BUCHAREST INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL (BIEFF) 13th edition
OFFICIAL RULES AND TERMS FOR FILM REGISTRATION AND SELECTION
Co-founded by Golden Bear winning director Adina Pintilie in 2010, Bucharest International Experimental Film Festival is an annual event dedicated to experimental films and visual arts. BIEFF aims to promote highly innovative films and filmmakers with strong personal views on contemporary reality, which also daringly explore the boundaries of cinematic language.
The festival program includes two short film competitions (International Competition and National Competition), special short and feature film programs, exhibitions and installations featuring each year more than 80 short films and 10 feature films.
The festival aims to create a space for dialogue between filmmakers and their audience both in the context of Q&A sessions held after the screenings, as well as with special director’s talks and thematic panels.
The 13th edition of the festival will take place in Bucharest on September 26 – October 1, 2023.
1. General Provisions:
1.1. Bucharest International Experimental Film Festival is organised by Manekino Cultural Association, hereinafter referred to as the Organiser, based at Bucharest, Banul Manta Blvd. 18, Bl. 28, sc. B, 4th floor, ap. 77, Sect. 1.
1.2. Bucharest International Experimental Film Festival, hereinafter referred to as the Festival, will take place in Bucharest between September 26- October 1, 2023.
1.3. Film submissions will be open from February 15th 2023 until May 31st 2023. 1.4. The festival charges no entry fee for entering the National Short Film Competition. The entry fee for the International Short Film Competition fluctuates according to the levels below. This excludes any possible administrative fees charged by the submission platform. In the event of withdrawal, cancellation or incorrect or ineligible submission, entry fee will not be refunded. Waivers may be granted upon special request (the decision is left at the discretion of the Organiser).
1.5. Films will be selected by a selection committee appointed by the Organiser. All submitted films will be considered for the International Short Film Competition, as well as other special programs.
1.6. The representatives of films qualified for the Competition and/ or other special programs will be informed by e-mail until the 15th of July 2023 at the latest. Until that date, the festival office does not have the possibility to answer questions about status of entries or progress of selection.
1.7. The representatives of films qualified for the Competition and/or other special programs will be asked by the Organiser to send the screening copy of the film via post, courier, or by electronic means within two weeks after receiving selection notification (no later than August 15th).
1.8. All preview copies and submitted entry information of the officially selected films may be available for viewing in a video library by accredited industry guests.
1.9. All preview and screening copies of the officially selected films may be stored in the Festival archive and used for research purposes.
1.10. If the Submitter fails to meet the due date of sending the copy, the Organiser has the right to refuse accepting the film and select another participant for the respective Competition/ program.
1.11. The films selected in the competition sections (National and International Competition) will be analyzed by a Jury, consisting of a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 film professionals. The films will compete for 4 awards (cash prizes): the BIEFF 2022 Grand Prize, the Best Directing Award, the Best Visual Concept Award, the Best Romanian Film Award. An additional Special Jury Mention might be awarded (without a cash prize attached).
1.12. Information about the awarded films will be announced on the Festival’s website, social media and will be passed on directly to the winners (in person, by phone or by e-mail).
2. Submissions:
2.1. Proposed films are considered eligible if:
– the duration of the film is a maximum of 40 minutes;
– the film was produced / released after June 1, 2022.
2.2. The form of the film and its topic are not subject to any regulations, however the festival favors films and audio-visual works with an innovative and experimental character. 2.3. Films may be submitted to the Festival only by means of FilmFreeway, with the exception of direct screener requests sent by the programming team to selected filmmakers or distributors.
2.4. In order to submit the film one should create an account on FilmFreeway website and follow directions provided on the portal.
2.5. Films taking part in the Festival may be submitted by natural or legal persons and groups of people submitting as one participant (group participant) that are producers who have the right to dispose of the submitted film, or who have received permission from the producer owning those rights.
2.6. The participant submitting a film to the Festival must possess copyright laws, which include music used in the film’s soundtrack. In any other case the participant is obliged to attach a statement defining the legal situation of the film. 2.7. When submitting the film one should:
– fill in the online entry form (all the information required by FilmFreeway should be provided as well as such details as the English title of the film, its original title, available dialogue lists, release date and the place of the film premiere);
– attach preview copy of the film with English subtitles, if the movie is not English-speaking;
– attach a Vimeo / Youtube link.
