1 | Dates & Venue 

Please refer to the individual film festival dates and times. The absolute final deadlines are as dictated on FilmFreeway, CreativeFox and FilmFestivalLife. Category winners (see 8.) are announced after the festival. 

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2 | Competition 

The festival reserves the right to place entries into alternative categories if they feel it is to the benefit of the title. Each submission must be entered separately. Entries will be assessed and successful submissions will be programmed for screening and enter the festival competition. Failure to submit a screener copy four weeks prior to the festival will rule out eligibility for an award and may lead to the cancellation of your screening. If your film is selected we reserve the right to show your film at a date and time of our choosing. 

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3 | Subtitles 

Any foreign language films must have english subtitles.

 

4 | Formats 

For the selection process a digital screener must be submitted via FilmFreeway, CreativeFox or FilmFestivalLife. Screenplays must be submitted as a digital .PDF via FilmFreeway, CreativeFox or FilmFestivalLife.

Successful submissions that are granted a screening must submit a DCP. 

*Please note we do not accept films shot in 4:3 unless the filmmaker has reformatted it to 16:9. 

 

5 | Selection 

Festivals are organized by the FestivalReel. The festival directors reserve the right to invite films for the competition and programme. The screening schedule will be announced after the final submission deadline. The final award winning entries will be selected by a festival jury and audience votes. Award winners will be notified within 14 days of the festival screenings. 

 

6 | Entry Returns 

DCPs supplied with self-addressed envelopes will be returned via post, otherwise filmmakers may pick them up from the venue after the event has concluded. 

 

7 | Screenings 

It is the responsibility of the entrant to ensure that films for screening are deposited with the festival organisers at least 28 days before any scheduled screening. 

 

8 | Publicity 

We reserve the right to use extracts from submissions for festival publicity and marketing purposes. Press kits are not required, but are useful, so please feel free to send these with your submissions. 

 

9 | Categories 

Feature Documentaries 
Short Documentaries 
Student Documentaries 

 

*Please note that if we do not receive enough acceptable submissions for each category, we will merge them e.g. Student Documentaries will be moved into Short or Feature Documentaries. 

 

10 | Awards 

The Environmental Award 

This award is given to a film for its contribution to raising awareness about an environmental issue, in a powerful and unique way.

The Wild Animal Award 
Given to the documentary that captures animals and wild life in a creative and enlightening way.

The Heritage Award 
Given to a documentary that remembers a time from history that has passed and captures its spirit and sense of period.

Best Documentary 

This award is for overall accomplishment for a documentary of any length.

Best International Short

This award is for a documentary under 55 minutes and from anywhere outside Great Britain, that the jury deem to be unique, original, fresh and bold.

Best British Short

This award is for a documentary under 55 minutes and from within Great Britain, which the jury deems to be of outstanding quality.

Best Student Film

This award is presented to a student film of great achievement.

 

11 | Submission, Selection for Screening, Awards and Voting 

There are 3 distinct stages. Submission, screening and awards. The administrators' decision is final.

 

12 | General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

By submitting to our festival, we will utilise any personal data that you submit to us as part of the details of your submission, to evaluate your submission for the purposes of the festival. We will store your data to contact you about future festivals and events that you may be interested in from either ourselves or third parties.

We will also use your data as part of our internal surveys to assess the number of submissions for the festival and where submissions came from and from what category.  

You are in control of your data and should you wish to delete your data, you may request us to do this at anytime. 

Asking us to delete your data before the end of the festival, will delete your submission from the festival and no refunds will be given.

To withdraw consent to use your data and delete it from our systems, please email us with your request. 

 

 

Data Consent

The only way to enter our film festival is by submission. It is not possible to enter the festival without a submission. Therefore by submitting to our festival you are giving us consent to utilise your data. 

It is impossible for our festival to manage your submission and your involvement in our festival without using your data. 

If you do not consent to this and would like us to delete your data entirely after the festival, please contact us. By making a submission to our festival you are giving your consent for us to use your data in the ways listed in point 12 of our rules and conditions. By making a submission to our festival you are allowing us to use your data and agreeing to abide by our festival rules, terms and conditions. 

Third Parties that we may share your data with are other film festivals, competitions and/or film festival submission websites. 

 

 

Freedom Of Information

Under the Freedom of Information Act all client information kept by us is available to claim. This can include personal data, any saved emails, course attendance or mail.

A request must be filed by the person in question in an email. This must include the full name and address and any details of what kinds of information would be kept (eg: if there are emails – and to who they would have been addressed) so as to assist full investigation of the claim.

We will also charge a £10 administrative fee payable by PayPal. Any further claims will subsequently be charged £10 at every instance. In the cases where data contain private information concerning other clients or staff, such instances exempt from FOI claims, we may refuse to deliver such data alternatively explaining why this would not be available.

If you are dissatisfied with our response comments must be sent to:

Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF