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
Earlybird Deadline
Standard – $45 | Student – $36
Regular Deadline
Standard – $55 | Student – $44
Late Deadline
Standard – $100 | Student – $80
Extended Deadline
Standard – $130 | Student – $104
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