Films of Return: Filmmakers & Video Artists Face the Climate Emergency

A La Luz is excited to announce the open call for Films of Return, an online film and video art festival that will showcase works by filmmakers and video artists from across the globe who are addressing the urgency of the environmental breakdown our world is facing and its far-reaching consequences. We invite artists worldwide to submit films and video art works which shed light on the complex and urgent challenges of the climate emergency, inspiring action through creative exploration.

Films of Return seeks works that delve into critical questions around the climate crisis, sparking fresh perspectives and fostering a deeper understanding of the ways it intersects with human lives and ecosystems. As the world faces accelerating changes—rising sea levels, extreme weather patterns, biodiversity loss, and social inequality—this online festival aims to amplify voices that address these interconnected struggles and reflect on possible pathways toward resilience and restoration.

Films of Return is also a celebration of our place within the vast, intertwined fabric of life. It challenges the notion of nature as “other,” inviting filmmakers and audiences alike to consider the profound ways we are shaped by—and in turn shape—the world around us. Through this shared lens, the festival becomes a space to explore the beauty, complexity, and urgency of living in harmony with all that sustains us.

The festival aims to showcase films which are not only calls to action but also reflections on belonging—films which illuminate the creativity and courage needed to face the climate crisis while honoring the connections that make restoration possible. In reexamining the world through film and art, we reimagine ourselves as stewards, collaborators, and kin—interwoven with the Earth’s rhythms and stories, striving together toward a renewed sense of balance.

The festival will run online from August 1 to September 30, 2025. Screenings at selected venues may happen as opportunities arise, though they cannot be guaranteed at this time. A La Luz will make efforts to facilitate these additional screenings.