Bucharest Film Awards

RULES - BUCHAREST FILM AWARDS

Submissions


You can submit a maximum amount of 2 film projects during a festival edition. We will allow you to resubmit the entry in the next edition if the specific project was not awarded in the previous one. Every film category comes with an entry fee that varies depending on the category and entry deadline. The entry fees are non-refundable. 


Length


Short - up to 35 minutes
Featurette - 35-60 minutes
Feature - 60-140 minutes


Submissions format


WE PREFER SECURE ONLINE SUBMISSIONS IN HIGH DEFINITION. Not only is this a more environmentally friendly method for us, but it also allows your film to be reviewed by our screeners/reviewers as quickly as possible.
 
We only accept films released after 2010 that come in 720p or better resolution. Moreover, this is a compulsory requirement for accepting your film in our official screening. 


Any genre and format is accepted.


Subtitles


All non-English language films must be subtitled in English (excepting music videos). We will require separate English subtitles from all the films selected for the Official Screening. The subtitles will need to come together with the screening file at least a week before the screening date. 


Competition


'Bucharest Film Awards' is a competitive event and unless notified otherwise, all films officially selected are eligible for competition. For a list of competitive categories, please see our Awards page. All films are nominated and voted upon by a jury of film professionals, from an independent point of view.
All genres and formats are considered eligible for nomination at one or more competitive categories. 


Quality is a requirement, this is why we will not accept films with a poor production standard (lack of sound quality, absence of subtitles/captions for non-English films, video resolution less than 720p HD).
All entries must be available for screening during the festival.  
 
For films chosen to be screened at the Bucharest Film Awards, we require a download link to your submission or you must send a full quality 1080p/DCP file/35mm/Blu-ray/DVD no later than 1 week prior to the festival screening.


Events


Beginning with 2018, Bucharest Film Awards runs on a semestrial basis, with two events per year: Spotlight, an off-competition event that takes place in July and the Official Competition, in November. 


The November Film Competition will be a 3-day event that will include thematic workshops, live screening events, industry talks and networking cocktails. 


In addition to the November Film Competition, we created Spotlight with the aim of better promoting the best submitted projects. We will screen the best 10 films submitted in the first 6 months of the year. The films selected for Spotlight will be included in the Official Competition in November. 


The entry deadline for the 2018 Film Competition is September 30th 2018 and the winners will be announced after the Official Screenings, that will take place on 1-3rd November 2018.


Awards and Prizes  


There are 6 Nominations for ‘Bucharest Film Ambassad'or Award’ and 3 nominations for the ‘Category/Individual’ Awards.
 
Best Short-Film, Featurette, Feature Film and the Audience Award will each receive a BFA Custom Trophy along with Professional Film Review and Award Certificates. 
 
All category/individual winners and nominees will receive Award Certificates along with BFA Laurels stating their performance in the festival.   


BUCHAREST FILM AMBASSAD'OR AWARD


The highest ranked BFA distinction will be the 'Bucharest Film Ambassad'or Award'.
It will come with a customized BFA Trophy, a Professional Film Reviewfrom our critique board, fully-paid entry fees in any 3 film worldwide festivals listed on FilmFreeway with a maximum amount of 50$ per each entry fee, and Award Certificates stating the outstanding performance. 


Film Review


We believe in the power of constructive critique, so we designed the option to receive a professional film review from our experts in order to provide you with a detailed feedback on your work. Filmmakers can request the professional review at the price of $39,99, which also includes the entry fee to our Official Competition. The review will be officialy listed on our platform and made public through all our social media channels.


Screenplays


The screenplay competition runs on two seasons, winter and summer and will be available exclusively through FilmFreeway. The competition is open to screenplays of any genre, up to 120 pages. Filmmakers can submit maximum two screenplays per edition and only one can receive the ‘Screenplay Award’. The entry fee is $49,99 and it includes a detailed professional review by our specialists. For those who just want to enter the competition, the fee is $24,99.
There will be quarter finalists, semifinalists and finalists out of which a winner, a runner-up and a second runner-up will be designated. The winner will receive an award certificate and our custom Bucharest Film Awards Trophy.


Disclaimer and rights


Submission of any entry provides Bucharest Film Awards with the permission to have excerpts of accepted work, including film trailers, shown in all promotional activities related to the festival.


We will not publish the whole film on our website, nor will we require exclusivity for our screening event. 


Festival does not deal with any copyright issues. All copyright issues should be resolved by the film authors. 

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless us, our officers, affiliates, employees, and partners from any and all claims and liability arising out of entering or transmitting your film to the Bucharest Film Awards.


Filmmakers and screenwriters retain 100% all of the rights to their projects and materials that they submit to the Bucharest Film Awards.


Notification


Films selected for the November Film Competition will be notified no later than October 10, 2018. Winners will be announced after the Official Screenings (November 1-3, 2018). Film selected for Spotlight will be notified on June 1st.


Laurels


Filmmakers are allowed to use Bucharest Film Awards laurels on their winning/nominated/selected films ONLY. They can be used on posters as well as on other media available. The OFFICIAL SELECTION transparent laurel will be available on the website after the first selection will be published. Other laurels will be provided upon request.