Animal Film Festival partners with The Tarshis Foundation offering $5,000 – 10,000 in cash awards

GRASS VALLEY, CA, Sept. 28, 2016 – The 4^th annual Animal Film Festival (AFF) in partnership with The Tarshis Foundation has created a new category of short-format film submissions for the 2017 AFF where filmmakers can compete for cash award grants of $5,000 – $10,000.

Film projects that qualify for consideration of grant awards must be :30-:90 seconds in length and highlight issues of animal suffering in food production or laboratory research with the goal of advocating the health, environmental and/or humane merits of plant-based lifestyles.

“The Tarshis Foundation is delighted to partner with the Animal Film Festival in recognizing content-creators who bring their unique creative lens toward advocating for animals and the planet,” said Foundation founder Adam Tarshis.  “We are looking to recognize those who have a persuasive voice in spotlighting animal suffering and provoking conversation on how we can create a more healthy and humane world.”

Shelley Frost, director Animal Film Festival: “For independent filmmakers who have ideas to express but little financial backing to bring them to life, the Tarshis Foundation awards will allow these artists to have more creative freedom.  It is our hope that more high quality films with strong messages based on animal issues will be produced then ultimately screened at the Animal Film Festival.”

Now in its fourth year, the Animal Film Festival was founded by the non-profit Center for Animal Protection & Education (CAPE).  The AFF is an all day event, Saturday February 25, 2017, at the Center for the Arts in historic downtown Grass Valley. 

The AFF screens up to 26 short and feature length films and hosts many of the filmmakers who take the stage after their films screen to lead discussions and audience Q&As.  Film topics range from stories about companion animals, hard-hitting animal issue films and wildlife documentaries.  This year the AFF is strongly urging teen filmmakers to enter their projects in a special free submission category just for them.

Through this new partnership with The Tarshis Foundation, the Animal Film Festival anticipates receiving more submissions than ever and aims to raise awareness that the AFF is an essential platform for filmmakers to bring creative work to a highly-engaged audience concerned about these important issues.

Tickets for the 2017 AFF will go on sale in mid-December.  For more information visit www.animalfilmfestival.org or http://www.animalfilmfestival.org/tarshis-award or http://www.tarshisfoundation.org.