Ogeechee International History Film Festival

ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS NOW! The Ogeechee International History Film Festival (OIHFF) is going into its ninth year as the world’s longest-running, open-submission international history film festival. The OIHFF, based in Statesboro, Georgia, is devoted to screening and promoting quality historical documentary films from professional, student, and amateur filmmakers from around the globe. It had its inaugural year in 2017 and is a collaboration project between the Georgia Southern University History Department and the Statesboro Convention and Visitors Bureau (SCVB). Having an open-submission, international festival, allows it to be an outlet for filmmakers across a wide spectrum of experience, from seasoned professionals to people who are just starting out in film. We particularly encourage students of all levels to submit their work.

AWARDS:
Certificates of merit are awarded to films that demonstrate excellence in both historical interpretation and filmmaking. At the end of the annual festival submission cycle (December 1 of each year), the review staff will review the merit winners to select the appropriate titles for the February festival screenings. Those films will be judged a second time to select the best short, feature, and student films.

INFORMATION FOR ACADEMIC FILMMAKERS
Are you a filmmaker affiliated with a college or university? The Ogeechee International History Film Festival is offering a service of double-blind peer review for use in tenure and promotion decisions. Our reviews typically involve a doctorate-holding historian and a filmmaker with an MFA or Ph.D. degree. Please contact festival director Michael Van Wagenen for more details and submission instructions: mvanwagenen@georgiasouthern.edu

ROLLING DEADLINES:
Beginning in 2020, the Ogeechee International History Film Festival will be open submission year-round. This allows for the awarding of certificates of merit on a rolling basis. Films submitted before December 1 will be eligible for screening at the festival in February the following year. Program announcements for the festival are made by the first week of January.

Content: Films must have a focus on history and historical events
Length: Films can be any length, but submission prices vary.**
-Films one hour or shorter: $25 to submit
-Films over one hour: $30 to submit
-Student films of any length: $15 to submit
Language: Preferred English. Foreign language films are accepted, but must contain English subtitles.
Relevancy: Only films completed or copyrighted in or after 2021 will be accepted.
Historical: Must have consulted a historian or interviewed one for information.
Category: Submissions can be in three categories
-Professional
-College
-High School
*Please note - To qualify for inclusion in any of the student categories, films must be directed, produced, written, shot, and edited by students, though they may perform these duties under the supervision of professionals.
**Please contact the coordinator if you are in a nation that is experiencing disadvantageous currency exchange rates with the United States or where artists are currently threatened or prosecuted for their work.

Overall Rating

Quality

Value

Communication

Hospitality

Networking

Drew Youngblood

I had a great time and felt so welcomed by the staff at Georgia Southern. The movies were very good, and the staff felt really appreciative for the support and attendance. Would love to return next year!

March 2025

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Adam E. Stone

We were thrilled and honored to be selected to screen at Ogeechee! Communication was smooth and efficient, and everything was organized and handled well.

March 2025

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Raul Losada

My gratitude to OIHFF and the selection committee for choosing "A Villa dos Centauros".

It is truly an honor to have our work recognized and included in such a prestigious event.
This opportunity means a great deal to everyone involved in the production, for Álcacer do Sal History and share our film with the festival audience.

March 2025

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Kalli Paakspuu

This festival has so much potential, and more emphasis could be made to make net working between history enthusiasts, audiences and filmmakers. What a great opportunity to shift interaction from social media to a living interactive dialogue beween communities and film festivals.

March 2025

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Joshua van ’t Hoff

This film festival offers a rewarding experience; having a film screened there is already exciting, but what truly makes it stand out is the personal feedback provided by a panel of PhD-holding historians. On top of that, I was honoured that my documentary film "Complete Portrait Wanted of Markéta Ledererová" won the award for Best Short Subject!

The communication was personal and showed genuine interest. I sincerely appreciate the festival's focus on history and couldn't be more grateful for the recognition!

September 2024

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