Reflections on running an International Public Health Film Competition during the COVID-19 pandemic and implications for future film festivals

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial impact on the film industry in 2020. Films that tell the story of the pandemic by giving independent commentaries are important to our understanding of life during these rare public health events. However, it is unclear what effects the pandemic would have on the production of these films. In this Letter we describe a unique global collaboration that saw the launch of an International Public Health Film Competition during the first wave of the pandemic in early 2020 to collect the ‘best health-related’ stories told through film. We reflect on the process followed for this competition and provide insights for future film competitions/ festivals.