Public Lands Film Festival | Call for Submissions

We are excited to announce the first-ever Public Lands Film Festival — a showcase of powerful short stories celebrating the people, places, and ideas that shape our shared landscapes. Selected works will premiere at the Public Lands Alliance Conference in February 2026 (Daytona, Florida) and later join a national touring program offered to our membership, schools, and other organizations across the country.

This festival marks the beginning of a new touring initiative entirely devoted to storytelling from our public lands. Its mission is to highlight outstanding creative work that uplifts the efforts of nonprofits, park partners, and communities stewarding these treasured places.

A collaboration between the Public Lands Alliance and filmmaker Brendan Hall, director of the award-winning documentary Out There: A National Parks Story, the festival brings together filmmakers and public lands professionals to spark inspiration and expand what storytelling in this space can be.

Led by storytellers and supported by the stewards of our most cherished landscapes, we aim to push the boundaries of how these stories are told — and to inspire audiences nationwide.


Submission Guidelines

We welcome short documentaries, narrative pieces, or video projects (40 minutes or less) that meet the following criteria:

  • Story-driven works that connect viewers to the people and places within our parks, refuges, forests, and public lands.

  • Films or videos exploring themes of stewardship, conservation, education, or sense of place — including local programs or personal journeys.

  • Completed within the past three years.

  • Produced by, or in collaboration with, organizations, artists, or communities. (Newly created pieces or adapted outreach videos are welcome!)

Whether your project is a 1-minute social video or a 40-minute documentary, we want to see creative approaches to storytelling that reveal what makes these landscapes and the people who protect them so extraordinary.

Key Dates

  • Premiere: February 25, 2026 – Public Lands Alliance Conference, Daytona Beach, FL

  • Touring Program Launch: March 2026 – Public Lands Film Festival On Tour is offered to organizations nationwide

Our website is coming soon, but submissions are now open. Fill out our form to share your film or express interest, and we’ll reach out with next steps and updates.