7th Annual CineSpace Short Film Competition Now Accepting Submissions

HOUSTON, TX – NASA and the Houston Cinema Arts Society ( HCAS) open submissions for the 2021 CineSpace Short Film Competition on March 1 kicking off the seventh year of the film competition. The deadline for submissions closes July 14, 2021 at noon EST.

The competition fosters creativity at the intersection of art and science by inviting filmmakers around the world to create short films inspired by and incorporating NASA archival footage and imagery.  Submissions featuring NASA footage from 60 years of space exploration will be judged on creativity, innovation and attention to detail. As in previous years, filmmakers will compete for $26,000 in cash prizes with awards going to the top three overall winners and winners of two special categories: Best Educational Film on Space and Science and Film That Best Depicts Unity and Inclusion in Science.

Filmmakers of all experience levels from around the world are welcome to submit their films for consideration. The competition is inclusive of all genres including narrative, documentary, comedy, drama, animation, experimental, and others, and films will be submitted to the content creation platform Tongal. Film entries must be 10 minutes or less and consist of at least 10 percent publicly available NASA archival content. Finalists are selected from the submissions by a joint NASA-HCAS screening committee, and first, second, and third place prizes are awarded by Academy Award ® nominee Richard Linklater.

Finalists will be announced alongside the lineup of the 2021 Houston Cinema Arts Festival in October 2021. Winners will be announced and awarded their prizes at the 13th Annual Houston Cinema Arts Festival taking place November 11 – 15, 2021.  Finalists and winners may be screened at other film festivals across the country, on NASA TV, or even onboard the ISS.

Houston Cinema Arts Society (HCAS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to presenting unique and innovative film programs, multimedia installations and performances, and educational opportunities to engage, enrich, and empower Houston’s diverse communities and cultures.

For more information on CineSpace, competition guidelines and the submission process and to view past winners and finalists, visit: http://www.cinespace.org

Find NASA video and imagery at: http://www.nasa.gov/content/download-nasa-videos-for-cinespace

Learn about NASA’s innovative and collaborative efforts at: https://www.nasa.gov/offices/COECI/index.html

Look for more about the Houston Cinema Arts Society at: cinemahtx.org