FAD Festival: Film-Art-Dance on Screen showcases the best of international dance and movement-based films in public screenings and as part of FAD Collections, specially curated programs for K-12 schools. FAD Festival is a collaborative project between Code f.a.d. Company and North Carolina State University.

University students and film professionals serve together as curators and lesson plan writers to craft unique film collections for screenings in a variety of K-12 classroom settings. Anticipated programs include general film packages for grades K-2 and 3-5, and more tailored packages for social studies and arts classrooms for grades 6-8 and 9-12. Each package of curated films will be sent to the school along with a lesson plan and the festival directors will contact each teacher to be sure they understand how to best incorporate the screening into their classrooms. Film packages are created to meet national educational standards and student learning objectives.

The film collections will be marketed to K-12 schools across the United States and Canada. The film programs are provided free of charge to the schools; the only requirement is for each teacher to fill out a simple feedback form following the screening in their classroom. These film programs are part of an ongoing research and community engagement project to raise awareness of dance film as an art genre and to showcase its ability to be used for educational purposes.

New films for these touring programs will be accepted each year; however, films may continue to tour to schools for more than one year.

Awards will be given for Curators' Choice for Best Short, Curators' Choice for Best Feature, Best Student Short, Best Student Feature, Audience's Choice for Best Film, and other category awards as deemed applicable. (Awards in the 2016 festival included Best Choreography, Best Direction, Best Sound Score, and other more unique categories.) All films will receive custom FAD laurels and will be publicized through our social media and online outlets (including links to your own film or director pages).

In addition to these traditional awards, all filmmakers will receive feedback from our K-12 audiences/teachers (as available). These film programs are part of an ongoing research and community engagement project to raise awareness of dance film as an art genre and to showcase its ability to be used for educational purposes.

FAD Festival invites all films with a strong connection to dance and movement to apply. Documentaries, narratives, music videos, experimental works, and films of all genres are welcome, as long as movement is an integral component of the film. Films may be of any length; however, short films of 10 minutes or less may have a greater chance of being selected for screenings. Films for adult audiences may apply; however, our main focus will be curating programs for K-12 audiences, so films suitable for younger audiences have the best chance of being accepted. All films submitted in our K-12 categories will also be considered for public (adult and all-ages) screenings. Established, emerging, and student artists are all encouraged to submit their films!

All works must be original and Entrants must own the rights or have permission to use the materials included in their videos and performances.
• Entrant(s) confirms and warrants required legal authority to submit the entry into the Festival and to use all music, images, and content in the entry.
• Entrant(s) will allow usage of images, audio, and video clips from the entry and all related publicity material submitted for marketing purposes for FAD Festival.

Films that do not feature movement as an integral component will be disqualified. Films submitted in the K-12 categories that are not suitable for children will be disqualified.

SUBMIT IN THE ADULTS ONLY CATEGORY IF YOUR CONTENT IS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN OR IF YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR FILM CONSIDERED FOR OUR K-12 COLLECTIONS. All films submitted in the K-12 category are also considered for our public (adult) screenings.

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  • I was not able to attend, but was so happy to have them take my film "Pooling" into their collection which will tour schools in the US and Canada. Great festival to have on your radar and backing your work if you make dance films.

    January 2020
  • Sandra Portal-Andreu

    Great Program! I was very happy to be a part of it!

    January 2018
  • Damyon Myers

    Great festival, with greater intentions. Autumn is a pleasure to work and to trust your film will be in great hands. Would definitely submit to again.

    February 2017