With Your Help, Our Little Film Festival That Could Will Reach New Heights and More Families Worldwide
- Allan Shedlin
- Sep 4
- 5 min read
Just as daddying does not occur in a vacuum, neither does our work. As our world spins less steadily on its axis and so much that directly impacts our lives seems beyond our control, we are intensely planning our 5th annual Daddying Film Festival & Forum (D3F), our signature program. The D3F 2026 call for entries rolls on through December 8th, our virtual festival is coming January 9-15 on Eventive, and our LIVE Daddying Film Forum will take place in Washington, DC, January 30-31.
Reaching this 5th anniversary and recently receiving a film submission from our 40th country seem like milestones worth reflecting upon. Both remind us that the relationship between children of all ages and their Dads/father figures is seminal (sorry, couldn't help myself), universal, and of fundamental importance and complexity. And that we are increasingly willing to explore these relationships, the feelings they engender, and our own vulnerabilities. These milestones also remind us that those things we have control over during these uncertain and frightening times – like our most personal relationships – take on increased importance and require our increased attention.
To celebrate D3F's 5th anniversary, we are hosting "friendraisers," which is another way of saying we hope to raise more funds to support the festival's growth, including national/worldwide reach and year-round activities (like this year's invitations to curate film selections for various groups/conferences: Fathers and Families Coalition of America conference in Los Angeles last April; Special Fathers Network conference in Chicago later this month; and National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement's National Assembly in New Orleans next month), and assure our important mission advocating for positive dad-child involvement continues to advance.
Our two D3F friendraiser celebrations, one hosted in New York City and one in DC, will showcase the festival's positive impacts to-date, acknowledge our more than 50 Circle of Friends Members, spotlight past D3F filmmakers and their Atticus Award-winning short films, and encourage tax-deductible donations.
It's important to note that none of our successes would be possible without the direct work of our D3F team: Daddying blog editor and D3F Communications Director Scott Beller, Associate Festival Director Rob Richardson, and our Assistant Festival Producer Julietta Beutler-Lam. Julietta earned D3F 2024's college student Atticus award for her extraordinary 5-minute, animated film, A Trace, which will screen at both friendraisers along with D3F 2025's college student winner Ian Dugan's POP! (use password: PopTheBalloon to view). Both filmmakers will be present at our October events to be honored and discuss their films.
While many of you may not make it out to our in-person friendraisers, we do hope you'll attend the 2026 virtual festival, and we'd love to see you in DC in January for our 4th annual live Forum. In the meantime, if you'd consider making a tax-deductible donation to our daddying cause, in any amount, via The Greater Washington Community Foundation, that would be most excellent too.
Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Take good care of yourselves and Daddy on.
~ Allan
Daddying Film Fest 2026
The 5th annual Daddying Film Festival & Forum (D3F) welcomes film and video submissions, including TikToks and Instagram reels, from students (3rd-graders through undergraduates), Dads/Granddads, Dad figures, and indie filmmakers worldwide! Dads/Granddads, Dad figures, and students can submit videos/films for FREE on D3F's FilmFreeway page through Friday, Oct 3, 2025. Regular entry deadline is Monday, December 8.
And DC-region student and Dad singers, rappers, bands, choirs, dancers, and poetry slammers, don't forget this year's NEW Daddying Film Forum Opening Acts Contest! We're hosting a music, poetry, and dance video competition to choose opening acts that will perform live at the 4th annual Daddying Film Forum in Washington, DC, January 30-31, 2026. The contest is open to local DC, Maryland, and Virginia students, Dads/Dad figures, and Granddads across a range of musical, spoken-word, and dance performance categories. Contest entries are FREE* but must be submitted no later than October 3, 2025.
Not from the DMV? No problem! Even if you're not located in DC, MD, or VA, we'd love for you to create/submit a daddying-related music/dance video for D3F 2026 consideration, and all student and Dad/Granddad/Dad figure entries are still FREE if submitted by October 3, 2025. Students/Dads/Dad figures will still be eligible to earn Atticus Awards and prize money in their respective award categories! Check D3F's website for more details.
*NOTE to choir/dance directors, teachers, and other adults submitting videos on behalf of their students: Please submit contest videos on FilmFreeway as "student" submissions to ensure properly qualified as FREE entries.
Send us your Daddying films & videos to celebrate D3F's 5th Anniversary January 9-15, 2026!
Allan Shedlin has devoted his life's work to improving the odds for children and families. He has three daughters, five grandchildren, and numerous "bonus" sons, daughters, and grandchildren. Trained as an educator, Allan has alternated between classroom service, school leadership, parenting coaching, policy development, and advising at the local, state, and national levels. After eight years as an elementary school principal, Allan founded and headed the National Elementary School Center. He has written about education and parenting for major news outlets and trade publications, as well as appearing on radio and TV. In 2008, he was the first male honored as a "Living Treasure" by Mothering Magazine and founded REEL Fathers. In 2010, he advised the Obama White House on fathering policy. In 2017, he founded the DADvocacy Consulting Group. In 2018, he launched the DADDY Wishes Fund and Daddy Appleseed Fund. In 2019, he co-created and began co-facilitating the Armor Down/Daddy Up! and Mommy Up! programs for veterans and their children. He has conducted daddying workshops with Native American pueblos, veterans’ groups, penitentiaries, Head Start centers, corporate boardrooms, and elementary schools. In 2022, Allan founded and directed the Daddying Film Festival & Forum (D3F). In 2024, he was named to Who’s Who. In 2025, Allan was honored with an "Official Citation" from the Maryland State General Assembly "In Recognition for All You Do for Dads, Granddads, and Kids of All Ages." He also was named 2025 “Father of the Year” by the Fathers & Families Coalition of America. Allan earned his elementary and high school diplomas from NYC’s Ethical Culture Schools, BA at Colgate University, MA at Columbia University’s Teachers College, and an ABD at Fordham University. He considers his D-A-D and GRAND D-A-D the most important “degrees” of all.
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