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ISFF 2020
Oct 16-23, 2020
Submissions for the 13th Imagine Science Film Festival extended till Aug 15.

Submit your film today.
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The theme of the 13th Imagine Science Film Festival is "MIGRATION"
The flight of the arctic tern, the multi-generational travels of the monarch butterfly, the return of eels to the streams they hatched in. The arduous journeys of displaced peoples. Data systems in flux. The complex movements of cells, from embryonic origins to developed organisms. This year we seek MIGRATIONS of all kinds.

Though this subject is the special focus of this year's festival, we'll also be accepting films of any and all other genres, methodologies, and subjects, as always.
When will the festival take place?
The 13th Imagine Science Film Festival will take place from October 16-23, 2020.

Where will the festival take place?
This year, the festival will take place online, embracing migration in all its forms.

We're living through a crisis and it has never been more important to find ways to communicate science through visual storytelling and spark conversations.. We will be experimenting with new ways to bridge the worlds of science and cinema.

By going virtual, we go beyond the limits of New York City, inviting filmmakers, scientists and audiences to take part in this grand experiment from the around the world. We will still keep the spirit of the travel festival by partnering with different institutions worldwide.

We will have premieres, international panels and workshops, a science market (virtual) day and many more surprises for our 13th edition. It will be our biggest festival to date.
What kinds of films should I submit?
Startle us, surprise us, amaze us! We always love films that defy categorization: show us fictional documentaries, scientific fact expressed through gripping stories, eye-grabbing data visualizations, thought-provoking experimental film, and innovative animation! And of course, we'll always welcome documentaries with a strong narrative thread, and science fiction with a sound scientific basis.

We accept submissions in three categories: Shorts, Documentaries, and Features. Shorts and Documentaries may be up to 40 minutes in length, features are considered to be any film, fiction or documentary, over 40 minutes in length.
What are the submission deadlines and fees?
+ Earlybird deadline April 15 — $15
+ Regular deadline June 15 — $20
+ Late deadline August 1 — $25
+ Extended deadline August 15 - $25
Are the films in competition?
Yes. All of our films are eligible for several awards and cash prizes. For short films, awards include the In Vivo Award, the Theme-Sensitive Award, the Avant-Garde Award, and the Jury's Choice Award. TheSymbiosis Award is given every year for the Symbiosis scientist / filmmaker competition (learn more and apply by Aug 15 here). Awards are sponsored by a myriad of like-minded science and art organizations.
Science New Wave
Films in competition that proposes bold, singular and oftentimes hybrid ways to communicate science. These films are considered to be visionary and outside of the (science) box.
Spotlight
Films in competition that are timely, not shying away from controversial topics while providing a well-balanced state-of-matters related to scientific issues and crises.
Retroactive
We normally think of 'time' as constantly moving forward. We reach into the past to inform the present. This category pays tribute to how the past informs the present and future and all of its permutations.
Short Film Awards
Our short films are up for several awards:
In Vivo: realistic and human depiction of a scientist or science on screen
Theme-Sensitive: emphasis on narrative, storytelling related to this year's topic.
Avant-Garde: bold storytelling and hybrid aesthetics and narrative.
Symbiosis Award: awarded to the film made in this year's Symbiosis competition that best embraces the idea of collaboration, scientific storytelling and originality.
I'm a scientist. Can I submit my lab and experiment footage?
Yes, absolutely. We have a new initiative just for that, SCENES. Submitting your data and lab footage will allow it to be shown not only in the festival but via also in our SCENES archive. Read about the project and submit your footage on Labocine, here.
What submission formats do you accept?
All of our film submissions are now online through Film Freeway. If invited to the festival, we will request digital hi-res files for screenings.
Any questions:

programming
@imaginesciencefilms.org
Image above: Daniel Olah
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