The 2023 SCAD Savannah Film Festival (SAVFF) and Amazon Studios have partnered to launch the SAVFF LGBTQ+ Short Film Competition, which will premiere during the festival’s Oct. 21–28 run.
According to an official press release, the new partnership “creates a platform for emerging queer filmmakers to share their stories and gain mentorship and exposure, while onsite programming will offer networking and educational opportunities and drive conversation around equitable filmmaking. It is a practical application of Amazon Studios’ Inclusion Policy and Playbook, which builds DEIA into the content greenlight process and invests in programs to grow talent from historically excluded communities at all stages of the career pathway.”
“At Amazon Studios we have long prioritized amplifying underrepresented voices; it is part of the equity work we are committed to doing,” Latasha Gillespie, global head of DEIA for Amazon Studios and Prime Video, said. “We recognize the joy, complexity and power of LGBTQIA+ storytelling and we are thrilled to support these filmmakers through our collaboration with SCAD.”
As the official presenting sponsor of the SAVFF LGBTQ+ Short Film Competition, Amazon Studios will donate $10,000 for the jury-awarded Best Overall Film and $5,000 for an Audience Award, with winners announced during the official Festival Awards Brunch. Also at the festival, Amazon Studios will lead a panel discussion on the future of LGBT storytelling, host educational opportunities for SCAD students and alumni, as well as a networking session for filmmakers.
To submit a film to the shorts competition, there is some criteria to follow: a director, writer or producer contributing to the film must identify as part of the LGBT community. Films should be under 40 minutes in length and represent excellence in storytelling and execution. Submitted films can be narrative or documentary formats, reflecting unique insight into LGBT themes, issues or ideas. The film’s content should embody a personal connection to the subject and showcase the filmmaker’s artistic approach to visual storytelling.
Interested filmmakers can submit their film to the competition via FilmFreeway.
