NOTE: You must be 18 years old or younger to submit to this festival.
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New Roads School presents the Climate Changemaker Film Festival:

CALLING ALL TEEN FILMMAKERS! If you are a middle school or high school student (ages 10-18 years old) that has a climate change-related short film, please submit your film by midnight, March 22, 2026. We are looking for short films that explore climate change-related topics or call-to-action films that inspire viewers to make a change.

All winning films will premiere at the Climate Changemaker Film Festival in April 2026.

CATEGORIES INCLUDE:
Short Films (2 - 5 minutes)
--Narratives
--Documentaries
--Experimental/Avant-garde
--Music Videos

Impact Films (30 seconds - 2 minutes)
--Short films under 2 minutes about Climate Change

Awards & Prizes

Trees will be planted in filmmaker names.

PRIZES
High School:
Best Short Film - 1st Place
Best Short Film - Runner Up
Best Impact Film - 1st Place
Best Impact Film - Runner Up
Audience Choice (High School)

Middle School:
Best Short Film - 1st Place
Best Short Film - Runner Up
Best Impact Film - 1st Place
Best Impact Film - Runner Up
Audience Choice (Middle School)

Rules & Terms

RULES:
-All subject matter must be related to climate change.
-Copyright free imagery/videos are acceptable, but content created by generative AI software is not.
-Open to U.S. and International Students
-Films must be under 5 minutes
-Films must be made by students in Middle School or Upper School (ages 10-18)
-If you are older than 18, you are not qualified.
-Adult participation should be limited to coaching or acting.
-All legal licenses for music and images have been cleared and approved in advance by the filmmaker.
-By submitting your film to our Festival you grant us the right to use excerpts in our promotion on social media or our websites.
-Films in languages other than English must include English subtitles

Questions? Contact Michelle Bernstein at mbernstein@newroads.org
20 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Timothy Lindenfelser

    This festival is such a great way to increase awareness of climate change and recognize young filmmakers for making movies matter!

    April 2026
    Helpful
  • Akshita Vashisht

    I'm grateful for the recognition of my short documentary Paani. Receiving Audience Choice award is truly motivating and means a great deal to me.

    April 2026
    Helpful
  • Mohana Rajakumar

    Wonderful energy and passion driving this festival. Great communication and mission. Would definitely submit again!

    April 2026
    Helpful
  • Jacqueline Sánchez-Carrero

    It's a wonderful festival. Aside from the ecological theme that touches all our hearts, it's a very well-organized event. They've kept us in touch the whole time and have given us the greatest gift, besides a prize, which is planting trees in our name. This festival is incomparable; it's unique!

    April 2026
    Helpful
  • Anastasia Aslanishvili

    Such a unique festival.wonderful opportunity to create art and raise awareness of climate problems. I'm so thankful I got the chance to participate.

    April 2025
    Helpful