Annual Jewish Film Festival of Dallas Emerging Filmmaker Prize in Memory of Dr. Peter Marcus z"l
The Emerging Filmmaker prize will be presented to a current student who is chosen for their submission of an outstanding short film which contains a Jewish theme. We accept submissions of short films in all genres, including, but not limited to: narrative, documentary, and animated. Overview After the untimely death of our friend and co-chair Dr. Peter Marcus, the JCC of Dallas, along with his family and friends, honors Peter's memory by establishing the Jewish Film Festival of Dallas Emerging Filmmaker Prize in Memory of Dr. Peter Marcus. Peter was passionately dedicated to this festival and continued in his leadership role despite his escalating health issues. The J is grateful for Peter's life and his contributions to Jewish culture in our city. The Jewish Film Festival of Dallas Emerging Filmmaker Prize Committee will make the final selection of the short film to be chosen. The prize for the winning applicant is $1,000 and the honor of having their film shown during the 2021-22 Jewish Film Festival of Dallas. The winner will also become an honored guest of the Jewish Film Festival of Dallas and will receive a free pass to all film screenings and festival events. Only one short film per applicant will be accepted.
Disclaimer: the selection of the Emerging Filmmaker Prize winner is contingent upon qualified films presented for consideration. Submission does not guarantee selection. The winning applicant will be contacted and their name announced at the end of February, 2022 on the JCC of Dallas website. Individuals contributing to the creation of the film other than the applicant are not eligible to receive any portion of the prize. Only the main applicant is eligible to be honored and recognized. Deadlines Film submission cycle begins May 1, 2021 and ends January 20, 2022.
Eligibility
Applicant must:
• Be a student enrolled in, or a recent graduate of, middle, high school, college, community college, or film studies program
• Under the age of 30
• Have signed permission from parent or guardian if under the age of 18 Film Requirements Film must:
• Reflect some aspect of Jewish life or the Jewish experience, whether historical, religious, cultural or personal
• Be no longer than 40 minutes in length, including credits
• Be shot in HD or 1080p format
• Be submitted in the form of a link to a viewable film (DVDs or sent files will not be accepted)
Required Elements
All entries must be emailed to filmmaker@jccdallas.org. Applications may be found on the JCC Film Festival website at jccdallas.org/filmmaker. Every application must contain applicant's contact information. No exceptions will be made and any applications or submitted film links after the deadline will not be considered. JCC of Dallas is not responsible for any material lost during the electronic submissions process.
• Personal statement of no more than 250 words, explaining why the Jewish element of the film is important to its creation.
• Brief treatment or synopsis of the film
• A plan for securing rights that still require clearance (ie, stock footage, music, etc)
• By applying, applicant allows JCC Film Festival of Dallas to use his/her name in promotions
Award Judging Criteria
The Jewish Film Festival of Dallas Emerging Filmmaker Prize Committee reviews all submissions and will make the final selection of the Prize recipient. The committee considers the following when reviewing submissions:
• Does the film have artistic merit?
• Does the film have Jewish relevance?
• Does the applicant and project meet all eligibility requirements?
About Us
The Jewish Film Festival of Dallas is a project of the Jewish Community Center of Dallas. 2021-22 will mark the 25 th annual festival. The festival presents films which portray Jewish life at various time periods and examine the diversity of Jewish experiences around the world. Each film explores a different aspect of the human experience through a Jewish lens. We work hard to bring films that appeal to a broad audience. When we find a film that is cross-cultural, we seek other organizations to partner with. The result is a more diverse audience with a greater understanding of other cultures and backgrounds. Films are presented in various languages and include English subtitles. Post-Holocaust themes and the Israeli- Arab conflict have been predominant themes of the films in recent years. Themes from Jewish life in America are often of great interest as well.
