On June 1st the 2020 NatureTrack Film Festival in Los Olivos, California will open long and short film submissions in both live and animated form in the categories of Adventure, Animation, Biography, Conservation, Kids Connecting With Nature, Scenic, Student, and a special category called Outdoors & Out of Bounds. Up until August 31st there is no fee to submit a film for consideration. Beginning Sept. 1st, a fee of $10 will be required for late submissions. Closing deadline for all submissions is September 30, 2019.
Submissions in all categories will be accepted in both feature and short (40-min or less) lengths:
Adventure
Films submitted in this category should emphasize exploration and interaction with nature. A journey of discovery about or through our natural world.
Animation
Films in this category should focus on nature, positive conservation efforts, or the environment as related in the other categories.
Biography
Films submitted in this category should focus on a person who has lived, or is living, a lifestyle that enhances our understanding of nature, conservation, and/or our environment.
Conservation
Films submitted in this category should focus on positive conservation efforts that work toward preserving and/or protecting nature and the environment.
Kids Connecting with Nature
Films submitted in this category should showcase children connecting with nature through learning, exploring, discovering, or through community service in positive environmentalism or conservation.
Outdoors & Out of Bounds
Films submitted in this category should focus on extreme adventure and athletic interaction with nature and the natural environment.
Scenic
Films submitted in this category should focus on the beauty, majesty, or exploration of interesting environments that can be found in nature.
Student
Films submitted in this category must be submitted by a student (with proof of student enrollment at the time the film was created). Student films should be focused on nature, positive conservation efforts, or the environment as related in the other categories.
Complete entry application and rules are available at https://filmfreeway.com/NatureTrackFilmFestival.
Films will be judged by a jury of film industry professionals and nature experts. $1,000 cash prizes will be awarded for overall Best in Festival (feature and short). The “Dan Conaway Award” of $500 will be presented to the best depiction of Kids Connecting with Nature, and there will also be a $500 cash award for both the Audience Favorite winner and the film that best “ignites passion for nature.” All category winners will receive a custom designed award.
The NatureTrack Film Festival (NTFF) closed out a successful second year in March with over 60 films screening from around the world. Once again, the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley wine country hamlet of Los Olivos played host to the NTFF to the raves of filmmakers and filmgoers alike. Organizers are looking forward to an exciting third year by bringing an even more diverse and distinctive selection of outdoor film to the 3rdannual NatureTrack Film Festival. All entries are thoughtfully curated and selected to “ignite passion for nature through film.”
NatureTrack founder and director Sue Eisaguirre conceived the idea for a nature-focused film festival (the only one between San Francisco and Los Angeles) as an extension of the non-profit she started in 2011 which introduces school children to outdoor spaces from the seashore to the inland oak woodlands. Sue reflected on the 2019 edition of the NTFF saying, “The growth we experienced in our second year was thrilling for us, and a fantastic validation that the Central Coast area is eager to support and sustain an event that brings nature to the big screen in the gorgeous natural setting of the Santa Ynez Valley. We are excited to build on our success and offer even more international films in 2020 focused on “igniting passion for nature through film.”
The NatureTrack Film Festival welcomes sponsor and advertiser inquiries and offers numerous participation levels for businesses and individuals who wish to support the NTFF as a sponsor, partner or advertiser. Please contact Sue Eisaguirre sue@NatureTrackFilmFestival.org for information on sponsor and advertising opportunities. Volunteer inquiries are also welcome!
About NatureTrack:
NatureTrack is a 501(c)3 non-profit that provides cost-free outdoor field trips for Santa Barbara County school-aged children, utilizing local trails and beaches throughout the county. NatureTrack instills students with leadership skills, attitudes and habits for lifelong learning, inspiring them to be respectful stewards of the natural world. Founded in 2011, NatureTrack has provided more than 20,000 outdoor experiences for students in Santa Barbara County. Demand for the curriculum coordinated program has increased every year with teachers praising the docent-led excursions that align with classroom instruction.