** If your work is selected as an NBFF Official Selection your film will travel to in-person screenings throughout The United States of America, South Korea and/or Mexico **

Waivers
We are charging for submission to the festival, in order to cover administrative and technological costs. We are committed to providing a platform for dance work across the globe and though we recognize that for many, the submission cost is a manageable fee, we know that for others this amount or the logistics of paying it might be inhibiting. If you are unable to pay the fee but would like to submit please fill our this form with your request for consideration: https://forms.gle/TyUu4qaxbkWqqfKo9

Discount Waivers
NBFF Alumni qualify for a 50% discount code to submit work. If your work was an NBFF Official Selection between 2019-2023 you qualify for a discount.

Support
If you are planning on submitting and are willing to pay more than $30 USD in order to subsidize the costs, allowing us to present more diverse work, please consider making a donation to kNOwBOX dance designated for the film festival.
https://www.knowboxdance.com/support

MISSION
In its 6th year as an independent international film festival, the mission for the NBFF is to curate dance films that explore an innovative approach to “challenging the possibilities of what dance can look like in video form”.

VALUES
NBFF introduces various trends in dance films and emerging dance film directors as well. The NBFF explores the diversity of dance creation, distribution, and archiving through the meeting of dance and film (dance film). NBFF encourages various interpretations of dance films including but not limited to: shorts, narrative, fiction, experimental, animation, multicultural, multi-genre, and historical documentary films.
Additionally, NBFF screens selected films from Dallas, Texas, USA; Korea; and Mexico (countries with live NBFF events) via invitation in order to share works related to current social and political issues.

VISION
The festival is an international festival that is held simultaneously in Mexico, South Korea, The United States of America, and online to create a venue for various cultural exchanges.
The kNOwBOX dance organization is dedicated to creating a more equitable and inclusive dance field for all by fostering trans-geographical networking, highlighting diverse and underrepresented voices (e.g. black, indigenous, people of color, and women). NBFF contributes greatly to the growth and development of the field of dance and film. Beyond the screening of local, national, and international films NBFF offers guest visits and talks, dance workshops, networking events, and a virtual fest–which includes online dance related workshops–in order to expand the future of dance through various practices and aesthetic explorations. The NB team believes experiencing art–and more specifically experiencing art via dance and film–creates opportunities for understanding other perspectives.

In this day and age, it is imperative to address the topic of equality in dance in the digital space as it is both relevant and a pressing issue in the current social and political climate. The digital space is charged with a multitude of positive and negative forces including political and monetary power, media prowess, misinformation, matters of accessibility, collaboration, tools and platforms for artistic creation, sharing, networking, sexism, racism, cultural appropriation, and misrepresentation. NB finds it important to acknowledge concepts of power, access, inclusion, and race in order to not reinforce some of the same structures of oppression (i.e. the male gaze, objectification of womxn/womyn, ableism, the primitivism of people of color, etc.); thus writing a more equitable future history.

NBFF 2023 Teaser Video
https://youtu.be/tngIwoa6ht4?si=LQB_xzrwXVErpgUO

kNOwBOX dance Film Festival 2023 – Seoul, Korea
https://youtu.be/lsRVqlnLUyo?si=Jnzm0Fh5zf4EbS4s

kNOwBOX dance Film Festival 2023 – Dallas, Texas, USA
https://youtu.be/09GjKBK-N0M?si=k6OmHPj0auu6sYre

kNOwBOX dance Film Festival 2023 – Oaxaca, Mexico
https://youtu.be/sLwiqvx_Dlk?si=SHGiv4rUOhk6nH2u

NBFF 2022 Teaser Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p3QutQax1U

kNOwBOX dance Film Festival 2022 – Seoul, Korea
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK_eKr4ZG6Y

kNOwBOX dance Film Festival 2022 – Dallas, Texas, USA
https://youtu.be/fcI66dmBp6w

Cover image courtesy of kNOwBOX dance Film Festival 2023 "Condition makes construction_light" by BAKI

Awards
+ #NBFF Official - all selected films
+ #NBFF AttentionGrabber USA - audience selected film
+ #NBFF AttentionGrabber Korea - audience selected film
+ #NBFF AttentionGrabber Mexico - audience selected film
+ #NBFF Visionary - selection committee voted
+ #NBFF Outstanding Performance Award - selection committee voted

PRIZES
+ All films selected for the NBFF 2024 Official Selection will receive a monetary honorarium
+ “Official NBFF” laurel
+ Social Media & Website Feature: promoting filmmaker social media and website links
+ NBFF “#Visionary” guaranteed interview on our Dance Behind the Screen Podcast
+ 2024 NBFF Visionary Award Honorarium
+ Complimentary Tickets/Passes (2 per selected filmmaker)
+ All films selected for the NBFF 2024 Official Selection will be added to The NBFF Pop-Up Package that will be distributed to independent organizations, cinemas, and/or museums.

+ Meet length guidelines as outlined by category
+ Films submitted will be screened by our NBFF 2024 Jury
+ Films that have been submitted in previous years are eligible to be resubmitted, provided they are eligible according to all of the festival’s current rules.
+ Each entry must include high-resolution film stills/photos with submission (please include photo credits)
+ Each entry must include filmmaker/artist current location
+ Each filmmaker is responsible for holding copyright permission for any elements used in the film.
+ Selected films must provide film in 1280*720, 1920*1080 / Format: MP4 or MOV
+ Selected films must provide additional marketing materials upon request
+ All films submitted grant NBFF the right to utilize materials including video and still images for NBFF 2024 and/or future kNOwBOX dance events.
+ My materials can be included in NBFF 2024, future kNOwBOX dance publicity, and included in the kNOwBOX dance permanent digital archive.
+ Submission fee paid
+ Works created between 1950 and 2024
+ If the submitted work has been distributed to other screening media before the festival is held, or the entire video is being screened online for free, it may be excluded from the competition section.

By submitting one's film, filmmakers/artists give permission to kNOwBOX dance and the kNOwBOX dance Film Festival (NBFF) the right to utilize materials including video and still images for promotion, events, and educational purposes. The official selection will be included in NBFF 2024, NBFF On Tour, future kNOwBOX dance publicity, and included in the kNOwBOX dance permanent digital archive.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Vincent Bruno

    Truly a wonderful festival ! We were proud to have LIVING ON THE THRESHOLD screen at kNOwBOX dance Film Festival.
    Unfortunately we couldn't attend the festival itself but the communication was excellent.
    We were honoured to have won the Visionary Award.

    February 2023
  • Arias Fernández

    This festival was great. In all terms. Comunication, treat, networking, quality...very good people doing good job! Thank you!

    January 2023
  • Jose German Gonzalez

    Estamos muy felices con todo el trato que nos dió el festival. Ha sido una selección especial para nosotros, para nuestro trabajo y el contacto y la información ha sido cercana , amable y oportuna.
    Gracias KBFF !!!

    November 2022
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    Response from festival:

    GRACIAS!!!

  • Regina Lissowska-Postaremczak

    Great festival! We were very honored to be part of it, and also thankful for kindness, professionalism and communication with the Team.

    November 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you, Regina! We were honored to include the Polish Dance Theatre.

  • francesca santamaria

    It was a nice festival! We are really happy about everything!

    November 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you, Francesca!