Roots & Reels – FAQ 

What is Roots & Reels?

Roots & Reels is an international short film competition for young people.

It brings together history & memory, storytelling and film: you use real historical sources (archives, testimonies, family stories, places, objects) to create a short film that shows why this story matters today.

Who can participate?

Roots & Reels is open to:

• young people aged 13–27 on 1 April 2026,
• from Europe (defined by the member states of the council of Europe) and the wider EUSTORY network.
  

You can participate:

• individually, or
• as a group (friends, classmates, youth groups – small teams recommended).
  

Teachers and youth workers may support you, but the creative lead and main work should stay with the young participants.

What kind of films are you looking for?

We are looking for short films up to 3 minutes that:

• explore a history, memory or heritage topic;
• use at least two historical sources (e.g. documents, photos, letters, interviews, places, objects);
• show clearly why this story matters today.
  

Any style is welcome: documentary, video essay, animation, collage, stop motion, creative re-enactment, experimental or hybrid formats.

Do I need professional equipment?

No.

You do not need to be a professional filmmaker or have expensive gear.

You can:

• film with a smartphone,
• use free editing tools.
  

What counts most are your questions, your perspective and how you work with sources.

In which language can I make my film?

You can work in any language, but:

• your film must have English subtitles,
• so the international jury and audience can follow.
  

What themes can my film explore?

Roots & Reels is about history, memory and heritage – from big political events to very small, personal stories.

You don’t need to pick a formal category, but you can get inspiration from themes like:

1. Family memories & everyday life,
2. Places, borders & movement,
3. Democracy, conflict & human rights,
4. Memory in public space & media,
5. Environment, work & the future.
   

You can combine themes or zoom in on a very small story. The key is to show:

• which past you chose,
• which sources you used,
• why this story matters to you now.
  

What are the main dates and deadlines?

16 January 2026 – Call opens & online opening event
1 April 2026, 23:59 CET – Submission deadline
Spring 2026 – Jury viewing & Top 30 selection
Summer 2026 – Instagram Audience Awards (public vote)
Autumn 2026 – Announcement of winners & film presentation

How do I submit my film?

You will need two things:

1. your finished film (max. 3 minutes, exported e.g. as MP4, 1080p recommended),
2. a few short texts (about you, your film and your sources).
   

Step 1 – Upload your film

Upload your film to one of these platforms:

• Google Drive,
• WeTransfer,
• unlisted YouTube or Vimeo,
• OneDrive / Dropbox / school cloud.
  

Set the link so that anyone with the link can view (and ideally download). Test it in a private/incognito window.

Step 2 – Prepare your texts

Have ready:

• Short bio (max. 300 words) – who you are / where you’re from / why you joined Roots & Reels;
• About your film (max. 300 words) – what it’s about, which story from the past you chose, why it matters today;
• List of sources – archives, photos, letters, interviews, objects, places, etc.; and, if you use other people’s music or images, where they come from (public domain, Creative Commons, permission, etc.).
  

Step 3 – Fill in the online form

From 16 January 2026, open the submission form, paste your film link and texts, tick the consent checkbox (Terms & Conditions, Data Protection & Privacy, Rights of Use), and click Submit.

If the form really doesn’t work, you can send all information by email to rootsandreels@idmc.al as a backup.

Can I submit as a school/youth group?

Yes. Groups are welcome.

• One person should act as the main contact for the group.
• You list all group members in the form.
  

Teachers or youth workers can help, but the creative decisions and main work should come from the young participants.

How will the jury evaluate the films?

A jury of historians, educators, youth representatives and media/film practitioners will watch all eligible films.

Each film is scored on:

• historical reflection,
• storytelling & creativity,
• media literacy & ethics,
• technical execution (age-sensitive).
  

Based on the scores, they select the Top 30 films. From these, they award 1st, 2nd, 3rd prize and may give special mentions. The jury’s decision is final.

What are the Instagram Audience Awards?

The Top 30 films also enter an Instagram public vote on the official EUSTORY account:

• Each film is posted as a Reel.
• During the voting period we track:
• number of likes,
• number of comments,
• number of shares.

At the end, three Instagram Audience Awards are given:

1. Most Liked,
2. Most Commented,
3. Most Shared.
   

If the same film wins more than one category, it keeps one prize and the others go to the next films in line. We may adjust results or disqualify entries if there are signs of fake likes, spam or manipulation.

What can I win?

There are 6 prizes in total (plus possible special mentions):

Jury prizes

• 1st prize – 750 EUR
• 2nd prize – 500 EUR
• 3rd prize – 250 EUR
  

Instagram Audience Awards

• 1st prize – 750 EUR
• 2nd prize – 500 EUR
• 3rd prize – 250 EUR
  

There may also be invitations to ceremony events in the EUSTORY framework (e.g. Hamburg). In cases of group participation, it may not be possible to extend the invitation to all group members.

Do I keep the copyright to my film?

Yes.

By entering Roots & Reels you and your group remain the copyright holders of your work. You are free to:

• show your film elsewhere,
• submit it to other festivals/competitions,
• publish it on your own channels,
• make other agreements with partners.
  

By submitting, you grant IDMC, the EUSTORY network and Körber-Stiftung a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to use your film in non-commercial educational and public-interest contexts (e.g. websites, events, social media, documentation), as described in the Rights of Use.

How will my personal data be used?

We only collect data that is needed to:

• run the competition and manage submissions,
• communicate with you,
• organise jury, prizes and possible events,
• present your film and basic information (name, country, film title, short bio),
• evaluate and report on the project.
  

Your data is stored securely and not sold or used for independent commercial advertising. You can request access, correction or deletion of your data, and withdraw your consent where applicable, in line with our Data Protection & Privacy Notice.

For data questions, you can contact:

rootsandreels@idmc.al (subject: Data protection – Roots & Reels).

Where can I get help or ask further questions?

You don’t have to figure everything out alone. We plan to offer:

• Online Q&A sessions (Zoom) – two “Ask Us Anything” sessions (one in February, one in March).
• Short guides and checklists – on sources & credits, planning a 3-minute film, subtitles and basic technical settings.
• Email help desk: rootsandreels@idmc.al
• WhatsApp help desk: link will be shared from 16 January 2026.