TERMS & CONDITIONS FOR SUBMISSION OF FILMS TO HNFA THROUGH FILMFREEWAY.COM
Hollywood North Film Awards' mission is to promote and award heart-wrenching, world-building, character driven films that push the boundaries of storytelling in Canada, and all over the world. We strive to bring attention to stories that have yet to be told, and to award creative excellence for exemplary filmmaking achievements.
Please be aware that *WE DO NOT SCREEN FILMS*. We award Films based on the categories and requirements set out below. We highly value diversity, and diverse Films will receive a greater weighting in the judging process.
I. APPLICATION OF THESE TERMS & CONDITIONS
(1) The following terms and conditions (the “Terms”) govern the submission of a film (the “Film”) to Hollywood North Film Awards (“HNFA”), through filmfreeway.com (“FilmFreeway”), for consideration for the 2021 Hollywood North Film Awards (the “Awards”). Any questions about these Terms should be directed to info@hollywoodnorthfilmawards.com.
II. SUBMISSION AGREEMENT
(1) By submitting a Film to HNFA for Awards consideration via FilmFreeway, you (the “Applicant”, and “you”):
(a) acknowledge and agree that you have read and understood all of these Terms, and that you agree to be legally bound by these Terms;
(b) represent and warrant that you have all necessary rights (whether from the owners, creators, writers, producers, and/or other authorized representatives of the Film) to: (i) submit the Film to HNFA (the “Film Owners”), and (ii) grant to HNFA the rights set forth in these Terms;
(c) acknowledge and agree that HNFA may disqualify or reject, but is not required to do so, any Film that it determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, is not in compliance, in whole or in part, with these Terms;
(d) acknowledge and agree that submission fees must be paid in Canadian dollars, and are not refundable under any circumstance.
III. SUBMISSION CATEGORIES AND ELIGIBILITY
(1) Films must be submitted under one of the categories set out in Section (4) below.
(2) Films that do not meet the eligibility requirements for any of the below categories should not be submitted, and will not be considered by HNFA. HNFA is not require to refund any submission fees paid in respect of a Film that fails to meet the eligibility requirements specified in these Terms.
(3) For the purposes of the below categories:
(a) “Canadian films” are films in which at least two of the following roles were filled by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada: director, writer, producer, and which list Canada as one of the countries of production.
(b) “International films” are films that do not qualify as Canadian films.
(c) “Student Films” are films that were either directed, written or produced by a person enrolled in a recognized film production program.
(4) Submission categories:
(a) Canadian Feature: Canadian films with a run time of at least 40 minutes.
(b) Canadian Documentary Feature: Canadian documentary films with a run time of at least 40 minutes.
(c) Canadian Short: Canadian films with a run time of less than 40 minutes.
(d) Canadian Student Film: Student films that qualify as Canadian films, with a run time of less than 40 minutes.
(e) International Feature: International films with a run time of at least 40 minutes.
(f) International Documentary Feature: International documentary feature films with a run time of at least 40 minutes.
(g) International Short: International films with a run time of less than 40 minutes.
(h) International Student Film: Student films that do not qualify as Canadian films, with a run time of less than 40 minutes.
(5) HNFA will accept submissions that have already premiered, and a Film’s premier status will NOT be taken into consideration. We accept works-in-progress but will only accommodate watching the Film once. HNFA will not re-watch updated versions of the Film.
(6) A Film will NOT be eligible for consideration and should not be submitted if:
(a) the Film was completed prior to January 1, 2020;
(b) the Film was previously submitted to HNFA for Awards consideration; or
(c) the Film has been offered for sale on DVD/Blu-ray/VOD at any time.
(7) HNFA reserves the right to rule, in its sole discretion, on cases and situations not foreseen by these Terms.
(8) All Films must be submitted as online screeners via FilmFreeway (as described in Article IV below).
IV. SUBMISSION PROCEDURE
(1) All Films submitted under these Terms must be submitted in accordance with the procedure outlined herein. HNFA may, but is not required to, disqualify or reject any Film that is not submitted in this way.
