Call for Entries

**Deadline Extended:  December 1, 2008**

**Click here to download entry form**

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The Black Maria Film Festival seeks diverse, expressive, and passionate short films and videos by independent makers.  The Festival is named after Thomas Edison’s motion picture studio, and is known for its support of spirited, cutting edge, and otherwise singular film and video.  The Black Maria is committed to works that explore the potential of the medium to illuminate, provoke, enrich, and engage viewers.  Imaginative and revelatory films and videos which provide insight into the human condition and political, social, and environmental issues, as well as the lives of people with disabilities, or which investigate the aesthetic potential and eschew obvious conventions of the medium are also sought by the festival.

Jurors for this year’s festival are: 
• Patricia R. Zimmerman, Ph.D – Professor, Ithaca College, Co- Director Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival

•Scott MacDonald – Film Scholar, Programmer, Author, Professor, Hamilton College and Harvard University

•Duana C. Butler – Curator, Reel NY & Reel 13 Shorts, Thirteen/WNET, NYC

•Jenny He – Curatorial Assistant, Department of Film, The Museum of Modern Art, NY

The Festival tours to over 50 museums, colleges, libraries and community organziations throughout the U.S.

Entry Formats
Initially, entries are accepted on DVD or mini-DV, regardless of their original production format.  Later, for exhibition, works should be readily available in their intended release format:  35mm, 16mm, S8mm film, DVD or mini-DV (NTSC).  For example, if a 16mm film is submitted on DVD, a 16mm print should be available for the Festival Tour.  If you choose to send a film print, it must be mounted on a normal reel.  Do not send film prints on cores!

Entry Procedure
Each Entry must be accompanied by:
• One Entry form (photocopies or handmade facsimile with basic info is fine)
• Entry Fee: $35.00 for each individual work up to 20 minutes long;
$45.00 for each work 21 - 60 minutes long (Checks are payable to Edison Media Arts)
• One stamped, self-addressed postcard to acknowledge receipt of submission
• Title of work, name, phone number, and e-mail of entrant must be on all materials and containers
• A synopsis describing the work with main credits
• A non-returnable photo, or disk or jpeg info for use in publicity
• Entries should arrive no later than Nov. 24th, 2008
NOTE:  The festival reserves the right to impose a $15 surcharge for missing fees, bounced checks, or work received after the deadline of Nov. 24th, 2008.  Entries from outside the USA must be paid by Certified Bank Check in US dollars.

Shipping Instructions
Black Maria Film + Video Festival
c/o Media Arts Department, Fries Hall
New Jersey City University
2039 Kennedy Blvd.
Jersey City, New Jersey 07305

• Do not send via Registered or Certified mail.
• Do not use fiber-padded envelopes for videos or DVDs - use bubble packs please.
• Due to the volume of entries we cannot return tapes and DVDs.  Non-winning works submitted on film will be returned during March, but only if return mail packaging with address label and postage is affixed.  Award winning works will be returned in June unless special arrangements have been made.

Awards
• $10,000 or more in Awards & Tour Honoraria/Stipends are available.

Agreements
• Films and videos should be available for the Festival’s extended national tour through June ’09.  Any exhibition format is appropriate, but for preview purposes please send only DVD or VHS (NTSC).  Submission of work indicates that the festival may curate and assemble selected and award-winning works into temporary traveling programs to be exhibited in the annual tour (occasionally compiled in DVD format groupings) serving host venues of the film festival.  Submission of work also indicates that the festival may employ moving images and stills from selected works for promotion via print and broadcast outlets, the internet and other usual means.

Disclaimer
• Every precaution will be exercised in handling entries, but neither the festival organizers, employees, sponsors, nor participating organizations can assume responsibility for damage to or loss of materials submitted, including film prints, DVDs, videos etc.  The festival reserves the right to alter the benefits, awards or timetable stated in this prospectus, should conditions dictate.

Jurying
• Qualified prescreening officials initially review all entries.  In December, the jury will consider the semifinalists chosen by the pre-screeners and any other entries they may wish to see, including those passed over by the prescreeners.  Following the jurors’ decision, the Festival Director and Program Associate consider additional work for inclusion in the tour.  Decisions will be announced at the end of January just prior to the Festival Premiere.

• The festival is focused on expanding the expressive and artistic terrain of film and video.  We welcome submissions into the competition which are culturally, ethnically, and otherwise diverse, by makers of any background or life circumstances, including people with disabilities, and who illuminate the human condition and explore and engage the creative potential of the medium.  Selection of award and tour works is based on the nondiscriminatory and artistic judgment of the jurors and staff of the festival.