Regulations for submission and participation of films
1. General
1.1
The 39th International Film Festival Rotterdam, organized by Stichting Filmfestival Rotterdam, will be held from January 27 to February 7, 2010.
Short film screenings are concentrated on a single location in the period Jan 28-Feb 1, 2010.
1.2
Submission to the Festival is open to feature films, creative documentaries, experimental films, short films and innovative visual productions for digital media completed after January 1, 2009.
Since the 2009 edition the short film committee has decided to exclude all student films (with the exception of post-graduate works) for submission to the festival.
There is no entry fee. Detailed information on the festival's main strands of interest and programme sections can be found on the festival's website.
1.3
Film formats and video systems that can be presented during the Festival are: 35mm, 16mm, HDCAM (not HDCAM SR), Betacam SP (PAL), Digital Betacam (PAL), DVcam (PAL or NTSC); presentation of other formats and video systems requires the authorization of the Festival.
1.4
The Festival gives priority to world and international premieres; films that have already been shown in The Netherlands are not admitted. Films previously submitted to the Festival and not programmed will not be considered for the 2010 Festival.
1.5
Selected films will be screened in their original version. In principle, if not with English dialogues, films must be subtitled in English. If necessary, and only with the approval of the Festival, a film can be subtitled using an electronic subtitling system. If no English subtitled print is available, a dialogue list in the original language and in English (with time codes), and a DVD screener must be made available to the Festival.
2. Competitions
2.1
As part of the official programme the Festival includes two competitions to promote talented new filmmakers: the VPRO Tiger Awards Competition for feature length films and the Tiger Awards Competition for Short Films. The Festival's programme committee selects the films for both competitions.
2.2
Eligible for the VPRO Tiger Awards Competition are first or second time directors of a feature length film, 60 minutes or longer. The film should have its world, international or European premiere in Rotterdam. During the festival an international jury selects three winners who will each receive Euro 15.000 in cash, sponsored by public broadcasting organisation VPRO.
2.3
Eligible for the Tiger Awards Competition for Short Films are directors with a short film less than 60 minutes. The film should preferably have its world, international or European premiere in Rotterdam. During the festival an international jury selects three winners who will each receive Euro 3.000 in cash.
2.4
After accepting the invitation to participate in the VPRO Tiger Awards Competition or the Tiger Awards Competition for Short Films, the film cannot be withdrawn; the film may not be screened at any other festival before its official presentation in Rotterdam.
2.5
Participants are urged to make available all requested publicity material for promotion.
2.6
Producers and distributors of participating/winning films are requested to include in future promotional material the mention of participation in/winner VPRO Tiger Awards Competition/Tiger Awards Competition for Short Films of the 39th International Film Festival Rotterdam. Logos selected in/winner VPRO Tiger Awards Competition / Tiger Awards Competition for Short Films are available on request.
3. Submission deadlines and materials
3.1
The submission deadline for selection purposes, which means the deadline for the Festival's office to receive the required submission materials, are:
- Short films (less than 60 minutes) completed before July 1, 2009: September 1, 2009.
- Short films (less than 60 minutes) completed after July 1, 2009: October 1, 2009.
- Feature length films (60+ minutes): November 1, 2009.
The Festival is not obliged to view late entries. Please note these deadlines are the dates the required submission materials are received in the festival office.
3.2
The applicant is requested to send:
- One DVD of the film; your DVD must be labelled with the title, director's name, length, format, subtitling (if any); please indicate if the submission is a rough cut, or work in progress. Print submissions should be authorized by the Festival, for which separate arrangements should be made.
- Synopsis of the film (in English)
- A statement of the director on the film
- Biography and filmography of the director
- Full cast and credits list
In case an item is not available at the time of submission, it will be requested immediately upon selection (see also regulation 4).
3.3
None of the above listed submission enclosures will be returned.
4. Selected films
Catalogue / press & publicity
All owners of selected films will receive a request for catalogue and publicity materials upon confirming participation in the festival.
4.1
Catalogue
4.1.1
In order to compile the Festival Catalogue, for each selected film the Festival must receive a duly completed entry form and requested materials (DVD, synopsis of the film, biography and filmography of the director and a full list of artistic and catalogue credits). The requested materials should be sent/submitted as soon as possible upon acceptance of the invitation, but not later than December 7, 2009. The Festival accepts no liability in the event that its publications reproduce inaccuracies in submitted materials.
