Tumbleweeds Film Festival for Kids, Utah’s premiere kids film festival, is excited to announce our 3rd annual kids film competition in partnership with UEN!
The 2025 Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition will be open to all Utah students grades K-8. Students may enter fiction or nonfiction films for competition. Films will be judged based on filmmakers’ ability to tell a story or convey a message, artistic style, and technical skill.
The Finalists for the 2025 Film Competition are:
Grade K-3 Best Film Finalists & Winners
Utah’s Little Explorer by Elizabeth Gundersen
The Magic Flashlight by Indie June England–WINNER, Best Film
Trapped by Sawyer Innes
The Great Chocolate Adventure by Thomas Gundersen
Inescapable Virtual Reality by Marco & Elliott Verdeja– WINNER, Audience Favorite Film
Grades 4-6 Best Film Finalists & Winners
Calvin’s Imperfect Day by Sloan Henderson
The Voices in Truman’s Head by Truman Beck
The Ooze by Everett Hodges & Skyler Peters–WINNER, Best Film
Tumble Weed by John Edward Maas & Daxon Spencer–WINNER, Best Film
Neverlasting by Alexia Vargas Vidal–WINNER, Audience Favorite Film
Grades 7-8 Best Film Finalists & Winners
The Fence by Van David Niederhauser–WINNER, Audience Favorite
Fortune Cookie by Wolf Schirmer, Jethro Morril, Sam Burton & Levi Morris–WINNER, Best Film
The Donut Shop by Andre Horrocks
Lost in Allen Park by Aria August & Yarrow White
Paradox by Rilian Cutrera
FILM COMPETITION IMPORTANT DATES
SUBMISSIONS OPEN: Tuesday, September 3, 2024
FINAL SUBMISSION DATE: Saturday, March 1, 2025
FINALISTS ANNOUNCED: Monday, March 17, 2025
AWARDS CEREMONY: Friday, April 25, 2025
/// About the Competition
Utah students in grades K-8 may enter fiction or nonfiction short films (5 minutes or less) for competition. Films will be judged based on filmmakers’ ability to clearly tell a story or convey a message, artistic style, and technical skill.
/// Theme
There is no set theme for the Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition, so you are free to create films about any topic. The theme is open to allow students to submit entries they have created for other contests, festivals, and class assignments, as well as films created specifically for the Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition.
/// Rules
Be sure to follow all Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition rules (see tab above). If any of the rules are not followed, your film will not be eligible for Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition screenings or awards.
/// Categories
Fiction
Fictional films are those “created from the imagination, not presented as fact, though it may be based on a true story or situation” (Britannica.com). All films on a fictional topic should be entered into this category. Submissions to the fiction category may be short films or animations such as dramas, comedies, thrillers, etc.
Nonfiction
Nonfiction films are those that are “based on facts, real events, and real people, such as biography or history“ (Oxford Languages). All nonfiction films should be entered into this category. Submissions to the nonfiction category may be documentaries, public service announcements, news packages, etc.
/// Resources
Visit our UEN learning hub (https://www.uen.org/digitalarts/film) and Utah Film Center’s Filmmaking Resources Page (https://utahfilmcenter.org/education/teacher-professional-development/classroom-filmmaking-resources/) for a list of videos and resources that can help you through the filmmaking process.
/// Submission Process
Films must be submitted via FilmFreeway no later than 11:59 pm on March 1, 2025.
Winners will be selected by category (fiction and nonfiction) and age group. Finalists and winners will be invited to a red carpet screening event on Friday, April 25, 2025, at the Viridian Event Center in West Jordan. All nominated films will be screened at this event, winning films will be announced, and prizes will be distributed.
Winners will receive prizes such as filmmaking equipment, gift cards, and more!
Finalists and winners of the Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition will receive FREE access to exclusive filmmaking workshops from leading Utah filmmakers to improve their craft and FREE all-inclusive passes to the Tumbleweeds Film Festival for Kids on April 26, 2025.
Stay tuned as we get closer to the competition!
/// Film Competition Purpose
The Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition connects Utah’s K-8 students and educators to meaningful film and broadcast opportunities. The competition is part of the Utah Film Center’s (UTFC) Tumbleweeds Film Festival for Kids in collaboration with the Utah Education Network (UEN). Films submitted to the competition should be aligned with the mission of these organizations, which is to connect Utah districts, schools, and higher education institutions to quality educational resources.
UTAH FILM CENTER
The competition supports the Utah Film Center’s mission of connecting people, stories, and ideas through film, artist support, and media arts education. By amplifying diverse perspectives in Utah through the medium of film, we help set the scene for a richer understanding of our neighbors, fellow human beings, and the world around us. To learn more, visit www.utahfilmcenter.org.
UTAH EDUCATION NETWORK
The competition supports the Utah Education Network Strategic Plan in the areas of broadcast and professional learning and meets KUEN’s (UEN’s public television station) requirements for outreach, career opportunities, and mentorship. To learn more, visit www.uen.org
/// Film Contest Do’s
Rules
DO follow all the rules if you want your film to be eligible for Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition screenings and awards.
Theme
DO choose your own theme! There is no set theme for the Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition, so you are free to create films about any topic.
Categories
DO submit your film in one of two categories:
• Fiction – Fictional films are those “created from the imagination, not presented as fact, though it may be based on a true story or situation” (Britannica.com). All films on a fictional topic should be entered into this category. Submissions to the fiction category may be short films or animations such as dramas, comedies, thrillers, etc.
