CALL FOR ENTRIES

* The prizes could be changed every year.

 

COMPETITION ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Please take into consideration that all the films from Austria, the Middle East, Africa, and every other country will participate in the international competition. However Austrian films will automatically be considered the best Austrian film too.

By submitting your film in each category, the film will automatically be considered for the online festival too.

1.FORMATS: All (except the vertical formats)
Please note, however, that submissions must be sent on an online secured screener and, if selected, filmmakers are required to provide a screening file.

*Linz ISFF accepts No VERTICAL format.

2.GENRE: All
All genres of non-commercial shorts are accepted. No music videos.

*Linz ISFF accepts No music videos.

3.PRODUCTION COUNTRY: All
Submissions will be considered in two categories:
Austrian, and International as Official Competition. Eligibility for each category will be determined by the festival based on the following criteria: Director’s nationality, film location, the language of the film, the nationality of casts’ and source of funding.

*Austrian films should submit in Austrian competition, but their film will be considered for all international awards of the festival too.

4.RUNNING TIME: Under 30 minutes.

*Running time includes end credits should be under 30 minutes.
*Animation & fiction films could be between 1-20 minutes.

5.YEAR OF PRODUCTION: after 2020
The film must have been produced after January 1, 2020, for all competitions. The festival committee will determine the production date of your film based on the copyright year listed in the end credits.

6. PREMIERE: Not screened on Internet, Not broadcast-ed on TV
Films that have screened on the internet or shown theatrically or been broadcast on television in Linz prior to the Festival or are available on DVD or VOD are not eligible for competition.

*It is NOT mandatory for films to premiere at Linz International Short Film Festival.
*By submitting your film in each category, you agree that your film will automatically be considered for the online festival as well.

7.ENGLISH SUBTITLE: Required
Required for submissions with a language other than English. Also for GERMAN films, we need an English subtitle.

*English subtitles for submissions with the English language would also be encouraged.

8. MULTIPLE ENTRY: Possible.
You may submit multiple entries but must fill out a separate entry form and pay an entry fee for each.

9. COMPETITION
The festival presents films in three competition sections as well as in Special Programs. The film can be submitted to one of three competitions. The festival reserves the right to assign the film to a category that is different from the category it has been submitted to originally.

*Please submit films with Austria as at least one country of production, or with an Austrian director or producer to the Austrian competition. Austrian films will automatically be considered for the best Austrian film too. The competitions are:

Fiction- international short fiction films
Documentary- international short documentary films
Animation – international short animations
Best Austrian Film

*All submitted films will also be considered for the Closefilm Online Festival. If your film is accepted, we will notify you.

10.SCREENING COPIES

1. Accepted formats: Mp4, MOV,
2. A backup file must be submitted along with the screening copy.
3. The screening copy must arrive at the festival office no later than the 15th July 2021.
4. If the film has dialogue or text that is not in English, the film must be submitted with English subtitles.
5.The selected filmmakers are not awarded financial compensation for participating in the competition.

11.ADDITIONAL MATERIAL

In addition to a screener file you are asked to at least submit the following*
1. At least one film still (300 dpi)
2. Poster of the film
3. A Trailer up to one minute in this format: MP4 HD 1920 1080
4. Director’s filmography
5. 100 words description of the film
5. A list of previous screenings of the submitted film, including awards
6. Main credits
7. Information about previous screenings in Austria
*film still, trailer, poster, and the info you send may be used on our Website and social media, to promote the festival and your films.

12. DISPATCH AND SHIPPING OF SCREENING COPIES
An ONLINE SERVER will be provided, to easily upload your film on Festival Computer.
Please note: Preview copies will not be returned, but stored in the Linz International Short Film Festival archive.

RIGHTS

1. You guarantee that you own or otherwise control all of the rights to the film you submit to us and that you are entitled to transfer the rights to us as specified in this agreement.

2. By submitting the film, you guarantee that all (intellectual property) rights needed for screening during the Linz International Short Film Festival and other uses described in this agreement have been cleared.

3. By submitting the film you guarantee that the screening or other use of the film by Linz International Short Film Festival does not infringe rights held by third parties.

4. By submitting the film you agree to indemnify the festival against all third-party claims in connection with screening the film during Linz International Short Film Festival and other uses described in the terms. This includes covering any legal costs that might be incurred.

5. Screening: The festival is entitled to show the selected films during the duration of the festival any number of times at online and physical events.
*As a non-profit association, we pay no Screening-fee.

6. Best-of programs: If the film receives an award or nomination at Linz International Short Film Festival the festival reserves the right to show the film free of charge two times within a year from the festival as part of a best-of program to promote the films/filmmakers as well as the festival.

7. Press screeners & archive: You grant Linz International Short Film Festival the nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual and unlimited right to make copies of the film in order to make these copies available to the press or industry representatives only and to archive these copies. The festival guarantees to exercise this right within reason and always with the benefit of the filmmaker in mind. These copies will not be used for commercial screening purposes by any means.

8. Educational use: You grant Linz International Short Film Festival the nonexclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, and unlimited right to use the archived copies for noncommercial educational purposes.

9. Video Library: You grant the festival the nonexclusive and royalty-free right to include the film in the Video Library regardless of the selection status of your film. The Video Library is open to accredited national and international industry guests only; the films may be made available at screening booths or online. You furthermore grant the festival the right to share your contact information with interested industry guests.

10. Promotion: If your film is selected to be included in the program you grant Linz International Short Film Festival the nonexclusive, royalty-free right to show – online, via television or in cinemas, in a single form, or as part of a showreel – a trailer of the film up to 1 minute for advertising and promotion purposes.

11. Metamaterial: If your film is selected to be included in the program you grant Linz International Short Film Festival the nonexclusive, royalty-free, unlimited, and irrevocable right to publish submitted metamaterials such as (but not limited to) film stills (in an edited/altered form if necessary), the title and credits of the film, and the director’s name.

12. If a provision of this agreement is or becomes illegal, invalid, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, that shall not affect:
A) the validity or enforceability in that jurisdiction of any other provision of this agreement; or
B) the validity or enforceability in other jurisdictions of that or any other provision of this agreement.

13. This agreement is governed by Austrian law. The place of arbitration shall be Linz, Austria, the language of the arbitration shall be German.