The Annapolis Film Festival 2025 proudly announces A New World as the theme for both the 2025 Festival and the Shorts Challenge. This year, we find ourselves navigating a changing world. There are too many reasons to name them all, but our world is shifting in ways that challenge how we live, connect, and grow. Storytelling is key to understanding and navigating these circumstances. We’re calling on filmmakers to pitch their ideas for short films (Narrative or Documentary) that capture the essence of A New World. Show us your vision of what A New World means to you—how we will navigate, cope, create, evolve, or even embrace A New World?
The future is ours to shape—what story will you tell?
A selected group of industry professionals, innovative global thinkers, our curators, and programming team WILL REVIEW ALL PROPOSALS AND SELECT FIVE FILM FINALISTS PROJECTS for a live public pitch session during the 13th annual Annapolis Film Festival.
The pitch session, which will be held in front of a festival audience, will give each filmmaker three minutes to pitch their stories and show short clips (if available, although not mandatory), of their concept to the audience and the industry judges on the stage. The judges will critique the pitch in front of the audience.
After all the pitches are completed the audience will vote. The result will account for one-quarter of the final decision. The judges will meet privately to select their choice and review the decision with the curators. The award will be announced at the Saturday Bash.
FILMMAKER PRIZE PACKAGE* PROVIDED TO WINNING FILM CONCEPT
1. A Camera Rental Package from RedStar Pictures
2. A Lighting Package from Serious Grip & Electric
3. Post Production SOUND DESIGN and AUDIO MIX from The Sound Department
4. Post Production Video & Color Grading from Henninger Media
5. One year subscription to cutting-edge AI production software from NolanAI
The winning short film will be completed and will premiere at the following 2026 Annapolis Film Festival. AFF reserves the right to review the film as it is being made, and it will have to meet certain standards for final acceptance. Should the film be accepted to one of the top ten festivals before our festival occurs, AFF would on a case-by-case basis, determine if that screening could happen first.
THE FIVE FINALISTS WILL BE GIVEN ONE ROUNDTRIP TICKET TO THE FESTIVAL/ANNAPOLIS, ONE HOTEL ROOM FOR UP TO FOUR NIGHTS, UP TO 2 INDUSTRY ALL ACCESS PASSES, AND A CHANCE TO WIN THE CAMERA, LIGHTING, POST PACKAGE for VIDEO, SOUND and COLOR.
THEY WILL ALSO GET LAURELS FOR WINNING THE SHORTS CHALLENGE. All finalists will be sent a more detailed agreement to sign prior to the film festival with parameters and prize details as stipulated by sponsors.
* All finalists will be sent a more detailed agreement to sign prior to the film festival with parameters and prize details as stipulated by sponsors. Filmmaker understands that they will have to raise some additional funds to support the film --- these are not cash prizes.
***SUBMISSIONS ARE CLOSED FOR 2025***
Please submit to programming@annapolisfilmfestival.com, the following by February 14, 2025, to be considered:
1. A synopsis of your short film concept that meets this theme. No more than one page is advised. Both narrative and documentary concepts are accepted but no animation.
2. A photo deck of prospective film characters or subjects and/or a written description of the main ones. Video clips are allowed, but not required.
3. A Short Preliminary Budget
4. A Personal Bio/Resume
We hope this theme sparks your imagination. Please let us know how you are envisioning A New World.
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