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: | Milestone | Date | |---|---| | Submissions open | July 1, 2026 | | Entry deadline | October 1, 2026 | | Gallery goes live | December 1, 2026 | | Voting ends (People's Choice) | January 1, 2027 | | Finalists announced | February 15, 2027 | | Awards ceremony | TBD (spring 2027) |
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.