Banner ID: A yellow gum wall background. In the middle is a white circle with the KissFist logo inside. The logo is a blue half face with a beanie, and a fist making the sign for “kissfist”. The face is blowing a yellow bubble that says, “KissFist”. Below the bubble it says, “72-hr Film Challenge”. To the upper left of the circle is another circle with text: “Register now!”. To the lower right is a gum splat with text: “February 16-19, 2024”. In the lower right of the banner is a black silhouette of a rabbit with a beanie.
Congratulations to the challengers!
KissFist 2024 is a wrap! Just three brave teams were able to complete the challenge this year. They’ll be screening soon at Seattle Deaf Film Festival (SDFF). SDFF takes place in person April 5-7, 2024 and streams April 8-22.
You can watch all of the movies that completed the challenge below. The KissFist archive page also includes a film from a fourth challenger.
Deafear
Director: Katie Taylor
Country: United Kingdom
ID: Thumbnail for “Deafear”. A person in white on the right looks back at the title on the left.
Night of the Living Deaf: A New Hope
Director: Thea Wrenn
Country: United States
ID: A thumbnail resembling a news report with the film title. A person stands with their arms out while a monstrous-looking figure lurks in the background.
Wish You Were Here
Directors: Krystal Sanders, Michah Lovell
Country: United States
ID: A thumbnail with an emotional person resting their head on a mirror. The title is at the top of the image.
How It Works
The third KissFist Film Challenge premiered on President’s Day Weekend, February 16-19, 2024. How did it work?
REGISTER. Registration closed February 15 at 5pm PST. Make sure to watch SDFF and visit this webpage in April to see the submissions!
PREPARE. Recruit your team. Scout locations. Download editing software. Do what you need to do to get ready for the challenge! We have tips on the KissFist Resources page.
WATCH YOUR INBOX. The challenge starts on Friday, February 16 at 6:00pm PST. You’ll get an email from Deaf Spotlight with final instructions for filming, including prompts.
START FILMING! Once you get the prompts, it’s time to start the challenge. You have 72 hours to write, film, and edit a 3-5 minute short film! Use the KissFist Checklist to keep track of requirements.
WATCH SDFF. Up to 6 KissFist film submissions will be shown at Seattle Deaf Film Festival (SDFF) in April 2024. The rest will be hosted here, on the Deaf Spotlight website.
Who Can Join
The KissFist Film Challenge is open to everybody! If you’ve never made a film before and want to give it a try, this is the perfect opportunity. (Check out our resources page for tips.) If you’re an expert filmmaker and want to have some fun, this challenge is for you.
The KissFist Challenge is a perfect group project! Team up with your friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors. Or film the entire movie yourself. It’s up to you.
Keep in mind:
Your filmmaking team must have at least one Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, or Hard of Hearing person who is acting, directing, or producing.
Everybody on your team must be at least 18 years old.
Prompts
What makes KissFist Film Challenge special? Everybody who registers will receive a list of prompts when the challenge begins on February 16. Your short film must include everything on the list, which will include:
A theme
A genre
3 props
1 line of dialogue
Want some examples? Check out previous KissFist Challenge films.
Questions?
Check out the FAQ and read the Official Rules. If you still have questions, email kissfist@deafspotlight.org.
KissFist Committee
Jason Eastman
Lead
Sev Huffman
Technical Advisor
Ana Liu
Technical Advisor
Sam Sanders
Creative Advisor