Anyone who has attended the annual SCAD Savannah Film Festival in the coastal Georgia city can vouch for the event’s tremendous support shown to fledgling filmmakers. The film festival is the largest university-run film festival in the U.S. SCAD stands for the Savannah College of Art and Design, and the university has been integral to the festival’s success – as well as the impact the fest has on current SCAD students. We haven’t missed a celebration in over a decade, getting the chance to speak with filmmakers like Ron Howard or exciting performers such as Daniel Kaluuya. But today, SCAD Savannah Film Festival and Amazon Studios revealed the creation of a brand new SAVFF LGBTQ+ Short Film Competition, which will premiere during this year’s event, scheduled for October 21–28.
The collaboration, according to a release, will create “a platform for emerging queer filmmakers to share their stories and gain mentorship and exposure, while onsite programming will offer networking and educational opportunities and drive conversation around equitable filmmaking.” Amazon Studios already boasts a thorough Inclusion Policy and Playbook, and is one of the leading studios for inclusion thanks to its DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility) effort behind its content greenlight process. They include a Show Me More Pride section of LGBTQ+ projects that’s available to people with an Amazon Prime subscription. The studio, which frequently recruits writers for original projects, also invests in programs to grow talent from historically excluded communities at all stages of the career pathway.
Commenting on this new SAVFF LGBTQ+ Short Film Competition, SCAD Savannah Film Festival executive director Christina Routhier said:
We are grateful that Amazon Studios has joined us to help move the needle on this very critical issue. This competition and its mentorship effect can help the next generation of LGBTQ+ storytellers achieve new creative and professional goals and build sustainable careers, and we hope to inspire other institutions and festivals to follow our lead with similar dedicated programs.
As the official presenting sponsor of the SAVFF LGBTQ+ Short Film Competition, Amazon Studios will donate $10,000 for the jury-awarded Best Overall Film, and $5,000 for an Audience Award, with winners announced during the Festival Awards Brunch. Also at the festival, Amazon Studios will lead a panel discussion on the future of LGBTQIA+ storytelling, host educational opportunities for SCAD students and alumni, and conduct a networking session for filmmakers.
Here’s the official verbiage, as provided by the SCAD Savannah Film festival: To submit a film to the SAVFF LGBTQ+ Short Film Competition, a director, writer, or producer contributing to the film must identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. Films should be under 40 minutes in length and represent excellence in storytelling and execution. Submitted films can be narrative or documentary formats, reflecting unique insight into LGBTQ+ themes, issues, or ideas. The film's content should embody a personal connection to the subject and showcase the filmmaker's artistic approach to visual storytelling.
Interested filmmakers can submit their film to the competition via FilmFreeway.
