By Scott Beller
Daddying Editor
The big day is coming this November, folks. No, not that big day, the other one: The D3F 2025 Call for Entries kicks off this year on Monday, November 18!
Once the back-to-school, college application prep, and disquieting 2024 U.S. Presidential campaign and election are finally behind us, students (1st graders – undergrads), dads/granddads, dad figures, and independent filmmakers worldwide will finally be able to turn their attention towards producing the next crop of Atticus Award-winning films for our fourth annual Daddying Film Festival & Forum (D3F).
You may not know this, but since 2022, D3F has attracted submissions from a broad diversity of creators, young and old, from 26 countries. D3F, the world’s first and only film festival focused exclusively on promoting the importance of positive dad/dad figure involvement for kids and families, decided it would be a good idea to issue a save-the-date so that filmmakers can begin thinking about and developing story ideas now. We also hope that launching the D3F 2025 call for entries on the cusp of "the season of giving" will provide filmmakers with added inspiration – not to mention precious time – to produce their most thoughtful celebrations of what having or being an involved dad/dad figure means to them.
As added filmmaker food for thought, the following are the updated 2025 D3F creative prompts. Every submission must somehow relate to at least one of the following themes:
A letter to my father/father figure or A letter to my child(ren)
Most joyful/fun thing I ever did with my dad/granddad and/or child(ren)/grandchild(ren)
If I could make one wish come true for my dad/grandad and/or child(ren)/grandchild(ren) it would be...
My Daddy dream – the most positive relationship I could imagine having with my dad/granddad/child/grandchild
Men Caring – celebrating the many other faces of daddying, including men who play nurturing fatherly roles, inspire, and positively impact the lives of children and youth. Examples include foster dads, adoptive dads, granddads, older siblings, coaches, mentors, inspirational philanthropists/celebrities, "big brothers," and other daddying role models.
NEW for 2025: Granddads & Grandkids – Lessons learned from each other.
Of course it's still early and you probably haven't even planned out what costumes you and the family will wear for trick-or-treating. Between PTA meetings, football games, homecoming dances, choir concerts, a federal election, and more, there will be plenty to distract you before D3F's call for entries opens this November. We get it, that's why we wanted to alert you early and squeeze it onto your calendars today. Once the fall dust and leaves settle, daddying and Atticus Awards await!
More good news: the D3F regular submission deadline for the April 2025 events doesn't roll around until next March 3. Just in time to beat the frenzy of spring break! We'll share another reminder or two as the D3F 2025 call for entries approaches. So, keep watching this space, D3F's social media posts, and, for our MailChimp subscribers, your inbox for more detailed info...
Scott Beller is the proud, imperfect crew dad of two mighty girl rowers, imperfect husband of a rock-star mom/regatta chaperone, truth teller, former soccer coach, part-time driving instructor, photobomber, purveyor of banned books, Editor of the Daddying blog, and Director of Communications for DCG and D3F. He's a seasoned writer and PR agency veteran with more than 30 years of experience helping organizations of all sizes reach audiences and tell their stories. Prior to launching his own creative communications consultancy in 2003, he led PR teams with some of the world’s most respected agencies, including Fleishman-Hillard and The Weber Group. As a consultant, he’s helped launch two other parenting advocacy nonprofits with DCG founder Allan Shedlin. His first book, Beggars or Angels, was a ghostwritten memoir for the nonprofit Devotion to Children's founder Rosemary Tran Lauer. He was formerly known as "Imperfect Dad" and Head Writer for the Raising Nerd blog, which supported parents in inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and creative problem solvers. He earned his BA in Communications from VA Tech.
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