London Art Film Awards

LONDON ART FILM AWARDS
Official Rules & Regulations
London Art Film Awards (hereinafter referred to as “LAFA” or “the Festival”) is an annual international film festival held in London, United Kingdom, featuring live screenings and an Awards Ceremony.
By submitting a film, the Applicant agrees to the following Rules & Regulations:
1. Eligibility
1.1 Submissions are open exclusively to legally registered companies, production companies, organizations, institutions, or professional representatives. Individual private persons are not eligible to submit directly unless submitting through a registered legal entity.
1.2 The Festival accepts submissions in all genres and categories, including but not limited to: Narrative, Documentary, Short Film, Feature Film, Animation, Experimental, Student, Music Video, AI-based works, and other cinematic forms.
1.3 Short Films must not exceed 40 minutes in total running time.
1.4 Feature Films must exceed 40 minutes in total running time.
1.5 Films must have been completed after January 1, 2021.
1.6 Work-in-progress projects are accepted; however, the final screening version must be completed prior to the Festival screening date.
1.7 There is no premiere status requirement.
2. Language & Subtitles
2.1 Films not in the English language must include English subtitles.
2.2 Subtitles may be either hardcoded into the film or delivered as a separate subtitle file (e.g., SRT).
3. Submission & Fees
3.1 Multiple entries from the same submitter are permitted.
3.2 All submission fees are non-refundable.
3.3 The Festival does not provide fee waivers.
3.4 Submission of a film does not guarantee selection.
4. Selection Process
4.1 All films are reviewed by the official Festival Selection Committee and/or Jury.
4.2 The Jury is international and composed of industry professionals.
4.3 Films are evaluated based on artistic vision, originality, storytelling, technical execution, and overall cinematic quality.
4.4 All applicants will be notified regarding the status of their submission.
4.5 The decision of the Festival selection committee and Jury is final and no correspondence or appeals will be entered into.
5. Screening Formats
5.1 The Festival accepts all standard screening formats, including but not limited to DCP, MP4, ProRes, Vimeo links, and other industry-standard formats.
5.2 Final screening format and technical delivery will be arranged directly via email communication with the Festival production team.
6. Rights & Promotional Use
6.1 By submitting a film, the Applicant grants LAFA the non-exclusive right to use excerpts of the film for promotional and publicity purposes on television, online platforms, social media, and partner networks.
6.2 The Festival may screen selected films during the official Festival event in London.
6.3 Selected films may also be screened at affiliated partner events, touring showcases, or special screenings associated with LAFA.
6.4 Any promotional usage will be limited to excerpts and will not involve full commercial exploitation of the complete film without the prior approval of the rights holder.
7. Awards
7.1 LAFA is a competitive festival culminating in an Awards Ceremony.
7.2 Winners may receive:
Official Festival Trophy (selected categories)
Official Certificate
Official LAFA Laurel
Winner Interview (professional interview service; standard market value $200 USD)
7.3 The Festival reserves the right not to award any or all prizes in a given year.
7.4 The Festival reserves the right to modify, merge, or cancel award categories based on submission volume and quality.
8. Author’s Warranty & Copyright
8.1 The Applicant confirms that the submitted work is their original creation.
8.2 The Applicant warrants that they hold all necessary rights, licenses, and permissions for music, sound, images, performances, and any third-party materials included in the film.
8.3 The Applicant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless LAFA from any claims, damages, liabilities, and expenses arising from copyright infringement, defamation, or other legal disputes.
9. Disqualification
The Festival reserves the right to disqualify any submission that:
Violates copyright or intellectual property laws
Contains false or misleading information
Breaches applicable laws
Is deemed unethical or inappropriate at the Festival’s discretion
10. Changes & Force Majeure
10.1 The Festival reserves the right to change, reschedule, relocate, or cancel the event, categories, awards, or venue without prior consent of the submitters.
10.2 In the event of circumstances beyond the Festival’s control (including but not limited to force majeure, governmental restrictions, public health measures, or other unforeseen events), LAFA reserves the right to modify the Festival format.
11. Marketing Communication
11.1 Marketing communication is strictly opt-in.
11.2 By voluntarily subscribing, the Applicant agrees to receive promotional communication from LAFA and its partner festivals.
11.3 Applicants may unsubscribe at any time.
12. General Conditions
12.1 Submission of a film constitutes full acceptance of these Rules & Regulations.
12.2 The Festival reserves the right to update or amend these Rules at any time.
12.3 The interpretation of these Rules & Regulations rests solely with the Festival organizers.