Forests for People: UN International Short Film Contest

200 million people. 193 countries.
One amazing portrait of how forests sustain us

See the winning videos!

The United Nations Forum on Forests Secretariat, together with the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and leading nature filmmakers worldwide, invites you to take part in a first-ever global multimedia initiative. One that will unite 200 million people in 193 countries to remind all of us just how vital forests are.

About the contest

Forests for People is a short film contest that invites everyone, in every part of the world, to create and share a personal film about their own relationship to the forest. How it inspires you. Shelters you. Nurtures you. Contributes to your life, or even makes life possible.

How you create your film is entirely up to you. Use whatever you have to tell your story in up to 5 minutes or less. Every type of media, from video cameras to mobile footage, animation to photos, is welcome. You don't have to be a professional filmmaker. We want everyone, everywhere, to participate.

The more stories that are told, the richer and more diverse our portrait will be. Each new entry opens a unique window on our unique human connections to the forest. Together, they will help everyone see the forests in a compelling new light.

How to enter

Once you have created your film, entering it is easy. Just visit our contest page on Withoutabox, follow the simple steps, and your film will be entered in no time. You can do it from any computer, anywhere in the world, and your information will be securely held.

Judging and finalists

After the contest ends on 22 February 2013, an international jury will select 15 semi-finalist and five finalist films to be premiered at the April 2013 meeting of the United Nations Forum on Forests in Istanbul, and at the 2013 Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival. Our finalists will also be invited to attend the film premiere at the United Nations Forum on Forests meeting in Istanbul, with travel support included. All semi-finalists and finalists will be contacted after the judging is complete.

What to do

• Visit our Withoutabox page to enter your film
• Review our contest terms and conditions
• Check our YouTube page for special content from leading filmmakers worldwide
• Get the latest news via the UN Facebook page and Twitter feed

Thanks for joining us for this world-first multimedia experience. We look forward to watching your film.

The United Nations Forum on Forests Secretariat wishes to thank the following for their generous assistance: BBC Motion Gallery, Footage Search, Inc., Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival, National Geographic Society, Tomato, Traffic Concept and Film, and all of the filmmakers who donated their time and expertise.