1. Film Competition
1.1 The organizer of the European Wildlife Film Awards (EWFA) is the private non-profit organization Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung, Christoph-Probst-Weg 4, 20251 Hamburg.
The venue is the Nature Film Theatre in the Wildlife Embassy in Hamburg's HafenCity, Lucy-Borchardt-Str.2, 20457 Hamburg
1.2 Eligibility
Eligible for the European Wildlife Film Awards are documentary films featuring nature, animals and/or environmental issues in Europe and were completed no more than three years before the time of submission.
The submitted productions must have a minimum length of 40 minutes.
Productions with a maximum length of 15 minutes can be submitted in the short film category. Non-documentary films are also welcome in this category.
If the original version is not in German or English language, the film must have clearly legible German or English subtitles.
1.3 Categories & Endowments
Films can be entered for one or more of the following categories. The jury has the option of subsequently changing the chosen submission category.
Best European Film: Wildlife | Endowment 15,000 Euros
The most amazing wildlife film of the year will be honored with this award. The animal species shown must occur in the wild in Europe. The film must meet the highest overall quality standards.
Best European Film: Biodiversity | Endowment 10,000 Euros
This award will go to a film that shows the diversity, interconnectedness and vulnerability of Europe's ecosystems and its native flora and fauna in a unique way.
Best European Film: Nature Conservation | Endowment 10,000 Euros
This award is given to an outstanding film that focuses on measures or people who aim to protect biodiversity, nature and species in Europe.
Best Director/Best Story | Endowment 5,000 Euros
This award recognizes outstanding directorial work and/or the best story in a film.
Best Short Film | Endowment 2,500 Euros
The short film award will go to a film presenting a wildlife, nature or conservation topic in a way that captivates the audience due to originality, cinematic quality, a good story or special aesthetics. All genres are welcome. Duration max. 15 minutes.
Audience Award | Endowment 5,000 Euros
The audience will rate each of the films that have been officially selected for the festival program. The film with the best overall rating will receive this award which is always presented the following year. Films cannot be submitted for this category.
1.4 Jury
At the EWFA, prizes are awarded in various categories and the awardees are chosen by an independent jury. The jury is appointed by the organizer. The decisions of the juries are final and cannot be contested. The same applies to the results of the secret ballot by the audience, which determines the winners of the audience prizes. Legal recourse is excluded with regard to the decision-making process for the winners and any assessment of the films submitted
1.5 Prize Winners, Prize Money
The submitters are responsible for the distribution of the prize money. Prize money will be awarded in varying amounts. The submitters are responsible for the distribution of the prize money. The respective amounts and the endowed categories may vary.
Prizes are not transferable. All subsequent costs associated with the prize are to be borne by the winner.
If the respective winner does not accept the prize within 30 days of the end of the film competition, the claim to the prize will lapse. The entitlement to the prize shall also lapse if the prize cannot be handed over to the respective winner for reasons for which the winner is responsible. This applies in particular if the e-mail or postal address or other information provided is incorrect.
1.6 Festival Program
Films nominated for the competition and others selected for the program will be shown 1-2 times as part of the EWFA's year-round program, from February to February, at the Naturfilmkino in Hamburg HafenCity. The submitter will be informed of the screening times as soon as the festival program has been determined.
In addition, "Best of EWFA" events may take place in a different setting after prior consultation with the submitters. The aim of these events is not only to promote the competition, but above all to give the nature and wildlife film genre a forum that opens up new audiences.
There is no entitlement to remuneration for the projection of the films at the above-mentioned events.
1.7. Registration, Deadlines and Fees
Film submissions for the 2025 Awards are possible from March 1, 2024 - May 31, 2024 on FilmFreeway only.
One entry must be made per film (for series per part).
The submission fee is €35 and includes all suitable categories.
The submission of short films is free of charge.
The following must be submitted on the EWFA platform on FilmFreeway:
- a viewing copy
- a 50-80 word synopsis of the film (basis for the film description in the program catalog)
- Complete and detailed cast information according to the credits of the film (basis for the filmographic information in print and online, as well as certificates if applicable)
- At least three good photos of the production (300 dpi/ 20x30cm) including copyright information in the file name. By submitting the photos, the publication rights for these photos are granted for advertising and/or illustration purposes (print and online)
- a film trailer (Link), if available, otherwise a time code reference to a particularly strong scene (approx. 40 seconds). With the submission of the trailer, the publication rights for advertising purposes/public relations (online) are granted.
