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 San Antonio from November 1 – 4, 2026.  The Film Festival highlights public health locally, nationally, and globally. We welcome all types of submissions including independent, community-created, and youth-created films. Submissions can be in the form of animations, documentaries, public service announcements, advertisements, short or long narratives, and public health educational videos. We are looking for submissions that 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 scored highly in the Panel or Online sessions may also qualify for screening during Brown bag 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^st. 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 on Saturday, Oct. 31^st and will remain available for registered attendees until December 31^st. The highest scoring films will also be shown onsite during the lunch hour on Monday, Nov. 2 and Tuesday, Nov. 3 (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 the Annual Meeting, this fee will be waived. 

3. Brown Bag Lunch Sessions

Brown Bag Lunch sessions are held onsite during lunch hours on Monday, Nov. 2 and Tuesday, Nov. 3. 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 at the end of 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 participants 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. 

While submissions from all disciplines of public health will be considered, those related to the APHA 2026 theme, "Together We Thrive: Health Across the Lifespan" are highly encouraged.

We especially encourage submissions related to one of the topics below:

• Addiction and Recovery
  Focuses on substance use disorders, recovery journeys, and efforts to address addiction as a public health priority.
• Aging and Health Across the Lifecourse
  Examine how health is shaped over a lifetime - from early experiences to old age - highlighting resilience, care, and inequities as populations grow older.
• Basic Needs: Food, Water, and Air
  Focuses on essential resources like clean water, nutritious food, and air quality as foundations of public health.
• Chronic Diseases and Infectious Diseases
  Addresses prevention, treatment, and the public health response to both chronic conditions and infectious outbreaks
• Community Engagement and Advocacy
  Showcases grassroots efforts, community-based initiatives, or advocacy campaigns improving public health.
• Emergencies: Preparation, Response, and Resilience
  Highlights the importance of emergency preparedness, response strategies, and building community resilience during crises
• Environmental Health and Sustainability
  Explores the intersection of public health and environmental issues, such as climate change, pollution, and sustainability.
• Poverty and Health: Equity and Access to Public Health Resources
  Addresses 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)
  Explores 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.
• Technology and Digital Health
  Explores the impact of telehealth, health apps, AI and health, and online communities on advancing public health
• Other Topics
  Addresses 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: 

• Should address a public health issue. 
• Must be produced within the last three years. 
• Must be in English
• 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
• Submission must be uploaded in an MP4  The preferred sizes are 1920x1080 for high definition and 720x480 for standard definition. 
• The submitted clip should be no longer than 20 minutes (although the overall film can be longer). 
• Submission 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

---

Ready?

Program Planner Contact Information:

Kerstin Hundal,
kkalke@unm.edu


and

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


and

Soumya Menon,
smenonofficial1@gmail.com