APHA PUBLIC HEALTH FILM FESTIVAL

We are pleased to announce that we are now accepting submissions for our annual Public Health Film Festival to be held during APHA’s Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. from Nov. 2 – 5, 2025.  The Film Festival highlights public health locally, nationally, and globally. We welcome all types of submissions including independent, community-created, and youth-created films. Films can be animations, documentaries, narratives, and educational videos. All should demonstrate, educate, inspire, and encourage a change for a healthier future.

Submission Types:

APHA's Film Festival will screen a mix of panel, online, and brown bag films during the Annual Meeting. All submissions are peer-reviewed and scored before selection. Submitters may choose between Panel Film sessions and Online sessions. Films that score highly in the Panel or Online sessions may also qualify for screening during Brown bag lunch sessions. Please carefully review the different submission types outlined below. 

1. Panel Film Sessions

Panel film sessions are held onsite during the annual meeting. Filmmakers are part of a live panel of filmmakers where you will screen your film (up to 20 minutes) and discuss your film and other related films included in the panel. If accepted, a film team member must pay for registration and attend in person to present the film and participate in the session (no virtual attendance is possible). No compensation is provided for showing your film, and APHA will not pay for registration, lodging, or travel. However, you may be eligible for a 1-day pass to present your film if you are not planning to attend the rest of the conference. All films shown during the Panel Film session will be available for viewing on-demand after the meeting until December 31, 2025. Films submitted to the Panel Film sessions that scored highly but could not be included in this format will be shown during the Brown Bag Lunch session (see below for more information about this format). If screened in the Brown Bag Lunch session, personal attendance is not required, but a $195 registration fee is required. 

2. Online Films

Online films are available online, on-demand only. Films accepted for online viewing will become available through the Online platform beginning Saturday, Nov. 1, and will remain available for registered attendees until December 31. The highest scoring films will also be shown onsite during the lunch hour on Monday, Nov. 3 and Tuesday, Nov. 4 (see “Brown Bag Lunch session” information below). APHA membership is not required, and you do not have to attend the Annual Meeting in person. However, if your film is accepted, you will be required to pay a $195 registration fee to have your film shown online. If you are planning to attend in person, this fee will be waived and the regular regstration fee will apply.  

3. Brown Bag Lunch Sessions

Brown Bag Lunch sessions are held onsite during lunch hours on Monday, Nov. 3 and Tuesday, Nov. 4. You cannot directly submit to this submission type. Films that scored highly in the Panel or Online sessions will be shown during the brown bag sessions. You can indicate the submission process whether you would like your film to be considered for screening in the Brown Bag session. There will be no presentation time for films shown during Brown Bag sessions, but we invite film contributors to be in attendance to answer questions during an open Q&A time. If your film is accepted, you will be required to pay a $195 registration fee to have your film shown. If you are planning to attend the Annual Meeting, this fee will be waived and regular registration fees will apply. 

Film Topics

While films from all disciplines of public health will be considered, films related to the APHA 2025 theme, " Making Public Health a National Priority " are highly encouraged. We especially encourage submissions related to one of the film topics below. 

Film Topics:

• Addiction and Recovery
  Films focusing on substance use disorders, recovery journeys, and efforts to address addiction as a public health priority.
• Basic Needs: Food, Water, and Air
  Films focusing on essential resources like clean water, nutritious food, and air quality as foundations of public health.
• Chronic Diseases and Infectious Diseases
  Stories addressing prevention, treatment, and the public health response to both chronic conditions and infectious outbreaks.
• Community Engagement and Advocacy
  Films showcasing grassroots efforts, community-based initiatives, or advocacy campaigns improving public health.
• Emergencies: Preparation, Response, and Resilience
  Films highlighting the importance of emergency preparedness, response strategies, and building community resilience during crises.
• Environmental Health and Sustainability
  Stories exploring the intersection of public health and environmental issues, such as climate change, pollution, and sustainability.
• Health Equity and Access to Public Health Resources
  Films addressing disparities in healthcare and solutions to ensure equitable access to public health resources.
• Special Populations (Women, Men, Children & Adolescents, Homeless, Minority, LGBTQ, Immigrant, Disabled, Elderly)
  Submissions exploring the unique public health challenges and solutions for specific groups, including women, men, children, adolescents, the homeless, minority groups, LGBTQ individuals, immigrants, people with disabilities, and the elderly.
• Workshop
  
• Other Topics
  Films addressing public health topics that do not fit into the defined categories but align with the theme of making public health a national priority.

General Submission Criteria and Guidelines: 

Criteria: 

• Film should address a public health issue; 
• Film must be produced within the last three years; 
• Film must be accessible to the audience in English (language and/or subtitles); 
• Films must be open captioned in English (captions must be burnt into the film so they are always visible); 
• The submitter must be affiliated with the film; 
• Film must be uploaded in an MP4 format. The preferred sizes are 1920x1080 for high definition and 720x480 for standard definition. 
• The submitted film clip should be no longer than 20 minutes (although the overall film can be longer); 
• Film must reflect credible, science-based facts and recommendations and must not misrepresent or distort facts. 

Submissions must include: 

• A synopsis or summary of the work (200 words or less). 
• Intended audience 
• Supporting evidence or objective for the film’s message 
• Mention of campaigns or programs that are linked to the film (if any to date) 
• Captions burnt in

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Ready?

Program Planner Contact Information:

Kerstin Hundal, MA
kerstinkalke2023@u.northwestern.edu


and

Osman Galindo,
osman.galindo@uth.tmc.edu


and

Mueenah Anibaba, MPH
manibaba@tulane.edu


and

Tammy Kremer,
tammy.kremer@ucsf.edu


and

Steven Passmore, DC, MS, PhD
steven.passmore@umanitoba.ca


and

Kelsey Witmeier, MPH
kwitme@lsuhsc.edu


and

Amitha Halthore, BA, BS
amh342@pitt.edu