Creativity through film is the key for the Homewood Science Center’s Moon Shot Film Festival.

Filmmakers will have a maximum of 5 minutes to present a film that includes three criteria: 

1) Use the phrase, “It’s a long shot.”

2) Show or reference sickness.

3) Show or reference social distancing. 

Entries are due June 19. The contest has three age-based categories: grades 5 through 8, grades 9 through 12, and people 18 and older. The winners will be announced at 7 p.m. June 23 through the HSC website. There is a $50 prize for the winner in each category.

Jake Goldberg of Flossmoor is helping to organize the contest with assistance from his brother Will. Jake is a 2020 Homewood-Flossmoor High School graduate who is enrolling in the film and television program at DePaul University. Will is an incoming junior at H-F. 

Jack organized the same competition last year in honor of the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, hence the name “Moon Shot Film Festival.” This year’s competition is taking on a different feel.

“It’s much more focused on the pandemic and social distancing,” Jake said. “It’s a really interesting time and it’s good for people to show what they’re feeling through the film fest. 

“I think it’s important that it gives people a voice. Voices have been suppressed (due to stay-at-home directives) and it’s really a good thing to have a voice,” he added.  

Although the Moon Shot Film Festival is technically a competition, Goldberg said, “it’s more for filmmakers to learn and understand the art of filmmaking.”

Jake is calling upon Matt Holdren, his film teacher at H-F, local filmmaker Anne Colton, commercial producer Payson Wick and music video producer Phil Lee to serve as judges.

Submissions will be accepted via YouTube.

For additional information on the Moon Shot Film Festival visit the HSC website at homewoodsciencecenter.org.