1. About CSFF KingBonn Director Supporting Program
1.1 All entries submitted for the KingBonn Director Supporting Program of the China International New Media Short Film Festival (CSFF) are assumed to have read and agreed to all the following terms.
1.2 The CSFF KingBonn Director Supporting Program is a key activity of the CSFF. Its purpose is to encourage excellent new media short film creation, discover and support film and television program creation talent, incubate high-quality film and television creative projects, establish an international professional exchange platform, and promote the development of the new media short film culture.
1.3 The CSFF KingBonn Director Supporting Program offers several awards and quotas, with specifics determined by the annual announcement published.
2. Requirements for Entries
2.1 The works submitted must not contain or involve (including text, dialogue, music, monologue, scenes, background, etc.) content that contravenes the laws and regulations of the People's Republic of China; must not contain or involve content that is related to religious, racial, or ethnic discrimination; must not contain or involve content that is related to pornography, violence, drugs, and gambling; must not plagiarize or infringe the copyright of others.
2.2 The works submitted for the CSFF KingBonn Short Film Director Supporting Program must be directed or co-directed by the applicant himself/herself. Co-directors can jointly apply for the competition.
The applicants should confirm that they hold full copyright to their short films and ensure that all content included in the submitted works, such as music, creative ideas in the scripts, lines, voiceovers, and subtitles, has obtained the copyrights or has received legitimate and valid authorization from the relevant rights holders. The CSFF Organizing Committee will not bear any legal responsibilities arising from copyright issues; such legal responsibilities shall be borne by the applicants themselves. In the event of any copyright disputes or controversies regarding a submitted short film, the CSFF Organizing Committee reserves the right to revoke the eligibility of the entry for selection and recover any support funds or other awards provided by the CSFF KingBonn Director Supporting Program.
2.3 Filmmaking institutions, producers, distributors, or related organizations submitting short films are obligated to ensure the legality and compliance of the submitted works and to guarantee the authenticity of the provided materials. If the relevant materials are found to be inconsistent with the actual situation upon verification, the CSFF Organizing Committee has the right to revoke the applicant's eligibility for selection and recover any support funds, trophies, and certificates.
2.4 The CSFF Organizing Committee will not pay for the mailing costs and insurance fees for the submitted short films and materials. They also will not be responsible for film loss and damage arising from the mailing process, as well as material loss, errors, or damage caused by any force majeure. All submitted short films' mobile storage media and related materials will not be returned. Applicants are advised to keep their own backups.
2.5 For any entries under review of the CSFF, an application cancellation will not be approved.
3. Notices for Publicity and Promotion
3.1 By submitting a short film for selection, the applicant implicitly agrees to grant long-term free authorization to the CSFF Organizing Committee and its executing organizations to publish and disseminate the film's synopsis, posters, photos of the main creators, and other relevant information across various media, including newspapers, television, the Internet, mobile platforms, promotional printed materials, publications, and the CSFF's official website (www.csff.com.cn). Submission is considered as consent for public disclosure.
3.2 By submitting a short film for selection, the applicant implicitly agrees to grant authorization to the CSFF Organizing Committee and its executing organizations to act as non-exclusive agents to recommend the short film for participation in other competitions, screenings, and festival events. The CSFF Organizing Committee will provide the filmmakers with information and explanations regarding these activities and will take necessary measures to protect copyright and the rights and interests of the director.
3.3 Unless otherwise stated, by submitting a short film for selection, the applicant implicitly agrees to grant long-term free authorization to the CSFF Organizing Committee and its executing organizations to edit and clip the content of its short film. Its excerpts may be used for non-commercial, non-profit publicity and promotional purposes.
3.4 Unless otherwise stated, by submitting a short film for selection, the applicant implicitly agrees to grant authorization to the CSFF Organizing Committee and its executing organizations to upload the short film to the CSFF official website or television channels and third-party online information dissemination platforms in collaboration with the CSFF Organizing Committee and its executing organizations for non-commercial, time-limited online screenings. The CSFF Organizing Committee takes necessary measures to protect the copyright of the submitted short films and the rights and interests of the directors. By submitting a short film for selection, the applicant implicitly agrees not to charge any fees related to the aforementioned authorizations.
4. Selection
4.1 The selection process for the CSFF KingBonn Director Supporting Program consists of three stages: the preliminary selection, second-round selection, and final evaluation. The preliminary selection is conducted by the Preliminary Selection Committee, which reviews the qualifications of the submitted short films, identifies the works that advance, and recommends short films for the International Short Film Screening. The second-round selection is carried out by the Second-round selection Committee, which groups and screens the entries to determine the shortlisted works. The final evaluation is completed by the International Selection Committee, which determines the finalist works for the CSFF KingBonn Director Supporting Program.
