Submit to Tallgrass.

Festival Requirements

In addition to showcasing the best of independent cinema from around the globe, including documentary, narrative, world cinema, animation, LGBTIA+, retrospective, and premiering films, the 20th annual Tallgrass Film Festival is specifically seeking films to feature in the following special programs and spotlights:

Gordon Parks Award for Black Excellence in Filmmaking Presented by Cargill – Feature-length film with no traditional distribution deal at the time of the festival. Open to films of any production budget from any country from any genre with a director that self-identifies as Black, African-American or part of the African-Diaspora.

Vortex Animation, Experimental, and VR short films – This is for all animation, experimental, hybrid or virtual reality projects.

Murmurations – The Murmurations category is open to short and feature films that meet the following requirements: fifty percent of production is based in Spain OR writer, director, or producer is based in Spain; the original voice is in Spanish or one of the co-official languages of Spain (Basque, Catalan, Aranese, and Valencian); and subtitled in English language.

Women Filmmaker Spotlight: Feature films directed by women (Replaces the former DOXX category)

Stubbornly Independent Films: domestic, narrative features made for under $750,000 USD with no traditional distribution

Timothy Gruver Spotlight on Kansas Filmmakers – Kansas filmmakers submit for free – see below for official rules

Joel Fein Emerging Filmmakers Program – short films from filmmakers (19 and younger) may submit for free – see below for official rules

Tallgrass Film Festival will grant cash awards in the following categories:

• Stubbornly Independent: $5,000 and one-of-a-kind Tallgrass tap handle
• Female Filmmaker Spotlight: $5,000 and award
• Gordon Parks Award for Black Excellence in Filmmaking Presented by Cargill: $5,000, $15,000 value Panavision Camera Rental and an award.
• Best Kansas Filmmaker Documentary Short Film: $500
• Best Kansas Filmmaker Narrative Short Film: $500
• Best Emerging Documentary and Narrative Short: $500
• Best Narrative and Documentary Short: $500
• Best Narrative and Documentary Feature: $500
• Best Vortex Short: $250
• Best Murmurations Film: $250
• Audience Award Winning Documentary & Narrative Feature: $2,500
• Audience Award-Winning Narrative and Documentary Short: $1000
• Non-cash special recognition awards include:
  Golden Strands Awards (awarded by Tallgrass Programming Directors) for Outstanding Documentary and Fiction Feature, Acting, and more.
  Best Emerging Filmmaker Short Film