Final Call for CFF ’26 Submissions + More Upcoming Events
Submit by May 15, join us for a New York premiere, & explore new opportunities for climate storytellers.
The countdown is on! Submissions for the 2026 Climate Film Festival close one week from today: on Friday, May 15. Submit your film today!
Can’t get enough climate film programming? Read on for details about the New York premiere of Been Here Stay Here (2024, dir. David Usui), CFF-exclusive discounts to the Hollywood Climate Summit, opportunities for emerging filmmakers, and more!
In this Newsletter:
🚨 Last Call! Submit to CFF ’26 by May 15
🎥 New York Premiere: Been Here Stay Here
🌟 2026 Hollywood Climate Summit: Take 25% Off Tickets
🌽 Submit your film to the World Food Forum Youth Film Festival
🌱 Opportunities & Events
🚨 One Week Left: CFF’s Open Call Deadline is May 15!
The clock is ticking to submit your film to our September festival! Our final deadline is next Friday, May 15.
We’re looking for bold, imaginative, and intersectional films that explore climate, environment, and humanity across genres and formats. From documentary features to narrative shorts, animated to experimental works, we welcome all stories that expand the conversation around climate storytelling. If you’ve been thinking about submitting, now’s your chance!
🎥 New York Premiere: Been Here Stay Here
Mark your calendar for another special film screening! Don’t miss the New York premiere of Been Here Stay Here (2024, dir. David Usui), followed by a filmmaker panel moderated by CFF Co-Founders Alec Turnbull and J. English Cook.
📆 When: Saturday, May 16 at 7pm
📍 Where: Quad Cinema, 34 W 13th Street, New York, NY 10011
🍿 What’s Playing: Been Here Stay Here film screening + filmmaker Q&A
About the film: On a remote island in the Chesapeake Bay, a deeply rooted Christian fishing community grapples with the quiet erosion of their land and their traditions. Their centuries-old way of life, sustained by faith and the rhythms of the bay, is now at a poignant crossroads—one that may force them from the only home they’ve ever known. Watch the trailer here.
🌟 Get 25% Off Tickets to the 2026 Hollywood Climate Summit
CFF is a proud community partner of the 2026 Hollywood Climate Summit, happening June 3-4 at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, The Ebell of Los Angeles, and online. You’re invited to attend!
The Hollywood Climate Summit is an entertainment-forward networking and learning experience with special focuses on storytelling and strategy across sectors like film, TV, gaming, advertising, and journalism. You can expect:
Mainstage programs ft. thought leaders and creative powerhouses
Live comedy
Numerous networking opportunities
Interactive workshops to incubate new ideas
Local plant-based food experiences
Because CFF is a partner of the summit, our community gets a special 25%
discount on tickets and passes. Get tickets here, and use the code “CFF” at checkout. We hope you’ll join us!
🌽 World Food Forum Youth Film Festival
Calling all young filmmakers: Submit your film to the 2026 UN FAO World Food Forum Youth Film Festival!
The WFF Youth Film Festival showcases the power of visual and narrative storytelling to address complex agrifood system challenges and promote sustainable development. This global competition invites young filmmakers (aged 18-35) to use film as a tool to explore challenges in agrifood systems, such as climate change, sustainability, and innovation, while highlighting diverse perspectives, untold stories, and elements of intangible cultural heritage.
This a great opportunity to gain international visibility, collaborate with an UN initiative, and have your work featured during WFF’s flagship event at FAO Headquarters in Rome. This festival amplifies youth voices, sparks critical dialogue, and drives meaningful change across agrifood systems and beyond. Winners will receive a $500 USD prize and be featured across WFF’s global platforms. Submissions are open via FilmFreeway until July 14, 2026!
🌱 Opportunities & Events
5/15, 5/16, & 5/17: Been Here Stay Here (2024, dir. David Usui) screening and Q&A at Quad Cinema (NYC)
6/1: Jackson Wild x Earth Alliance Impact Pitch 2026 Application Deadline
6/3-6/4: Hollywood Climate Summit (Use code “CFF” for 25% off tickets)
6/30: The World Around, Young Climate Prize Application Deadline
7/14: World Food Forum Youth Film Festival Submission Deadline
Ongoing: Northeast Historic Film, the Chicago Film Archives, & the Lesbian Home Movie Project, The Woman Behind the Camera
Ongoing: Unaffordable America: Photo Pitches for nbcnews.com