Beyond the Festival. Beyond Borders.
Welcome to Phare Stories, a new kind of film festival for a new era of cinema. We are a year-round online competition dedicated to discovering the world’s most vital independent films and providing them with what they deserve most: a permanent global home on our groundbreaking OTT platform. We believe that when the festival ends, the journey should just be beginning.
A Continuous Cycle of Discovery
Our festival operates as a continuous engine for content discovery and promotion. Filmmakers submit their work into quarterly competitions, with winners gaining immediate distribution and a chance to compete in our grand annual showcase.
Quarterly Submissions
Filmmakers submit their projects into one of four cycles per year.
Quarterly Winners Announced
Our jury selects winners who gain immediate distribution on the PhareStories OTT platform.
Annual Grand Prize
All quarterly winners compete for our grand prize, awarded at a live ceremony in Mauritius.
Prizes Designed to Empower Creators
All Quarterly Winners Receive:
- ✓ Guaranteed global distribution on the PhareStories OTT platform.
- ✓ A transparent, “Creator is Sovereign” revenue share agreement.
- ✓ An official “Quarterly Winner” digital laurel for promotion.
Annual Grand Prize Winners Also Receive:
- ★ An exclusive invitation to walk the red carpet at our awards ceremony in Mauritius, held during our sister event, the Phare International Film Festival.
- ★ A full “PhareStories Spotlight” promotional package with a professional interview.
- ★ A complimentary AI Dubbing package to expand the film’s global reach.
Our Award Categories
We seek powerful, authentic stories that heal, connect, and awaken. Our diverse award categories reflect our commitment to championing specific narratives, new voices, and filmmakers from our key focus regions.
🎯 Special Focus
- Best Documentary Feature
- Best Documentary Short
- The Alchemist’s Prize for True Stories
🌍 Regional & Youth Spotlight
- Best Young Filmmaker (Under 25)
- The Vuka Spirit of Africa Award
- The Tara Jewel of India Award
- The Phare Light of Mauritius Award
- The Persian Hope Award
🏆 General Categories
- Best Narrative Feature
- Best Narrative Short
- Best Animated Film
- Best Experimental Film
- Best Music Video
- The “Vuka” Award for Spiritual & Healing Cinema
Submission Deadlines & Fees
Our festival runs in four quarterly cycles. We use a tiered fee structure to encourage early submissions. All fees are in USD.
| Category | Early Bird | Regular | Late |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feature Films (40+ mins) | $40 | $50 | $60 |
| Short Films (under 40 mins) | $30 | $40 | $50 |
| Young Filmmaker (U25) | $20 | $25 | $30 |
| Music Videos / Experimental | $20 | $25 | $30 |