call: The 12th West Virginia Mountaineer Short Film Festival
Deadline: 1 March 2025
Call for entries
The 12th West Virginia Mountaineer Short Film Festival
Dates & location of event context
April 10 – 12, 2025
Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
The West Virginia Mountaineer Short Film Festival invites submissions in video/film, animation, VR, video installation & performance to its 12th edition, which takes place April 10 – 12, 2025 on the campus of West Virginia University. We’re looking for innovative, provocative, highly charged and deeply personal works in a variety of genres and exploring multiple themes. This year we also welcome submissions to a special thematic category, exploring new insights into evolving definitions and understandings of Space, in all of its many contexts. Deadline for entries is March 1, 2025.
Entry Fee:
Regular Entry: $12
College Students: $5
Students should be currently enrolled at a university or college and must send a current student ID (photocopy is fine) to: wvmsff@gmail.com.
SUBMISSION CATEGORIES: We welcome works in a broad range of styles and categories:
Experimental
Short Narrative
Documentary
Animation
Student Work
Theme: Space
Two-channel video installation
VR
Planetarium / 360-degree dome projection
Space Theme:
For this year’s themed category, we’re thinking about “space” – in all dimensions – physical, social, psychological, conceptual, philosophical, cosmological and local. The festival seeks submissions that ruminate on the many social, psychological, philosophical, and material meanings of space. How do we experience space, both architectural and natural, in a bodily way? How do we make space for meaningful dialogue that bridges ideological gaps? How does the fantasy of outer space offer the promise of new possible futures? How do digital spaces permeate our material lives? Are we “in space” or do we make it? How do war and peace shape it? What philosophical, psychological, spiritual or political resonances cause these layers of space to intersect and fold in on themselves? Indeed, how might our understanding of the very nature of space itself be shifting at this notably tenuous moment in human history?
Video Installation, VR and Planetarium Dome Projection:
In addition to single-channel videos for screening, there are 3 other opportunities to consider as part of the festival. These include a 2-channel video installation space, a VR experience option, and a 360-degree dome projection option.
Two-Channel Video Installation:
We are seeking proposals for two-channel video installations in a white cube gallery space. There are two 1080p projectors that can by synchronized with up to 2 channels of audio. The dimensions are 2122 square feet and a ceiling height of 10 feet.
VR:
We seek submissions that are designed to be experienced in virtual reality and that engage with the festival theme. Submitted works can take the form of VR films, interactive experiences, etc. Please reach out to Jason Zeh at Jason.zeh@mail.wvu.edu for technical inquiries.
360-Degree Dome Projection / Planetarium:
We are accepting submissions both for live performance works and single channel experimental works designed to be experienced in a 360-degree dome projection environment that engage with the festival theme. This event will take place at the WVU planetarium. More information about the space can be found at https://planetarium.wvu.edu/. Please reach out to Jason Zeh at Jason.zeh@mail.wvu.edu for technical inquiries.
Submissions for the planetarium must conform to the following specs: Codec: h265 (HEVC) (or h264 is fine as well); Container: mp4; Framerate: 30 fps; Resolution: 4K (4096 x 4096 pixel); Target bitrate: 40-50 mbit/s
To Submit:
Submissions may be made through FilmFreeway (https://filmfreeway.com/TheWestVirginiaMountaineerShortFilmFestival)
Or through our website/online submission form:
(https://www.wvmsff.com/submissions)
Dates:
Deadline: March 1, 2025
Festival Date: April 10 – 12, 2025
Agreements:
• Maximum running time of 15 minutes.
• Works must have been completed after January 1, 2023.
• Separate entry form and fee required for each entry.
• Deadline for entry: March 1, 2025.
• Applicants allow festival organizers use of accepted works for all promotional materials and events
entry fee – Yes
Regular Entry: $12
College Students: $5
Contact addresses/URL
wvmsff@gmail.com
