Society for Visual Anthropology Film and Media Festival (SVAFMF)

Categories
Features: films with a running time over 45 minutes.

Shorts: films with a running time less than 45 minutes.

Eligibility
All submissions must have been completed on or after January 1, 2024. Projects may originate from anywhere in the world. There is no premiere requirement and projects that already have distribution may be submitted.

While the vast majority of submissions are documentaries, the festival accepts experimental, narrative, and other film genres as long as they fall within the broad category of ethnographic media.

Students & SVA Members

Special consideration may be given for works created by students and current members of the Society for Visual Anthropology.

Student submissions must have been completed while the filmmaker was enrolled in an accredited educational institution. Proof of student status may be requested. Submissions in noncompliance may be disqualified without refund.

SVA member submissions must have a Society for Visual Anthropology member in a key production role (usually producer or director) or as the central narrator or interlocutor in the film. Submissions in noncompliance can be disqualified without refund.

Jury

The festival jury—comprised of anthropologists, filmmakers, and/or film scholars—selects work to be included in the festival on the basis of anthropological relevance and value to the field. Low budget and shorter works receive the same careful attention as high budget and longer works.

Notification of Acceptance

Filmmakers will be notified about the status of their submissions from the email address svafilmfestival@gmail.com.

All entries must be submitted on FilmFreeway. All correspondence must include the FilmFreeway tracking number.