Please review the following rules carefully before submitting your film. By submitting your short film, you acknowledge that you have read and agreed to all the following rules and terms. All short films that have been submitted by our final deadline and that adhere to the following terms will be considered for inclusion in the Edinburgh Conservation Film Festival.
If you have any further questions, please contact us at simon@ecff.co.uk.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
All short films must be uploaded directly to FilmFreeway. We won’t accept DVD or Blu-Ray screeners. In addition, screener links sent by email will not be considered, they must be attached to your submission. To be eligible, films must have a total runtime of 12 minutes or less, including credits. Films must engage with themes related to biodiversity, wildlife, ecosystems, conservation, environmental protection, or human relationships with nature. The Festival particularly encourages submissions that highlight solutions, conservation efforts, scientific research, and community engagement related to biodiversity protection. The festival reserves the right to determine whether a film fits the festival’s thematic scope. Student filmmakers are welcome to submit their work and are encouraged.
SUBTITLES
All films must include English subtitles, regardless of the spoken language of the film. This requirement ensures accessibility for audiences and festival partners.
Subtitles must be accurate, clearly legible, and properly synchronised with the audio. Films submitted without English subtitles will not be considered complete submissions.
If subtitles are missing or not functioning correctly, the Festival may contact the submitter to request an updated version. Failure to provide a working subtitled version by the specified deadline may result in disqualification.
NUMBER OF SUBMISSIONS
Filmmakers may submit up to two films for consideration. Each film must be submitted separately through FilmFreeway and accompanied by its own entry fee.
COMPLETION DATE
All projects must have been completed on or after 2022 to be considered for the 2027 Edinburgh Conservation Film Festival.
DEADLINES
Please keep track of the deadline closely and note that all short films must be submitted by 11:59pm GMT on 30th September 2026.
SHORTLISTED FILMS
If selected, the Festival may use stills, trailers, posters, and excerpts of up to 30 seconds for promotional purposes including press, social media, website, and festival marketing materials.
Selected films may be included in festival screenings and official touring programmes organised by the Edinburgh Conservation Film Festival during 2027. These screenings may take place at partner venues, educational institutions, or community events.
The Festival will not grant third-party distribution rights and all screenings remain non-commercial unless otherwise agreed with the filmmaker. All scheduling is purely at the discretion of the Edinburgh Conservation Film Festival.
PREMIERE STATUS
Premiere status is not required, but films that have not screened publicly in Scotland may be prioritised.
ENTRY FEE REFUNDS
Entry fees are non-refundable.
SCREENING FEES
The Edinburgh Conservation Film Festival does not pay screening fees for submitted short films. By submitting your project, you acknowledge that Edinburgh Conservation Film Festival will not pay to present your work. The shortlisted participants will have to pay for their travel to reach Edinburgh but will not have to pay any registration fee to attend the film festival.
SCREENING FORMAT
Selected films must be provided as a high-resolution digital screening file (e.g., ProRes, H264, or equivalent) by the date specified in the acceptance notice. We do not require a DCP.
COPYRIGHT & LEGAL TERMS
The Edinburgh Conservation Film Festival is run by Spilt Tea Productions Ltd. By entering your film for consideration to the 2027 Edinburgh Conservation Film Festival, you authorise that your work is cleared for festival exhibition and accept full legal responsibility for the intellectual property therein. The submitter and all filmmakers associated with the project shall indemnify and hold harmless the organisers and any representative or affiliates from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.
DISQUALIFICATION
The Edinburgh Conservation Film Festival reserves the right to disqualify any submission that does not comply with these rules or that the Festival determines to be inappropriate for the event.
ETHICS & AUTHENTICITY
The Edinburgh Conservation Film Festival celebrates films that present authentic, responsible, and respectful storytelling about biodiversity, wildlife, and conservation. Filmmakers submitting work to the Festival must ensure that their films adhere to the following principles.
AI-Generated Content
The Festival prioritises real-world documentation and authentic visual storytelling. Films that make use of AI-generated imagery, video, or animation are generally not eligible for selection.
AI-generated visual material may only be considered in rare and clearly justified circumstances where no reasonable alternative production method is possible. In such cases, the use of AI must not misrepresent wildlife, ecosystems, scientific findings, or conservation events.
Any use of AI-generated visual content must be clearly disclosed in the FilmFreeway submission description, including an explanation of why AI was used and why other methods were not feasible.
The Festival organisers reserve the right to determine whether the use of AI-generated content is acceptable and may disqualify submissions that fail to disclose such use or that do not comply with this policy.
Wildlife & Environmental Ethics
Filmmakers must ensure that wildlife, habitats, and ecosystems were treated responsibly during production. Films should not involve practices that intentionally harm animals or cause unnecessary disturbance to wildlife or sensitive environments.
The use of methods that manipulate, harass, bait, or stage wildlife behaviour in ways that could harm animals or misrepresent natural behaviour may render a film ineligible for selection.
Where filming occurs in protected areas or involves sensitive species or habitats, filmmakers must ensure that all necessary permits, permissions, and regulations were followed.
Scientific Accuracy
Films should aim to present accurate and responsible representations of biodiversity, conservation issues, and ecological processes.
Dramatised or illustrative sequences must not mislead audiences about real-world events, species behaviour, or scientific findings.
The Festival reserves the right to request clarification regarding scientific or conservation claims presented in submitted films and may decline or disqualify submissions that significantly misrepresent biodiversity or conservation science.
Ethical Representation of People & Communities
The Festival supports storytelling that respects the dignity, rights, and perspectives of individuals and communities featured in films.
Filmmakers must ensure that participants have been treated ethically and with appropriate consent, and that films do not contain exploitative, discriminatory, or misleading portrayals of people, cultures, or communities.
Where conservation stories involve local or Indigenous communities, filmmakers are encouraged to ensure that their voices and perspectives are represented fairly and accurately.
Festival Discretion
The Edinburgh Conservation Film Festival reserves the right to request additional information regarding production practices, permits, or ethical considerations where appropriate. The organisers may decline or disqualify submissions that do not align with the Festival’s standards for ethical and authentic storytelling.