(2) To submit a Film for Awards consideration, an Applicant must: (a) complete the registration process at FilmFreeway and pay the required fee as outlined on FilmFreeway (fee waivers will be at the sole discretion of the HNFA), and (b) provide to HNFA an online screener via FilmFreeway for review by HNFA and its judges.
(3) HNFA will not review multiple versions of a submitted Film. Only one version of the Film may be submitted. If multiple versions are submitted, it is at the HNFA’s discretion as to which version will be judged.
(4) HNFA is under no obligation to contact the Applicant and/or refund the submission fee should the Applicant not have adhered to the rules, set out in Articles I and IV herein.
V. SELECTION PROCESS
(1) HNFA will consider for inclusion in the Awards all eligible films that have been submitted by the deadlines denoted on FilmFreeway and in accordance with these Terms. HNFA reserves the right to change the submission deadline, however HNFA will use commercially reasonable efforts to commit to the deadline specified on FilmFreeway. HNFA reserves the right to consider for inclusion in the Awards, and include in the Awards, Films received at any time and through any means, channel, or process, including means, channels, or processes other than those outlined in these Terms. Nothing in these Terms or otherwise requires HNFA to select for Awards inclusion any of the Films submitted through the process outlined in these Terms.
(2) The following awards are generally available in each submission category (at HNFA’s sole discretion), and a Film will be considered for each such award in its respective category:
(a) Directing
(b) Writing
(c) Performance
(d) Supporting Performance
(e) Cinematography
(f) Editing
(g) Production Design
(h) Diversity
(i) Wardrobe
(j) Makeup and Hairstyling
(k) Original Score
(l) Sound Design
(m) Visual Effects
(n) Overall “Best Of”
(3) HNFA highly values diversity, and diverse Films will receive a greater weighting in the judging process. HNFA selects the best Films, taking into consideration diversity, after a comprehensive evaluation process. All selection decisions are at the sole and absolute discretion of HNFA, and are final and non-reviewable. HNFA is not required to provide any feedback, comments, reasons, or any other information regarding the selection or non-selection of any submitted Film, or the process by which Films are or have been selected. Once the Awards have concluded, HNFA will provide feedback upon request to all Applicants. HNFA is not responsible or liable for its selection decisions; for the contents of any internal comments or feedback regarding the Film that are or may be obtained from the Applicant or anyone else; for any communications by any representative of HNFA relating to the Film or the Awards selection process; for the manner in which the Film shall be, is, or was considered and reviewed; or for any failure on the part of the Awards to provide the Applicant or anyone else with information concerning HNFA’s consideration and/or review of the Film.
(4) HNFA will notify by the notification date listed on FilmFreeway, all Applicants who have and who have not been selected to participate in the Awards. All Applicants who are selected to participate in the Awards will be notified at HNFA’s earliest convenience. HNFA will contact Applicants using the contact information provided in the FilmFreeway registration form. Applicants are responsible for providing correct and functional contact information. HNFA is not responsible for any failed attempts to contact an Applicant using the contact information provided by the Applicant.
VI. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
(1) By submitting the film to HNFA, the Applicant and Film Owners (the “Submitting Parties”) hereby warrant and represent that: (i) the Film is wholly original and is not copied from and does not include any other work that is the subject of copyright or other protection, unless such work is in the public domain or the Submitting Parties have obtained any and all consents, releases, licenses, and other authorizations or waivers of any kind necessary for the inclusion or reproduction of any person, character, location, thing, trademark, sound recording, musical composition, or other work in the Film; (ii) the Film does not defame any person or violate the common law or statutory rights, including, without limitation, the rights of privacy and publicity or any other right of any person; (iii) the Film is not the subject of litigation, nor any dispute which would give rise to litigation; (iv) there are no agreements, nor will there be any agreements made subsequent to the date of the submission of your Film, that would or could have the effect of impairing the Submitting Parties’ ability to provide the Film as contemplated herein, or otherwise conflict with any provision of these Terms; and (v) the Submitting Parties have the full right, power, and authority to submit the Film to HNFA for Awards consideration, and to grant all of the rights granted hereunder and in the FilmFreeway registration form, and there is no obligation or restriction which would in any way impair, limit, or impede the Submitting Parties from fully performing all obligations pursuant to the submission and these Terms.
