SONA Immersive Storytelling Festival invites submissions of innovative 360° videos, immersive installations, augmented reality (AR) and mixed-reality experiences for potential selection for its 2026 festival at Carnegie Mellon University. The festival aims to bring together creators who are exploring the future of storytelling through cutting-edge immersive technologies.

The festival welcomes submissions of work from all creators aged 18 and older, with a special focus on emerging artists and those from marginalized, minority and under-represented groups whose stories have often been overlooked. The festival is a chance for creators of selected works to showcase their creativity to a regional or national audience and to connect with fellow creators and artists in immersive storytelling.

Each creator may submit up to two works that have been completed by the creator since March 2024 for potential selection. Creators of selected works will have their work shown at the festival, through virtual reality headsets, digital screenings and interactive exhibits.

Why Submit to SONA Immersive Storytelling Festival?

If selected:

- Share your immersive work among a regional and national audience.
- Participate in discussions with leading creatives and industry experts.
- Be a part of a growing network of filmmakers, technologists and creators pushing the boundaries of storytelling.

The festival deeply appreciates each submission. While the festival will endeavor to respond to all submissions, depending on the volume of entries, the festival may not be able to provide individual feedback to everyone.

Selection Process

All submissions will be reviewed by a panel of experts in immersive media, including filmmakers, technologists and academics. Creators of selected works will be notified in January 2026. The festival is committed to a fair and unbiased selection process.

The selection will focus on originality, storytelling, technical execution and the immersive quality of the work.

Evaluation Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated based on:

- Originality: Freshness of the concept and uniqueness of the story.
- Storytelling: The ability to engage audiences and convey a compelling narrative.
- Technical Execution: Quality of production and use of immersive technologies.
- Immersive Experience: The depth and quality of the immersive experience provided.

Awards & Prizes

SONA aims to recognize the creativity and innovation of immersive storytellers through a series of awards and prizes.

Audience Choice Award - Voted on by festival attendees, this award recognizes the immersive work that creates the strongest connection with its audience, whether through emotional impact, interactivity, or narrative power.

Social Impact Award - Celebrating immersive projects that address social, environmental, or humanitarian issues, this award honors works that drive awareness, spark change, and amplify underrepresented voices.

Best Narrative Experience - Awarded to the project that tells the most compelling and well-structured story. This category highlights immersive works that place storytelling at the core, using the medium to enhance narrative depth and engagement.

Emerging Creator Award - Acknowledging new talent in the immersive space, this award is reserved for first-time or early-career creators who show exceptional promise, originality, and innovation in their work.

Unbound Award - Celebrating the most unconventional, bizarre, or boundary-pushing experience, this award is for creators whose storytelling ventures into the unknown, offering visionary, often surreal, or experimental experiences.

Rules & Terms

SUBMISSION RULES

1. Agreement to Rules: By making a submission, the creator agrees to these rules.

2. Eligibility: Creators must be at least age 18.

3. Submission Period: TBA. Late submissions will not be considered.

4. Submission Procedure: Creators desiring to submit work for possible selection should, before the end of the submission period, submit their work via filmfreeway.com/sonafestival

5. Restrictions: Only two submissions per creator are allowed. Work submitted must have been completed by the creator since March 2024. The festival reserves the right to reject any submission in its sole discretion. Submissions are void where prohibited by law.

6. Originality: The work must be the creator’s own original work and/or that the creator has the right to use and permit Carnegie Mellon University (including the festival) to use the work as described in these Submission Rules. The creator confirms that the creator’s design does not infringe upon or violate the rights of any third party and applicable law.

7. Permission to Use by Carnegie Mellon University (including Sona Immersive Storytelling Festival): The creator grants to Carnegie Mellon University (including the Sona Immersive Storytelling Festival) a world-wide, perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive, irrevocable right and license to publish, display, reproduce, distribute, sublicense, prepare derivative works of, telecast and otherwise use the work submitted, in whole or in part, and the creator’s name, image and likeness and biographical information in connection with its use of the work, in any manner or media format in furtherance of Carnegie Mellon University’s tax exempt purposes or activities as Carnegie Mellon University (including the festival) sees fit, including for purposes of general publicity or promotional advancement of Carnegie Mellon University or the festival. Consistent with the foregoing, the creator authorizes Carnegie Mellon University and the festival to show the work submitted by the creator during the festival and for its duration. Except as indicated in these Submission Rules, all rights to the work submitted are retained by the creator.

8. Defense and Indemnity: The artist agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Carnegie Mellon University (including the Sona Immersive Storytelling Festival), and its trustees, officers, employees, contractors, representatives, agents, successors and assigns, from and against any and all claims, suits, actions, demands, liabilities, injuries, losses, costs, damages or arising from or connected with the creator’s breach of these Submission Rules.

9. Release of Liability: Carnegie Mellon University (including the Sona Immersive Storytelling Festival) is not responsible for any claims or liabilities arising from the creator’s submission of any work and/or participation in the festival.

10. Governing Law/Venue: These Submission Rules and the creator’s submission of any work and/or participation in the festival are governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, without regard to conflict of law provisions in that or any jurisdiction. Any disputes will be resolved in Allegheny County, PA courts.

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  • Konrad Mihat

    We are glad and greatful for the opportunity to take part in the innagural edition of SONA. The talks were on point and being part of an academic structure dedicated to immersive content, it is a rare and much needed festival, for new media and XR. We thank Stephan Caspar and all the team involved for the wonderful experience.

    April 2025
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Kondrad for your wonderful feedback, we were so thrilled to invite you, and to be able to share your amazing work with our audiences. So pleased that you are a part of our SONA community, and we very much look forward to welcoming you to Pittsburgh next year!