2019 Peace On Earth Film Festival Cancelled
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Peace On Earth Film Festival Directors, along with the Board of Transcendence Global Media, NFP, have agreed that the 2019 Peace On Earth Film Festival must be cancelled.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the filmmakers that submitted their work for consideration this year, and a Special Recognition to the Filmmakers’ and works Selected into the 2019 POEFF.
Our gratitude is extended to the Therese Foundation, Inc; Nissan of America (2019 LEAF); individual contributors, and the Davis Theater for their generous support of the festival; and to our audiences, peace panelists, outreach partners; our Teacher Advisory Panel, the POEFF staff for their support, participation and dedication to service for the greater good.
Please continue to check this POEFF website for future updates.
Nick Angotti, Milissa Pacelli and Collin Ashmead-Bobbitt – POEFF Directors
2019 POEFF Official Selections
The Directors of the Peace On Earth Film Festival, along with the Board of Directors of Transcendence Global Media, NFP, are pleased to announce the Selected Films for the 2019 Peace On Earth Film Festival (POEFF) presented March 15th – March 17th, at the newly renovated Davis Theater, in Lincoln Square – Chicago.
The 26 international films of the 2019 POEFF celebrate the work of filmmakers from around the world – 9 different countries – on the themes of peace, nonviolence, social justice and eco-balance: films within the various modalities of peace genre. POEFF aims to contribute to a culture of peace through international cinema, dialogue and programming highlighting individuals on the vanguard of peace activism and social change.
View All 2019 Peace On Earth Film Festival Film Selections
2019 POEFF Announced and Call for Submissions
The Directors of the Peace On Earth Film Festival, along with the Board of Directors of Transcendence Global Media, NFP, are pleased to announce that the 2019 Peace On Earth Film Festival, Friday, March 15th, through Sunday, March 17th, 2019, will be hosted by the newly renovated Davis Theater in Lincoln Park, Chicago.
Submissions for the 2019 POEFF will commence on Sunday, June 10 and run through September 23, 2018. We are proud to announce our continued relationship with submission partners Withoutabox and FilmFreeway.
For further details see: Guidelines for Submissions.
The 11th Annual Peace On Earth Film Festival (POEFF) celebrates and supports independent filmmakers and their work from around the world on the themes of peace, nonviolence, social justice and eco-balance: films within the various modalities of peace genre. POEFF aims to contribute to a culture of peace through international cinema, dialogue and programming highlighting individuals on the vanguard of peace activism and social change.
Presenting a program of multi-faceted films, POEFF focuses on reshaping attitudes, encouraging and highlighting nonviolent practices, and opening minds to the possibility of communication, consideration, tolerance and understanding. POEFF features an Opening Night Press Gala, Filmmakers’ Panel and Peacemakers’ Panel discussions and a Closing Night Awards Ceremony and after-party where exhibiting filmmakers are honored, and category winners receive accolades and cash prizes.
Submit Your Film
2018 POEFF Best of Fest Winners
The Field (Israel, 73 min)
- Directed by Mordechai Vardi
Perception: From Prison to Purpose (USA, 40 min)
- Directed by Jonathan Reed
Not One of Us (USA, 9 min)
- Directed by Bill Jarcho
Hurria (USA, 15 min)
- Directed by Travis Rush
The Arcade Creek Project: A Mosaic of Sustainability (USA, 30 min)
- Directed by Jierel Almario
Voices Not Heard: The Climate Fight of Malaysian Youth (USA, China, 40 min)
- Directed by Scott Brown
The Secret Fatwa (USA, 55 min)
- Directed by Delnaz Abadi
Un Besito Más (One More Kiss) (USA, 6 min)
- Directed by Simón Brand
Student Voices for Peace Awards
Selected by over 250 6th through 12th graders.
Exposé Awards
Recognizes short and feature documentaries that expose a subject that has received little or no media or public attention, but that shares a potent message and a clear demonstration that change is needed.
2018 POEFF Preview
A look ahead to the 2018 Peace On Earth Film Festival. This year’s festival begins on Friday, March 9th, at the Davis Theater in Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood.
Buy Tickets
2018 POEFF Selections
The Directors of the Peace On Earth Film Festival, along with the Board of Directors of Transcendence Global Media, NFP, are pleased to announce the Selected Films for the 10th Annual Peace On Earth Film Festival (POEFF) presented March 9th – March 11th, at the newly renovated Davis Theater, in Lincoln Square – Chicago.
