#CCLTFilmFest

It is more important now than ever before to get the word out about conservation. Participating in CCLT’s Social Media Film Fest #CCLTFilmFest26 is a fantastic opportunity to inspire hope and connect with a community passionate about conservation, preservation, and restoration. Gain exposure, engage with like-minded individuals, and attract new followers, supporters, donors, and volunteers for your land trust and its mission.

CCLT Film Fest’s Three Award Categories: 
  1. Most Popular: Measured by how many comments your video gets on social media platforms.
  2. Most Inspiring: Decided by three judges
  3. Most Entertaining: Decided by three judges

Click here to view the CCLT Film Fest Scoring Rubric.

Film Festival Judges:
How to Enter the Film Festival:
    • Eligibility: Nonprofit land trusts and conservancies are eligible for this contest. Videos must be 1-3 minutes long to be eligible.
    • Orientation: As this is a social media film fest, we encourage you to hold your phone or camera vertically while filming because most people watch videos on their phones. However, videos can be filmed vertically or horizontally depending on the platform and audience. 
    • Submission Limit: Your organization can submit up to three social media videos.
    • Usage Permission: Ensure all photos, music, and video clips used in your film are appropriately licensed or permitted.
    • Pre-existing Videos: Already have a relevant video? You can submit videos made up to a year in advance of the deadline that have not been submitted to the CCLT Film Fest in a prior year. 
    • Platform Compatibility: Create videos for one or all of the following social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. We are looking for videos made for social media audiences.
How to Submit a Video:
  1. Post your video to your organization’s social media platform(s) using the following guidelines:
        • Instagram:
          • When posting your video to Instagram, tag @calandtrusts and use the designated hashtag #CCLTFilmFest26 in the caption of your post, and invite @calandtrusts as a collaborator, so your video will also be shared on our profile and with our network.
            • Tag people >> Invite Collaborators >> @calandtrusts
        • Facebook:
          • When posting your video to Facebook, tag California Council of Land Trusts (@calandtrusts) in your post and use the designated hashtag #CCLTFilmFest26 to ensure we are able to share your post.
        • TikTok:
          • When posting your video to TikTok, tag @cacounciloflandtrusts in your caption and use the designated hashtag #CCLTFilmFest26 to ensure we are able to share your post.
        • Youtube:
          • When posting your video to Youtube, tag @cacounciloflandtrusts in your caption and use the designated hashtag #CCLTFilmFest26 to ensure we are able to share your post to our 2026 Film Festival Playlist.
        • If your organization does not have a profile on any of these social media platforms, now is the perfect time to start one! By participating in the CCLT Film Fest, we will help to amplify your video, allowing you to reach a wider audience and engage more potential supporters on your new profiles. If that is not possible, you can send your video to CCLT at conference@calandtrusts.org, and we will post it for you.

       

    2. After posting the video, email CCLT at conference@calandtrusts.org with the following information: 
        • The link(s) to your social media posts.
        • Grant CCLT permission to use your video for outreach, website, and social media.
        • The video files (.mp4 or .mov) so we can show it at the conference, time allowing.

       

      Deadline: All videos must be submitted by Friday, February 20, 2026. We encourage videos to be posted as soon as possible.

      Why Enter the Social Media Film Festival?
      • Add fuel and hope to the land conservation, restoration, and outdoor recreation movement! Inspire people with your land trust's mission through edu-taining content.
      • Don’t let your land trust be a secret: connect with new followers, supporters, donors, and volunteers.
      • Gain exposure and recognition within the conservation community.
      • Promote awareness of your Land Trust’s public access, youth programs, dynamic education, interpretation, and outreach programs.
      • Learn how to keep people’s attention online to reach a diverse audience.
      Not Entering the Contest? You Can Still Participate!

      Help support CCLT Film Fest participants by liking and sharing their videos! Follow CCLT’s social media profiles and search #CCLTFilmFest26 to engage with videos.

      In the age of social media, our movement grows with engaging content, so let's all participate in the CCLT Social Media Film Fest!

      Ready to Learn More?

      Check out these helpful tips and five things to stop doing now to make the most of your participation. Click here to see the 2025 winning submissions.

Save the Date: March 16–19, 2026

Contact Information
E-mail:  conference@calandtrusts.org
Phone: 916-497-0272 x2

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