How to get money to make your short is one of the most frequent questions we get from filmmakers, and with the scattershot grant system in the US, the best answer too often is credit cards. So when we heard that top-shelf champagne brand, Möet & Chandon, was offering $25k to a US-filmmaker for a film project of their choice, our ears perked up. 

This generous film grant is the top prize for winning the Möet Moment Film Festival.  Launched in 2016 to celebrate Moët’s longstanding position as the official Champagne of the Golden Globes, the contest—nicknaming itself “The Minis”—is a new, annual competition that aims to award and bring attention to young short form filmmakers.

To take part, produce and submit a 30 to 60-second film with the theme of “This is Your Moment.” Here are the official rules. Telling a good story in such a short period of time seems like a big challenge, however like Straight 8 and 48hr festivals before it, the 1 minute film has become pretty established in the last few years. It’s a clever format that encourages you to get out and shoot, and we’ve seen strong work result from it. Plus, it helps hone the type of concision necessary for working in commercials, so give it a shot!

Entries for The Minis will be judged by an impressive panel of industry luminaries that includes Actress Bryce Dallas Howard, Golden Globe-winning actress Gina Rodriguez, producer David Guillod, Serial Pictures cofounder Violaine Etienne, Tribeca Film Festival’s VP of Shorts Programming Sharon Badal, Ghetto Film School’s Kisha Imani Cameron and the Hollywood Foreign Press’ Elisabeth Sereda. 

10 finalists will be displayed online next month with open voting for an Audience Choice Award. These films will be celebrated at The Minis awards event in New York City in April. The first-place winning filmmaker will receive a $25,000 grant towards further developing their career and a trip to Tribeca Film Festival for themselves and a guest. The second and third place winners will win industry consultation from the judging panel. 

Note that the contest is open only to legal residents of the U.S. (excluding RI and UT). Now, get to shooting so you can submit here by March 27, 2017.