Frozen River Film Festival Launches First-Ever 48/5 Reel River Rush Filmmaking Contest

Friday, August 8 | 11:30 am – 1 pm Postponed until September. New Date to be announced
Location: To Be Announced
Frozen River Film Festival

 

The Frozen River Film Festival is thrilled to announce its first ever 48/5 Reel River Rush Contest, a fast-paced filmmaking challenge taking place August 8th–10th, 2025, in Winona, Minnesota.

This exciting new event invites up to 20 teams to create an original five-minute short film in just 48 hours. Teams will receive a genre and prompt at the kickoff on Friday evening and must submit their completed film by Sunday.

Registrations are open now and close August 7th. The fee is $35 per team, and there is no limit to team size. Creators of all ages are welcome to participate.

“We wanted to create something that brings filmmakers together for a weekend of creativity, collaboration, and fun,” said a representative from Frozen River Film Festival. “There’s something exciting about making a film under a deadline—and we’re excited to see how participants rise to the challenge.”

The contest is an extension of the Frozen River Film Festival’s mission to highlight stories that inspire, challenge, and deepen our understanding of the world. As with the main festival, films centered on environmental justice, adventure, activism, arts and culture, and human resilience are especially encouraged.

Event Details:

What: 48/5 Reel River Rush Filmmaking Contest

When: Friday–Sunday, August 8th–10th, 2025

Register: frff.org/485-reel-river-rush

Cost: $35 per team | Limited to 20 teams

Who: Open to all ages | Unlimited team size

For more information or to sign up, visit https://frff.org/485-reel-river-rush.

 

The Frozen River Film Festival and the Winona Arts Center are members of the River Arts Alliance. To learn more about the benefits of membership, please visit: riverartsalliance.org/membership/.