About the Open Call

DANCE FILM @ IDFNola is housed within the International Dance Festival New Orleans: an annual, four day event including live performances, dance shorts film screenings, masterclasses, panels, and community events that celebrate cross-cultural creative exchange and contemporary dance in the Gulf South, USA. At our festival, we look to highlight distinct voices from around the globe who are integrating movement and the camera in innovative ways. As digital technology becomes more and more accessible, we believe the genre of dance film has the opportunity to play an important role in amplifying the stories and messages of many different perspectives. When choosing works for exhibition, we may look for originality, variety, experimentation in movement, choreography and cinematography, and impact. We are interested in films which are engaging in a conversation between the camera and the body. We encourage submissions from artists across the constantly-evolving dance cinema medium. All forms of dance are welcome. Documentation of live performances will not be considered. DANCE FILM @ IDFNOLA partners with the Broad Theater in New Orleans for the live screening on September 12, 2026, alongside our university partners across the United States. The festivals are produced by BODYART, a non-profit company for digital and physical arts, based in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. From the director, Rachel Slater: 'Dance film is a hybrid art form that lives in the in-between: screendance, videodanza, dance for camera, cinedans, choreocinema, and the list goes on. Sometimes it's a space carved out and hollowed by scarcities. Other times it's brimming with the possibilities of a burgeoning field -- able to tap into its contributing art forms' rich libraries of experience, and create new from the junctions. In this activated moment of high level iphone cameras, TikTok, and with the pandemic’s shutdowns still a fresh memory for dancers everywhere, dance and film are currently amidst a collision course (or a love affair). While not a new form, dance film is hitting its stride with energy and relevance that are impossible to miss.'

What is Offered

FILMMAKER BENEFITS:–Official Selection Artist Honorarium–Official Selection Laurels–Free Festival Pass providing admission to programs, panels and events during IDFNOLA–Opportunity for further future screenings with BODYART’s digital programming and international partners’ film series

Requirements

Films must be between 2-12 minutes long. Films must be accompanied by 1 artist image and 2 high resolution stills (300 dpi); photographer credit information must be included. Films which do not provide a trailer will allow the festival to use short clips (10 seconds or less) for promotional purposes at the festival's discretion. If selected, the film must be available as a DCP or h264/h265 file at 15-25Mbps, in a Quicktime or .mp4 container; artists must respond promptly with file information. Once submitted, the film cannot be withdrawn. Films must not be publicly available on the internet from the period submitted, until after DANCE FILM @ IDFNOLA (September 13, 2026). Film’s production date must be 2023 or later. For your film to be considered, movement must be one of the main components. Documentation of live performances will not be considered. Filmmakers must be authorized to submit this film to DANCE FILM @ IDFNOLA for consideration and must have read, understood, and agreed to all entry requirements. Honorarium payment is issued via PayPal; artists are recommended to have their accounts fully set up before the festival to avoid delays. Filmmakers must be the sole person/organization responsible to make the decision to submit this media material, and guarantee that an exhibition will not violate or infringe upon any rights whatsoever (including copyright, trademark, musical or contract right) of any person or entity. Entrant confirms and warrants required legal authority to submit the entry into the Festival and to use all music, images, and content in the entry. DANCE FILM @ IDFNOLA accepts no responsibility, financial or otherwise, in regards to clearing copyrighted materials.

How to Apply

DANCE FILM @ IDFNOLA acknowledges the hard work and creativity that goes into the creation of each and every film submitted. Each film will be viewed in its entirety as a part of the selection process unless it does not meet eligibility criteria. Filmmakers must specify at the time of submission if they are only applying for one screening option. Filmmakers must be authorized to submit this film for consideration and must have read, understood, and agreed to all entry requirements. Honorarium payment is issued via PayPal; artists are recommended to have accounts fully set up before the festival to avoid delays. Filmmakers must be the sole person/organization responsible for submission decisions and guarantee that an exhibition will not violate or infringe upon any rights. Entrant confirms and warrants required legal authority to submit the entry into the Festival and to use all music, images, and content in the entry. DANCE FILM @ IDFNOLA accepts no responsibility, financial or otherwise, in regards to clearing copyrighted materials. The Filmmaker grants DANCE FILM @ IDFNOLA, IDFNOLA, and BODYART permission to use excerpts and stills of the film for publicity purposes. Filmmakers understand that if films are invited to screen again with partner engagements after IDFNOLA activities, the filmmaker will always be contacted separately for each additional request.