RULES, TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR GIFF (Gippsland International Film Festival)
1. TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1.1 Rules & Regulations
The following rules and regulations relate to the submission of the following project types, which include: posters, related artwork, short films, trailers, feature films, featurettes, music videos, web series, short animations and documentaries (referred to as the “Project”) for consideration in Gippsland International Film Festival (hereinafter referred to as the “Festival”).
By agreeing to the Terms and Conditions found here, the person submitting the Project (hereinafter referred to as the “Applicant”) acknowledges that they have obtained consent from all relevant owners, creators, writers, producers, and/or other authorised representatives of the Project (collectively referred to as the “Project’s Owners”), whose consent is required to submit the Project to the Festival, and have read and understood the submission rules and regulations set forth below.
1.2 Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with international contract law. The Applicant agrees to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Australia for any disputes that may arise.
1.3 Force Majeure
The Festival shall not be held liable for any delay or failure to fulfil its obligation(s) due to circumstances beyond its control. This includes: natural disasters such as bushfires, flooding or other climate related disasters, pandemics, changes in governmental restrictions, strikes, or any unforeseen events that hinder or change the Festival’s ability to screen films as required.
1.4 Severability
Should any provision of these Terms be deemed invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, such provision will be severed or limited to the minimum extent necessary. The remaining provisions of these Terms shall continue to remain in full force and effect.
2. SUBMISSION
2.1 Eligibility Criteria. All projects submitted must be the original work of the Applicant. Submissions must not infringe on any intellectual property rights or be subject to ongoing legal disputes. Projects that contain unlicensed content, explicit pornography, or promote hate speech, or any material deemed inappropriate by the Festival will be disqualified.
2.2 Each submission must be accompanied by the applicable submission fee. The Applicant is responsible for ensuring all required materials are complete and submitted before the submission deadline. Incomplete submissions may be removed from the selection of films to screen at the Festival. The submission fee is non-refundable.
2.3 Selection Process. The selection of projects for screening is conducted by the Festival's programming team and/or jury panel. Films will be ranked by the panel and nominated for awards by each panel member. The decision is final and based on the selection criteria used by panel members. The Festival reserves the right to withdraw selections if deemed necessary and at its sole discretion. Feedback on individual submissions will not be provided, and the Festival will not engage in discussions regarding the reasons for their selection. Additionally, the Festival is under no obligation to disclose the results of the selection method employed by the team in the selection process. Additionally The Festival reserves the right to solicit filmmakers for it's program to fill The Festival program and run times if too fewer a number or inappropriate films are submitted. Films offered a full waiver to screen at The Festival will be ineligible for prize and/or award status.
2.4 Withdrawal of Submission. Applicants may request to withdraw their project by submitting their notice to the Festival. However, submission fees are non-refundable under any circumstances. The Festival will not accept withdrawal requests based solely on changes to event dates, location, or Applicant’s decision to release the film online or elsewhere. Withdrawal requests for such reasons will not be considered valid, and the Applicant will not be entitled to a refund or compensation.
2.5 Any non-English speaking films submitted must have accompanying subtitles in English.
3. SCREENING
3.1 Screening Rights. By submitting the Project, the Applicant grants the Festival the right to screen the Project as part of the event, in both physical and virtual formats. This grant includes the right to use excerpts or stills from the Project for promotional purposes in connection with the Festival but does not transfer copyright or ownership of the Project to the Festival.
3.2 GIFF does not require a 'premiere status' for screening any Projects at The Festival, nor do we require or demand any exclusive rights to screen the Project. Projects available publicly online may still be considered for the Festival. The Festival is also currently not accepting films made by the use of AI due to a number of ethical concerns about the technology. Failure to disclose the use of AI will render any Project ineligible for any awards and prizes an be disqualified and/or removed from the Festival.
3.3 Festival’s Selection Rights. GIFF (Gippsland International Film Festival) reserves the sole and exclusive right to choose which Projects will be shown during the Festival.
3.4 Proof for Entry Status. Applicants that select entry status as 'Student' must provide proof in the form of a valid student card on request. Applicants that select 'Regional', 'Victorian', 'Australian' or 'Gippsland' must be able to provide proof on request in form of address with valid postcode to be eligible for award or prize status if selected.
4. OWNERSHIP
4.1 The Applicant is solely responsible for clearing all content of the Project from any and all actual or potential legal claims or issues. These may include, without limitation, claims based on libel, defamation, slander, invasion of privacy, violation of rights of publicity, theft or misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of confidence, breach of a confidential relationship, and breach of expressed or implied contract (“Third Party Claim(s)”).
4.2 The Festival expressly disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held liable for, the unauthorised inclusion of any trademarked content or materials within the submitted Project. This includes content that may lead to Third Party Claims based on the aforementioned legal theories or others. The Festival reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees previously paid by the Applicant, any Project that is or may become the subject of Third Party Claims. In the event that any Third Party Claim(s) are asserted by any person or entity, the Applicant shall fully indemnify and hold harmless the programmers, the Festival, and their representatives and affiliates from any liability arising in connection with such claims, including any fees and expenses, such as legal fees, incurred as a result.
4.3 Insurance Requirements. The Applicant is solely responsible for obtaining and maintaining appropriate insurance coverage for their Project, including liability, theft, or damage protection. The Festival disclaims all liability for any damage, loss, or destruction of submitted materials.
4.4 Non-Return of Materials: The Festival is not obligated to return any materials submitted during the Festival process to the Applicant. GIFF is only accepting short films via Google Drive or Wetransfer or other digital file transfer systems. The Applicant is responsible for keeping their own digital copies of the Project. If The Festival screens a feature length film, the Applicant agrees to pay for all arrangements for the delivery and return of any hard disks.
