2018-present MiraBan UK Film Awards - Rules and Terms
The following rules govern all film submissions to the MiraBan UK Film Awards:
General Eligibility:
Submissions must be accompanied by the applicable submission fee PER ENTRY and a completed online entry form. All films must have English subtitles at the time of submission.
Films must be submitted as an online streaming video via the participating submission platform (FilmFreeway).
In the event of a password change or link change after submitting, you must email the Festival at info.miraban@gmail.com immediately with that change so we may update your record. If the Festival is not notified of the change, and the link is found to be inactive or the password incorrect, the submission may be deemed ineligible.
MiraBan UK Film Awards screens films as digital files during the Festival. In case of selection, you will be required to provide your movie in a ProRes HQ file format (3840x2160p minimum) and no more than a 5 GB file.
Films in each category must have been completed after January 1, 2022. Films must be available for screening during the MiraBan UK Film Awards (every edition) upon request after notification of selection is sent.
Selection for screening will be determined no later than 2 weeks prior to the festival.
Films that are accessible for free, and generally openly available on the internet without password protection may be subject to disqualification. Films can be already in distribution on any paid VOD, or SVOD distribution platform.
Short films that are publicly available online prior to the Festival may be considered for exhibition during the Festival, but will be ineligible for Jury Awards. We prefer that shorts not be publicly available online.
Private invite-only screenings (for instance for cast and crew or donors) do not affect a film’s eligibility.
MUFA reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject or disqualify any ineligible entries, without a refund.
Films that are selected to screen at the Festival may not necessarily be selected to be “in competition” for awards purposes. Notifications regarding potential selection for competition status possibly may occur subsequent to notifications of acceptance for exhibition.
Student films are welcome to apply for every category. The winning student film will be nominated and awarded as stated but, unless for the exceptions solely made by the jury, the films will not fit in the in-person screening schedule with the professional filmmakers on the Award Ceremony Day. They will be solely available during our Livestream festival days.
Documentaries and other Feature-length categories will be nominated and awarded as stated, yet the jury reserves the right to decide whether or not they will fully fit in the screening schedule on the Award Ceremony Day. During the festival award ceremony, they can be screened partially to encourage discussion around the film topic, while they will be available online in full on our streaming platform to our festival members for the entire duration of the festival edition.
The jury of the festival can decide to call off an entire category if none of the films does match either the standard nor the level of the other films in the competing categories. The jurors’ vote is final and indisputable.
Originality and Permissions; INDEMNITY:
Films must be the original work of the applicants. If a film is based upon another person’s life or upon a book or other underlying work, applicant(s) must secure any necessary rights to make such adaptations. However, it is not necessary to submit the adaptation rights agreements to the Festival. Neither the Festival nor its jurists investigates or attests to the authenticity of an applicant’s statement of authorship or rights secured. By entering the competition, you represent that you have secured all necessary rights.
Applicants are solely responsible for obtaining all necessary rights and permissions for third-party materials included in their films, including but not limited to music, trademarks, logos, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights. MUFA expressly disclaims all liability or responsibility for any violations of the foregoing.
Additional Information:
We strongly recommend filmmakers to submit their film only after it is fully finished and will judge each submission as a completed work, whether it is or not. Once a film is entered, we will not update the submission with a more recent cut. That said, because MUFA's focus is on story, minor technical changes will not affect the final decision of any film. Should the film be accepted to play during the Festival, the filmmaker will have the opportunity to supply the Festival with their most recent version.
Once an entry payment has been received we cannot provide a refund. If a payment is disputed by an entrant for any reason, the entrant may be subject to any transaction fees or similar amounts incurred by MUFA in connection with the dispute.
No check will be accepted to join the competition. Every payment must be secured through a trustworthy online payment platform.
PLEASE NOTE:
The MiraBan UK Film Awards does NOT waive entry fees. MUFA believes the same rules and entry fees should apply to all applicants so no one film is favoured over another.
We understand the financial constraint of filmmaking and costs of submitting to festivals, and we still hope you can find it in your budget to submit your film.
Selected Films and Winners:
MUFA has no obligation (other than as stated in these rules or on our website) to disclose any of the following information: i) identities of screeners or jurors; ii) notes, feedback, or information relating to the submitted project; and/or iii) details regarding the submission review or selection process.
MUFA explicitly disclaims any liability or responsibility for any comments, notes, or opinions expressed about a submission, whether by MUFA or by its volunteers.
Winners will be announced as stated on the Notification Date. The jurors’ decision is final.
Although the selected, finalist, and winning films will receive their laurel, certificate, and/or award as stated in the "Award and Prizes" section, MiraBan UK Film Awards reserves the right to screen only the films that will fit into the festival schedule.
MiraBan UK Film Awards jury can award a submitted film and/or its crew/cast member(s) based on talent, regardless of the film, crew/cast member(s) being in competition for a specific, awarded category. The decision of the jurors is final and unchangeable.
Submitting your film to MiraBan UK Film Awards you automatically grant us copyright permission, in case of selection, to showcase your film on our online catalogue, as well as on the venue's catalogue, for indoor, outdoor and virtual events, or a hybrid screening where some of the audience attends in-person and some virtually.
We, or our yearly chosen screening venue, may charge a fee for the festival entry pass as well as per film screened. In case you don't want your film to be included in the online streaming service provided by StreamAuteur Limited, and/or in the in-person screenings, you must email us within 30 days after your submission date, or 7 days after our follow-up email notifying you are a selected or finalist candidate of MUFA.
The winning films will be also available on weshort.com (Sundance Festival Partner) for a specific timeframe set by WeShort Company.
At MiraBan's discretion, selected, finalist, and winning films have the opportunity to be streamed on the StreamAuteur platform for a period of up to one year following the festival awards ceremony. To decline this streaming opportunity, please ensure to send us an email within 30 days of your film submission or within 7 days from the notification of your official selection.
COMPETITION IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
COMPETITION CERTIFICATION:
I/We have read all of the rules, understand, and have complied with these rules.
I/We warrant the submission of my/our original work and that there are no disputes regarding the ownership of the submission.
I/We also warrant the submitted material does not defame or invade the rights of any person living or dead.
To the best of my/our knowledge, all the statements herein are true and correct.
I/We understand that failure to adhere to the competition rules and regulations will result in disqualification and forfeiture of entry fee.
I/We acknowledge that once an entry payment has been processed, MUFA will not provide a refund.
No revisions of materials will be accepted once entry has been submitted.
BY SUBMITTING THE MATERIAL, I/WE HEREBY AGREE TO INDEMNIFY, HOLD HARMLESS, AND DEFEND THE FESTIVAL, ITS EMPLOYEES, DIRECTORS, REPRESENTATIVES, AND AFFILIATES FROM ALL LIABILITY, CLAIMS, AND DAMAGES IN CONNECTION WITH THE SUBMISSION AND FROM ANY FEES AND EXPENSES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO REASONABLE ATTORNEYS’ FEES, THAT ANY OF THEM MAY INCUR IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.
