We at Film International are interested in writers who, first and foremost, have something important to say about cinema. Submissions that will pique our interest the most are ones that show a clear and unique authorial voice that is guided by passion and a sense of purpose. We accept exclusive submissions on feature articles, reviews, interviews, and festival reports. We are unable to pay for submissions at this time—Film International exists largely as a labor of love, not of profit—but what we can offer is invaluable writing experience with a publication of high standing. As our banner states, we have been “Thinking Film Since 1973,” establishing a strong presence in an ongoing, global dialogue on film for four decades and counting. We have featured writing by some of the great academic minds of our time, while also illuminating the exemplary work of critics, freelance writers, independent filmmakers, and many more from around the world, all contributing something compelling to the discussion of cinema. We invite you to be part of that discussion and look forward to providing a platform from which your own voice can be heard.
For those interested in submitting reviews, interviews, and festival reports, please contact our Co-editor Matthew Sorrento at msorrento@gmail.com. For those interested in submitting feature articles, please contact Editor-in-chief Daniel Lindvall at daniel.lindvall@filmint.nu. Your first email should include samples of your writing and a brief, 1-3 sentence bio (a CV is optional). If and when you are approved to submit a piece for publication, please do so in a standard word document in Times New Roman 12 point font. At present, a more comprehensive style guide for Film International is under revision. In the meantime, if you have further questions on style after reviewing the work on our site, do not hesitate to contact our editors directly.
Regarding Reviews: reviews will be predominately featured online. Once approved as a contributor, you may email our Co-editor reviews of your choosing without further deliberation. We are great proponents of letting our writers select the titles that speak to them, one way or another, for their reviews (naturally, this sentiment extends itself to feature articles, interview subjects, and film festivals). We believe this connection to the material makes for stronger conviction and, consequently, better writing. However, if you are concerned that a film or book might be covered by another writer, feel free to contact the Editor with the suggested title. Note that we do occasionally publish multiple reviews on a single film, but require they take a new angle on the subject material (we do not publish multiple reviews of a book). Reviews should range between 600-1400 words.
Additionally, for those interested in long-form reviews in our print issues, please contact our Co-editor with a proposed pitch. These long-form reviews should be something more than a qualitative assessment of a film or a book. Instead, we will be looking for essays that dig a little deeper and offer our readers compelling commentary. A pitch should not exceed 400 words and should give a clear sense of the entire article. Note that an approved pitch does not guarantee publication—the editor must find that the full-length piece reads up to Film International‘s standards. Long-form reviews should range between 1700-3000 words.
Regarding Feature Articles: features will be published in print or online at the discretion of our Editor-in-chief. Authors of feature articles are particularly encouraged to cover film culture as part of the broader culture, history and economy of society. Features should be written in a style accessible to “the intelligent general reader.” Once approved as a contributor, you may email our Editor-in-chief either a proposal for your article or the full-length article itself. Please format your articles according to MLA guidelines and, if applicable, provide a thorough “Works Cited” page. Features will have a more flexible word count range, but should not exceed 7000 words.
Regarding Festival Reports: festival reports will be published in print or online at the discretion of our editors and are limited to our regular contributors. You may contact our Co-Editor with a proposed festival for coverage. Priority for reports will be given to those who have covered a festival in the past and intend to do so in the new year. If a festival has not been claimed, our editor will provide a letter of assignment for press accreditation. In order to stay in good standing for one of these assignments, the writer must provide coverage in a timely manner and continue to notify the editor of future coverage. Reports should range between 1800-4000 words.
Regarding Interviews: interviews will be published in print or online at the discretion of our editors. You may contact our Co-Editor either with a proposed subject or with the transcribed interview itself. Our editor will then assess whether or not the interview is fit for publication. Note that approval for a proposed interview does not guarantee its publication—the editor must find that the transcribed piece reads up to Film International‘s standards. We also recommend a gentle hand when editing the word for word transcript of an interview. The most important thing is to help subjects best make their own points, to guide their words without distorting meaning. After all, unless a subject has as an unnatural gift of eloquence, you will be in a better position to make their beliefs and opinions clear in that transition between the spoken and written form. Interviews should range between 1500-4500 words.