Future Gate Sci-fi Film Festival

FUTURE GATE SCI-FI FILM FESTIVAL 2026
RULES AND REGULATIONS

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Art. 1 Introduction
Future Gate Sci-fi Film Festival (hereafter referred to as “Festival”) is a genre science fiction festival based in the Czech Republic. The Festival's aim is to boost interest in science fiction films and culture and also to present new technologies existing in or reminiscent of said films. The Festival screens new genre films from all over the world, pays tribute to legendary masterpieces, and further screens accompanying documentaries, short films and series marathons.

Art. 2 Organizer
Future Gate Sci-fi Film Festival is organized by a non-profit organization Future Gate z.s., based in Prague. The Festival is supported by the Czech Ministry of Culture, and municipalities of Prague, Brno, Pilsen, Hradec Kralove, Olomouc, Prague 1 District and Olomouc region.

The address of the Festival headquarters is:
Future Gate z.s.
Jana Zajice 973/5
170 00 Prague
Czech republic
hello@futuregate.cz
www.futuregate.cz

Art. 3 The 2026 Edition
The main programme of the next Festival will take place in Prague from 28th September to 4th October 2026. Then the Festival continues in Brno from the 5th to the 11th of October 2026 and later in Šumperk, Košice (Slovakia), Hradec Králové, Olomouc, Hodonín, Boskovice and Pilsen.

COMPETITION
Art 4 Competition Sections
The main competition is a competition of international feature-length science-fiction films. The minimum running time of the film in the competition is 70 minutes. The film must be completed 24 months prior to the Festival, shot in any format, and classified as a science-fiction genre in its broadest sense. None of the films must be released in the Czech Republic prior to the Festival. The Festival Jury awards the Best Film and the audience votes for the Audience Award.

The Student Films section is dedicated to young filmmakers from the Czech and Slovak republics till 30 years old. The Festival Jury will choose 3 best films.

Art. 5 Submissions Procedure
Any film that meets the criteria in Article 4 of the Festival's Rules and Regulations can be submitted. In order to participate in the selection process, film presenters shall submit their films through the FilmFreeway platform, accessible via the Festival’s website (www.futuregate.cz). The submitted film must be either in English or have English subtitles. The final deadline for submissions is June 30, 2026. By the same date, film presenters shall grant the members of the Selection Committee access to a digital (online) copy (screener) of the film. All decisions concerning the selection and the programming are at the Selection Committee's sole discretion. The Selection Committee is entitled to derogate from the provisions of the foregoing articles. The members of the Selection Committee are not obliged to provide any clarification on the criteria applied to the selection of the submitted films.

SELECTED FILMS
Art. 6 Withdrawn
No film selected may be withdrawn from the Festival program after its participation has been officially confirmed by the producer, the world sales company, the rights owner and/or any other representative.

Art 7. Screening Copy
The Festival must receive the screening copy prior to the 10th of September, 2026. The Festival's accepted screening format is DCP or BluRay. A digital delivery is preferred. The address for sending the copy is:

Future Gate z.s.
Jana Zajice 973/5
Prague
170 00
Czech Republic

Art 8 Complementary Materials
Films in the competition shall also provide the Festival with the following materials:
- a full and detailed technical sheet;
- a synopsis, director’s bio-filmography and statement on the film;
- film stills and poster/s;
- a picture of the director;
- a dialogue list in the original language of the film;
- a time-coded file of the English subtitles (for films not in the English language)
- video clips for promotional purposes

The above materials shall be delivered to the Festival no later than August 15th, 2026.

Art 9 Shipping and insurance costs
The Festival must receive the screening copy prior to the 15th of September, 2026. The copies will be shipped back within one week from the end of the Festival; it is the film presenters' responsibility to inform the Festival of the address of dispatch.

Costs related to ensuring the screening copy against loss or complete or partial damage for the period after it is received by the Festival until its return to the delivery agent are the responsibility of the Festival. In the event of damage to or loss of the screening copy during the Festival, the Festival is only responsible for the cost of producing a new screening copy based on current standard laboratory rates.

Complaints regarding the technical condition of the returned screening copy must be reported to the Festival in writing within 7 days after being received. The insurance does not cover damages sustained during normal screening use.

AWARDS AND JURY
Art 10 Competition Jury Award
The jury selects the winner of the Jury Award from all films in the main competition section. There is only one winner. The winning film will receive the statuette and will be able to use the mention of the Future Gate Sci-fi Film Festival Best Film for promoting purposes of the film, including the official laurel stamp graphic design provided by the Festival.

The Jury may also award up to a maximum of one Special Jury Mention. The film can not be the winner of the main competition Jury Award. The winner will receive a certificate and will be able to mention the certificate while promoting the film.

Art 11 Jury
The international jury consists of three (3) film professionals. It could be filmmakers, film producers, film journalists and theorists or important film culture personas. The jury members must not have participated in the making or the commercial exploitation of any film in the competition they are judging. Jury members are sworn to secrecy.

Art 12 Competition Audience Award
The audience in the Festival cities of Prague and Brno will have the chance to vote for a film that will receive the Audience Award. Each spectator will have one vote for each film in the competition. The points received in each city will be added up and the final results will be known after the last screening of the competition section. The winning film will receive the statuette and will be able to use the mention of the Future Gate Sci-fi Film Festival Audience Award for promoting purposes of the film, including the official laurel stamp graphic design provided by the Festival.

Art 13 Competition Student Award
The latest competition is dedicated to student filmmakers. Film must be completed by January 1st, 2025 earliest, shot in any format, and classified as science-fiction genre in their broadest sense. Only films made in the Czech and Slovak Republic and made by students can be summited. The maximum running time of the film in the competition is 30 minutes. The Festival Jury will choose 3 best films. The winner will receive the statuette and will be able to use the mention of the Future Gate Sci-fi Film Festival Best Student Film for promoting purposes of the film, including the official laurel stamp graphic design provided by the Festival. Also, the authors of the best 3 films will receive a present from festival partners Canon and Biofilms.

CONCLUSION
Art 13 Agreement
Entry and participation of films in the Festival imply agreement with the Rules and Regulations set out herein.

Art 14 Unclear situations
The Director of the Festival reserves the right to make final decisions to any exception not envisaged in the present regulations.