Year after year, it is a veritable ritual for the filmmakers of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, and outlying cities to anticipate the Call for Entries to the New Art Film Festival (NAFF) and they will be happy to learn their wait is over! The NAFF is now accepting films for possible inclusion in their seventh annual showcase, to be hosted once again by the Art Theater Co-op in downtown Champaign, on Sunday, October 30, 2016!
“The NAFF is happy to partner again with the Art Co-op and highlight the myriad work of area producers who use film, video, and new media to tell their stories,” relays co-founder and program director Jason Pankoke who also emcees the festival. He continues, “In 2015, the fall season served as a comfortable fit for the NAFF. Everything ran smoothly, audience members enjoyed the presentation, and new friends and movie artists joined us for the first time!”
This year, organizers are shifting gears with the Call for Entries process to accommodate entrants. First, they encourage filmmakers to submit their work on-line rather than in physical form, although non-returnable DVD screeners will still be accepted. Second, given the October show is scheduled to run from 6 to 11 p.m. on October 30 – this will make for the shortest NAFF to date – they recommend entries run 30 minutes or less to improve the odds of being selected.
To submit films, entrants should write the NAFF at [email protected] and include functional link(s) to on-line screener(s), password(s) to access the same, and the following: Year of Production, Running Time, Name of Director(s)/Producer(s)/Writer(s), Names of Primary Cast Members, Name of Production Company(ies), Plot Synopsis, Filmmaker Biography(ies), and Print Source (i.e., Contact Information we can share with the public).
Entries on DVD or flash drive (not Blu-ray) may be delivered to:
The Art Theater Co-op
126 W. Church St.
Champaign, IL, 61820
attn.: New Art Film Festival 2016
c/o Jason Pankoke
… with the above information included as hard copy or electronic document; sending an e-mail of the same information to the NAFF is also acceptable. Deadline for all entries is WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016, 10 p.m. CST. As always, submission fees will not be charged!
The NAFF welcomes all genres and is interested in receiving short subjects, Webisodes, and trailers or excerpts from long-form pieces. Entries should have been produced within the last three years. Final selections will be announced on or near Wednesday, September 28, 2016. Further information can be found at www.NewArtFilmFestival.com. The NAFF is presented by the Art Co-op and C-U Confidential, the source for Champaign-Urbana film culture since 2006.