This is an Award Event (not a Film Festival):

Celebrating independent film and filmmakers, the Popular Culture Association announces the Peter C. Rollins Award for the Best Documentary Film in popular and American culture each year at its National Conference. This year's conference will take place in Seattle, WA (unless otherwise switched to online format due to the Covid-19 pandemic) on April 13-16, 2022.

We are considering documentary films that examine topics related to popular and American culture.

Submissions should engage with a social/cultural topic that is relevant to the focus of the Popular Culture Association. The winning film will make a high-quality contribution to our understanding of some dimension of popular or American culture. It should firmly situate popular culture in wider social systems in a way that demonstrates the interconnections and relevance to society.

Submissions from across the globe are welcomed.

The winning documentary will be screened during the National Conference meeting.

Founded in 1971 by Ray and Pat Browne, the PCA is devoted to the study of popular culture. The PCA National Conference will be attended by thousands of scholars from around the world to share and discuss popular culture in a number of venues: panel presentations, roundtables, special sessions, film screenings, local tours, and keynote speaker events. Recent keynote speakers have included Oliver Stone, Martin Sheen, and John Dykstra.

Awards & Prizes

A screening committee judges the films. All decisions of the committee are final.

After a film has been officially selected as the award winner, the filmmaker will be notified two months prior to the event date.

Award winner(s) will be announced at the PCA National Conference.

The winning film will be screened at the PCA National Conference.

Award winner(s) need not be present at the conference to receive an award.

Rules & Terms

By submitting your film, you agree that the PCA can screen your film at its annual conference and use parts of your film (including trailer/teaser/film poster) for promotional purposes.

To submit a film, you must have created the project yourself, own the rights or have permission from the owner of the content to submit the film to this competition.

PLEASE READ THE RULES BELOW BEFORE SUBMITTING:

You must fully comply with these Entry Rules & Regulations, including all deadlines, film length, entry material and other requirements

Films will be reviewed by members of the Peter C. Rollins Award Committee; a professional group of film scholars, film enthusiasts and critics. Films are scored accordingly.


1. Hard copy submissions will not be accepted.

2. Entries in foreign languages must come with English subtitles.

3. All entries must have been completed within the last three years.

4. Any documentary submitted to the PCA for the Peter C. Rollins Award for Best Documentary Film can be re-submitted at any time for a second chance.

5. Any style of documentary (features and shorts) may be submitted.

6. You must own or be given all of the rights to anything you submit to the festival.

7. Multiple entries are allowed. You can submit more than one film.

8. The winning film will be screened at the PCA National Conference. All decisions of the committee are final.

9. After a film has been officially selected, the filmmaker will be notified.

10. Submissions are non-returnable. We cannot be held liable for materials which are lost or damaged.

11. Works in progress and films that have been commercially are not eligible for submission.


Submissions that do not follow the guidelines will not be accepted.

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