The SoDak Motion Festival (much like its predecessor the SoDak Animation Festival), seeks to show some of the best new independent animation from around the world.

The SoDak Motion Festival is a true gem of the American midwest, because nowhere else in the heartland of America can you find the world's best independent animation. The festival has also hosted guest speakers including artists and filmmakers from NBC, Troika Design, Pixar, and an awesome slew of today’s top indie animators. It’s really cool to say that you've had work show in South Dakota, and for a film festival – and for an animated film festival! It's a small and sincere event, made for animators and by animators and lovers of animation.

The 2018 event will be held October 25-27 in Brookings, South Dakota at the South Dakota Art Museum on the campus of South Dakota State University with other venues in development.

Call for Entries runs from June 3-July 31. Student entries are free until June 11.

CALL FOR ENTRIES EXTENDED UNTIL AUGUST 7!

The SoDak Motion Festival and related events are organized and operated by faculty, staff, and students from The School of Design at South Dakota State University and by loyal animation-loving members of the Brookings and Sioux Falls, South Dakota communities.

The coveted Golden Cowbells are awarded for Juried categories. Juror information will be available on the festival website.

Submitting to 2018 SoDak Motion means you are authorized to distribute the film you are submitting and you will be held responsible for any issues and fees that arise from any misrepresentation on your part. It also means that the screener link and password will be shared with members of our programming committee. This link and its contents will not be distributed outside of the programming committee. We will contact all invited films at the email address provided Please double-check that it is correct. No submitted films will be screened without permission from the appropriate rights holder.

This event is for animated work only. Live-action films are not eligible. Work must be made of at least 51% animation to be considered an animated work. So if you send in your live-action movie, we'll be irritated that you didn't bother to read the first line of the festival narrative and be tempted to say "duh!". The relatively insignificant submission fees SoDak Motion asks for supplement funds that support the event, like venue costs, printing, mailing, and other small operation costs. If you've screened at a SoDak Animation event in the past, please contact us for a ALUMNI FEE WAIVER before submitting!

Festival entrants will be notified on or around September 1, 2018 via email of submitter on record. Pending budget, accepted finalists will be issued an honorarium of $25 per work screened. Exhibition files and other promotional materials will be requested in early September. Available exhibition file format should be high quality HD, 1080p h264, 2-channel stereo. Submissions should be at least 51% animated content to be considered an animated work. Submissions should be no more than 20 minutes long. Jurors (with considerable industry experience and appropriate perspectives and established exhibition records) will be announced in Spring 2018.

Entries accepted completed no earlier than 2016 will be considered. The festival will reassign category if it seems to be a better fit than one selected for at submission. Filmmakers may be contacted to deliver a short message or remote Q&A by video to be played during the screening. If your country's banking regulations allow, and budget pending, a small honorarium ($25) will be issued to each accepted filmmaker via Paypal. Please verify your email address can accept this method.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Greg Holfeld

    Great communication from this festival. Proud to have my film screened in SoDak.

    November 2018
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    Response from festival:

    Greg! Thanks for those kind words! We're so glad to have been able to share PINCHPOT with the eyes and ears around here. A very poignant and expressive film - a fantastic addition to this year's eclectic line-up. If you ever find yourself in the US upper midwest - look us up! Thanks again!

  • Dana Sink

    Very communicative and very enjoyable group of people

    November 2018
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks Dana! It was great to be able to screen your work again out here. The audience really digs it! Congratulations again! Don't be a stranger!

  • Vanessa Sweet

    While I was not able to attend this event, the curator Cable did an excellent job making sure that he kept in touch with his filmmakers and informed each one warmly via phone call of their acceptance. Recommend 10 out of 10 for smaller film fests!

    November 2018
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    Response from festival:

    We can't get too much smaller than this year! It was really a strong show and Wild Woman was the greatest closer! We were lucky to have gotten to screen it here! Come visit!

  • SoDak is one of those hidden gems. When I've attended, it has provided one of my favourite festival experiences; when I couldn't be there in person, they've made me wish I could.

    November 2018
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    Response from festival:

    Lynn! So great to screen Chrysalis! The director's video is a real treat too, even when the real person can't make it. We hope to look for more opportunities to develop this and adapt in the coming editions - thanks again for your support!

  • Patrick Smith

    always excellent. Thanks Cable! Hope to be able to attend again one of these years!

    November 2018
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks Pat! So great to get to screen POUR! This year's edition was a sure micro-fest and I hope to be able to adapt and expand in the future in the right way. Come visit and stay in touch!