• Nonfiction – Nonfiction films are those that are “based on facts, real events, and real people, such as biography or history“ (Oxford Languages). All nonfiction films should be entered into this category. Submissions to the nonfiction category may be documentaries, public service announcements, news packages, etc.
Submissions
DO submit as many films as you want to! Films that you have already submitted to other festivals or contests are welcome as long as this does not break other festival/contest rules. Films with ‘World Premiere’ status may be given priority for screening at the Tumbleweeds Film Festival for Kids, but previously premiered films are still eligible for awards. Please do not submit previous years’ submissions to the Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition.
Student Work
DO your own work. Adults may guide and teach students, but students must do all their own writing, filming, and editing.
Time Limit
DO keep your film to five (5) minutes or less. Films that are longer than five minutes will not be considered for Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition awards. Credits are not included as part of your time limit.
Credits & Citations
DO include credits in your film and cite your sources.
• Credits are not included as part of your time limit.
• Credits should list the sources of all your video footage, images, music, and sound effects.
• For nonfiction films, credits should also include a list of citations showing where you obtained data and information included in your film.
• The Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition has specific guidelines you must follow for any borrowed media used in your film. Follow this credit/citation format in your credits:
• Name of the work
• Name of the owner/creator
• Location of the work
• Here is an example of what a citation should look like:
“A Little Reggae” by Soundzabound from Soundzabound.com
Here is another example:
“Bluffs on north beach, Yaquina bay” by Crawford, J. G. from New York Public Library Digital Collections
Here is another example:
“Happy Tune” by Your Name created in GarageBand
• The Next Vista for Learning resource website has a list of recommended sites where you can find openly licensed media to use in your film. (https://www.nextvista.org/)
Submission Deadline
DO submit your entry on time. Any films submitted after the deadline will not be considered for Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition screenings or awards.
Technical Specifications
DO use the following technical specifications when you export your video:
• Video files should be HD quality: 1920×1080 and 29.97 (30) FPS.
• Video files should be MP4 format.
• All entries should be shot in landscape (widescreen/horizontal). Portrait (vertical)
videos will not be accepted unless artistic or practical reasons exist for using this type of footage. If vertical footage is used, there must be a background behind the main video clip.
• Audio should be stereo mixed.
• For any films in a language other than English, subtitles are helpful but not required.
Promotional Materials (Optional)
DO provide the following promotional materials when you submit your film:
• 1-5 still images/screenshots from your film
• A short synopsis of your film – not to exceed 200 words
Information Release (For Finalists Only)
DO submit a UTFC Exhibition release form and a UETN media release form for each individual involved in your film — those who created it and those who appear in it. THESE FORMS WILL ONLY BE NEEDED IF YOU BECOME A FINALIST IN THE FILM COMPETITION. Because you are under the age of 18, the form must also be signed by a parent or guardian. These forms are what allow the UTFC and UEN to screen and broadcast selected films!
//// Film Contest Don’ts
Content
DO NOT include any content in your film that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortuous, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, or invasive of another’s privacy (UEN Guidelines). Such films will not be considered for Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition screenings or awards.
Accuracy
DO NOT submit films that propagate false, misleading, or slanderous information.
Copyright
DO NOT break copyright laws. Any entry that infringes any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright, or other proprietary rights of any party will not be considered for Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition screenings or awards (UEN Guidelines).
Be sure to obtain proper licensing and permission for borrowed media (video, images, music, and sound effects) used in your film. Filmmakers must obtain Internet publication, broadcast, and public performance rights for all borrowed media.
Borrowed media used in your film must have one of the following licenses:
• Any original media created by the filmmaker is acceptable.
• Any media with one of the following Creative Commons licenses is acceptable:
• CC BY
• CC BY-SA
• CC BY-NC
• CC BY-NC-SA
• CC0
• Public Domain
• Any copyrighted media used with permission from the copyright owner is acceptable. • • The copyright owner must complete the UEN media release form to acknowledge their limited release of the media.
Any copyrighted media for which a license has been purchased is acceptable as long as the license that has been purchased allows for the distribution methods UEN will use. Proof of purchase must be provided.
Brands
DO NOT include any visible brands in your film. If a brand logo is visible, it must be modified during production or blurred in post-production.
Audio
DO NOT submit films that have poor audio. Films with inaudible sounds will be disqualified.
Project Status Definitions
After a film is received by the Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition, it will receive one or more of the following status designations:
Undecided
The judges are still reviewing the project.
Not Selected
The project is not selected for screening at this season’s Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition.
Selected
This film will play at the Tumbleweeds Film Festival and may be featured through additional online and broadcast mediums.
Nominee
This project is nominated for a possible Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition award.
Award Winner
This project has won an award in the Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition.
Removal of Status
The Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition reserves the right to remove any project as Selected, Nominee, or Award Winner for any reason. This may include not having the rights to the film, unprofessionalism, or behavior that would reflect negatively on the film competition, its partners, or its participants.
Award Announcements & Promotion
Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition nominees will be announced March 15, 2025. Award winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Tumbleweeds Film Festival for Kids in Utah on Friday, April 26, 2025. Filmmakers will be notified via email if their film has been selected for screening at the Tumbleweeds Film Festival for Kids or has been nominated for an award.
Press releases will be sent to local media outlets regarding selected films. A laurel, or digital badge, will be sent to winning contacts following the awards presentation. Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition winners may refer in advertising and publicity to the fact that they are Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition winners and, for one year after the award was bestowed, may use a replica of the Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition award or the Tumbleweeds Kids Film Competition logo in such advertising.
