We are delighted to announce the first annual Women in the Center Film Festival!

Our mission is to solicit and showcase a variety of films that illustrate the challenges and resiliency of women around the world who are confronted by complex reproductive and sexual health issues.

We are looking for stories that capture the emotional and social consequences that barriers to healthcare services have on women, their families and communities by highlighting the often invisible social determinants that marginalize women.

We are also looking for inspiring stories of healthcare providers who have challenged and overcome systemic problems to offer greater reproductive healthcare to women, including those in low and middle-income countries.

We accept films in all genres, at all lengths with no premiere status necessary. The programming of films will occur in 25-minute slots so for feature-length films, we will program trailers, scene selects. Please indicate on your submission the time code for the section of your film you would like considered.

Films chosen for the festival will be showcased during the 33rd International Papillomavirus Conference taking place in Barcelona, Spain from March 24-27, 2020. More information can be found at https://ipvconference.org/.

Attended by over 1,500 advocates, researchers, experts, donors and others, the Conference screenings will be an unprecedented opportunity for filmmakers to have their work seen by and promoted to leading advocates and changemakers in the reproductive health space.

We are committed to engaging artists and filmmakers at the conference. Filmmakers whose films are chosen will have the opportunity to attend the Conference free of charge (all travel and accommodation are the responsibility of the filmmaker.)

We are pleased to announce that the Women in the Center Film Festival will be curated by Emmy-winning filmmaker, Lisa Russell who curates and juries other global health film festivals including the Women Deliver Film Festival (Washington, DC 2010, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2013, Copenhagen, Denmark 2016 and Vancouver, Canada 2019), the UN’s SDGs in Action Film Festival (NYC 2018 and 2019), the first-ever Bhutan International Film Festival and more.

Awards & Prizes

All filmmaker finalists will receive a film laurel and thank you letter from the IPVC Conference Chair.

Filmmakers who are interested in attending will have the conference registration fee waived. Transportation and lodging are the responsibility of the filmmaker.

Rules & Terms

* Filmmakers, producers and distributors from around the world are invited to submit their original work to the 2020 Women at the Center Film Festival for the 33rd International Papillomavirus Conference (IPVC) in Barcelona, Spain. Films of all genres relating to 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.

* PSAs, shorts, and trailers in all genres will be accepted for consideration. Feature length 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.

* Submissions must be in English or with English subtitles.

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

* We welcome submissions on 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.

*Entry fees range from $20-$60, depending on time of submission and are non-refundable. The early bird rate of $20 ends on November 15, 2019 and the final deadline is January 10, 2020.

* All film entries selected for the Festival grant the IPVC Conference the rights to use a selection of footage, stills and/or titles and information from the film for promotional purposes, pending agreement with the filmmaker.

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

* All filmmakers will be notified of acceptance by February 11, 2020.