The ConnectHER Film Festival (CHFF) is an annual international short-film competition for filmmakers ages 13 to 25, focused on issues affecting women and girls worldwide. Founded in 2013 at Harvard University and now run by the ConnectHER nonprofit based in Austin, TX, the festival has received over 2,250 film submissions from 96 countries and awarded more than $345,000 in scholarships to date.
Seven theme categories:
- Access to Education
- Economic Empowerment & Inequality
- Gender Inequality
- Global Health
- War, Conflict and Displacement
- Women & Leadership
- Women and the Environment
What makes CHFF unique: Films are evaluated not only for cinematic quality but also for how they present solutions to the issue they address. Filmmakers must be 13 to 25 years old at the submission date, though actors in the films may be any age, and teams of up to four contributors are allowed per entry.
CHFF27 timeline, checked November 4, 2026:
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Submissions open | July 1, 2026 |
| Entry deadline | October 15, 2026 (officially extended) |
| Gallery goes live | December 1 (year not printed) |
| Voting ends (People's Choice) | January 1 (year not printed) |
| Finalists announced | February 15 (year not printed) |
| Awards ceremony | TBD |
Prizes: Scholarship awards; past festival judges have included Nobel Peace Prize laureate Leymah Gbowee, Hollywood actors, and CNN International anchor Zain Asher. One past film (Asma) directly sparked ConnectHER's scholarship program for girls in Bangladesh, which has provided over $100,000 in educational assistance.
The official entry rules explicitly state that the original October 1 cutoff was extended to October 15, 2026. This is a past submission cutoff; no later cycle or further extension was verified. July 1 was the application opening. The homepage gives later gallery, voting and finalist month/day labels without years, so they are shown as printed rather than assigned new dates.
For this published cycle, films must have been completed after October 1, 2025, be original and not screened at other major festivals, and carry English subtitles. Entry rules specify 3–6 minutes, or 2–6 for animation, while the FAQ says slightly shorter or longer films may be accepted. A valid identity document, headshot, correctly named film file and thumbnail belong in the shared submission folder. Minors require parental/guardian consent. Substantive generative-AI film content is ineligible; permitted technical AI use must be disclosed. These are the checked cycle’s rules, not verified requirements for an unannounced intake.
No explicit current entry-fee statement was located; the earlier free-entry claim remains unverified. Scholarship prizes are separate from ceremony expenses: the FAQ says international flights are not covered, while accommodation may be. Participation is worldwide, with the provider warning that scholarship payments may be difficult for winners resident in Cuba, North Korea, Sudan, Iran or Syria.