Bucharest ShortCut Cinefest is a monthly film competition focusing on international independent cinema. It takes place in one of the most vibrant and diverse cities in Europe.

Our goal is finding and promoting talented and emerging filmmakers. Here’s how we do it:

✶ Online presence - Website, Social Channels
✶ Film Screening Events
✶ Access to worldwide audiences through our partner Filmocracy.com

Every month all the projects submitted go through a meticulous process where our programmers watch, rate and define the curatorial list which will further be published on our website and social media channels during the next month.

The Curatorial Programme is defined by two main categories converging as follows:

✶ The Official Selection - A shortlist of films that scored the highest in our selection process

✶The Official Competition (Winners & Nominees) - The ‘Best Of’ from every category

At the end of the year, every film that has won Best Short Film in our 12 monthly seasons of 2024 will enter:

SHORT FILM OF THE YEAR

✶ $1,000 of Stock Footage Credit to Nimia.com
✶ $2,000 of Rights Clearance Labor (2 days) Free of Kurator services

🅱🅴🆂🆃 🆂🅷🅾🆁🆃 🅵🅸🅻🅼

✶ Live Screening
✶ Filmocracy Screening (only with prior permission from the filmmaker)
✶ 3 Months Filmmaker Pass from Filmocracy - worth $100
✶ 12 Months Studio License from iPitch TV - worth $189
✶ Access to Filmocracy Film Market
✶ 5 Fee Waivers from our festival partners - worth $115
✶ 90% DISCOUNT on DCP Mastering Services from KINOLIFE Distribution - worth $300
✶ Filmstro Pro License discount - worth $105
✶ Award Certificate signed by the Festival Director
✶ Official Laurels from the festival

Why two main categories?

The Official Selection is a necessary extension of the Winners & Nominees list, our experience proving that nearly every month the number of submissions with a high rate exceeds the available competition slots. Eliminating it would create injustice to incredibly talented filmmakers who deserve to be acknowledged.

The film competition runs on a monthly basis. The final deadline for our next selection, as well as the notification date are posted in the right-grid competition timeline.

Our screenings gather a large number of film lovers every year. Looking back we are proud to have organized monthly screenings in Bucharest with thousands of spectators, in unconventional spaces from independent theatres to rooftop cinema, bookstores, universities, art hubs etc.

The new reality forced the majority of the industry to recalibrate. Beginning with 2020 we only screen competition-awarded films as the COVID pandemic made physical event planning a lot more challenging. This means that, at least for a while, the number of annual physical events will be limited to 1 or 2, in order to make sure that we can showcase all winning films safely & responsibly.

At this moment, the films showcased in the BscFest Official Screenings will only consist of the Competition Winners.

That doesn’t make Bucharest Shortcut any less attractive, as there are many benefits of joining our community.

We like to see ourselves as a network where you can definitely find support for your film and make your submission worth it.

Starting with 2021 we offer all the films qualified for Official Competition the opportunity of having online screenings.

After the COVID-19 breakout, many festivals have transitioned to a hybrid system for film screenings and we embrace the change as this is an important step towards the future.

It is important to mention that this IS NOT A MANDATORY REQUIREMENT for joining the festival and online screenings will only be provided WITH THE PRIOR PERMISSION granted by the filmmaker.

Our Online Catalogue will be offered in partnership with Filmocracy.com, a highly secured streaming platform, where you can introduce your content to a worldwide audience.

Filmocracy

Filmocracy Fest is an innovative film and media festival, bringing together the best of traditional festival events, while integrating unique digital programs to create a memorable and productive experience. Cofounded by Jon Fitzgerald former director of multiple prestigious festivals such as Slamdance, AFI, and Santa Barbara.

Time Machine

Joining the Bucharest Shortcut Community will provide you all the perks and benefits, regardless of the moment you happened to submit. Therefore, all the partner benefits for the Official Selection & Competition are available to any filmmaker who submitted at any date in the past, per request.

Perks of getting your film selected

❗All Films accepted in the Official Selection will be given an awesome benefits pack worth $367, very useful for future projects:

✶ Official Selection Laurel
✶ 3 Months Studio License from iPitch TV - worth $117
✶ Filmstro 1-Year Pro Licence Exclusive discount worth up to $125
✶ DCP2GO Exclusive Discount for mastering services worth $125

By having the $367 services discounts guaranteed for every film accepted in the Official Selection, we make sure that you get rewarded and your benefits of joining the Bucharest Shortcut Community exceed by far your submission fee.