The 34 international films of the 2018 POEFF celebrate the work of filmmakers from around the world – 11 different countries – on the themes of peace, nonviolence, social justice and eco-balance: films within the various modalities of peace genre. POEFF aims to contribute to a culture of peace through international cinema, dialogue and programming highlighting individuals on the vanguard of peace activism and social change.
View All 2018 Peace On Earth Film Festival Film Selections
2018 Peace On Earth Film Festival
Submissions for the 10th Annual Peace On Earth Film Festival are now closed.
Thank you to filmmakers worldwide that submitted their powerful and courageous works with us.
We will announce Official Selections into the 2018 Peace On Earth Film Festival on or about December 10th.
The 10th Annual Peace On Earth Film Festival (POEFF) will be held at the newly renovated Davis Theater in Lincoln Square (Chicago, IL) from Friday, March 9 through Sunday, March 11, 2018.
Join us to celebrate and support independent filmmakers and their work from around the world on the themes of peace, nonviolence, social justice and eco-balance – films within the various modalities of peace genre. Join us, as we aim to contribute to a culture of peace through international cinema, dialogue and programming highlighting individuals on the vanguard of peace activism and social change.
POEFF presents a program of multi-faceted films, focused on reshaping attitudes, encouraging and highlighting nonviolent practices, and opening minds to the possibility of communication, consideration, tolerance and understanding.
POEFF features an Opening Night Press Gala, Filmmakers’ Panel, Peacemakers’ Panel, and One on One discussions with filmmakers and activists, and a Closing Night Awards Ceremony where exhibiting filmmakers are honored, and category winners receive accolades and cash prizes.
Discover that “Peace is Reel” and documented as doable.
2018 POEFF Call for Submissions
The Directors of the Peace On Earth Film Festival, along with the Board of Directors of Transcendence Global Media, NFP, are pleased to announce that the 2018 Peace On Earth Film Festival, coming in mid-March at a venue in Chicago.
Submissions for the 2018 POEFF will commence on Tuesday, June 20 and run through September 20, 2017. We are proud to announce our continued relationship with FilmFreeway and Withoutabox submission partners for the 2018 Peace On Earth Film Festival. For further details see: Guidelines for Submissions.
Submit Your Film
2017 POEFF Best of Fest Winners
Beyond the Wall (USA, 75 min)
- Directed by Jenny Phillips & Bestor Cram
Mango Dreams (USA, India, 93 min)
- Directed by John Upchurch
Three Boats (three documentary poems) (USA, 12 min)
- Directed by Irina Patkanian
iWITNESS (Greece, 8 min)
- Directed by Georgios Mastrakoulis
A Bold Peace (USA, Costa Rica, 90 min)
- Directed by Matthew Eddy & Michael Dreiling
The Little Dictator (Israel, 29 min)
- Directed by Nurith Cohn
Dividing Line of Chicago (USA, 9 min)
- Directed by Students from Free Spirit Media at North Lawndale College Prep
Ubuntu: The Peace Exchange in South Africa (USA, S. Africa, 14 min)
- Produced by Chad Rispalje & Jessica Work (Free Spirit PRO)
Student Voices for Peace Awards
Student Voices for Peace Showcases are held on Thursday (middle school) and Friday (high school) mornings of the festival. The students screen Official Selections that the POEFF Teacher Advisory Panel has recommended to the festival directors for students in 7th – 12th grades. The students share dialogue on each film then cast their votes for the Student Choice Award for Most Inspiring Story.
Exposé Awards
A special category that the festival directors created 5 years ago to recognize short and feature documentaries that expose a subject that has received little or no media or public attention, but that shares a potent message, and a clear demonstration that change is needed and is possible.
2017 POEFF Preview
A look ahead to the 2017 Peace On Earth Film Festival. This year’s festival kicks off on Friday, March 10th at the Music Box Theatre.
2017 Peace On Earth Film Festival
The Directors of the Peace On Earth Film Festival, along with the Board of Directors of Transcendence Global Media, NFP, are pleased to announce that the 2017 Peace On Earth Film Festival, Friday, March 10th, through Sunday, March 12th, will be held at the Music Box Theatre, the premiere venue for independent and foreign films in Chicago.
