BENNINGTON — The Shires 1-Minute Film Fest is returning this fall, inviting filmmakers, students, first-time creators, and storytellers from across the region to create an original film that is 60 seconds or less.
Presented in collaboration by CAT-TV and GNAT-TV, the festival celebrates local creativity, accessible storytelling, and the power of community media to connect people through shared stories and creative expression.
Selected films will screen publicly on October 17 at the Bennington Theater as part of a community celebration of regional filmmaking and creative experimentation.
The festival challenges participants to create an original short film that is no longer than one minute. Films can be funny, heartfelt, experimental, polished, messy, animated, documentary-style, or impossible to categorize. Organizers emphasize that professional filmmaking experience is not required, and submissions created using phones and beginner-level equipment are strongly encouraged.
This year’s festival includes two submission categories. Participants may submit a film to either category and are not required to complete both.
The first category invites filmmakers to create a one-minute film inspired by the theme “Growth,” encouraging broad interpretation through personal, emotional, environmental, literal, or metaphorical storytelling.
The second category is a Prop & Dialogue Challenge requiring filmmakers to incorporate a mirror and the line “Trust me” and/or “It’s done” into their film.
In addition to the festival, GNAT-TV will host a filmmaking workshop on August 1 from 1pm to 3pm focused on filming, editing, storytelling, and helping participants begin the creative process before submissions are due. The workshop is intended for filmmakers of all experience levels, including those creating a film for the first time.
CAT-TV will also offer Youth Video Workshops during Summer 2026. Through a three-session workshop series, participants will learn the basics of storytelling, interviewing, filming, and editing while creating their own one-minute video projects. Session 1 will take place July 20–24 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Session 2 will take place August 10–14 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
The festival is part of an ongoing collaboration between CAT-TV and GNAT-TV to make media-making more accessible and encourage creative participation across the region.
“This festival is one of my favorite examples of what community media can be,” said GNAT-TV Executive Director Tammie Reilly. You have first-time filmmakers alongside experienced creators, all bringing completely different ideas, perspectives, and styles to the screen, and that range of creativity is what makes the festival such a unique reflection of this region every year.”
The festival is open to filmmakers ages 10 and older. Participants may submit up to two films, and to be eligible for awards and official placement, filmmakers must live within a 50-mile radius of Bennington, Vermont.
Submissions are free and now open. Find out more at https://gnat-tv.org/film-fest/
For information about equipment access and rentals through GNAT-TV, visit:
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