« Back to Calls for Entry

2027 SPE Media Fest

Society for Photographic Education   /   Deadline: 10/31/26

The SPE (Society for Photographic Education) Media Festival (originally the SPE Women's Film Festival) has featured innovative and provocative short documentaries, animation, fiction, video art, and experimental moving image projects by, for and about women, BIPOC, and members of the LGBTQIA community since 1995.

The 2027 Media Festival will be held during the 2027 SPE Annual Conference from March 11 - 14, 2027, in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the Hyatt Regency hotel. The two-hour screening is expected to be held on Friday, March 12, or Saturday, March 13, 2027, with the final schedule to be determined as the conference program is finalized. Artists whose work is selected will be notified of the confirmed screening date and time as soon as it becomes available.

Categories include:
Women: works 30 minutes or under by, for, or about women.
Multi-Cultural: works 30 minutes or under on cultural issues by, for, or about people of diverse cultural backgrounds.
Pride: works 30 minutes or under by, for or about Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer people

Opening: August 1, 2026
Early Bird: August 31, 2026 - $10
Regular: September 30, 2026 - $20
Late: October 31, 2026 - $30

More info and submit at: https://filmfreeway.com/SPEFilmFestival-2027

Location

Hyatt Regency hotel, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Fees

$10 - $30

Requirements

Films, video art, animation, and new media projects must be 30 minutes or under. Projects over time will be automatically disqualified.
SPE membership is not required to enter the festival

Entries must include the following information:
Web link to the full video – If password protected, include password.
Contact information (name, address, email and telephone number, website optional)
Distributor information if different than filmmaker
Short film synopsis (no more than 50 words)
Short director's bio (no more than 50 words)
Year of completion
Exact running time down to the second (do not count color bars, black, etc.)

Films can only be entered in one category. Filmmakers can enter multiple films, but each film can only be entered in one category.
Festival organizers reserve the right to move entries to a different category.
Films entered in previous years are not eligible.
All entries must be submitted through FilmFreeway
All rights must be cleared.

Accepted filmmakers will be notified by December 31, 2026.
Accepted filmmakers must provide a Quicktime H.264 file at the original dimensions, up to 1920px x 1080px, by January 31, 2027.

Awards

Laurels for Best Women's Film,
Laurels for Best Multicultural Film
Laurels for Best Pride Film

Considerations

Free for SPE members up to September 30, 2026. Email amandalekline@gmail.com with proof of a current SPE membership, such as a screenshot or email confirmation of your membership, to receive a waiver code.

Contact Information

Amanda kline
1276 Frebis Ave
Columbus,

P: 6104515753
E: amandalekline@gmail.com