At the end of the year, every film that has won Best Short Film in our 12 monthly seasons of 2024 will enter:

SHORT FILM OF THE YEAR

✶ $1,000 of Stock Footage Credit to Nimia.com
✶ $2,000 of Rights Clearance Labor (2 days) Free of Kurator services

🅱🅴🆂🆃 🆂🅷🅾🆁🆃 🅵🅸🅻🅼

✶ Live Screening
✶ Filmocracy Screening (only with prior permission from the filmmaker)
✶ 3 Months Filmmaker Pass from Filmocracy - worth $100
✶ 12 Months Studio License from iPitch TV - worth $189
✶ Access to Filmocracy Film Market
✶ 5 Fee Waivers from our festival partners - worth $115
✶ 90% DISCOUNT on DCP Mastering Services from KINOLIFE Distribution - worth $300
✶ Filmstro Pro License discount - worth $105
✶ Award Certificate signed by the Festival Director
✶ Official Laurels from the festival

Apart from the Best Short Film Award, the Film Competition has two award categories:

Individual Awards

✶ Best Actress
✶ Best Actor
✶ Best Director
✶ Best Screenplay
✶ Best Editor
✶ Best Cinematographer
✶ Best Original Score

Category Awards

✶ Best Music Video
✶ Best Experimental
✶ Best Documentary
✶ Best Student Film
✶ Best Animation
✶ Best Trailer

All the films awarded within these categories will receive the following prizes from the festival:

✶ Filmocracy Screening (only with prior permission from the filmmaker)
✶ 3 Months Filmmaker Pass from Filmocracy - worth $100
✶ 12 Months Studio License from iPitch TV - worth $189
✶ 25% DISCOUNT on DCP Mastering Services from KINOLIFE Distribution
✶ Filmstro Pro Licence discount worth 105$
✶ Award Certificate signed by the Festival Director
✶ Official Laurels from the festival

•• SCREENPLAY COMPETITION ••
The screenplay competition runs in 2-4 annual seasons, depending on the number of entries and quality of the scripts

• SCREENPLAY AWARD (Winner) •

✶ Review from Jury
✶ Free Attendance at Filmocracy Scriptwriter Showdown
✶ 12 Months Studio License from iPitch TV - worth $189
✶ 90% DISCOUNT on DCP Mastering Services from KINOLIFE Distribution - worth 300$
✶ Filmstro Pro Licence discount - worth 105$
✶ Award Certificate signed by the Festival Director
✶ Official Laurels from the festival

• 2nd & 3rd Place •

✶ 25% DISCOUNT on DCP Mastering Services from KINOLIFE Distribution
✶ 12 Months Studio License from iPitch TV - worth $189
✶ Filmstro Pro Licence discount worth 105$
✶ Award Certificate signed by the festival director
✶ Official Laurels from the festival

••• SOUNDTRACK AWARD •••
✶ 90% DISCOUNT on DCP Mastering Services from KINOLIFE Distribution - worth 300$
✶ 12 Months Studio License from iPitch TV - worth $189
✶ Filmstro Pro Licence discount - worth 105$
✶ Award Certificate signed by the festival director
✶ Official Laurels from the festival

Partners:

Filmocracy

Filmocracy Fest is an innovative film and media festival, bringing together the best of traditional festival events, while integrating unique digital programs to create a memorable and productive experience. Cofounded by Jon Fitzgerald former director of multiple prestigious festivals such as Slamdance, AFI, and Santa Barbara.

Nimia

Nimia, founded in 2013 by Zachary McIntosh and Eric Harrison, is an international technology company specializing in video licensing, management, and distribution related products and services. These include a stock footage marketplace and digital asset management software. The company is headquartered in the USA.

Kurator.com

Kurator is a company specialized in content curation, rights clearance, and music supervision services for all types of footage, photography and music needs.

iPitch.TV

Looking for a way to pitch your idea for a television show or movie? iPITCH.TV offers a next generation platform for creators of original pitches for TV, Film & Digital Media to connect directly with Hollywood Producers and Studio Executives and gives creators industry pro advice on how to pitch a television show or feature film. Pitch your idea for a Movie, Screenplay, Television Show, Short Film, New Media Project and more.

KINOLIFE Distribution

KINOLIFE provides high-quality DCP services from A to Z. We are a reliable partner of hundreds of filmmakers, film festivals, distribution, and exhibition companies. We’re interested not only in just converting films to 2K, 4K DCP, 3D, or HFR, but in making our clients a bit happier.

FILMSTRO

Filmstro Pro is a music publishing library built into a desktop app that enables Filmmakers to adapt and recompose professional soundtracks to suit their films. Available for Windows and Mac users.

DCP2GO

DCP2GO offers complete professional services for DCP authoring including: preparation of materials, authoring, encryption and key management, duplication, control and check-up (test screening), transfer and distribution, translation and subtitling, and technical organization.

SUBMISSIONS:

You are entitled to a maximum amount of two entries per edition and the entry will be considered eligible in the current season only if the film hasn’t been awarded in the previous one.

