The Toaster offers a rich variety of resources to help you bring your ideas from concept to reality. Check out the resources below to explore how we can help you connect, ideate, make, and launch!
Media production festivals and fellowships
Have you produced some great content and are looking to get it in front of an audience? Graduating and looking for the next step in your film career journey? Click the links below and explore this curated list of resources created by UMN Film students.
Film festivals, competitions, and awards
- Intercollegiate Film FestivalThe festival, hosted by Augsburg University, recognizes the work of student filmmakers and writers as part of an interconnected Minnesota statewide film community. The festival provides networking opportunities and juried merit awards of distinction. Additional support is provided by Augsburg University and Twin Cities Film Fest.
- Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Film Festival (MSPIFF)MSPIFF champions artists from all backgrounds and stages of their careers. We promote the art of film as a medium for fostering cross-cultural understanding, education, entertainment, and exploration.
- NATAS Upper Midwest Student Production AwardPresentation of these awards are intended to be an incentive for the continued pursuit of excellence by those studying media and journalism and to focus public attention on outstanding cultural, educational, technological, entertainment, news and informational achievements by undergraduate College/University students.
- Northern Pocket Film FestivalCreated to celebrate young student filmmaker's accomplishments in film. The Northern Pocket film festival is the University of Minnesota’s very own Film Festival.
- St. Paul Neighborhood Network - SPNN Doc UDoc U is a 15-week beginner documentary production program for Twin Cities metro area community members. The power of the documentary film is its ability to shine a spotlight on issues, stories, and perspectives that would otherwise go unheard and thus unnoticed. It is this unique power that enables documentaries to broaden horizons.
- Twin Cities Film Festival - TCFFThe film festival and fellowship program is designed to educate, motivate, promote work, and inspire up-and-coming collegiate level filmmakers (any post secondary (university, college or tech school) student who has taken classes or is majoring in some aspect of film. This includes directing, producing, cinematography, screenwriting, animation, editing, FX, etc...) during the Twin Cities Film Fest.
- Z-FestThe formal mission statement of Z-Fest is to promote, elevate, and showcase entertaining Minnesota-made short films.The Z-Fest Film Festival is an annual Twin Cities based contest-style film festival that features original, seven-minute, short films made by local filmmakers.
Fellowship opportunities
- Adobe x Ignite Sundance CollabThe Sundance Institute and Adobe are teaming up to find 10 Sundance Ignite x Adobe Fellows. Submit a 1-15 minute short to show your artistic vision and unique voice as a filmmaker and content creator. Winners will receive a free yearly subscription for all Adobe Products and be supported by an individual with a firm footing within the film industry.
- Catalyst Story InstituteThe Catalyst Story Institute offers a year-round mentorship program; here you’ll be under the mentorship of producers and filmmakers that have an established footing in the industry. The catalyst story institute also offers a scholarship for students!
- Film North (McKnight Media Artist Fellowship guidelines)The intent of this program is to recognize and support mid-career media artists living and working in Minnesota who demonstrate a sustained level of accomplishment, commitment, and artistic excellence.
- New Angle Fellows - SPNNNew Angle Fellows is a fellowship that supports six underrepresented and emerging documentary filmmakers who are creating their own work and hoping to get to the next step in their filmmaking journey.
- Twin Cities Film Festival - TCFFThe film festival and fellowship program is designed to educate, motivate, promote work, and inspire up-and-coming collegiate level filmmakers (any post secondary (university, college or tech school) student who has taken classes or is majoring in some aspect of film. This includes directing, producing, cinematography, screenwriting, animation, editing, FX, etc...) during the Twin Cities Film Fest.
Additional resources
- FilmFreewayFilmFreeway is a resource to find a wide array of national and international film festivals; the website is updated on a regular basis. Be sure to check out the actual film festival websites for details to get important information regarding your submission.
Last Updated: Sep 18, 2023 3:38 PM
URL: https://libguides.umn.edu/toaster-resources