“My experience with F-O-R-M was super magical. It was inspiring and exhilarating to see beautiful ideas on screen. It is a beacon of hope for the next generation of artists and a testament to the current emerging ones. There is so much beautiful art out there to discover.”
— Sophia Laurio, 2022 Artist (Maleta)

How to Apply:

Submit via our FREE application form or via FilmFreeway ($10 CAD to submit) below:

Curatorial Values

In 2024, our Short Film Call will be open nationally to artists based across so-called Canada, marking a shift from our previous years’ international open calls. This year, F-O-R-M is embracing a more intimate and local focus, prioritizing the cultivation of deeper connections within our community here in so-called Vancouver. This intentional shift allows us to celebrate and uplift the incredible works of local and national artists. By looking inward this year, we aim to strengthen our foundation and look forward to welcoming international artists again in 2025 for our 10th annual festival.

Selected short films will be screened in 3 presentation modes come our 9th festival in November 2024. Films may be screened at in-person cinemas or in our Public Screens Program, where films play on a loop on outdoor screens throughout so-called Vancouver (such as grunt gallery’s Mount Pleasant Community Arts Screen on the side of the Independent building at the Kingsway and Broadway intersection in Vancouver). All films will be available on our Digital Library to view online from anywhere in the world.

Our 2024 festival will offer a hybrid of in-person events in so-called Vancouver and online
programming. The festival will be responsive to government guidelines surrounding
COVID-19. Our priority is to create events that are safe for festival artists and the broader
community.

If selected, artists will receive a minimum screening fee of $250 CAD as well as free
admission to all festival screenings and events.

If you have any questions about our application process please e-mail Associate Artistic Director Erin Lum at erin@f-o-r-m.ca.

About F-O-R-M

F-O-R-M presents films that investigate the body in motion through curiosity, experimentation, and imagination. We are interested in films that creatively explore our personal lived experiences and how such themes can be told through narrative or experimental approaches. Cinematography, experimental and DIY (Do It Yourself) editing styles/approaches, and post-production effects are also considerations that contribute and add layers to the subject matter. We invite proposals to consider the interplay between the camera and the movement, regardless of the form.

F-O-R-M strongly encourages and prioritizes applications from Youth artists, and those from intersectional and traditionally marginalized communities; Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, folks with disabilities, and diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions (LGBTQ2S+).

Learn more about F-O-R-M on our About page.

Themes

We are prioritizing four specific themes in our curatorial approach this year: 

  • Rethinking Movement 

  • Accessibility

  • Street Dance

  • Recorded Movement

This approach aligns with our ongoing effort to invite artists who have not historically connected with F-O-R-M, and supports our curiosities to broaden the scope and possibilities of recorded movement. 

We understand that films aren’t one dimensional and are not limited to the themes listed. Within the submission form, you will find an option to select the theme that your film may fall under if you feel so inclined. We encourage you to choose a theme and add an additional explanation in the submission form to expand on your choice, as it assists our curatorial process.

  • We are interested in how movement can be utilized as a vehicle for expression. Any movement or dance practices, genres, or styles are invited. Movement can also be embodied within the cinematic style of filming or rhythms and artistic choices within the editing process. We believe movement can be viewed and interpreted from a social justice transformative lens. Movement can be related to mundane movement of the human body, or activated crafted movement beyond dance, such as skateboarding or documenting human interactions.

    Some questions we consider in relation to movement are:

    • How do you define movement?
    • How do you portray this definition within your practice or discipline?
    • How does this movement collaborate with film?

For the themes below, please click the plus sign (+) to expand the section and read more.

Rethinking Movement

still from unhome by Ella Saini (screened 2023)

 

Street Dance

still from tell the truth (but tell it slant) by Joanne Park (commissioned 2023)

Accessibility

still from My Body is a Poem/The World Makes with Me by Brandon Wint (screened 2023)

  • At F-O-R-M, we have been learning about accessibility as both a creative practice and a tool of collective liberation (inspired by Sins Invalid’s 10 Principles of Disability Justice). Our ongoing research is built upon the knowledge of organizations and artists in the community working in disability justice such as Kinetic Light, Sarah Wong, and romham pàdraig gallacher.

    Films should be either:

    → Produced by artists who navigate disability (individuals with personal experiences of disability, neurodiversity, mental health conditions, chronic illnesses, intergenerational trauma, and/or belonging to the Deaf, Blind, and/or Deaf/Blind communities), and/or amplifies the perspectives of artists from these communities. 

