Competition Details: 

 

Film submissions will be accepted from October 1, 2024, through December 1, 2024. Following the submission window, a panel of judges will select five (5) film finalists to be showcased at a ticketed screening on the evening of Saturday, January 25, 2025.

 

This year’s Sanctuary Selections Judges Panel consists of industry professionals, Northeast Michigan community members, and representatives of The Sunset Project and Thunder Bay International Film Festival.

 

Finalists will be selected based on a rubric of four criteria: creativity, originality, cinematography, and adherence to the competition’s theme of “The Great Lakes Region: Stories of Discovery, Experience, and Connection”

 

Filmmakers will be notified of their film's selection status on January 6, 2025.

 

The Sanctuary Selections Judges Panel will also be responsible for selecting the winning film, which is determined by totaling the values assigned in each of the four categories, previously mentioned. The film with the highest cumulative score will be announced at the end of the evening, and presented with a check for $5,000 intended to seed the creation of the filmmaker's next project.

 

Filmmaker(s) (or at least one film representative) must attend on Saturday, January 25, 2025, to be eligible for a top-five film selection. Attending filmmaker(s) or representative(s) will also be required to participate in a ten (10) minute Q&A session following the screening of their film.

 

To ease the travel burden for the five selected films and their filmmaker(s) or representative(s), The Sunset Project provides no-cost hotel lodging (one room per film) for the nights of Friday (January 24) and Saturday (January 25). Finalists are encouraged to attend Friday night’s festival gala and experience the world-class ocean and Great Lakes films screened throughout the weekend.  

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About The Thunder Bay International Film Festival: 

 

Every January, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary hosts the Thunder International Film Festival (TBIFF) at several locations throughout Northeast Michigan. Through a longstanding partnership with the International Ocean Film Festival, TBIFF screens nearly 100 ocean and Great Lakes films from around the world. 

 

The 13th annual TBIFF will take place January 22 - 26, 2025. The exciting five-day stretch includes social events, educational activities, opportunities to meet filmmakers, and high-quality films. TBIFF is a growing film festival; TBNMS staff, community partners, and a team of volunteers ensure an excellent experience for all attendees. 

 

The annual Gala and most film screenings occur at The Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena, Michigan. The stunning facility provides an excellent backdrop for one of the region's most anticipated events. 

 

For more information on the TBIFF, please visit: https://thunderbayfriends.org/index.php/film-festival/

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About The Sunset Project & Sanctuary Selections Film Competition:

 

Founded in 2021, The Sunset Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission of investing in the betterment of Northeast Michigan through creative-based and mental health programs.

 

A focal point of the organization’s programming is the FOCUS45 Program, which develops and contributes to creative and community enhancement projects across the region. The Sanctuary Selections Film Competition is a project within this program and is a direct result of collaborative efforts between The Sunset Project and the Thunder Bay International Film Festival starting in 2023.

 

The Sunset Project is committed to supporting visionary filmmakers, their work, and their ability to expand their networks within the industry. Through this competition, we hope to help filmmakers gain much-deserved exposure, and work to develop a more vibrant creative community within Northeast Michigan.

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Awards and Prizes:

 

One (1) Winning Film Receives:

 

$5,000 Cash Prize, provided by The Sunset Project

 

All Five (5) Selected Finalists Receive:

 

Two "Thunder Passes” Per Film

Grants full access to all Thunder Bay International Film Festival events (Thursday, January 22 through Sunday, January 26, 2025), provided by the Thunder Bay International Film Festival

 

Cost-free Hotel Accommodations

One room per selected film for Friday night (January 26) and Saturday night (January 27) in Downtown Alpena, Michigan, provided by The Sunset Project

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Rules & Terms:

 

To qualify for entry into the Sanctuary Selections Film Competition, all submitted films and filmmaker(s) must meet the following criteria:

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• Duration: The film must not exceed a maximum runtime of 20 minutes.

• Release Date: The film must have a release date no earlier than March 2019.

• Previous Screenings: The film must not have been previously screened at the Thunder Bay International Film Festival.

• Thematic Adherence: The film must align with the theme, “The Great Lakes Region: Stories of Discovery, Experience, and Connection.”

• Regional Focus: The film’s content must pertain to the Great Lakes Region, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Ontario.

• Attendance: The filmmaker(s) must be available to attend in person on the evening of Saturday, January 25, 2025.

• Additional Information:

• Work-in-Progress Submissions: Films that are still in progress may be submitted; however, they will be evaluated alongside all other submissions under the same criteria.

• Submission Method: All entries must be submitted exclusively through the designated online submission portal.

 

Notice to Filmmakers:

 

Filmmakers who wish to submit a film to the Thunder Bay International Film Festival but do not want their submission to be considered for the Sanctuary Selections competition must contact the Festival Coordinator at 989-884-6212 or via email at steph.gandulla@noaa.gov.