4.2 The Preliminary Selection Committee, Second-round selection Committee, and International Selection Committee are comprised of professionals, including experts, scholars, film critics, directors, scriptwriters, and actors/actresses from the film/TV and new media industries. They perform their duties per the selection criteria established by the CSFF Organizing Committee.
5. Notice for Entrants
5.1 The CSFF Organizing Committee will invite the entrants of the CSFF KingBonn Director Supporting Program, as well as directors whose works are chosen for the International Short Film Screening, to participate in activities in Shenzhen that year. The CSFF Organizing Committee will cover the hotel expenses during their stay in Shenzhen and round-trip transportation expenses for the invited participants. Each short film is entitled to one invited participant. If a short film is co-created by multiple directors, the CSFF Organizing Committee will only cover the expenses for one individual. The invitation is non-transferable to third parties.
5.2 The CSFF Organizing Committee and its executing organizations will conduct short-term offline exhibitions and screenings of the selected works in public venues such as cinemas, universities and colleges, and squares, facilitating exchanges and sharing.
5.3 The CSFF Organizing Committee and its executing organizations will provide shortlisted directors with priority access to participate in the CSFF's venture projects. They will also support subsequent participation in the China (Shenzhen) International TV Drama & TV Program Fair for discussions on cooperation. Support will also be given to recommending eligible works for participation in quality project funding of Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, and China.
5.4 Shortlisted directors with creative projects or WIP projects will have the chance to receive support from the Organizing Committee and its executive organization, including but not limited to script evaluations, investment and financing, and distribution promotion.
5.5 The shortlisted directors will have the opportunity to be invited to participate in film and television project creation organized by the CSFF Organizing Committee and its executing organizations.
5.6 The CSFF Organizing Committee and its executing organizations will provide shortlisted directors and their main creative teams with opportunities for exclusive interviews, which will be disseminated on the CSFF's official platforms and through partner media outlets.
6. Publication of the Finalist Works
The finalist directors and works of the CSFF KingBonn Director Supporting Program will be determined by the International Selection Committee. The results will be announced at the CSFF KingBonn Director Supporting Programs' annual release ceremony. The designated platform for announcing the list of the finalist works is the CSFF official website.
CSFF official website: https://csff.com.cn/
7. Regulations on Award Distribution for the Finalist Works
7.1 The finalist directors of the CSFF KingBonn Director Supporting Program will receive support funds, and a certificate of honor issued by the CSFF Organizing Committee (specifics shall be subjected to the award granting guidelines for that year).
7.2 The support funding is designated for assisting the finalist director in the creation of their next works and must be collected by the director herself/himself. The finalist directors must sign a funding disbursement agreement with the CSFF Organizing Committee and cooperate in providing all necessary materials for the disbursement of support funds. All entities involved in the materials must be consistent with the finalist directors.
7.3If the submitted work involves directors and other rights holders who have separate reward distribution agreements, it is the responsibility of the applicant (individual or organization) to negotiate and reach consensus with those rights holders. The applicant must provide confirmation documents from all relevant rights holders, including but not limited to account information verification letters, authorization letters, and obligation fulfillment plans.
If any copyright disputes are confirmed to exist, the CSFF Organizing Committee reserves the right to revoke the applicant’s finalist status and withdraw the support funding, trophy, and certificate.
7.4 In the case of co-directing, the certificate will be awarded to each director, while there is only one trophy and the amount of the supporting funds remains unchanged. After receiving the accurate materials from the selected director, the CSFF Organizing Committee will abide by the relevant provisions of the Regulations for the Implementation of the Individual Income Tax Law of the People's Republic of China and pay the actual amount after deducting individual income tax.
7.5 The certificate of honor will be awarded during the CSFF KingBonn Awards' annual release ceremony. If a finalist director is not present to receive their award, the CSFF Organizing Committee will keep it. If a finalist director requests that the trophy and certificate be mailed, the mailing costs will be borne by the director. The CSFF Organizing Committee will not be responsible for any loss or damage incurred during the mailing process.
8. Supplementary Regulations
8.1 Any dispute or litigation request should be submitted to the court in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, and be handled in accordance with the laws and regulations of the People's Republic of China.
8.2 The CSFF Organizing Committee reserves the right to amend the terms, rules, or other relevant provisions in the Regulations on Short Film Collection of CSFF KingBonn Director Supporting Program.
8.3 The Regulations shall take effect immediately upon publication. By submitting a short film and registering for the selection, all the organizations and individuals are deemed to have understood, familiarized themselves with, and agreed to the above-mentioned matters and explanations.
8.4 The CSFF Organizing Committee reserves the right of final interpretation of this Regulation.
Organizing Committee of
China International New Media Short Film Festival
July 2025
