Call for Submissions for ConnectHER + Education Above All PitchFest
What: ConnectHER’s + Education Above All PitchFest
Where: TBD
Who: Participants 13 - 30 years old
Deadline for Pitch Submissions: August 7, 2021 Deadline to submit your pitch has been extended to Monday, August 9 at 11:59pm EST.
Questions?: Contact filmfest@connecther.org
Do you have an idea for a short film you want to make about educating girls in the developing world? Is there a story you want to tell about girls’ education in one of the countries listed below? ConnectHER invites participants ages 13 to 30 to submit a 90-second video pitch explaining your film concept/idea specifically related to girls’ education or the barriers to girls’ education.
Some 130 million school-age girls around the world are not in school. That’s a big loss, because educating girls is one of the best ways to create progress and prosperity for poor and marginalized children and to unlock personal potential. When girls go to school, they delay marriage, have healthier children, earn more money, and make sure that their own girls get an education. It’s a win-win solution!
Your film should create awareness or shine a light on the barriers to education for women and girls specific to a country in the list below. (See FAQs below for more information.) The winner will receive a $5,000 award to make a commissioned film on their topic.
Education Above All is a Qatar-based foundation that works in partnership to ensure that poor and marginalized children can fulfill their right to a quality primary education.
ConnectHER + EAA PicthFest FAQ
Q: What are the major requirements for my 90-second “pitch video”?
A: Your pitch should be a 60-90 second video of yourself explaining your idea for a film you wish to make. Present your idea briefly—in just one sentence if possible! Then convince us how you intend to capture the story (your approach, genre, visual style, your main character or the people you plan to interview). You probably won’t have time to tell your whole story. It is helpful, though, to try to capture your character’s journey, any obstacle or conflict, and the emotional impact your film will have. Feel free to get creative and include other visuals or interviews in your pitch, but just a video of you making the pitch is perfectly fine.
Q: What should my film be about?
Girls around the world face barriers to education such as extreme poverty, cultural barriers, and living in conflict zones. Your film should focus on these barriers to education in one of the countries listed below by focusing broadly on an issue or by telling one girl’s story. We also welcome stories that focus on solutions, such as an innovative program to educate girls in refugee camps or home visits to encourage families to send their girls back to school after Covid-19 school closings.
Q: How is this different from ConnectHER's Film Festival? Can I submit to both?
A: Yes, this is a completely separate contest with different rules. You can also submit a film to the film festival, although if your film wins this PitchFest, that particular film cannot be submitted to the film festival in any shape or form.
Q: If my pitch wins the PitchFest, how long should my final completed film be?
A: Between 10 and 40 minutes.
Q: Who can apply?
A: You must be between 13 and 30 years old. Participants from the following countries are eligible to send a pitch submission:
- Afghanistan
- Angola
- Bangladesh
- Benin
- Brazil
- Burkina Faso
- Cambodia
- Chad
- Comoros
- Cote d'Ivoire
- DRC
- East Timor
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- Guinée Bissau
- Haiti
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Lao PDR
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Rwanda
- S. Sudan
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- Sudan
- Syria
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Thailand/ Myanmar
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Uganda
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zambia
Q: If I’m filming myself speaking, can I speak in my native language or must the film pitch be in English?
A: You can speak in your preferred language, but if your pitch is in a language other than English, please include English subtitles.
Q: Can I edit the 90-second pitch video to make it more professional?
A: Yes, you can edit your pitch video. What we are mainly looking for, though, is a convincing pitch about how you plan to tell your story with impact.
Q: How should I share my 90-second pitch video?
A: Click the Submit Your Pitch button above. You’ll see a place to share the link to your mp4 or .mov file, which should be stored in Dropbox or Google Drive. Submissions are due by August 7, 2021. Deadline to submit your pitch has been extended to Monday, August 9 at 11:59pm EST.
Q: How and when will judges select the finalists and the winner?
A: We will inform you by August 15 by email and phone if you are a finalist. After the pitches are made, the judges will select a winner and announce their selection.
Q: If I win, when will I receive the funds?
A: Funds will be transferred within 60 days.
Q: Will ConnectHER provide any kind of support other than monetary to the winner?
A: Yes, ConnectHER will provide a mentorship with an experienced film industry professional to support this film project.
Q: Do I need to have filmmaking experience to submit a pitch?
A: Yes, you should have intermediate knowledge of filmmaking. You will be required to show your previous work and/or portfolio.
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