A Few Minutes for the Planet is a new competition for student filmmakers at NAHEMI member institutions, in association with UK Green Film Network and with the support of BAFTA albert Education Partnership and the Green Film School Alliance (GFSA).

We invite submissions of short films of 1:00 to 2:30 minutes (maximum) in length, addressing the pressing issues of climate change, and produced using eco-friendly production protocols.

Students must work with either the open-access PEACHy framework (Production Environmental Actions Checklist for Young filmmakers) supported by the GFSA, through which they will be able to obtain an EMA Green Seal OR using the BAFTA albert Education Partnership protocol for those who are members. 

All films submitted will be included in a green gala screening at a major UK Green Film Network venue, where there are four awards to be presented. Filmmakers and production crews will be invited to present their films and innovative approach to storytelling and green production methods to an audience of filmmakers, tutors, educators and green campaigners.

The four awards are:

• The UK Green Film Network Award for Best Environmental Messaging

• The NAHEMI Award for Best Green Production Methods

• The GFSA Award for Excellence in Fiction, rewarded with a scholarship for Sundance’s feature writing class Screenwriting: Core Elements

• The GFSA Award for Excellence in Non-Fiction, rewarded with a scholarship for Sundance’s documentary development class, Documentary Filmmaking: Core Elements

The winning films, along with a selection of the best of the rest will make up a special package to be screened as supporting features in UK Green Film Network cinemas, to help spread the climate action message.

For more information, please email chair@nahemi.org using the subject line ‘a few minutes for the planet’.