The Animal Film Festival (AFF), a program of the Center for Animal Protection and Education (CAPE), based in Grass Valley California, will be awarding a total of $15,000 to winning filmmakers during the 2018 event. Amber and Adam Tarshis, founders of the Tarshis Foundation, are donating the funds to make these awards possible.
$10,000 will be divided among winning films in these categories: Best Feature, Best Short, Best Student and Best Teen. In addition to these prizes, the Tarshis Foundation in partnership with the AFF will also award a total of $5,000 to winning shorts between :30 - :90 seconds long that creatively and convincingly highlight the issues of animal suffering in modern farming, food production, and/or laboratory research, and provide messages that influence people to pursue a more plant-based lifestyle.
Shelley Frost, director of the Animal Film Festival: “Now in our fifth year, the AFF has always chosen Best in Fest films in these categories awarding filmmakers with framed certificates. We are very honored that the Tarshis Foundation is heightening the importance of these winning films with significant cash awards.”
With over 3,000 film festivals around the world, very few have the means to provide cash awards to filmmakers. The Animal Film Festival is a niche fest in that all the films accepted and screened must explore any aspect of animal welfare, animal rights, the human/animal bond or demonstrate ways to improve the lives of animals. Cash awards to winning filmmakers will increase the relevance of the AFF and could inspire more filmmakers to tackle these issues. It will result in increased awareness about animals, their stories and challenges, and bring to light opportunities for people to help.
Each year during the AFF, filmmakers take the stage after their films screen, further educating audiences about what they can do to can help: signing petitions, volunteering at animal shelters, adopting an animal, sponsoring animals, adopting a plant based diet, etc. The AFF also has a streaming channel on ROKU where many award winning features and shorts about animals can be viewed. The AFF goes on tour to cities throughout California and beyond, further enlightening audiences on the joys animals bring, the challenges they face, and the responsibility we all have to protect them from suffering.
The 5th annual Animal Film Festival will take place Saturday, February 17, 2018 at the Center for the Arts, 314 W. Main St., Grass Valley, CA. Doors open at 9:30 am, and the first film begins at 10:00 am. Films will screen through 10:00pm with three Intermissions throughout the day. Tickets begin at $25 for all day admission; $20 senior/student/military; $10 for Evening Session only. Tickets are available at www.animalfilmfestival.org.
About CAPE:
The Center for Animal Protection and Education (CAPE) (www.capeanimals.org) works to save the lives of individual animals and to educate people about ways in which they can alleviate animal suffering. Founded in 1992, CAPE has helped thousands of animals. Those who are older, injured or recovering from an illness are placed into new, loving homes through CAPE's foster and adoption programs. In 2012 CAPE established the CAPE Animal Sanctuary in Grass Valley, California, a permanent home for dozens of animals with special needs and burros removed from their native habitats on public lands by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. In 2016 CAPE co created Muttopia, a shelter in Santa Rosa that serves as a safe place for rescued dogs. CAPE programs teach that all animals have the right to a long, full life, free from pain and suffering. To learn more or donate please visit www.capeanimals.org.