Film Submission Rules and Regulations 2018
1. The Festival
The Beijing International Short Film Festival (BISFF) is a beloved short film festival in China. During ten festival days, hundreds of filmmakers and artists present their work to a large audience. The festival is a hub where our visionary team organises and stimulates film-related activities to accompany a quality program—robust, eclectic, adventurous—and where emerging talent meets prestigious guests. This is what makes BISFF unique: every year it attracts distinct personalities from the field, who rediscover the magic of cinema at the heart of one of the world’s most dynamic cities.
BISFF 2018 will be held in Beijing at the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art and other venues from September 14 to September 24, 2018.
For more information about BISFF, please visit www.bisff.co.
and follow Wechat Platform ID:BISFF
* At BISFF, we represent the strength and impact of short films, filmmakers and film-related art, contributing to a culture built on foundations of mutual respect and dignity. BISFF aspires to create an environment where everyone has the freedom to express him or herself, without fear of harassment, intimidation, discrimination, sexism, or other disrespectful behaviors.
2. Vision
BISFF embraces short films, a vibrant film category that deserves more attention both from the industry and the audience in China.
We believe in the power of short films to encourage meaningful conversations and infuse positive social change. We welcome and motivate both emerging talents and established filmmakers from all backgrounds in their artistic endeavors. We collectively strive to expand the creative space for film citizenship and celebrate the diverse forms of cinema. We accept challenge head-on. We are BISFF!
3. Mission
We aim to provide a showcase for various genres of short films around the world every year and promote independent filmmaking of artistic merits, acknowledging and appreciating new perspectives and expressions, creating a space for inspiration to spark, a platform that stimulates cross-border conversations with contemporary art and cinema worlds. Our programming tackles issues of contemporary social and aesthetic relevance, representing the strength and impact of independent cinema.
4. Program
The Festival is composed of several sections which accept films shot in any format.
Sections open to submissions:
1) Nebula International Competition presents a selection of fiction or animated short films up to 60 minutes, with evident narrative structures and intention of portraying figures or events. This panorama of contemporary cinema and video arts includes films by young talents alongside work by established filmmakers.
2) Fresco International Competition is reserved for non-fiction films up to 60 minutes. This section offers a selection of films exploring new narrative forms and innovative film language in the practices of depicting reality.
3) Mirage International Competition presents experimental short film up to 60 minutes. Films included in this section are unclassifiable in terms of genres and styles, representing the most hybrid and up-to-date forms of cinematic creativity.
4) Marée Chinese Competition is dedicated to Chinese-language films and filmmakers from Chinese speaking regions. This selection showcases short films of various forms (fiction, non-fiction, animation and experimental) and themes, presenting the dynamic landscape of Chinese emerging talents.
5) Halo Chinese Competition is a selection of student projects that represent the cinematographic and cultural universe of the next generation. Young and vibrant, film school students have long been one of the most active groups in short film creation, and from here, they set out on the journey to becoming the next masters of our time.
Sections not open to submissions:
1) Résonance is the sidebar dedicated to the history of international short films. It offers works from filmmakers and artists to whom the Festival pays special tributes. This section also presents newly restored works in film history.
2) Astro is a historical or thematic program, or a selection of highlight works of a major filmmaker. This section is designed to honor the contribution made to the history of cinema or to enable the audience to (re)discover an important auteur.
3) Other ad hoc sections and special screenings
5. Awards and Jury
The Jury will be invited by the Director of the Festival. Persons directly associated with the production or exploitation of a film in competition may not serve as jurors.
A Jury composed of five personalities from the world of cinema, art and culture will award the following prizes:
1) International Competition
Nebula Award for Best International Fiction Short Film
Fresco Award for Best International Non-fiction Short Film
Mirage Award for Best International Experimental Short Film
* The Jury may also award a maximum of two special mentions, the nature of which will be clearly defined by the Jury; and one Outstanding Contribution Award (acting, cinematography, set design, editing, music, etc.)
2) Chinese Competition
Marée Award for Best Chinese Language Short Film
Halo Award for Best Student Project
* The Jury may also award a maximum of two special mentions, the nature of which will be clearly defined by the Jury; and one Outstanding Contribution Award (acting, cinematography, set design, editing, music, etc.)
The decisions of the Jury are final.
6. Entry conditions
A Selection Committee made up of film experts will assist the Artistic Directorship in the scouting and selection of works for the Festival.
1) The selected films must have been completed after September 1, 2016.
2) Films selected for International Competitions must not have been previously released in China or shown in other film festivals in mainland China. World/International premieres are favored.
3) All Chinese productions and co-productions in Chinese Competition must not have been commercially released or broadcasted in China before the festival (this includes festival selection, theatrical release, National TV broadcasting and VoD release). For any previously planned screenings, please contact the programming team with written explanation.
