The largest independent film festival in the state of Kansas. A hallmark of the region’s cinematic landscape and an internationally recognized, multi-day platform for world-class cinematic programming, the festival is a program of the Tallgrass Film Association, a 501(c)3 arts organization that fosters an appreciation of the cinematic arts by creating shared experiences around the international medium of film.
A cool Midwestern city that truly represents the spirit and hospitality of America's Heartland, Wichita is also home to a large art and music community, a growing filmmaking community, and generous patrons of the arts making Tallgrass audiences a hallmark of the festival. Sophisticated movie-goers of all ages and backgrounds - hungry for quality independent film - audiences are receptive, opinionated, and genuine. Screening a film at Tallgrass is a catalyst for generating awareness and buzz in the epicenter of the country that radiates throughout the region. Also accessible at Tallgrass, are the visiting filmmakers. Due to the city’s authentic nature, it’s common to find an Oscar-winning filmmaker deep in conversation with a high school documentarian or an avid movie-goer.
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- A KANSAS PREMIERE IS REQUIRED FOR FEATURE FILMS, IF YOUR FILM PLAYS IN ANY KANSAS FILM FESTIVAL PRIOR TO OCTOBER 24TH, 2024, YOUR FILM IS AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED FROM CONSIDERATION.
-WAIVER POLICY: Please do not* contact us requesting waivers or reduced submission fees. As a nonprofit organization, our annual operations and the process of viewing the volume of submissions we receive are very costly. We strive to keep our fees as reasonable as possible and encourage all applicants to take advantage of our early and official deadlines to save on submission fees.
*If your film comes from a country that is affected by financial sanctions by the US Government, we can consider your request.
Tallgrass Film Festival will grant juried awards in the following categories.
Unless prize amount is noted below, Cash and other in-kind prizes are pending until sponsorship is approved in 2024.
• Gordon Parks Award for Black Excellence in Filmmaking: $5,000, $15,000 value Panavision Camera Rental, and an award (Presented by Cargill).
• Stubbornly Independent Feature
• Woman Filmmaker Spotlight
• Best Narrative Feature
• Best Documentary Feature
• Best Kansas Feature Film
• Best Murmurations Feature
• Best Kansas Filmmaker Documentary Short Film
• Best Kansas Filmmaker Narrative Short Film
• Best Emerging Documentary Short: $500 Sponsored by Moeder & Associates
• Best Emerging Narrative Short: $500 Sponsored by Moeder & Associates
• Best Narrative Short
• Best Documentary Short
• Best Vortex Short
• Best Murmurations Short
• Audience Awards
• Audience Favorite Documentary Feature
• Audience Favorite Narrative Feature
• Audience Favorite Narrative Short
• Audience Favorite Documentary Short
• Audience Favorite Vortex Film
• Audience Favorite Kansas Film
Other Non-Juried awards include the Golden Strands Awards (awarded by Tallgrass Programming Directors) for:
• Excellence in the Art of Filmmaking
• Outstanding Courage in Filmmaking
• Outstanding Rising Star
• Outstanding First Feature
Juried Potential Honorable Mentions Each Year:
• Outstanding Cinematography
• Outstanding Screenplay
• Outstanding Editing
• Outstanding Animation
• Outstanding Performance
• Outstanding Supporting Performance
• Outstanding Ensemble Cast
EDA Awards Renews for Year Four: The Alliance of Women Film Journalists’ EDA Awards recognize the amazing work done by and about women–both in front and behind the camera. AWFJ presents EDA Awards at year’s end and throughout the year at selected film festivals. The EDAs are named in honor of AWFJ founder Jennifer Merin’s mother, Eda Reiss Merin, a stage, film and television actress whose career spanned more than 60 years. A dedicated foot soldier in the industry, Eda was one of the founders of AFTRA and a long-standing Member of AMPAS. EDA is also an acronym for Excellent Dynamic Activism, qualities shared by Eda Reiss Merin, AWFJ members and those honored with EDA Awards. The films in competition are outside of the Tallgrass Woman Filmmaker category and are other great films made by women throughout the festival.