Springdale, Ark. (February 11, 2026) — The Fort Smith International Film Festival, Ozark Media Arts Festival, Arkansas Cinema Society (ACS), and Keep Arkansas Beautiful Commission will host a statewide video contest for high school students (grades 9–12) to create a video commercial of 30 seconds or less promoting environmental responsibility in Arkansas.
The contest will run until April 24. Winners will be announced at an ACS Summer Screening. There is no fee to enter the contest.
“I absolutely love the creativity that the students bring to the commercial context each year,” said Dr. Brandon Chase Goldsmith, executive director of the Fort Smith International Film Festival. “When we talk about preparing kids for the workforce, content creation is needed by small businesses and large corporations. High school media programs, workshops, and competitions like this prepare students for success!”
Students should focus their video on the Keep Arkansas Beautiful mission of inspiring Arkansans to improve their communities through education, preventing litter, promoting recycling, and keeping Arkansas beautiful.
Videos must be submitted to the Fort Smith International Film Festival on FilmFreeway at:
https://filmfreeway.com/FortSmithInternationalFilmFestival
“This contest is a unique opportunity for Arkansas high school students to showcase their creativity while making a real impact on our state,” said McKenzie McMath Coronel, director of Keep Arkansas Beautiful. “By using the power of film, students can inspire their communities to take action against litter and help keep Arkansas beautiful. We can’t wait to see the passion and innovation these young filmmakers bring to the screen.”
The winning student commercial will be featured on various television channels and showcased at the Fort Smith International Film Festival, Ozark Media Arts Festival, and an ACS screening.
The teacher of the winning student(s) will receive a free two-night stay for two at an Arkansas State Parks lodge of their choosing (based on availability at the time of reservation). If the winner does not have a teacher advisor associated with their project, the winner may nominate a teacher to receive the Arkansas State Parks lodge prize.
The winning students will receive an award package including gift cards and various prizes.