Tickets will go on sale February 10th, 2017.
Student Voices for Peace Education Outreach, an ALL FREE program for Chicago school students is being held in the Chicago Cultural Center’s Claudia Cassidy Theater (2nd floor-north) on Thursday, March 9th, 2017. The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events is co-presenting the screenings for the Student Voices for Peace program. Download Flier (PDF).
The 9th Annual Peace On Earth Film Festival (POEFF) celebrates and supports independent filmmakers and their work from around the world on the themes of peace, nonviolence, social justice and eco-balance: films within the various modalities of peace genre. POEFF aims to contribute to a culture of peace through international cinema, dialogue and programming highlighting individuals on the vanguard of peace activism and social change.
Presenting a program of multi-faceted films, POEFF focuses on reshaping attitudes, encouraging and highlighting nonviolent practices, and opening minds to the possibility of communication, consideration, tolerance and understanding. POEFF features an Opening Night Press Gala, Filmmakers’ Panel discussions, Peacemakers’ Panel, discussions and a Closing Night Awards Ceremony where exhibiting filmmakers are honored, and category winners receive accolades and cash prizes.
View All 2017 Peace On Earth Film Festival Film Selections
Online Screeners Accepted
Good morning All International Filmmakers
We have adjusted our submissions process for the 2017 Peace On Earth Film Festival to include streaming. You may now upload your films for live streaming via Withoutabox or FilmFreeway.
Please Note: if selected for entry into the 2017 Peace On Earth Film Festival we must receive via ground-mail a DVD or Blu-ray (US Region 0 or 1 format ONLY) exactly the same cut as the live stream by February 1, 2017.
For full details, see our Guidelines for Submission.
Thank you,
2017 POEFF Review Committee
2017 POEFF Submissions Are Now Open
The Directors of the Peace On Earth Film Festival, along with the Board of Directors of Transcendence Global Media, NFP, are pleased to announce that the 2017 Peace On Earth Film Festival, Friday, March 10, through Sunday, March 12, 2017, and will be hosted by the Music Box Theatre, the premiere venue for independent and foreign films in Chicago.
Submissions for the 2017 POEFF will commence on Monday, July 25 and run through October 10, 2016. We are proud to announce joining with FilmFreeway for 2017 and our continued relationship with Withoutabox as submission partners for the 2017 Peace On Earth Film Festival. For further details see: Guidelines for Submissions.
Submit Your Film
9th Annual Peace On Earth Film Festival (UPDATE)
Update: Submissions for the 2017 Peace On Earth Film Festival will begin on or about July 15, 2016.
Moving into our 9th year, the Peace On Earth Film Festival (POEFF) celebrates and supports independent filmmakers and their work from around the world on the themes of peace, nonviolence, social justice and eco-balance: films within the various modalities of peace genre. POEFF aims to contribute to a culture of peace through international cinema, dialogue and programming highlighting individuals on the vanguard of peace activism and social change.
Presenting a program of multi-faceted films, POEFF focuses on reshaping attitudes, encouraging and highlighting nonviolent practices, and opening minds to the possibility of communication, consideration, tolerance and understanding. POEFF features Filmmakers’ Panel and Peacemakers’ Panel discussions, and a Closing Night Awards Ceremony where exhibiting filmmakers are honored, and category winners receive accolades and cash prizes.
The Peace On Earth Film Festival is fostering a new discourse on peace in Chicago, for the world.
2016 POEFF Best of Fest Winners
India’s Daughter (India, 62 min)
- Directed by Leslee Udwin
Happy Those Who Cry (Paraguay, 92 min)
- Directed & Produced by Marcello Torcida
A New Color: The Art of Being Edythe Boone (USA, 56 min)
- Directed & Produced by Marlene "Mo" Morris
Aullido (Howl) (Guatemala, 23 min)
- Directed & Co-produced by M.D. Neely
Since: The Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 (UK, 85 min)
- Directed & Produced by Phil Furey
Holodomor: Voices of Survivors (Ukrainian Famine/Genocide) (Canada, 30 min)
- Directed & Produced by Ariadna Ochrymovych
Daily Bread (USA, 9 min)
- Directed & Produced by Betsy Tsai
Our Girl (UK, 3 min)
- Written, Directed & Produced by Ruth Beni
- Designed & Animated by Erica Russell
Sketch (USA, 21 min)
- Directed by Stephen T. Barton
The Lives We Stand For (USA, 13 min)
- Directed by Scott Brown, Morgan Jackson & Zahra Haider