(2) The Submitting Parties hereby grant to HNFA the non-exclusive and royalty-free right to: (i) view the Film; (ii) reproduce and publish any portion of the Film, and/or stills thereof, and to combine such portion(s) or still(s) of the Film with other cinematographic, musical, literary, or visual works, for the sole purpose of promoting the Awards, the Film, and/or the Submitting Parties; and (iii) use the Submitting Parties’ names and likenesses, for the sole purpose of promoting the Awards, the Film, and/or the Submitting Parties. Applicants are responsible for securing clearances or legal permission for the use of any copyrighted musical, cinematic, or literary materials.
(3) Except as otherwise set out in these Terms, HNFA does not claim any right, title or interest in or to any Film.
VII. INDEMNIFICATION
(1) The Submitting Parties shall indemnify and hold harmless HNFA its licensees, successors, and assigns, and its and their members, officers, directors, employees, volunteers, agents, representatives, associates, and affiliates (each, a “Releasee”), from any claim, suit, action, or other proceeding brought against a Releasee and from any losses, costs, or damages, including the Releasee’s full legal fees and costs, which it may have suffered or incurred or may suffer or incur, directly or indirectly based on, in connection with, or arising from the use and exhibition of the Film submitted by the Applicant or the breach or alleged breach of any representation, warranty, or other agreement made by the Applicant in these Terms, or in the Applicant’s FilmFreeway registration form.
VIII. PRIVACY
(1) HNFA’s collection, use and disclosure of personal information is governed by NHFA’s privacy policy, available here: http://www.hollywoodnorthfilmawards.com/privacy-policy.html. Additionally, personal information submitted through FilmFreeway will also be subject to FilmFreeway’s privacy policy, available here: https://filmfreeway.com/page/privacy-policy.
IX. GENERAL TERMS
(1) HNFA reserves the right to rule, in its sole discretion, on cases and situations not foreseen by these Terms.
(2) If any provision of these Terms is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part, such invalidity or unenforceability will attach only to such provision or part thereof and the remaining part of such provision and all other provisions hereof will continue in full force and effect.
(3) Our failure to insist upon or enforce strict performance of any provision of these Terms will not be construed as a waiver of any provision or right. Neither the course of conduct between you and us nor trade practice shall act to modify any provision of these Terms. Our rights, powers and remedies in these Terms are cumulative and in addition to and not in substitution for any right, power or remedy that may be available to us at law or in equity.
(4) In these Terms, (i) the captions and headings are for convenience only and do not constitute substantive matter and are not to be construed as interpreting the contents of these Terms, (ii) the word “including”, the word “includes” and the phrase “such as”, when following a general statement or term (whether or not non-limiting language such as “without limitation” or “but not limited to” or other words of similar import are used with reference thereto), is not to be construed as limiting, and the word “or” between two or more listed matters does not imply an exclusive relationship between the matters being connected, (iii) all references to website addresses or URLs shall also include any successor or replacement websites containing substantially similar information as the referenced website(s), and (iv) any monetary amounts expressed are in Canadian dollars.
(5) Your use of the FilmFreeway platform is also governed by FilmFreeway’s terms of service, available here: https://filmfreeway.com/page/terms-of-service. In no event shall HNFA be liable for any loss, errors, or other issues arising from your use of FilmFreeway.
(6) These Terms, as amended from time to time, including any and the Privacy Policy referenced herein, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the matters referred herein and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements and understandings, whether electronic, oral or written, with respect to such matters.
(7) These Terms will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any legal action brought in connection with these Terms shall be brought exclusively in the Province of Ontario.