3. Technical Requirements:
3.1. Submitters whose films have been selected to participate in the Competition and/or other special programs are required to send the Organiser:
– screening copy of the film in ProRes (.MOV format) or H264 (MP4/.MOV format) codec, with original aspect ratio and one audio track with audio mix (Stereo or 5.1).
Screening copies shouldn’t contain hardcoded subtitles. Screening copies may be sent by electronic means, for example wetransfer.com, or the Organiser’s server (data required to send the film will be provided via e-mail to participants whose films have been qualified for the Competition);
– dialogue list in English language including time codes, in .SRT file and, preferably, transcription/dialogue list in original language for translation check;
– film information details (synopsis, 3 stills, director’s picture, director’s bio, technical, press kit), if it wasn’t provided in submission.
3.2. Full list of requirements and deadlines in regard to the film copies and the necessary additional materials will be announced when the official selection invitation is sent. 3.3. Unless authorized by the Festival, the film print/data-disks must be made available for the whole festival period. The Festival will contact whoever is designated on the entry form as the primary contact about the shipment and the exact shipping address.
3.4. The costs of transport of all data-disks and film prints (both from the EU as well as from outside the EU) to the festival office are the responsibility of the applicant. The Organiser covers the costs of returning/forwarding screening copies. All deliveries from outside the European Union must be marked with the phrase “no commercial value – for cultural purposes only” and mark “no value”, or “not more than 10 Euro / US$”.
3.5. Participants are entirely responsible for insurance concerning the shipment of films/data-disks to and from Romania.
4. Other Information:
4.1. Selected films cannot be withdrawn from the Festival’s program after the official invitation is accepted and all necessary materials are received.
4.2. Upon submitting the film the submitter whose film has been selected to the National Short Film Competition / International Short Film Competition, consents that the film will be screened free of charge during the Festival.
4.3. In the event that the Festival decides to present the films online, the Organiser is obliged to contact the Submitter and ask for permission after presenting them the conditions of the screening.
4.4. Festival Catalog and Website requirements:
– the film information details of the selected films will be featured in the festival catalog and the festival’s official website, as well as press releases and other press materials;
– the festival does not take responsibility for the reproduction in its official publications of any incorrect information existing in the additional materials received;
– the catalog and website will include the following technical and artistic credits: original title, international title, director’s name, country / countries of production, year of production, duration, production, scriptwriting, image, editing, sound and soundtrack credits, distribution and contact details (production company, main contact, e-mail address);
– the festival reserves the right to decide on the final form of the presentation texts of the films included in its official publications and in press releases;
4.5. Other promotional information:
– the festival reserves the right to use presentation images or short video excerpts from selected films (less than 10% of the total length of the film and up to a maximum of 3 minutes) in order to promote them or the general selection;
– the festival reserves the right to use the images and excerpts mentioned above for promotional purposes both nationally and internationally;
– after the official selection announcement, the BIEFF logo and the text “Official BIEFF.32 selection” may be used for promotional purposes; the logo and the related text will be sent to the filmmakers upon request, in digital format.
5. Personal Data:
5.1. The Submitter consents to their personal data being processed as referred to in paragraph 2 below.
5.2. The processing includes data listed on the entry form. In the form, the Submitter provides, in addition to their data, information on the film’s director, author, music producer and distributor. The Submitter represents that they obtained the consent of the above persons to provide the said data, and informed them of the purpose for which the data is to be used and who the data controller is. The processing of personal data includes the following: name and surname/business name, address, e-mail address, telephone number.
5.3. The Organiser may process personal data in order to qualify the film for the Competition, screen the film, identify the winners and award prizes and to transmit information about the next editions of the Competition and other activities undertaken in the framework of the Bucharest International Experimental Film Festival. This information is not of commercial nature.
5.4. Providing personal data is voluntary, and the Submitter is entitled to inspect their data and correct them.
6. Final Provisions:
6.1. Acceptance of the invitation to participate in the festival implies agreement on the provisions of these regulations;
6.2. Unless otherwise provided by the applicable law, a complete legal relation between the participant of the Competition and the Organiser shall be governed by the laws of Romania;
6.3. The Organiser reserves the right to change the date and the duration of both the Festival without stating causes, as long as it informs all interested parties in due time;
6.4. All matters not stated in these regulations are decided on by the Festival’s Organiser represented by the Board of the Festival;
5.5. The festival board reserves the right to decide on changes or exceptions to the provisions of these terms and conditions.