The 2026 MOFF Pitch

Maine Outdoor Film Festival Presents the Inaugural MOFF PITCH

Date: Friday, July 24, 2026
Venue Name: Portland Museum of Art
Time: 10am-12pm, followed by a boat ride around Casco Bay from 12pm-2:30pm.
Prize: $2,000 awarded to the winner as selected by our independent panel of industry expert judges.

Submit to the 2026 MOFF Pitch

The Maine Outdoor Film Festival’s MOFF Pitch gives filmmakers a platform to pitch a work in production, or post production — centered on outdoor recreation, environmental conservation, nature, or adventure travel— to a jury of notable Maine film industry experts, with the opportunity to both win a $2,000 first prize, as well as create an avenue for meaningful partnerships. 5 pitch finalists will have 15 minutes each.

Underwritten in part by the Maine Film Office

SUBMIT HERE

Guidelines for the MOFF Pitch: 

Eligibility & Theme

The MOFF Pitch is open to emerging and established filmmakers ages 18 and up.

Stage of Production: Projects must be in production or post-production.
Format & Length: The pitch is open to short films of 5 to 30 minutes in length including credits.
Theme / Focus: Projects should be character-driven or place-based stories centered on connection to nature, outdoor activity or education, conservation / environment or adventure travel.

Submission Requirements

Synopsis: A brief summary (3–5 sentences).
Director’s Statement: An explanation of the creative journey, themes, and why this story matters now. (4–6 sentences)
Pitch Deck: a narrative blueprint with visuals that outlines your film’s story, significance, and aesthetic. Essential elements include a compelling title slide, a one-sentence logline, a detailed synopsis, character profiles, visual mood boards, team’s credentials highlighting any unique access or relevant background, budget and any financing already secured, timeline and distribution strategy if available.

Work Samples:

Production: A “sizzle reel”, a selection of raw scenes or if not available, a recorded appeal.
Post-Production: A rough cut with a description clearly listing what is still being worked on.

Judging of pitches will be based on:

Originality & Concept: Is the story unique and well-defined?
Feasibility: Is the budget and production timeline realistic for completion?
Impact: Does the film inspire or motivate the audience regarding nature, conservation and / or adventure?
Technical Quality: Strength of cinematography, sound, and editing shown in the work sample.

Pitch Session Logistics

Time Allotment for pitch: 7 to 10 minutes for the pitch followed by 5 to 10 minutes for Q&A with the jury.
Language: Live pitch must be in English.
Selection Process: A committee will pre-screen submissions to select the finalists for the live session.
Video: You agree to play a 3-5 minute video at the live pitch session representing your film.

If selected:

MOFF to be listed as supporting partner, logo placement at beginning of the film.

If completed, the project will screen at the Maine Outdoor Film Festival 2027 and the Filmmaker may be invited to participate in a post-screening Q&A and that year’s MOFF Pitch.