    * The above definition is drawn from the work of InterdepenDance Collective and their Collective Access Screendance Residency Program
    * For more information on the definition of “disability”, please refer this definition on Sins Invalid’s website [second paragraph]

    → Made with specific audience in mind (ie. audio described version is available, ASL interpretation is embedded in film etc..) 

    * If technology outside of traditional cinema space is required, please add more information in the application form (ie. needs human resource support, larger space / specific audience, wearable technologies etc..) 
    * Please note that while we are eager to explore different technologies to create accessible and inclusive screening experiences for diverse audiences, we may not currently have the capacity to actualize or program films in their intended way with these materials. However, we are keen to learn more about these requirements and explore how they might be integrated into our future initiatives.

    Here are some examples:

    Highlights of past Accessibility films screened at F-O-R-M

    My Body is a Poem/The World Makes with Me (2022) by Brandon Wint

    Insight Out (2022) by Jessie Huggett

    Inclinations (2019) by Danielle Peers

    Sanctuary (2019) by All Bodies Dance

    Ho.Me (2019) by All Bodies Dance

    Rhizophora (2015) by Davide De Lillis

 

Recorded Movement

still from PULSE by Bona Lee (commissioned 2023)

  • We invite your ideas and concepts around the theme of Recorded Movement, and to challenge this definition as you see fit. How do you define movement? How do you portray this definition within your practice or discipline? How does this movement collaborate with film? 

    In the past, we have programmed films that have explored: 

    • Walking
    • Surfing 
    • Skateboarding
    • Running 
    • Contemporary dance 
    • Calligraphy

    We accept films in many genres, including but not limited to: 

    • Animation (Drawing, Stop Motion)
    • Documentary
    • Experimental 
    • Narrative
    • Music Videos 

    See past festival trailers and films here for inspiration. 

    Highlights of past films screened at F-O-R-M

Submission Requirements

  • Applicants must identify as either a Youth Artist or Emerging Artist:

    • Youth — Lead creator must be between the ages of 15-25 by November 2024 (born 1999 or later)

    • Emerging — Lead creator must be 26 years or over (born 1998 or earlier), and self identifies as an emerging artist or be new to the practice of movement-on-screen. See this video from CADAC, What is an Emerging artist? to help decide if this is you! (Video sourced from Creative Spark.)

    • For the emerging category, we will prioritize films where:

      • This is the applicant’s first or second time making a film that centers around movement 

      • The film features youth mover(s), ages 15-25 

      • There are 2 or more youth working on the production

  • We are only accepting submissions from applicants who are either:

    • 1) Currently based in so-called Canada

    • 2) Are Canadian citizens or have Permanent Resident status

  • All films must be between between 3 - 15 minutes.

  • All applicants must agree to the rules and regulations

    • Please note, as listed in the Rules and Regulations, artists must own all necessary rights and permissions of the video and audio material in their films (ie: you must have the rights to use copyrighted music).

  • Artists may apply with a maximum of two films each.


Submissions Deadline: July 26, 2024
Notification Date: August 26, 2024

If you have any questions about our application process, please e-mail Associate Artistic Director Erin Lum at erin@f-o-r-m.ca.

How To Apply

  • Submit via FilmFreeway here ($10 CAD to submit)

  • Submit via our FREE application form here


Applicants will be notified on August 26, 2024 if their film is selected for programming. Successful applicants will have until September 6, 2024 to deliver their films to F-O-R-M in 1080x1920p, mov or mp4 format. Please note, closed captions must be included in your final film deliverable if your film includes spoken dialogue. If this requirement is a barrier, please contact Associate Artistic Director danielle Mackenzie Long (danielle@f-o-r-m.ca) to discuss alternative options / support for meeting this requirement.

Questions?

If you have any questions about our application process please e-mail Associate Artistic Director Erin Lum at erin@f-o-r-m.ca, or fill our the contact form below:

“F-O-R-M was a surreal experience. Being raised in the world of dance and only recently trying to establish myself as a filmmaker, I think it’s amazing that a festival like this exists. I will forever be grateful for being accepted into the F-O-R-M community with such amazing likeminded people who share my experiences.”
— Sam Adam-Johnston, 2022 Artist (NOAH)
“I was so grateful to be asked to be part of this year’s festival. As a dance artist who is primarily involved in commercial and street dance, it was really honouring to have my work be featured and appreciated by a different artistic community. I think the festival is a fantastic way to bring together many different perspectives through the art of movement on film.”
— Clarence Tang, 2022 Artist (Bushwaackers)