4.1.2
Catalogue writings are entirely at the discretion of the Festival.
4.1.3
In principle the catalogue will include the following technical and artistic credits: original title, international title, country(ies) of production, year of production, premiere status, format, length, director, production company, producer, sales company, print source, screenplay, cinematography, editing, production design, sound, music, principal cast.
4.2
Press and Publicity
4.2.1
The owners of the films participating in the Festival will receive a request from the Press office to send publicity materials. These materials will be used in Festival publications and for distribution to the press and Festival guests.
4.2.2
After official selection of a film the Festival is qualified to use excerpts from the film, with a maximum of 3 minutes, nationally and internationally for promotional purposes (for documentaries and short films, the total duration of the excerpts is not to exceed more than 10% of the film running time). In the event that excerpts are not available, and it being understood that under no circumstances the entire print may be lent out, the Festival is qualified to copy, under its strict supervision, one or more excerpts from the film for promotional use prior to and during the Festival only.
4.2.3
For promotion of the whole selection and of each selected film, the Festival website is allowed to use any photo or digital film clip (less than 3' duration).
4.3
Film Office / Video Library / Press & Industry screenings
Selected films will be made available during the Festival to the Video Library -accessible only for registered guests- through our own (closed circuit) server or on DVD. For this purpose all selected films For this aim, owners of films participating in the Festival will be requested to make available either a DVD or a QuickTime h.264 version of your films for encoding purposes. The costs for encoding the films will be borne by the IFFR. During the festival and in collaboration with the Programme Department the Film Office will organize press & industry screenings for feature length films. Rights owners of films included in the Video Library and Press & Industry screenings will receive detailed viewing reports and attendants lists afterwards.
4.4
Programming
4.4.1
General scheduling and the timetabling of the public screenings and press & industry screenings are entirely at the discretion of the Festival Management.
4.4.2
A selected film cannot be withdrawn from the programme after December 15, 2009.
5. Dispatch of the prints/video cassettes of selected films
5.1
Detailed print/video shipment information will follow upon acceptance of the film.
5.1.1
Unless authorized by the Festival, the print/video must be made available for the whole festival period. The print/video must arrive in The Netherlands before January 7, 2010. The sender is requested to inform the Festival on the means of dispatch, date of shipment and Airway bill number.
5.1.2
The film must be sent prepaid by sender. No collect shipments are accepted unless authorized by the Festival. The Festival will pay for the return transportation charges, excluding any additional costs for tax and custom clearance in country of return.
5.1.3
A pro forma invoice must accompany the print/video stating the name of the sender, the title of the film, format, length, number of reels and whether it is in colour or black and white.
5.2
All prints will be returned within four weeks after the Festival. It's the responsibility of each participant to inform the Festival in due time on (any change in) the details of the return address as well as the desired date of arrival at the return address. In case there's no confirmation of the return address within four weeks after the Festival, the screening copy will be returned to the print source of the film (as listed on the entry form). The Festival is not liable for any inconvenience this may cause.
5.3
The insurance of the copies comes into effect the moment the film has arrived at the Festival's office or has been received by the agent at Amsterdam Airport. The insurance remains in effect until the film is reshipped. In case of damage to or loss of a film during the Festival, the Festival is only responsible for the costs involved in making a new print or replacing the damaged reel(s) based on the current laboratory rates for ordering a standard print.
5.4
Damage to the film print must be reported to the Festival in writing within a month after return and prior to any following screening. Any claims will be judged by the reported state of the print. The insurance does not cover any damage during normal screening use.
6. Conclusion
Entry and participation of films implies unconditional acceptance of the regulations. In unspecified cases, the Festival Management will make a final decision.
All submissions, documentation materials and dvd's/videos must be sent - fully prepaid by sender - to:
By ordinary (air) mail:
International Film Festival Rotterdam
Attn: Programme Department
P.O. Box 21696
3001 AR Rotterdam
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 10 890 90 90
Fax: +31 10 890 90 91
e-mail: programme@filmfestivalrotterdam.com
By express courier:
Please mention "without commercial value, for cultural purposes only" and mark "No value", or not more than "10 US$"
International Film Festival Rotterdam
Attn: Programme Department
Karel Doormanstraat 278-B
3012 GP Rotterdam
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 10 890 90 90
Fax: +31 10 890 90 91
e-mail: programme@filmfestivalrotterdam.com