Media Arts Santa Ana (MASA), organizers of the OC Film Fiesta, and New York’s Philip K. Dick Film Festival are joining forces to launch the PHILIP K. DICK MULTICULTURAL SCI-FI / DYSTOPIAN SHORT FILM CHALLENGE to celebrate the vision and legacy of legendary author Philip K. Dick, during his 90th Anniversary and the 50th Anniversary of the publications of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep!

The winning films will receive cash and product prizes and will be screened as part of the 2019 PHILIP K. DICK FILM FESTIVAL, which takes place March 15-17, 2019 in Santa Ana, in the city where the acclaimed author lived his final years.

This short film competition invites works up to 5 minutes that re-imagine, celebrate, update and/or are inspired by the vision of Philip K. Dick, and examine the world we live in and our possible futures. 

Because of Philip K. Dick’s influence on the international creative community, we are placing a special emphasis on multicultural stories and perspectives, set in a wide variety of communities.

We want to reach out to communities that have been traditionally underrepresented in science fiction, including Latinx, Native American, African American, Asian and other people of color or marginalized groups.

If you are a fan of Philip K. Dick’s short stories from the 1950s, his later works, or his film adaptations, we want you to submit!

For more information, email victor@masamedia.org, visit www.masamedia.org or call 888-906-0340. Support provided by the Santa Ana Investing in the Artists Grant and the California Arts Council.
 

Awards & Prizes

Awards and Prizes will be given to all winners. These can
range from product to cash prizes.

Rules & Terms

Submissions up to five minutes in length will be accepted in two categories: Youth (Under 18) and Adult (18 years and older).

The primary criteria will be how “Dickian” the work is. As such, films do not need to be dependent on special effects. Key themes to consider include, but are not limited to:

• Alternate Futures/Histories
• Science Fiction
• Paranoia
• The nature of reality
• The nature of humanity
• Androids
• Surveillance Society
• Fascism
• Authoritarianism
• Police State
• Technology
• Alien contact
• Androids
• Electric Sheep

Other criteria include: Originality, Visionary Quality and Multicultural Perspective

Whether you are filming with a cel. phone, tablet of 4k camera, we want you to explore the themes of Philip K. Dick’s work in all its possibilities!

We welcome narrative, documentary, animation and experimental works.

All languages are welcome, and we request English subtitles for films in a language other than English.

While we will accept existing films, we really want to inspire the creation of new works as part of this short film challenge! Push the boundaries! Experiment! Envision something new! Reinvent the genre! Have fun!

We require a screener on FilmFreeway or an online private video of the project for screening. For exhibition copy we will need BLUE RAYS, OR a MPEG 4 MOV H264 FILE.

DO NOT SEND PRESS PACKS, PHOTOS, TESTIMONIALS OR ANYTHING ELSE WITH YOUR SUBMISSION - it is a waste of paper and post. If we accept your film we will ask for the other things we need. Better still, make sure you upload a full press kit and trailer to your FilmFreeway listing.

2 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Reggie Davis

    What a great experience to have been a part of!
    I’ve always been a fan of Philip K. Dick, and reveled in his visionary poetics. Having a chance to pay homage to him was truly a blessing! A bit of a an awakening, and rekindling of spirit.
    As an individual who has struggled with addiction and depression for many years; its nice to see, that a vivid imagination, like the light of our souls, remains in and of its own right pure and good. A torch, never to be extinguished, no matter how hard big bad life huffs puffs and tries to blow it out.
    And Bravo to MASA for their commitment to communities of color, underrepresented in the Sci Fi genre

    March 2019
    Helpful
  • Alessio De Marchi

    Outstanding Festival featuring a wide array of awesome shorts! Honored to be part of this!

    March 2019
    Helpful