FILMS:

Keep in mind that we can only accept short films. Meaning that up to 35 minutes length of any genre and format is allowed.

Every movie must have been released during or after 2016.

If the native spoken language isn’t English, then it must come with English subtitles (with an exception for music videos).

Any genre or format is accepted. Make sure you consult the Competition categories prior to submitting your film, in order to make sure it fits at least one of them.

Film duration should not exceed 35 minutes for Short Films, 10 minutes for Music Videos, 4minutes for Trailers.

In order to consider an Award Category eligible, we require an amount of minimum 5 official selections per category.

RULES & PROCESS

All genres and formats are considered to be eligible for a nomination or to win one or more of the Competition categories.

Great quality is a standard. Films with a poor production standard (lack of sound quality, absence of subtitles/captions for non-English films, video resolution less than 1080p Full-HD) will not be accepted.

The winners of each category will get our official ready-to-print Award Certificate signed by our festival Director.

The final race for the ‘Best Short Film’ Award will consist of up to 6 Nominations, while the ‘Category’/’Individual’ awards will usually have 3 nominations per category.

At this moment, the films showcased in the BscFest Official Screenings will only consist of the Competition Winners.

That doesn’t make Bucharest Shortcut any less attractive, as there are many benefits of joining our community.

Starting with 2021 we offer all the films qualified for Official Competition the opportunity of having online screenings.

After the COVID-19 breakout, many festivals have transitioned to a hybrid system for film screenings and we embrace the change as this is an important step towards the future.

It is important to mention that this IS NOT A MANDATORY REQUIREMENT for joining the festival and online screenings will ONLY be provided WITH THE PRIOR PERMISSION granted by the filmmaker.

Our Online Catalogue will be offered in partnership with Shortlist.film, a highly secured streaming platform, where you can introduce your content to a worldwide audience.

When submitting a film, WE DO NOT REQUIRE THE FILM TO BE EMBEDDED ON THE WEBSITE, so keep in mind that if your film will be selected, we will only need the FilmFreeway listing information and a trailer, if available.

The festival does NOT require premiere screenings.

All entries must be available for live screening during the festival.
If your film is chosen to be screened at the Bucharest ShortCut CineFest, we require a download link of your submission or you must send a full quality DCP file/35mm/Blu-ray/DVD no later than 5 days prior to the festival screening.

Screenplays

The screenplay competition runs in 2-4 annual seasons, depending on the number of entries and quality of the scripts.

Filmmakers can enter their screenplay (of any genre, up to 120 pages) to the competition.
The projects will not be published on any public channel.

There will be quarter-finalists, semifinalists, and finalists out of which a winner, a runner-up, and a second runner-up will be designated.

Only two screenplays per filmmaker per edition are allowed and only one screenplay be entitled to the ‘Screenplay Award’.

DISCLAIMER RIGHTS

By submitting your film to our festival you agree that your piece of work can be embedded on our website. The filmmaker/institution that is submitting the film must own the rights to do so and is responsible for the content they are providing.

By submitting, the filmmaker allows Bucharest ShortCut Cinefest to create a page for their film without infringing copyright of any kind of form.

Refunds and submission withdrawals are possible, but only before receiving the Selected/Not Selected notification via FilmFreeway.

If your film is not selected, further claims AFTER the notification will not be considered by the festival.

Per request, every filmmaker can ask for their film rating, as we do our best to keep the process as transparent as possible.

The Process:

If your film will be officially selected in our festival, it’s data together with a poster & trailer (if available) will be uploaded/embedded on our website for everyone to see.

Winning films will be highlighted and promoted within the platform.
The Festival does not deal with any copyright issues. All copyright issues should be resolved by the film authors.

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

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 ShortCut CineFest.

By request, Film Reviews can be published on our official website and social media platforms.

You can also request the removal of your film review at any time.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Usually between the 1st - 15th of each month, Bucharest ShortCut CineFest will announce the Official Selection together with the Competition Results.

Any film can be taken down from the website if the legal copyright owner decides to proceed with this option.

LAURELS

Filmmakers are allowed to use Bucharest ShortCut Cinefest Laurels on any promotional material related to their film.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Jayde Fairley

    Thank you for including our film 'Dogma' at Bucharest ShortCust Cinefest. We were honoured to be awarded Best Student Film.
    It was a great experience and we look forward to submitting future projects.

    February 2024
  • Stefan Pellegrini

    Always a pleasure being part of CineFest

    September 2023
  • VITALIY PERUNOV

    A good mix of films , international films and documentaries.

    August 2023
  • Adrian Lambert

    Thank you for recognising the outstanding work of our film The Saboteur 🙌 Great communication and prestige

    August 2023
  • Elodie Lorquet

    très bon festival. Super accueil! Encore merci

    July 2023