Submission Guidelines (Please ensure you read this carefully)
General Description:
Dots Festival seeks short, human-centered stories from around the globe. We welcome documentary films that explore, question, and illuminate aspects of the human experience in contemporary contexts.
Categories:
Social Issues, Personal Stories, Identity & Culture, Human & Environment, Mental & Physical Health, Migration & Displacement, Community & Relationships, Work & Daily Life, silences, and the small or significant moments that shape who we are.
Eligibility:
-Submissions must be the director’s first, second, or third film.
-Maximum duration: 30 minutes.
-Films must have English subtitles.
-The submitted film must be completed; works-in-progress will not be considered.
Submission Period:
Opens: December 10, 2025
Closes: April 20, 2026
Late submissions will not be accepted.
How to Submit:
-All submissions must be made exclusively via FilmFreeway through the Festival’s official profile.
-Submission fee: Early bird €7 per entry. Regular deadline €9.
-Participants must ensure all information on FilmFreeway is accurate and complete.
Technical Requirements:
-File format: .mp4
-Encoding: H.264
-Resolution: 1920×1080
-Aspect ratio: 16:9
-Scan type: Progressive
-Video bitrate: 10–12 Mbps
-Frame rate: 25 or 30 fps
-Audio: AAC, 256–320 Kbps, 48 kHz
Press Kit Requirements:
-Director’s short bio (3 lines)
-Film credits and production details (contributors, country, year, duration)
-Film summary (up to 100 words) in English
-Film stills (high resolution)
-Poster (vertical, high-resolution)
-Trailer (optional, 30–90 seconds)
-Social media presence (Instagram,facebook, website, etc)
All files must be compiled into a single PDF named after the director.
Final Deadline for Materials: Film & press kit must be submitted by June 30, 2026
Notification Date for shortlisted films: Typically 6–8 weeks after final submission deadline.
Additional Terms:
By submitting your film, you agree to the following terms:
Please note that no refunds will be issued if the submitted work does not comply with the festival's requirements, including but not limited to duration and content criteria.
Promotional Use: The festival reserves the right to use excerpts of your film (video and/or audio), as well as other press materials, for promotional purposes across various media and platforms.
Catalogue and Website Edits: The festival may edit the film description you provide for inclusion in the festival catalogue, website, and other promotional materials.
Subtitles: If your film contains dialogue or text in a language other than English, both the preview and screening copies must include English subtitles, unless the absence of subtitles is a deliberate artistic choice.
Rights and Clearances: By submitting, you confirm that you hold all necessary rights for both visuals and audio. The film must not infringe upon any third-party rights, including music, images, or other content.
Application Review: The festival reserves the right to reject any application that is incomplete or missing required materials.
Program and Screening Authority: The festival maintains exclusive control over the screening schedule, programming decisions, and venue assignments. Content that does not align with the festival’s objectives may be declined.
Filming and Documentation: Portions of the festival will be filmed for archival and promotional purposes. Attendees and participants may appear in this footage without compensation.
Cancellation Clause: The DOTS Festival organizing team reserves the right to cancel the festival if force majeure circumstances require it. In this case full refunds to the submitters will be applied.
Shortlisted films:
A copyright release declaration, signed by the owner, must be submitted to the Festival organizing team.
An excerpt from each selected film may be used in the Festival trailer and other promotional materials.
-For non-Greek films, it is mandatory to submit:
-the film without embedded subtitles, and
-a separate, synchronized .srt file with English subtitles.
Submission to the DOTS IDFF 2026 implies full acceptance of these guidelines. Submissions are binding, and failure to comply with the regulations may result in disqualification.
