Submit a transformative family story

The Institute for Family is igniting a movement for family well-being. Every family is unique and valid. You can be born into family and/or you can create your own family. At the end of the day, your family is what you make it.

The Challenge: Submit a 1 to 10-minute film on the challenges and strengths of families in your community. We seek stories about families of all backgrounds. What do families lack and what do they need to thrive? Tell a family story that inspires, engages, educates, or empowers others to make a difference for families. 

Here are some areas of focus for your film: 

• Tell a story of a family caught in America's foster care system
• What challenges prevent families from thriving?
• What do families need to thrive?
• What are the biggest obstacles facing families today?
• Families want to succeed, regardless of challenges. Tell a redemptive family story.

The Institute for Family will use these submissions to highlight family stories across our communication channels. 

Additionally, this film challenge will help us discover filmmaking talent and/or family stories for our docu-series. The Institute for Family will create a docu-series about families who have experienced America's foster care system. We will feature stories of families whose children have been removed or are at risk of being removed from their homes. Our goal of the series is to educate the public on ways we can strengthen families and communities so children do not have to go into the foster care system. If you need help finding a family, we can reach out to our national partners to help.

We are looking at the quality of submissions to discover film talent for our series. You may or may not highlight a foster care family for the purpose of this film challenge. 

How It Works: Filmmakers have until September 28, 2020 to create and submit their films. You may submit a film or a portion of a film from previous work. Submissions are judged for admittance into the film challenge before voting opens. Acceptance into the film challenge is based on the quality of content and adherence to the assignment. Your film must be accepted into the challenge in order to compete. Accepted entries will compete in the film challenge which is hosted in two rounds. The top 10 films with the most audience votes and 10 films selected by the preliminary jury will advance to the finals round. From these top finalist films, a jury panel made up of industry entertainment leaders and the Institute for Family will award a Grand Prize winner, a runner-up, and three additional honorable mentions.

Film submissions are evaluated based on the following judging criteria:

• Creativity 
• Technical Merit 
• Fresh, Diverse Perspective
• Adherence to the Assignment

Prizes for the Winners: 

Grand Prize: $5,000 

First runner-up: $2,000

3 additional honorable mentions: $1,000 each 

Winners will be announced around October 9, 2020. The top films will be featured on the new Institute for Family Website. Once we convene again post-COVID, the top films will screen at a live event. The top films will stream on FlipboardTV.

About the Institute for Family

Why is the Institute for Family igniting a movement for family well-being?

We believe that family is unconditional love. That family gives us that safe place to share our dreams and lift each other up. It’s the support we all need and deserve. But we know that some families face difficult circumstances that threaten this stability and thus their happiness and well-being. Even when they look for a helping hand, they can go unseen and unnoticed. The Institute For Family wants to help these families by listening and sharing the laughter, tears, and emotions that are all part of being a family so that everyone – especially those who can help make positive change - can see how important it is that we support, build and preserve families. 

About AudPop AudPop is a premium video entertainment platform that connects our network of 75,000+ diverse and talented filmmakers with brands and audiences around the world. Through creation, curation, and promotion, our mission is to facilitate collaboration and change with authentic storytelling content.

SUBMISSIONS DUE BY

Submissions Closed

VOTING OPENS

Sep 28, 2020 at 12:00pm MDT (America/Denver)

VOTING CLOSES

Oct 05, 2020 at 12:00pm MDT (America/Denver)

WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Oct 09, 2020 at 12:00pm MDT (America/Denver)

FINAL TEAM AWARDS

1st Place Jury Award: $5,000

1st Runner Up Jury Award: $2,000

3 Honorable Mention: $1,000