OPEN CALL FOR ENTRIES - Submissions for FILM and SCRIPT entries for SRFF2017 open TODAY!

NEW YORK - May 11, 2016 - PRLog -- Following the hugely successful three past annual editions with a combines 157 films screened from 35 countries, the fourth edition is scheduled to take place March 13-19, 2017 at the Bow Tie Chelsea Cinemas and The School of Visual Arts Social Documentary Film Campus in New York City, with additional parallel venues for special events.

Founded by Actor Filmmaker Nora Armani, the festival covers a wide range of socially relevant issues films and feature film scripts that deal with: the Environment, Racial Discrimination, Immigration, Gender issues, LGBT, Child/Teen Issues, Education, Global Health, Poverty, Unemployment, Business Greed, Undocumented Populations, War and Conflict aftermaths, Climate Change, to name a few. The competition categories program films in the Short, Documentary and Narrative feature categories as well as unproduced film scripts. "We strongly believe in the power of cinema to change the world." Said Armani.

Prizes include  consultation by The Candy Factory to package the winning narrative feature for theatrical and digital distribution. VOD release courtesy of IndiePix for the documentary feature winner. Ninety minutes of consultation with Cinema Libre Studio for the winning documentary in addition to a 25% discount on a post production package. Film equipment rental packages are offered for winners from partner companies such as Resolution Rentals. And free membership is offered by SundanceNow Doc Club. Curated titles from the short category in the festival are offered digital distribution by IndiePix. Scriptwriting software is offered by Final Draft and a free of charge inclusion on InkTip of the winning script promotes exposure and discovery. A special trophy, the Sona Vessel, designed and donated by Michael Aram adds elegance to the awards. Additional prizes include cash and in-kind offers, as well as special category/thematic awards such as: The Vanya Exerjian Empowering Women and Girls Award, The Women Film Critics Circle Award, The Social Justice Award, The Humanitarian Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award, and more. Filmmakers selected in the Socially Relevant Film Festival NY get further exposure in such partner festivals as Cannes, Austin, The Other Israel, Reelabilities, and SRFF-Paris, in addition to screening at the Bow Tie Chelsea Cinemas.

The 3rd edition of the festival opened on March 14, 2016 with a distinguished panel including Pulitzer Prize winning author Robert Schenkkan, widely published novelists Marc Levy, Brigitte Gauthier and Lila Azam Zanganeh on adapting the novel for the screen at Albertine Books of the French Consulate in NYC. The red carpet screenings were graced by Gretchen Carlson, Cynthia Gibb, Ahmed Atef, Stavroula Toska, Jet Scouten, Linda Stoltenberg and other participating filmmakers at the Bow Tie Chelsea Cinemas through March 20, 2016.

A team of distinguished international jury members including Jacqueline Ada (CNC- France), Marc Duret (Outlanders), Claus Mueller (filmfestivals.com), Nicole Ansari-Cox (actor), Antoine de Baecque (Cahiers du Cinema, Prix Goncourt) present a number of awards annually to narrative and documentary features, shorts, scripts, and works by women filmmakers. The festival features Industry Panels by partner and sponsor industry players such as Cinema Libre Studio, Candy Factory, IndiePix, Maro Chermayeff at the School of Visual Arts Social Documentary Film Department. Visit festival website for more information and to learn about the winner of previous editions: www.ratedsrfilms.org

Submissions are accepted through https://filmfreeway.com/festival/SRFF (https://filmfreeway.com/festival/SRFF17) or through the festival's website and via email ratedsrfilmfest@gmail.com. Use code CAN16 for an additional discount combined with the already reduced Early Bird submission fee.

See you in March 2017 in New York City!