See you at the movies

A free screening from CFF & FOUR PAWS, the final (final!) call for our September festival, and upcoming funding and submission opportunities beyond CFF

and

May 20, 2025

Hi all,

Catch us next week at Quad Cinema for an Endangered Species Month screening, Q&A, and reception with our partners at FOUR PAWS, an international animal welfare organization. We’re happy to continue our year-round events in the lead-up to the festival, and have some exciting summer programs in the works: stay tuned.

Haven’t submitted yet? This Friday is your last chance. Already submitted or planning your next film? Scroll down for grants and opportunities beyond CFF.

In this newsletter:

Endangered Species Month Screening with FOUR PAWS
FINAL Call for Submissions (for all the procrastinators, this is it!)
Catch us at the Hollywood Climate Summit
Opportunities + Events

🪸 Endangered Species Month Screening

A Free Screening in NYC on Thursday, May 29th

We’re partnering with FOUR PAWS to bring together three films for endangered species month on animals at risk on land, in the air, and at sea, highlighting the urgent link between wildlife conservation and climate.

Details

When: Thursday, May 29 from 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, doors at 6:30 PM
Where: Quad Cinema, 34 W 13th St, New York, NY 10011

Films

DETHRONED (2024, a TERRA MATER STUDIOS and FOUR CORNERS FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY production, in association with FOUR PAWS International): A photojournalist’s quest to uncover humanity’s destructive relationship with big cats, from poaching to commodification, in a world on the brink of losing them.
WILD HOPE: Coral Comeback (2024, an HHMI Tangled Bank Studios and Red Rock Films Production): Corals around the world are threatened by rising ocean temperatures that risk bleaching reefs and decimating entire marine ecosystems, but researchers in Hawaii are helping these marine architects beat the heat. With their help, coral reefs may have a better chance to survive—both now, and in the future.
Batsies (2023, an H-E-B Field & Future Film): Batsies is a short, experimental documentary that examines two women’s tender relationship with an animal that’s quintessentially feared and loathed: the bat.

Following the screening, a panel of experts and filmmakers will delve into the film’s themes and their broader implications for international wildlife and conservation at the nexus of climate change.

Panelists

Aaron Gekoski – Presenter & Co-Producer, DETHRONED
Vanessa Amoroso – Head of Wild Animals in Trade, FOUR PAWS
Anisa Peters – Producer, WILD HOPE: Coral Comeback
More to be announced!

Reception to follow with wine from TILIA and light vegan bites.

⏰ FINAL Call for Submissions

Friday May 23 is the LAST CHANCE ⌛️

We’ve had more submissions than ever this year, but we want to make sure that everyone has a chance to submit, even the most chronic procrastinators (you’ll always have a soft spot in our heart!).

While last week was the official deadline, we’ve extended by one week until this Friday. This is TRULY the last chance to get something in for the 2025 festival. What are you waiting for? Submit today!

CFF ♥︎ Hollywood Climate Summit

We’re excited to be a community partner for the 2025 Hollywood Climate Summit, and we want to invite you to attend! HCS isn’t just another climate conference—it’s an entertainment-forward networking and learning experience with special focuses on storytelling and strategy across sectors like film, TV, gaming, marketing, music, and journalism. You can expect:

Mainstage programs ft. thought leaders and creative powerhouses
Live climate 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 50%
discount on tickets and passes. We hope you’ll join us June 2-4 at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in LA & online! Grab your tickets with code PARTNERHCS25 at hollywoodclimatesummit.com/tickets.