Submission Requirements

• Human-powered stories of adventure, advocacy, adversity, and/or environment in the winter backcountry in the United States;
• Films that emphasize our collective vision for recreating outdoors;
• Stories told by voices not typically seen on-screen or shared widely;
• In any stage of production where the grant would get the film to screening-status by Oct 1, 2023.

The Nitty Gritty

• Open to any and all types of filmmakers and films based in the United States under 20 minutes.
• Submissions will be open from March 20 – May 1, 2023, with notifications in May 2023.
• Submissions are required to include a film treatment, budget, current partners + athletes involved, and production timeline. Video sample or trailer are also appreciated depending on the current status of your project. We prefer password-protected Vimeo links for our jury as opposed to direct download links.
• Submissions should have a direct connection to the BCFF and Winter Wildlands’ missions.
• Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.
• If you do not meet grant deadlines, the grant cash of up to $7,500 will be refunded in full to Backcountry Film Festival, Winter Wildlands Alliance, and Sierra Nevada.
• We do not fund completed projects or impact campaigns.

If you are the recipient of our Human-Powered Film Grant, we expect the following:

• Regular updates on progress, at least once monthly.
• Backcountry Film Festival, Sierra Nevada, and Winter Wildlands Alliance logos and/or name recognition in the opening of the film and project credits.
• Rights to screen and world premiere status at the 2023 Backcountry Film Festival premiere screening in Boise, ID.
• Rights to submit film to other outdoor Festivals together.