For its second edition, The Calvert Journal Film Festival has announced the opening of its call for submissions. This year’s festival will feature an open competition inviting filmmakers from across the New East to submit their titles to six categories and seeking “to go beyond the mainstream billboard to create a platform that celebrates the diversity of cinematic perspectives of the region.”

Showcasing both fiction and documentary features of all lengths with authenticity and originality in voice, in storytelling, and in aesthetic approach, the festival invites audiences to engage with experiences, issues, and stories from different parts of the region and celebrate the rich culture and creative output of these countries.

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Launched in 2020, the first edition of the festival brought together over 5,000 people to watch seven films in the course of a week. In 2021, The Calvert Journal Film Festival will screen over 30 titles across the seven categories of the Official Festival Competition: documentaries, animation, minority language, fiction, student films, experimental films, and short films. In each of the categories, the selected films will compete for a Best Film Prize. Additionally, an Audience Favourite Prize will be given to one film across all categories.

The competition is open to professional and non-professional filmmakers alike, with selection based on the artistic merit of their film. Shortlisted films will be selected by an international jury of critics, programmers and filmmakers, after initial review by The Calvert Journal curatorial team and external selectors. The announced members of the jury are Ukrainian producer Natalia Libet (Stop-Zemlia [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Kateryna Gornostai
fiche film], Parthenon [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Mantas Kvedaravičius
fiche film]), Scottish film critic and journalist Amber Wilkinson, Czech documentarian and anthropologist Pavel Borecký (director of Living Water, set to have its international premiere at Visions du Réel), Lithuanian filmmaker and activist Romas Zabarauskas (The Lawyer [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
fiche film]), New Zealander film critic and curator Carmen Gray, Kosovar director Norika Sefa (winner of the IFFR Special Jury prize for her debut Looking for Venera [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Norika Sefa
fiche film]) and Latvian programmer and project manager Zane Balčus.

A special series of features and online events will run alongside the screenings, creating a conversation around the region’s challenges, opportunities, and contemporary identity.

The Calvert Journal is an award-winning, London-based publication dedicated to exploring the culture and creativity of the New East and delivers a daily briefing on art, design, film, architecture, fashion and travel to a global audience through a mix of reportage, interviews, photography and videos. Cineuropa is one of the event’s media partners, along with East Journal (Italy), Mediacritica (Italy), Eye for Film (UK), Film Ireland (Ireland) and Kino Raksti (Latvia).

You can find out more about the festivals and its call for submissions here. The call will run from 15 April to 15 June.