Dare To Dance In Public Film Festival (D2D) (8)

Festival start: 17 October 2026      Festival end: 18 October 2026

Founded in 2015, DARE TO DANCE IN PUBLIC FILM FESTIVAL (D2D) is a Los Angeles based, International Dance Film Festival. Dare to Dance in Public Film Festival believes in the power of dance as an urgent agent of change, an expression of what connects us, and what it is to be alive and human in the world... RIGHT. THIS. MINUTE.

At D2D we are deeply dedicated to the concept of democratizing dance, actively questioning when and where it can happen, creating community, and spreading, promoting, and supporting the international genre of Screen Dance.

D2D annually brings in Internationally renowned choreographers, directors, curators, agents and more as Judges, promoting a rich dialogue about dance and film to determine our Award Winning and Honorably Mentioned Films. Our judges have included Kyle Abraham, Nina McNeely, Paul Lightfoot, Jasmine Albuquerque, Stephen Galloway, Desmond Richardson, Louise Lecavalier, Karole Armitage, Kristy Edmunds, d. Sabela Grimes, Julie McDonald, and many more.

At D2D, we believe in spreading the wealth of dance on film, and that great dance films can be viewed more than once.

DARE TO DANCE IN PUBLIC FILM FESTIVAL, believes in inclusivity and democratizing dance. Unlike Dance Camera West, Dare to Dance in Public believes in spreading the wealth of great dance films… At D2D, we are FILMMAKER FORWARD: We believe that great dance films can be seen multiple times, and at more than one Festival. D2D does NOT REQUIRE submitted films to be Los Angeles PREMIERES… Your films can have played at other LA festivals, and play again at D2D where we invite audiences to see with new eyes and fresh perspectives.

D2D is run by working directors, choreographers and educators who are active at the intersections and pushing the boundaries of dance and feature film, commercials, music videos, stage, circus, site-specific, immersive performance, Screen Dance, and more. Founder/Director Sarah Elgart is an award winning, DGA DIRECTOR, choreographer and producer D2D routinely draws people from the industry to D2D in search of new talent. D2D Founder Director Sarah Elgart worked with Dance Camera West for nearly seven years in numerous capacities and was instrumental in bringing Dance Camera West to institutions such as the Getty, the Music Center, LA County Museum of Art, the Directors’ Guild of America, and much more. Now we are incentivizing D2D with all that experience.

D2D continues to support filmmakers and offer them with opportunities including paid streaming with our partners at LUCID and possibilities at other venues such as BodyVox in Portland and The Kennedy Center.

*Minimum $100 per category, exact amount TBA
Categories routinely change in title based on the kinds of submissions received.
At D2D we mold our festival around the Filmmakers.

Regular Categories include:

Most Daring Film
Best Interface with the Public
Best Use of Location

Other categories include changeable awards such as:

Best Original Choreography
Best Editing
Best Interface of Dance & Camera
Special Judges Pick & more....

Please READ AND CONSIDER THESE RULES CAREFULLY:

DARE TO DANCE IN PUBLIC FILM FESTIVAL: Round 8

DARE TO DANCE IN PUBLIC FILM FESTIVAL is singular in the world of dance film festivals as it is a platform for presenting a range of films from first time filmmakers to seasoned professionals. Every year, our judging panel consists of renowned and seasoned creatives from the worlds of dance, film, theater and beyond.

LENGTH:
Each submission must be a minimum of 2 minutes and not exceed 10 minutes in length.

POLISHED OR RAW:
Films can be shot listed with big budgets, or "shot from the hip" with low or no budgets. As long as your film creates and follows its own honest search and/or set of rules, we are interested!

D2D screens all manner of dance films including music videos, concept dance films, films, with rehearsed dance & other aspects, and films that unfold spontaneously.
D2D is interested in dance films that pursue and demonstrate an integrity of form in all aspects (filmic form, choreographic/movement form, quality of image, and relationship of movement to camera, site, and/or other integrated variables

D2D DOES NOT ACCEPT FILMS SHOT ENTIRELY ON A SOUND STAGE UNLESS THAT FILM IS VISUALLY AND DELIBERATELY EXPLORING THE SPACE AS A SINGULAR LOCATION, WHILE ALSO EXPLORING DANCE AND THE CAMERA.

Submitting filmmakers must provide a brief synopsis of their film, including the country of origin (where it was created/filmed AND - if different - of the filmmaker).

Winning films must be shareable on Vimeo &/or Youtube.

We ask each Filmmaker to follow us on Instagram (if applicable):
@dare2danceinpublic @arrogantelbow @zoe.rappaport

*Multiple entries by a single filmmaker are welcome, each entry requires a separate fee.

All submissions must be made through Festhome.

Submissions will be judged based to a greater or lesser degree on the quality of the overall film, its editing, choreography, concept, originality, use of space, and interface of the dance with camera.