Black Voices Matter 2020
RULES & REGULATIONS
Non-competitive festival. All projects will be shared on IGtv IN PERPETUITY.
1. Director, Writer, and/or Producer must be a member of the Black community.
2. Projects will be accepted and shared on a ROLLING basis. Event date listed is for FilmFreeway purposes only.
3. Filmed theatrical performances, Web Series, Readings of Books/Excerpts, Film, Music Videos Instagram Videos, TikToks - All Qualify.
4. No restriction on dates of production.
5. Submission must be an mp4 download. Downloadable Vimeo links will be accepted.
6. Include your social media handles and requested hashtags for proper credit.
8. Non-English language works must have English subtitles but should retain the original language audio.
8.. Entrants must comply with all of these Entry Rules & Regulations, including deadline(s) and entry material requirements, and selected film requirements.
9. Multiple entries will be accepted provided they are submitted individually.
10. All materials (film/project, poster, Instagram handles, contact info, etc) must be readily available within your FilmFreeway submission.
11. PROJECTS WILL BE SHARED ON IGtv IN PERPETUITY. This may affect distribution opportunities for film projects. Please keep this in mind before submitting.
Questions may be sent to team@westfieldfilmfest.com
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A Statement from Big Dreams & Silver Screens/Westfield International Film Festival:
We regret to report that we will not be hosting either the Westfield International Film Festival or the Big Dreams Youth Film Festival in 2020.
We believe in transparancy and would like to share the reason for our hiatus.
The festival first began seven years ago as a small one night only event in Rahway. It has since grown to the four day affair that you have come to know and love. Gina Marie Rodriguez (Founder/Festival Director) and Stacy Ignacio (Assistant Director) have personally and annually funded the majority of the event since its inception.
Our move to Westfield has afforded us remarkable new opportunities, for which we are very grateful, but with those opportunities have come increased costs. As additional fundraising efforts have not yielded the necessary funds, we are no longer able to continue funding this production, nor the Big Dreams Youth Film Festival.
We are speaking with the Town of Westfield and our venue, The James Ward Mansion, with aspirations of returning next year, in 2021.
We appreciate the support of our existing sponsors, filmmakers, and patrons and hope that we have made you proud these last seven years.
If you are still owed deliverables at the time of this statement, please know that we are working towards finalizing all open projects. You may feel free to reach out to us with any questions or concerns.
With the greatest thanks and appreciation,
Gina & Stacy
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OUR MISSION:
Our mission is to provide an opportunity for artists worldwide to showcase works that educate, and inspire equality, empathy and awareness through film.
We believe that film can reach the mind and soul in ways nothing else can. For this reason, we present films that strive to promote equality, champion the oppressed and promote open-mindedness. We also offer seminars and workshops intended to engage and educate aspiring filmmakers and on-camera talent.
Our intent is to call attention to and encourage the artistic endeavors of women and minorities, whose work is often overlooked, and in so doing, fully advocate for equality.
We are committed to enhancing the creative community in the Tri-State area and providing a platform for both local and international storytellers to not only share their work but enjoy a place to forge new relationships for collaboration.
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*We encourage the progress and success of women in the film industry. If your film boasts a woman in any of these roles: Director, Screenwriter, Lead Producer, or DP, please consider submitting to the "Woman in Film" category. By submitting to this category, you may also become eligible for our "Best Female Filmmaker" Award. Multiple films from this category may be selected for competition but only one filmmaker will be honored as our "Best Female Filmmaker 2018".
**NJ-based filmmakers are eligible for a discounted submission fee by submitting to the "Local NJ Film" categories. Director, Screenwriter, and/or Lead Producer must be a current resident of NJ for eligibility.
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OUR STORY:
Westfield International Film Festival (a Big Dreams and Silver Screens production) is a non-profit international film festival first established in Rahway, New Jersey, U.S.A, only 40 minutes away from New York City. It was first held in June of 2013 in an effort to create a warm and welcoming home for independent filmmakers and fans of film in the Tri-State Area. We annually showcase short films, feature films and music videos while offering networking and workshop opportunities to those interested in the film industry.
As a women-led film festival in a primarily male-dominated film industry and in keeping with our mission of equality, we seek to present an equal ratio of films created by male and female filmmakers (Director/Writer/Producer/DP) from around the world. We also present the annual “Woman in Film Award” to honor and celebrate women in the film industry who exemplify our definition of success.
We are glad to be a part of the bustling downtown district of Westfield, NJ - one of the "happiest cities in New Jersey" - where we call The James Ward Mansion home. It is a unique, beautiful, and glamorous space in which we are happy to honor our hard-working filmmakers whom we feel deserve the full red-carpet treatment.
Big Dreams and Silver Screens is currently awaiting its 501c3 Non-Profit Status from the State of NJ. WIFF is a Big Dreams and Silver Screens production.
To learn more about Westfield International Film Festival, visit us here: www.westfieldfilmfest.com.