High Note Global Prize in Cinema
Call for Submissions
An annual recognition of filmmakers whose work advances human rights, dignity, and justice — presented by High Note Global in partnership with United Nations Human Rights.
The High Note Global Prize in Cinema honors films whose artistry bears witness, builds understanding, and moves the world toward change. Presented at High Note Human Rights Cinema each January in Boulder, Colorado, the Prize stands as one of the few global recognitions that bring the moral weight of the United Nations directly to the work of independent and human rights cinema.
The Categories
The Prize is awarded in three categories — selected to honor the full range of cinematic storytelling, from feature-length work to the most precise and urgent short forms.
- Best Feature Film — narrative or documentary, 60 minutes or longer
- Best Short Documentary — 40 minutes or shorter
- Best Short Narrative Film — 40 minutes or shorter
Winners are honored each January at High Note Human Rights Cinema with High Note Global Prizes - in Boulder, Colorado, with the work amplified across United Nations Human Rights and High Note Global's social platforms throughout the year.
Eligibility
To be considered for a High Note Global Prize in Cinema, a film must have been officially selected at one or more festivals on the High Note Global 100 — our curated body of 100 festivals from across the world, recognized for their cinematic significance, curatorial integrity, and contribution to human rights storytelling.
The High Note Global 100 spans Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and Oceania — and is reviewed annually by the High Note Global Cinema Advisory Board to remain responsive to the evolving landscape of global cinema.
[View the full High Note Global 100 →]
The Qualifying Year
A film must have been officially selected at a High Note Global 100 festival during the qualifying year — the calendar year immediately preceding the ceremony.
For the 2027 Prize: films must have been officially selected during calendar year 2026.
For the 2028 Prize: films must have been officially selected during calendar year 2027.
And so on for each subsequent year.
How to Submit
Two pathways are open, and both are equally welcomed.
Filmmakers whose work has been officially selected at a High Note Global 100 festival may submit their film directly through our portal.
High Note Global 100 festivals may nominate selected films from their official program.
There is no submission fee.
Submission Window
Submissions open September 1 and close November 15 of the qualifying year.
Films officially selected at a High Note Global 100 festival after November 15 qualify for the following year's Prize.
The Cinema Advisory Board reviews all submissions through early December. Finalists are notified privately in mid-December and publicly announced on December 15 — five weeks ahead of the High Note Global Awards in Boulder, Colorado, on January 20.
Selection
Submitted work is reviewed by the High Note Global Cinema Advisory Board — an editorial body of curators, festival directors, and film critics drawn from across regions. Selection is guided by artistic merit, narrative depth, and the work's contribution to human rights storytelling. The Board's deliberations honor cinema's full range — from the most established voices to the most urgent emerging ones.
Recognition
Winners receive the High Note Global Prize in Cinema, presented by United Nations Human Rights at High Note Human Rights Cinema in Boulder, Colorado, on Saturday, January 30, 2027. Beyond the ceremony, these films are amplified across the storytelling platforms of both High Note Global and United Nations Human Rights — reaching audiences, institutions, and policymakers worldwide.
Submissions for the 2027 Prize open September 1, 2026.
