A Quick List of Film Festivals for a War Documentary

A Quick List of Film Festivals for a War Documentary
Page content

A war documentary does not mean a documentary which has battle and gunfire as content. A war documentary here means a documentary on the theme of war. So, if you have interviewed prisoners of war and made a documentary out of it, it can be classified as a war documentary. With this in mind, a war documentary can be made by anyone, not only limited to the cameramen who are in the line of fire.

Let it be known at the outset that there are no film festivals specializing in war documentaries, but there are documentary film festivals that accept documentaries on the theme of war.

Let’s take a look at the following list of film festivals for a war documentary.

Festival de Cine de Granada

This international film festival welcomes features and documentaries in the form of films or videos. No limit is placed on the duration of the film. The festival has a liberal policy – it welcomes works on all subject matter and assures that there would not be censorship of any kind. Filmmakers from all round the world are invited to participate.

The festival also assures that works will be evaluated without consideration of the format in which they are submitted. What this means is a work shot on film will not get preferential evaluation compared to a work on video.

Another attractive feature of this festival is you’re allowed to upload your work via Internet or a DVD mailed to the festival’s technical provider. Films must be in English or Spanish and if they’re not, they must be subtitled in either of the languages.

An entry fee of $20 (USD) is charged but you will only have to pay $18 if you submit your work before the early deadline of 30 September 2010. Click here for the entry form.

Le Festival Du Film De Strasbourg

The film festival has the same rules and regulations as Festival de Cine de Granada with the exception of the registration deadline which is on July 31, 2010 for films that will be showcased on 30 November 2010. If you would like submit your war documentary to this film festival, check out the entry form here.

One of the documentaries on the subject of war, When You Die As A Cat, is featured on YouTube. It won the Special Prize for Best Documentary Film.

United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF)

The United Nations Association Film Festival, the brainchild of Jasmina Bojic, a Stanford academician and film critic, is a non-profit organization that welcomes the participation of films on the themes of human rights, environment, women’s issues, homelessness and universal education, not to mention war and peace.

It has a travelling film festival which goes to such places as Paris, Abu Dhabi, Phnom Penh and Belgrade, apart from major cities in the United States.

There are awards for the Best Documentary and Best Short documentary. The deadline for the 2010 festival is over. However, you can write in for more information at info@unaff.org