4) Films submitted for previous editions of the Festival may not be submitted again, not even in a new version.
7. Submission of Films for Pre-selection
1) All films sent to the festival must be submitted by completing the online form, via submission platforms.
For Chinere Mainland：
Zoomov:http://www.zoomov.com/festivals/BISFF
For outside of Chinese Mainland (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao included);
FilmFreeway: [https://filmfreeway.com/BISFF]
Festhome: [https://festhome.com/f/bisff-4]
2) Submission is subject to a registration fee to be paid during the online submission process.
3) Films must be uploaded during the submission process.
4) All films must be submitted in their original language with English or Chinese subtitles. For preselection, English-language films do not require subtitles.
5) Screeners can be private (password-protected) downloadable links (Vimeo, Youtube, etc.) or DVDs (-R if possible) to be sent to the address given at the end of the submission form.
6) The festival keeps the viewing material for the sole purposes of documentation, promotion and viewing by professionals on its premises for a maximum period of six months, and will only return the viewing material upon formal request by the sender.
8. Deadlines
1) Films completed between September 1, 2016 and January 31, 2018: Online submission should be completed and viewing material be sent with a postmark on June 30, 2018 at the latest.
2) Films completed from February 1, 2018 onwards: Online submission should be completed and viewing material be sent with a postmark on July 30, 2018 at the latest.
* There is no guarantee that films registered or sent and postmarked after the above-mentioned deadlines will be previewed.
9. Selected Films
1) Filmmakers and production companies having their film selected at the festival will be contacted -by mid-August 2018, around the time when the official selection is announced on the Festival website and other media platforms.
2) The producers and distributors of the selected films agree not to withdraw the films from the Festival program after it has been announced in August 2018, and not to screen or broadcast the film in China before the end of the Festival, with the exception of press or professional screenings they may organize.
3) The producers and distributors of all films selected undertake to make mention in their publicity and advertising materials (posters, press-kits, trailers, website, etc.) of the selection of the film for the Beijing International Short Film Festival, by featuring the official logo which will be supplied by the Festival. The logo must not under any circumstances be modified or altered without the prior permission of the Festival. Any publication featuring the logo must be approved by the Festival.
4) Films in the competitive sections may have up to four public screenings during the Festival, and in non-competitive sections, up to three public screenings.
10. Screenings
1) The accepted screening formats include: 16mm, 35mm, DCP, Digital files (contact festival staff for details). Blu-ray is only accepted as back-ups. The Festival prefers the original exhibition format of the completed work. Only quality prints or digital copies will be accepted. The Festival reserves the right to refuse to allow the participation of any film that fails to meet the technical requirements for a public screening of good quality.
2) The screening material of the films must reach the festival before August 20, 2018 at the latest, after which date the presentation of a film at the Festival cannot be guaranteed. No modified versions of the films will be accepted after this date.
3) The participant is liable for all costs of transportation and customs clearance for both outward and return shipment. The Festival reserves the right to refuse any shipments entailing additional costs.
4) As far as possible, the Festival will respect the wishes of participants concerning return shipment of their films. The Festival accepts no liability for any forwarding errors that may result from a lack of instructions, or from erroneous information provided by the participant. As a rule, films will not be returned before the end of the Festival. Films will be returned to participants within the two weeks following the end of the Festival.
5) Subtitles and versions:
a. Selected works of International Competitions: all selected works must be screened in their original language with English and/or Chinese subtitles on the print. All non-Chinese language films must provide Chinese and/or English transcripts or subtitle files (.srt or .stl format). The production and costs of the subtitles on the print are at the participants’ charge.
b. Films of the Chinese Competitions: all selected works must be screened in Chinese language with English subtitles on the print. If the film contains any dialects or other languages, both Chinese and English subtitles are required on the print or in subtitle files (.srt or .stl format).
c. All subtitle files must be the final version corresponding to the screening print of the film.
11. Award Winners
The producers and distributors and the buyers and sellers of rights to awarded films undertake to make mention in their publicity and advertising materials (posters, flyers, press-kits, trailers, website, etc.) of the winning of an award at the Beijing International Short Film Festival. The official logos of the various awards will be supplied by the Festival. The logo must not under any circumstances be modified or altered without the prior permission of the Festival. Any publication of a logo must be approved for press by the Festival. The producers and distributors of award-winning films also undertake to add to the start of all prints released for distribution the official award logo, provided by the Festival, in the context of a theatrical release or a presentation at other festivals.
* The submission and participation of a film in the Beijing International Short Film Festival imply acceptance of the Rules and Regulations for submission. In any unforeseen eventuality, the decision of the Festival Directorship is final. The Chinese text of these Rules and Regulations is the authentic and binding version.
Copyright @Beijing International Short Film Festival