National Geographic WILD, the network synonymous with exploration of the world’s wildest places and animals, and the Sun Valley Film Festival, presented by Ford, are excited to announce the sixth annual WILD to Inspire contest, an open call for short films by U.S. filmmakers. The top finalists will screen their films at the Sun Valley Film Festival, where one lucky grand prize winner will be chosen to receive $1,000 and a National Geographic Expedition to explore wildlife and wild places up close alongside Nat Geo Explorers.

Nat Geo WILD is known for bringing viewers face to face with animals across the wildest corners of the planet — but exploration means more than climbing the highest mountain or diving into the deepest depths of the ocean. Exploration is a mindset — which is why, in a nod to the network’s storied history of exploration, this year’s contest is a challenge to filmmakers to celebrate the everyday explorer. Whether listening to new music, embracing new cultures or making a film, all it takes to be an everyday explorer is a little bit of curiosity and determination.

U.S. residents are invited to submit a short film of three minutes or less using the platform Submittable. Films should feature an everyday explorer and/or inspire others to become everyday explorers. The top finalists, announced in early March, will receive an invitation to attend the Sun Valley Film Festival in Sun Valley, Idaho, March 13-17, to screen their films for festival attendees, a panel of judges and Nat Geo WILD executives. The winner will be announced at the festival’s closing ceremony and will receive a cash prize of $1,000 and a National Geographic Expedition.

“At Nat Geo WILD, exploration is in our DNA,” said Janet Han Vissering, senior vice president, development and production, Nat Geo WILD. “WILD to Inspire is an incredible opportunity for us to discover fresh new voices in filmmaking, who are as naturally curious about exploring the world from behind the lens as we are.”

“Supporting aspiring filmmakers is central to our mission,” added Teddy Grennan, executive director of the Sun Valley Film Festival. “Each year we’re blown away by the talent and creativity that comes out of WILD to Inspire, and we look forward to showcasing this next class of storytellers.”

The submission period is open now through March 1. The contest is open to U.S. residents, and all entries must be under three minutes (multiple entries are allowed). To view all WILD to Inspire contest rules, regulations and prizing, visit wildtoinspire.submittable.com.

National Geographic Partners LLC

National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between National Geographic and 21st Century Fox, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 131 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

About Sun Valley Film Festival

The eighth annual Sun Valley Film Festival, presented by Ford, will run March 13-17, 2019. With a mission to empower independent filmmakers to share the stories that inspire change, SVFF is where storytellers from around the world come together to bring their vision into focus. Highlights from the 2019 slate include engaging Coffee Talks with top industry insiders; the Screenwriters Lab, presented by Variety; Nat Geo WILD’s Salon and WILD to Inspire competition; the SVFF Film Lab, presented by Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Variety; fabulous parties; and more. Past industry guests include Gwyneth Paltrow, Clint Eastwood, Oliver Stone, Jodi Foster, Bruce Dern, Geena Davis, Mark and Jay Duplass and more. The combination of cutting-edge programming and bona fide insider access in a fun, relaxed atmosphere is making the Sun Valley Film Festival a rising star in the world of destination festivals. For Sun Valley Film Festival details and passes, visit: www.sunvalleyfilmfestival.org.

About Submittable

Submittable powers submissions and applications around the world, connecting individuals and organizations to do great work, together. Over 10,000 organizations use Submittable to accept, review and communicate about content online, and more than 2.3 million writers, filmmakers, photographers and other creatives have used the Submittable platform to submit their work. The company is backed by local angel funds but also YCombinator, True Ventures and Next Frontier Capital. For more information, visit www.submittable.com.