-Short CV (max. 500 characters incl. spaces) and photo of the director(s)
Optional:
- press clippings and press kit,
- Links to relevant social media channels (film/director/production etc.)
All required documents and the submission fee must be received by the submission deadline May 31st 2024.
1.8 Submission of the screening copy
If your film is selected for the program or the competition, you will be informed and a screening copy will be requested from you, which must meet the following quality standards:
Full HD/ resolution min. 1920 x 1080 pixel
Container: MP4 preferred
Video H.264 high profile /bit rate min. 10,000 Kbit/s
Audio AAC, min. 320 Kbit/s, 48 kHz
If a selected entry is not available in the above-mentioned quality by the agreed deadline, the organizer reserves the right to remove the entry from the competition.
1.9 Use and Rights
By submitting, the submitter declares that he/she is authorized to submit the film and has all the necessary rights for the uses specified in these regulations, as well as being entitled to transfer these rights of use and that no copyrights or ancillary copyrights or personal rights of third parties are infringed as a result. In the event of an infringement of such rights, any resulting claims and costs would be the complete responsibility of the submitter.
The submitter further declares that he/she will make the submitted film available free of charge for public screenings at the events mentioned in 1.6. and gives his/her consent for the submitted production to be included in the EWFA archive.
The submitter agrees that excerpts of up to three minutes from the submitted productions as well as film images may be used free of charge for the public relations work of the festival (radio/television/internet/print), provided the copyright is stated.
The organizer undertakes to use the submitted films only for the purposes stated in the regulations. Any other use not mentioned in these conditions of participation will be discussed with the submitter and requires his/her consent.
2. Liability
The following regulations apply to the liability of the organizer as well as to the liability of its employees, vicarious agents and assistants - regardless of the legal grounds:
a. The organizer shall be liable without limitation for intentional and grossly negligent breaches of duty as well as for breaches of essential contractual obligations, i.e. those obligations whose fulfillment is essential for the proper execution of the contract and on whose compliance the entrant regularly relies and may rely.
b. Otherwise, the organizer's liability for slightly negligent breaches of duty shall be limited to the amount of damage typically foreseeable at the time of conclusion of this participation agreement.
c. The above limitations of liability do not apply to claims for damages resulting from injury to life, limb or health.
3. Code of Conduct
The submitter acknowledges that his/her conduct in connection with the film competition may have an influence on the public perception of the film competition. The entrant will endeavor to contribute to a positive public image of the film competition (including posts/statements on the entrant's social media channels, e.g. X, Instagram). The entrant shall refrain from behaving in an offensive, defamatory and/or otherwise improper manner in the context of the film competition, in particular from using offensive, derogatory and/or profane language. Should such behavior by the entrant nevertheless occur, the entrant concerned will immediately distance him/herself from this behavior in public.
4. Data Protection:
By submitting his/her film, the submitter confirms that he/she has obtained knowledge of the organizer's data protection information.
5. Final Provisions
The submission of a film cannot be revoked and is deemed to constitute acceptance of the above regulations. In case of doubt, the German version of the regulations shall apply.
The organizer reserves the right to cancel or reschedule the film competition and to change the competition structure, provided that such changes are necessary at its reasonable discretion and do not conflict with the legitimate interests of the entrants. The organizer further reserves the right to make any changes necessary to comply with legal requirements.
The organizer also reserves the right to exclude individual participants due to breaches of contract or similar. An important reason may be, in particular, that the entrant violates the rules of the film competition and/or the rules of conduct according to No. 3.
These Terms and Conditions of Participation constitute the entire agreement between the Organizer and the Entrant with respect to the matters set forth herein and supersede all other oral or written agreements previously made between the Organizer and the Entrant with respect to such matters. All amendments and additions to these Terms and Conditions of Participation must be made in writing in order to be valid.
The rights and/or obligations arising from these Terms and Conditions of Participation may only be transferred or assigned to third parties by the entrant with the prior written consent of the organizer. The entrant hereby agrees that the Organizer may transfer its rights and obligations arising from these Terms and Conditions of Participation in whole (assumption of contract) or in part to affiliated companies.
If any provisions of these Terms and Conditions of Participation are unenforceable or invalid, this shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions.
Personal designations refer to men, women and various persons, even if only the male form is mentioned.
These conditions of participation are subject to German law. The exclusive place of jurisdiction is Hamburg. Febuary 2024