Student Voices for Peace Awards
Student Voices for Peace Showcases are held on Thursday (middle school) and Friday (high school) mornings of the festival. The students screen Official Selections that the POEFF Teacher Advisory Panel has recommended to the festival directors for students in 7th – 12th grades. The students share dialogue on each film then cast their votes for the Student Choice Award for Most Inspiring Story.
Exposé Awards
A special category that the festival directors created 5 years ago to recognize short and feature documentaries that expose a subject that has received little or no media or public attention, but that shares a potent message, and a clear demonstration that change is needed and is possible.
Special Screening & Tribute: Gordon Quinn & Kartemquin Films
The 8th Annual Peace on Earth Film Festival, will honor Gordon Quinn and Kartemquin Films for their 50 years of making films about people whose lives are most directly affected by social and political change.
Festival directors, Nick Angotti, Clayton Monical and Milissa Pacelli, will present Gordon Quinn with an award on Friday, March 4th following the 7:45pm screening of one of his first films, What The Fuck Are These Red Squares? (1970) Social activist and cinematographer, Peter Kuttner, who first worked with Gordon Quinn on HUM 255 (1969), will introduce and chat with Quinn of his early career.
In What The Fuck Are These Red Squares?, documents striking students who meet at a “Revolutionary Seminar” at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1970 in response to the invasion of Cambodia and the killing of protesting students at Kent and Jackson State Universities.
2016 POEFF Preview
Just a taste of the 2016 Peace On Earth Film Festival… Films that will impact your life and stimulate a new discourse on peace.
2016 Official Selections
On behalf of the Review Committee for the Peace On Earth Film Festival, we extend our congratulations to the filmmakers whose films have been chosen as a 2016 Official Selection.
Our selections narrowed to 26 entries representing 11 different countries from a field of 101 submissions; this was an arduous task; given so many worthy, thought provoking, and illuminating films.
One of the purposes of this festival is to bring to light films that are often challenged to find exhibition. It takes a leap of faith to create films in the genre of peace; and all of the submissions reflected the filmmakers’ own advocacy and dedication to the cause.
We thank all of the submitting filmmakers. Our deepest regard for you, your crew, pre and post-production team, everyone involved in the creation of your film: we hold you all in high esteem. Most importantly, the 2016 Peace on Earth Film Festival Review Committee thanks you for your steadfast dedication to peace, nonviolence, social justice, and an eco-balanced world, through the art of filmmaking.
View All 2016 Selections
2016 Peace On Earth Film Festival
The Directors of the Peace On Earth Film Festival, along with the Board of Directors of Transcendence Global Media, NFP, are pleased to announce that the 2016 Peace On Earth Film Festival, will be presented in partnership with the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and will take place in the historic Chicago Cultural Center’s Claudia Cassidy Theater, beginning Thursday, March 3, through Sunday, March 6, 2016.
The 8th Annual Peace On Earth Film Festival (POEFF) celebrates and supports independent filmmakers and their work from around the world on the themes of peace, nonviolence, social justice and eco-balance: films within the various modalities of peace genre. Taking place at the historic Chicago Cultural Center, in the heart of Chicago’s world-renowned theater district, POEFF aims to contribute to a culture of peace through international cinema, dialogue and programming highlighting individuals on the vanguard of peace activism and social change.
Presenting a program of multi-faceted films, POEFF focuses on reshaping attitudes, encouraging and highlighting nonviolent practices, and opening minds to the possibility of communication, consideration, tolerance and understanding. POEFF features an Opening Night Press Gala, Filmmakers’ Panel discussions, Peacemakers’ Panel, discussions and a Closing Night Awards Ceremony where exhibiting filmmakers are honored, and category winners receive accolades and cash prizes.
Call for Submissions
Submissions for the 2016 Peace On Earth Film Festival will commence on June 10, 2015, and run through September 30, 2015. For further details see: Guidelines for Submissions.
2015 POEFF Best of Fest Winners

