EVENT DATES
Summer Online Film Series: June 1 - August 31
Winter Online Film Series: January 1 - March 31
Theatrical Screening: TBA

MISSION & OBJECTIVE
Here at the CineManiacs Short Film Festival, we encourage an intellectual dialogue between filmmakers and viewers. That’s why each film accepted to the festival will accompany an official critique and be available online to view and comment on throughout the season to promote an ongoing conversation.
Members of the CineManiacs Short Film Festival committee are active in the world of independent filmmaking and hail from a multitude of specialties within the craft.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

NOTIFICATION DATE
Summer Online Film Series: Approximately June 1, 2017 via email
Winter Online Film Series: Approximately January 1, 2017 via email

RUNTIME
Shorts: maximum 40 minutes

COMPLETION DATE
Films within the last five years

PLACE OF ORIGIN
Projects may originate from anywhere in the world

PREMIERE STATUS
No premiere requirement 

DISTRIBUTION STATUS
Projects may not have distribution 

GENERAL RULES
The CineManiacs Short Film Festival accepts all film genres: short films, narrative (drama, comedy, horror, sci-fi, fantasy), experimental, screendance, animation, and documentary. Specify only one main Category for your film. Films should have a total run time of no more than 40 minutes but we would prefer shorter films ideally.

Films or videos using non-licensed, copyrighted musical or literary properties without legal permission are not eligible. The competition is open to professional and nonprofessional filmmakers. Entries must be submitted in the completed form in which they will be judged. The decisions of the Jury are final.

We accept films from the United States and International entries, however non-English language films must be subtitled in English. Accepted films must be submitted in the following file formats: High Quality h.264 MP4 or MOV with a file size less than 10GB. All entries must submit preview screeners via online through FilmFreeway. Any other method must receive prior approval from the festival.

Awards & Prizes

For both Online Film Series:
Best Picture
An award certificate will be issued to the Best Picture of the Online Summer Series and that film will be automatically entered into the Theatrical Screening to be in competition for the $250 Audience Choice Award.

Audience Choice Award
The films that move on from the Online Film Series to the Theatrical Screening in Long Beach, CA will be in contention for the cash prize of $250. Only one film will be chosen for the Audience Choice award at the live screening.

Rules & Terms

GENERAL RULES
The CineManiacs Short Film Festival accepts all film genres: short films, narrative (drama, comedy, horror, sci-fi, fantasy), experimental, screendance, animation, and documentary. Specify only one main Category for your film. Films should have a total run time of no more than 40 minutes but we would prefer shorter films ideally.

Films or videos using non-licensed, copyrighted musical or literary properties without legal permission are not eligible. The competition is open to professional and nonprofessional filmmakers. Entries must be submitted in the completed form in which they will be judged. The decisions of the Jury are final.

We accept films from the United States and International entries, however non-English language films must be subtitled in English. Accepted films must be submitted in the following file formats: High Quality h.264 MP4 or MOV with a file size less than 10GB. All entries must submit preview screeners via online through FilmFreeway. Any other method must receive prior approval from the festival.

ENTRY FEES
Entry does not guarantee acceptance into the festival. Submission materials WILL NOT be returned. We accept submissions that have premiered elsewhere. Multiple entries are allowed; however a separate entry form and fee must be submitted for each entry.

The nonrefundable fee covers screening and administrative costs, and will not be returned.

SELECTION and NOTIFICATION
All entries will be viewed by the selection committee. The Festival will make no cuts or changes. Festival selections will be announced on our around June 1 for the Summer Series and January 1 for the Winter Series. All entrants will be notified by email. The festival does not pay rental fees for submitted work.

SCREENING PLATFORMS
Films accepted to either the Summer Online Film Series or the Winter Online Film Series will be eligible for the theatrical screening in Long Beach, CA. The Online Series will be hosted by Vimeo OnDemand along with their critiques for a period of three months.

For more information e-mail us at info@cinemaniacshd.com. We will respond within 24hrs.

The Filmmaker holds CineManiacsHD.com and the CineManiacs Short Film Festival, its management, juries, subsidiaries, agents, sponsors, affiliates, and etc. harmless from any and all claims of liability resulting from entry. The Filmmaker certifies to have full screening rights for the submitted film and approves the inclusion of the submitted film to a Vimeo OnDemand page for a period of three months for a 24hr audience rental and inclusion in the CineManiacs Live Theatrical Screening in Long Beach, CA. The Festival will not hold screening rights past these events. The profit associated with the Vimeo OnDemand page and ticket sales is to cover administrative costs and is not intended to be paid to the Filmmaker. The Filmmaker will indemnify the organizers of the Festival against all claims, demands, costs, damages, expenses (including legal fees), proceedings and losses resulting from the screening of the film at the Festival or from claims by any third parties.