Dear Filmmakers,

We are thrilled that our official open call for films resulted in over 100 entries from filmmakers from 30 countries and films that spanned 43 countries!

If you missed the deadline, don’t worry. We will continue to accept late entries; however, please note that late entries may not be eligible for awards.

This policy is in place to ensure fairness to filmmakers who submitted before our late deadline and to allow our screening committee adequate time to carefully review films for award consideration.

Thank you to everyone who has submitted their work — we’re excited to continue with our awards review process.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out at info@trails.film.

~~~

🌏 Premiering in Perth/Boorloo, Australia — Mid-October 2026

The World Trails Film Festival is headed to the southern hemisphere for the first time — and we want your trail story to be part of it!

👉 Latest info at https://trails.film

WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT
Trails Film is a global advocacy festival that celebrates trail stories of all kinds — and supports grassroots trail organizations through the power of film. Whether it’s a heart-pounding adventure, a quiet reflection on nature, or a surprising story about how trails shape our communities, we want to see it.

WE WELCOME:
• All types of media: from shorts to features
• All styles: documentary, experimental, educational, animated, poetic
• All storytellers: pro, amateur, or somewhere in between

WE CELEBRATE:
• Stories that go beyond the adrenaline rush
• Disability and adaptive recreation
• Mental health and healing
• Trail-making and maintenance
• Environmental and climate justice
• Women, Indigenous, and minority communities on trails
• Urban trail systems, sacred journeys, and more

📅 FESTIVAL DETAILS:
Where: Perth/Boorloo, Australia
When: Mid-October 2026
Exact dates and screening locations will be announced in early 2026. As a nomadic festival, we co-create our events with local hosts and the international trail community.

🌏 All selected films will also be available for our World Tour, a globe-traveling lineup shown in theaters, on trail sides, and everywhere in between.

💸 Discounted entry fees are available based on your economic context — inquire at https://trails.film/filmmakers/discounts

✨ OUR FOCUS: TRAILS, EVERYWHERE

Trails are more than dirt paths. They are stories. They are connectors. They are lifelines.

We welcome films that explore:
• Movement & journeys
• Place-based knowledge & practices
• Environmental themes & climate action
• Cultural or spiritual pathways
• Forgotten or emerging trails

Whether you're traveling by foot, bike, paddle, hoof, or wheels — or mapping trails through history, memory, or resistance — we want to follow your journey.

🌿 WHO WE ARE:
Trails Film was born from the World Trails Network’s Trails & Media Task Team. It’s a film festival, but it’s also a growing community of filmmakers, storytellers, activists, and lovers of wild places.

We’ve premiered in Santiago de Compostela, Spain (2018), Skiathos, Greece (2022), Ottawa, Canada (2024) and taken films on tour across continents and communities. We’re now gearing up for our biggest and boldest events yet in Australia.

We believe in the power of trails.
And we believe in the power of stories to protect them.

Awards & Prizes

Our awards honor not just cinematic excellence, but your role as a myth-maker, storyteller, and advocate.

🏆 CASH PRIZES will be awarded for:

• Best Feature
• Best Short Feature
• Best Short
• Best Film by an Emerging Filmmaker

All official selections are eligible for screening honoraria every time your film is shown.

Rules & Terms

📜 GENERAL RULES
Trail Connection:
All submissions must relate to trails in some way. This theme is open to creative interpretation. Topics may include — but are not limited to — adventure stories, trail-based activities, histories of trails, trail building or stewardship, trail communities and economies, wildlife and ecosystems along trails, journeys of healing or renewal, pilgrimage paths, and climate or conservation issues.

Language & Subtitles:
Films from all countries and in any language are welcome. All entries must include English subtitles, provided as a separate SRT file (not burned in), to enable further translation and accessibility. Questions? Contact us at info@trails.film.

Entry Eligibility:
There are no restrictions based on filmmaker experience, production budget, distribution history, or professional status. We welcome a wide range of projects that align with the values and mission of Trails Film.

Prize Eligibility:
To be eligible for awards or cash prizes, films must have been completed on or after January 1, 2024.

🎞️ CATEGORIES
• Feature: 40:00 minutes and longer
• Short Feature: 10:00 to 39:59 minutes
• Short: 1:01 to 9:59 minutes
• Micro: 1:00 minute or less

📘 TERMS & CONDITIONS
Note: If you have unique needs or exhibition restrictions not covered in these terms, please reach out to us before submitting: info@trails.film. We’ll do our best to accommodate.

By submitting your film to Trails Film, you agree to the following:

Agreement Scope:
This agreement is between you (the filmmaker or legal rights-holder) and the World Trails Film Festival (Trails Film), based in the United States of America.

License Grant:
If selected, you grant Trails Film a perpetual, non-exclusive, worldwide license to screen your film at official Trails Film events, including our main festival and traveling tour, and to use excerpts or stills in promotional and educational contexts.

Promotional Use:
You authorize Trails Film to use film clips, trailers, stills, and descriptive text for use in promotional materials (digital and print), websites, newsletters, social media, and related communications.

Compensation & Fees:
No screening fees or additional compensation are required. However, Trails Film may provide honoraria or stipends for selected screenings, at its discretion.

Rights & Clearances:
You confirm that all content in your film — including music, visuals, images, and third-party materials — is either original or used with proper written permission. You retain all necessary rights to submit the film and grant the licenses above.

Copyright Indemnification:
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Trails Film from any copyright claims or legal disputes arising from your submission, and will cover any associated costs of defense should infringement claims occur.

Appearance Consent:
You confirm that all identifiable individuals in your film have granted informed consent for their likeness or performance to be used in your work, including in promotional contexts related to the festival.

General Liability Release:
You release Trails Film from any and all claims, including those related to libel, invasion of privacy, misrepresentation, or infringement of personal or publicity rights arising from your film’s submission or screening.

Entry Fees:
All submission fees are non-refundable, regardless of selection status.

Right to Refuse or Withdraw:
Trails Film reserves the right to decline any submission or withdraw acceptance at any time, for any reason.

Confirmation:
By submitting, you confirm that you’ve read, understood, and agreed to these terms, and that all information provided in your application is accurate.
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  • Julian Gray

    Fantastic festival for all films linked to Trails. The festival tour is a great way for trail communities around the world to experience the excellent and broad ranging programming.

    October 2024
    Helpful