Beyond the Divide (USA, 85 min)
- Directed & Produced by Jan Selby

Bîranînên lí der kevírî (Memories on Stone) (Germany, 97 min)
- Directed by Shawkat Amin Korki
- Produced by Mehmet Aktas

Enemy of the Reich: The Noor Inayat Khan Story (USA, 57 min)
- Directed by Robert Gardner
A Story About Rain (Israel, 19 min)
- Directed by Bracha Yaniger
- Produced by Achva Herstik

Inside Peace (USA, 77 min)
- Directed & Produced by Cynthia Fitzpatrick

City of the Damned (USA, 16 min)
- Directed & Produced by Nate Skeen, Matt Rogers & Mor Albalak

For Francis (USA, 15 min)
- Directed by Angelique Letizia
Anonymous: Giving A Voice to the Voiceless (USA, 6 min)
- Directed by Joshua Rosario
2015 POEFF Preview
2015 Official Selections
On behalf of the Review Committee for the Peace On Earth Film Festival, we extend our congratulations to the filmmakers whose films have been chosen as a 2015 Official Selection.
The process of selecting 41 entries from a field of 142 submissions was more difficult than the Review Committee could have imagined; given so many worthy, thought provoking, and illuminating films.
One of the purposes of this festival is to bring to light films that are often challenged to find exhibition. It takes a leap of faith to create films in the genre of peace; and all of the submissions reflected the filmmakers’ own advocacy and dedication to the cause.
We thank all of the submitting filmmakers. Our deepest regard for you, your crew, pre and post-production team, everyone involved in the creation of your film: we hold you all in high esteem. Most importantly, the 2015 Peace on Earth Film Festival Review Committee thanks you for your steadfast dedication to peace, nonviolence, social justice, and an eco-balanced world, through the art of filmmaking.
View All 2015 Selections
2015 Peace On Earth Film Festival
The Directors of the Peace On Earth Film Festival, along with the Board of Directors of Transcendence Global Media, NFP, are pleased to announce that the 2015 Peace On Earth Film Festival, will be presented in partnership with the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and will take place in the historic Chicago Cultural Center’s Claudia Cassidy Theater, beginning Thursday, March 19, through Sunday, March 22, 2015.
SUBMISSIONS for the 2015 Peace On Earth Film Festival will commence on July 10, 2014. For further details see: Guidelines for Submissions.
The 7th Annual PEACE ON EARTH FILM FESTIVAL (POEFF) celebrates and supports independent filmmakers and their work from around the world on the themes of peace, nonviolence, social justice and eco-balance: films within the various modalities of peace genre. Taking place at the historic Chicago Cultural Center, in the heart of Chicago’s world-renowned theater district, POEFF aims to contribute to a culture of peace through international cinema, dialogue and programming highlighting individuals on the vanguard of peace activism and social change.
Presenting a program of multi-faceted films, POEFF focuses on reshaping attitudes, encouraging and highlighting nonviolent practices, and opening minds to the possibility of communication, consideration, tolerance and understanding. POEFF features Opening Night Festivities, Filmmaker and Peacemaker Panel discussions, Q&A with attending filmmakers, and a Closing Night Awards Ceremony where exhibiting filmmakers are honored, and category winners receive accolades and cash prizes, and a ‘Wrap Party’ where the celebrating of filmmakers continues.
2014 POEFF Best of Fest Winners

Under the Same Sun (Israel, Palestine, USA, 75 min)
- Directed by Sameh Zoabi
- Executive Producer, John Marks

A Step Too Far? A Contemplation On Forgiveness (UK, 72 min)
- Directed & Produced by Paul Moorehead

dress (USA, 20 min)
- Directed by Henry Ian Cusick

Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall (USA, 40 min)
- Directed by Edgar Barens
- Produced by Edgar Barens & HBO

The High Five Apprentice (USA, 8 min)
- Directed & Animated by Tom Kanter
- Produced by Mar Elepano & Sheila Sofian

The Ghosts of Jeju (USA, 80 min)
- Directed & Produced by Regis Tremblay

Stepping Toward the Lion: Finding My Story (USA, 30 min)
- Directed & Produced by John Lyden

Ravi & Jane (Australia, 14 min)
- Executive Producer & Director, Stuart O'Rourke