The Big Sky Film Institute nurtures and elevates non-fiction films that have the power to transform our world, our culture, our youth, and ourselves. Big Sky is seeking submissions of audio documentaries for the 2018 Big Sky Film Festival.

While Big Sky will always be a film festival, it cannot go unnoticed that audio documentary has recently been the fastest growing medium in the documentary field, with radio and podcasts enjoying a proverbial 21st century renaissance.

For the 2018 festival, Big Sky will hold an open call for audio documentaries, seeking submissions from around the globe. There is a $10 entry fee for all entries (any length). Submissions will be open through November 5, 2017. All submitters will be notified of selection status via email or through Submittable in December of 2017.

Big Sky defines an audio documentary as: “Audio docs are considered radio-format, non-fiction, narratives that typically feature interviews or commentary with creative sound to dramatize, elaborate, or otherwise paint a sound-picture for the listener.”

Entries should consist of an individual documentary and must range between 3 and 25 minutes in length. Entries must be produced in English (or a combination of English and translated voice over). Each entry should be a single MP3 audio file.

To be considered for selection, entries should be produced after January 1, 2015, and should not have been played publicly for the first time via terrestrial radio or in a public setting in Montana before February 26, 2018. In short, Big Sky wants fresh content that will be new to Montana audiences.

Some of the submitted AudioDocs may be played in front of feature films at the festival. They are also planning collective listening events where audiences can participate in a variety of activities (or just relax) while listening.