amazon prime launches film festival for underrepresented filmmakers

The best stories are often told by the most diverse voices. Stories that offer a wide variety of perspectives and experiences have the ability to touch a far-reaching audience. They plant mirrors in a culture that reflects the people who populate it and propel each of us to be the heroes of our own stories. And Amazon Prime Video is willing to double-down on that.

Amazon’s streaming platform has announced that it will launch the All Voices Film Festival, a short film competition for filmmakers with underrepresented backgrounds all across the U.S. who will compete for a $25,000 grand prize. To be considered for the competition, your film must be created by, or feature (hmm) people from marginalized communities. This includes people of color, non-white ethnicities, gender, and religious minorities, LGBTQ+ people, veterans, and people with disabilities.

In order to participate, entrants will produce at max a 40-minute long short film which they’ll self-publish on Prime Videos where all U.S. subscribers will be able to view the submission.

“At Amazon Studios, we are looking for passionate storytellers who reflect and represent all backgrounds, specifically so that we can share their experiences and stories. We created this opportunity because we wanted a way for underrepresented voices to be heard,” said Latasha Gillespie, head of diversity, equity and inclusion at Amazon Studios. Gillespie is also a festival judge.

The first prize winner will be awarded $25,000 with four finalists receiving $10,000 each. All five winning shorts will be featured on Prime Video.