Women Deliver Arts & Film Festival

We are excited to launch the Call for Submissions for the Women Deliver Conference's 2023 Arts & Film Festival taking place 17-20 July 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda!

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL:

Women Deliver Conferences are one of the world’s largest multi-sectoral convenings to advance gender equality.

One of the most creative program elements of Women Deliver 2023 (WD2023) is the Arts & Film Festival designed to share stories and spark conversations related to the lives and wellbeing of girls and women around the world.

Over the course of three days, the WD2023 Arts & Film Festival will screen films of many genres - narrative, documentary, music videos, animation, PSAs and more - as well as display artwork - photography, visual arts, performing arts, NFTs and more - in an effort to bring the most inspiring and impactful stories forward. Films will be screened both in-person in Kigali and online during the virtual Conference.

Curated by Emmy-winning filmmaker and UN/NGO arts curator, Lisa Russell, MPH, the WD2023 Arts & Film Festival will be a dynamic exhibition of the power of arts and storytelling.

ABOUT THE AUDIENCE:

Get your work seen by changemakers around the world committed to a gender equitable world!

WD2023 expects delegates from 150+ countries, including grassroots advocates, multilateral governments, the private sector, philanthropies, and youth, including from and representing communities facing systemic discrimination.

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE:

The Women Deliver 2023 Conference (WD2023) will take place in-person in Kigali, Rwanda, as well as virtually, from 17-20 July 2023. We expect to convene 6,000 people in Kigali and 200,000+ people online through the virtual Conference and six-month Global Dialogue leading up to the Conference.

The theme of WD2023 is Spaces, Solidarity, and Solutions. WD2023 will enable inclusive and co-created spaces that foster solidarity for sustainable solutions on gender equality.

The WD2023 Arts & Film Festival will be located in in the landmark Kigali Convention Center (KCC), the first convention center in Rwanda and the largest in the region. Its unique design integrates all facilities and functional technology with a clear reference to the culture and traditions of Rwanda. An adjacent seating area will be reserved for follow up Q&As with filmmakers and film representatives.

The virtual festival will screen select films to a registered audience.

The arts are an invaluable advocacy tool in the quest for gender equality, and film is one medium that can move hearts and minds. Women Deliver is committed to providing a platform at WD2023 for artists whose creations will help fuel a better world for girls and women, and therefore, for all.

Please note, Women Deliver will be providing a select number of fee waivers after March 1, 2023. Please email wd2023artsfestival@gmail.com after that date for more information.

** If you are interested in attending the Conference, you can register or submit a scholarship application prior to October 1, 2023. Acceptance into the film festival is not a guarantee to receive a scholarship for the in-person conference. Visit wd2023.org for more information. ***

All selected films will receive a WD2023 Film Festival laurel.

Special juried prizes for films will be shared at a later date.

* Filmmakers as well as digital, visual and performing artists from around the world are invited to submit their original work to the WD2023 Arts & Film Festival. Films and artwork of all genres relating to Women Deliver's mission of bringing together voices from around the world to call for action to improve the health and well-being of girls and women will be considered.

FILM SUBMISSIONS

* Both feature length and short format films will be accepted however films will be shown in 25 minutes slots and therefore filmmakers with longer films will need to identify which section of their film they would like screened or opt to screen their trailers.

* The conference will be a tri-lingual conference in English, French and Spanish.
Submissions should be in English or with English subtitles. Please email womendeliverartsfestival@gmail.com if you have a film in French or Spanish without subtitles.

* The production can take place at any time. A premiere status is not necessary.

* We welcome submissions only via the FilmFreeway secure online screener system.

* More than one entry may be submitted. Each entry must be accompanied by an official entry form and entry fee.

* If your film is selected, then you will be asked to provide stills from the film; press materials; headshot and filmography of director; b&w and/or color and video trailer (if available). Please do not send in press materials until asked to do so by the festival.

PERFORMING ARTISTS

* Performing artists (musicians, poets, dancers, etc) are eligible to submit for consideration of live performance at the Women Deliver 2023 Arts & Film Festival.

* Performing artists must submit a video (professional or recorded by phone) of the performance you intend to showcase. It must show the artist(s) in a live setting (not a music video or lyrical video.)

VISUAL ARTISTS

* Visual artists (photographers, painters, illustrators and more) are eligible to submit for consideration of showcasing work digitally or in analog form by submitting 3-5 stills of their work. We will consider one offs and series.

NFTS:

* This year, the Women Deliver Arts & Film Festival is interested in showcasing NFTs - either one offs or collections - that support the gender equality movement.

* NFT creators may submit an application for consideration by submitting one still of a single NFT or 3-5 stills of a collection as well as the roadmap and utility, if relevant.

FEES:

* Entry fees range from $20-$75, depending on time of submission and are non-refundable. The early bird rate of $20 ends on October 1, 2022 and the final deadline is May 1, 2023.

* All entries selected for the Festival grant Women Deliver's Film Festival the rights to use footage, stills and/or titles and information from the artwork for promotional purposes.

* All films submitted must be free from any legal disputes and the filmmaker/artist must have cleared all rights for music and exhibition.

* All filmmakers/artists will be notified of acceptance by May 7, 2023.

Overall Rating

Quality

Value

Communication

Hospitality

Networking

Lliane Clarke

So excited to be part of this community of film makers for the UN and particularly loved the chat line that opened up for all the women to share and connect.

September 2023

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Gisela Chicolino

A festival on this topic is really a necessary one. Please keep working on generating this exquisite programming for the audiences.

August 2023

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Caroline Josey Karoki

What an honor to showcase the vital work and topics highlighted in our feature film at the Women Deliver — among other films! Lisa Russell is a fantastic curator! She was very responsive and made the process manageable. Thank you, Lisa! Thank you, WD! Onward...

August 2023

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Kathryn Grant

Women Deliver Arts and Film Festival puts your film in the thick of a fervent global conversation about women's rights and parity. It was thrilling to be part of a conference that included dynamic visionaries like Malala Yousafzi, Stacy Abrams and Mary Robinson to name just a few. Lisa Russell, the festival AD is impassioned, organized and available to the people who participated. Kudos to Lisa and her wonderful team!

August 2023

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Alex Sangha

Thank you to the Women Deliver Arts and Film Festival for selecting Vinay Giridhar's award-winning debut feature documentary, Emergence: Out of the Shadows, as a Finalist at your festival. We are so grateful for the selection. The conference is a very prestigious global conference that bring awareness and change to women's issues. Emergence: Out of the Shadows was one of only 7 films representing Canada at the festival out of nearly 155 films from around the world. We are so grateful. Thank you for supporting us.

July 2023

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