Documentary
Best Emerging Artist
Best in Documentary Arts

Audience Awards:

Best Feature Documentary
Best Short Documentary
Best Emerging Artist
Best in Documentary Arts

Rules & Terms

We strive for transparency in our submission and selection process to bridge the gap between organizers and artists as much as possible. We are committed to programming 80% of our festival from submission-based content, with the other 20% reserved for the selection of special programming. While we are not able to accept every project, all submitting artists will be given a full access virtual pass for that festival year.

All submissions are considered for the 2025 festival.
We give priority to projects completed after January 1, 2023.
We also favor work that has not yet been publicly exhibited in Colorado.
Selected artists must sign a Screening Agreement, which includes permission to exhibit projects on the Mimesis Virtual Festival platform.

Mimesis is unable to pay screening or distribution fees for any submissions selected for exhibition without exception.

Full submission fee waivers will be granted to current University of Colorado students upon request. To do so, please email mdf@colorado.edu from your colorado.edu email account.

50% discounts on submission fees will be provided to previously selected Mimesis Artists (unlimited-use) and University of Colorado Alumni (single-use) upon request. To do so, please email mdf@colorado.edu.

Entry fees are non-refundable.

All projects must be submitted through an online link only.

Submissions to the Student and Emerging Documentary Artists category will only be eligible for the Best Emerging Artist awards.

All other category submissions are for programming purposes only, and not related to awards or programming blocks.

28 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Dana Duff

    One of the best festivals I've ever attended. They spared no expense or effort to make sure my installation was a success. The quality of the films and of the discussions was top-notch—supremely stimulating! They have a beautiful theater and impeccable organizing. I can't say enough about how satisfying this experience was! Love them!

    August 2024
    Helpful
  • alex juhasz

    I adored Mimesis. The best kind of film festival: small, intimate, esoteric, smart, a little wild. Highly recommend it for people interested in truly independent and/or experimental documentary: its making, viewing, and deep conversations about.

    August 2024
    Helpful
  • Dan S

    This is one of the best around.

    October 2023
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  • Devon Narine-Singh

    One of the best, truly a wonderful environment to show work in.

    September 2023
    Helpful
  • Charles Cadkin

    Great and diverse programming spanning all facets of documentary filmmaking from a team of highly invested and engaged festival staff. Excited to see the future iterations of the festival.

    August 2023
    Helpful