The Power of Storytelling Film Festival seeks bold, creative films by emerging filmmakers, ages 18–28. Are you using cinema to spark change, call out injustice, imagine new futures, celebrate the communities where you live? This festival will showcase original short films (1–10 minutes) by young independent artists exploring ideas, people and places they care about. Share your most powerful vision, secret, or memory, your light in the darkness, your call to action, your most favorite place, your poetry, your archives.

The Power of Storytelling Festival is sponsored by the Alliance for Media Arts + Culture, a 510c3 national media arts service organization committed to supporting collaboration, innovation and cultural impact for the media arts field.

The Power of Storytelling Film Festival will showcase films that reflect the power of storytelling to heal, challenge, and inspire. A virtual festival event will be held December 13, 2025 and in-person Community Festival screenings will be produced with local venues and organizations beginning February 1, 2026. Cash prizes will be awarded.

All genres considered: documentary, experimental, fiction, animation, and hybrid forms. International submissions are welcome. All films must be subtitled/captioned in English.

🎬 Calling Young Filmmakers!
Are you 18–28 and using film to express what matters most to you? We want to see your story.

The Power of Storytelling Film Festival is now accepting short film submissions (1–10 minutes) from emerging creators around the world. All genres welcome - fiction, documentary, animation, experimental, hybrid- as long as your work is rooted in something real: your voice, your community, your truth.

🌍 International submissions are welcome (just add English subtitles!)

📅 DEADLINE: submit by October 1, 2025

🖥️ The virtual festival launch event is Saturday December 13. 2025; in-person community festival screenings of award-winning films begins February 1, 2026

Let your voice be heard.

Awards & Prizes

Prizes (cash amounts TBA!) will be awarded in each genre category,
Best Doc $250
Best Narrative $250
Best Experimental $250
Best Animation $250
Best Hybrid $250
Best of Fest $1,000
Archival Activism Prize $500 (for creative activation of archival media in a new work)

Rules & Terms

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

+ The film must have been completed by or after January 1, 2024.
+ All filmmakers must be between18 and 28 years old
+ The film must be available for 1-5 in-person Power of Storytelling Community Festival screenings during 2026, and virtually via our live Virtual Festival December 13, 2025.
+ There must not be a screening fee attached to the film. Participating filmmakers will receive honoraria of $200.
+ The film cannot require dual projection (interlock) or separate soundtracks. Non-English films must be subtitled in English.
+ Films must provide an H.264 or ProRes copy suitable for exhibition by the deadlines communicated by festival organizers.
+ Short films available prior to the Festival via paid or unpaid streaming/online services are still eligible for Festival consideration.
+ The submitting filmmaker must be either the producer or director of the film.
+ A working link to the video (on YouTube, Vimeo, etc.) in high definition 720p or 1080p must be included with your submission
+ Submitting filmmaker (producer or director) of the film, acknowledge and agree that they have read, understood, and complied with the submission rules and that all information they have provided about the film are accurate and true.
+ The Alliance for Media Arts + Culture reserves the right to withdraw any film from screening consideration at any point in the process.
+ Use of AI: The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in any aspect of the final submitted product must be disclosed and clearly identified at the time of submission, and then again if and when the film is invited for program inclusion.
+ Use of Archival footage and Music: Filmmakers with works falling outside the parameters of fair use must have permission to use the archival images in their films, and all music rights.
+ The Director or Producer submitting the project to the Festival is authorized to do so and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations, including the public exhibition of the project online and as part of a Community Festival screening including one or more events in 2026.
+ Filmmakers shall indemnify and hold harmless the Alliance for Media Arts + Culture/Power of Storytelling from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney’s fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, or screening.

NOTIFICATION

All selected filmmakers will be notified by e-email by November 22, 2025.