4.5 Liability for Property Provided: The Applicant acknowledges and agrees that the Festival or any of its affiliates shall not be held liable for any damage, loss, theft, or destruction of submitted materials, including hard drives, digital files, or any other property submitted to the Festival. This applies to all items submitted and the Applicant assumes full responsibility for the condition and security of their materials.
4.6 No Obligation to Maintain or Search for Materials: The Festival is not obligated to take specific action to protect or store any submitted materials. The Festival does not assume responsibility for the storage, upkeep, or tracking of any materials. In the event of lost or misplaced materials, the Festival is under no obligation to search for or retrieve any submitted content, nor is the Festival responsible for the costs associated with such actions.
5. FESTIVAL RIGHTS
5.1 The Festival reserves the right to change the dates, times, or schedule of viewing for selected Projects, or any dates related to the Festival. The Applicant acknowledges and accepts that the Festival and its affiliates have no control over natural disasters, acts of nature, or emergency circumstances that lead to changes in the Festival schedule. The Festival will make good faith efforts to inform Applicants of any date or time changes in advance, if possible.
5.2 The Festival and it's programmers are under no obligation to provide comments, feedback, or any other information to the Applicant or any representative of the Project regarding the submitted Project. This includes any information about the manner in which the Project was ranked and/or reviewed, the views held by its reviewers, the reasons for non-acceptance of the Project, or any other information regarding the Festival’s consideration and/or selection process beyond what is set forth herein.
5.3 The Festival expressly deny responsibility for any promises, offers for distribution, options, or other offers made by attendees, Festival staff, or third parties. The Festival will act solely as a platform for Applicants to submit Projects for exposure and viewing by audiences. The Festival is not responsible for facilitating any distribution deals, options, or other commercial agreements.
5.4 Data Collection. The Festival collects personal data solely for operational purposes, including communication and coordination related to the event. Personal data will not be sold or shared with third parties without the Applicant’s explicit consent. The Festival complies with all relevant data protection laws and ensures that the Applicant's information is handled responsibly and securely.
6. ADVERTISING
6.1 By submitting the project, the Applicant agrees that GIFF may award the Project 'not selected', 'finalist', 'official selection', or 'category winner' status. The Festival may use extracts of the project for Festival-related advertising both online and in print, for a period of 7 years from the date of submission.
6.2 The Applicant acknowledges and agrees that by submitting the project, they transfer the necessary rights to the Festival to use imagery and extracts from the project for advertising purposes. This transfer of rights includes, but is not limited to, promotional use in online and social media campaigns (including, but not limited to, Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter) and YouTube), as well as print campaigns such as posters, advertisements, and media publications, for a period of 7 years from the date of submission.
The Applicant affirms that they have the legal authority to grant such rights and that no third-party rights (including but not limited to music, footage, and images) are infringed by such use. The Festival is not responsible for any claims arising from the use of any third-party materials and the Applicant shall indemnify the Festival against any such claims.
7. COMMUNICATION
7.1 Upon completion of the Festival selection process, the Festival will attempt to contact the Applicant via email using the contact information provided on the submission form to notify the Applicant of the Project’s acceptance status. The Festival is not responsible for, and will not be held liable for, any failure to contact the Applicant if the contact information provided is incorrect or outdated. It is the Applicant's sole responsibility to ensure that the contact information remains accurate throughout the selection period. Applicants must also ensure they are subscribed to FilmFreeway's emails to receive the latest updates regarding their Project's status.
7.2 Applicants may access up-to-date results via FilmFreeway at any time, regardless of direct email communication. Should an Applicant fail to receive updates due to incorrect contact information or failure to check FilmFreeway, the Festival will not be held accountable. Additionally, leaving a low review based on an inability to gain access to email updates will result in disqualification, removal from any position attained (such as Finalist), and the project will be marked as Not-Selected. FilmFreeway results will be available on the notification date as per FilmFreeway’s code of conduct.
7.3 Harassment, Discrimination, and Disruptive Behaviour. The Festival maintains a zero-tolerance policy for harassment, discrimination, or disruptive behaviour, whether in-person, via email, social media, or through any other written correspondence. All participants, including Applicants, attendees, and staff, must act respectfully and professionally at all times. Violations of this policy, including inappropriate or offensive communication, may result in removal from the event, disqualification from future participation, or legal action.
7.4 Public Listings and Promotion. The Festival reserves the right to list selected projects and related information on the Festival’s official website, FilmFreeway, or other promotional platforms, without the need for individual reference or prior approval from the Applicants. This may include, but is not limited to, titles, genres, or other project details. The Festival may choose to display project images without including the film’s name or the Applicant’s identity for promotional purposes. By submitting to the Festival, Applicants grant the Festival permission to use such materials as part of the Festival’s promotional efforts.
8. PRIZES
8.1 The Company reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice in the event of a natural catastrophe, war, strikes, disturbance, act of God, or any actual or anticipated breach of any applicable law or regulation, or any other event outside the Festival’s control. Any changes to the competition will be communicated to the Applicant as soon as possible by the Festival. The Festival is not responsible for any inaccurate prize details supplied to any Applicant by any third party (such as FilmFreeway) connected with this competition. No cash alternative to the prizes will be offered under any circumstances; this decision is final and not negotiable. The prizes are non-transferable and must be accepted as awarded.
8.2 Prizes are subject to availability, and the Festival reserves the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value at its discretion and without prior notice. It may be the case that prizes cannot be awarded for award winning films. The Festival will notify the winner of when and where the prize can be collected. The Festival’s decision regarding all matters related to the competition, including the awarding of prizes, will be final. No correspondence will be entered into regarding the competition results or the prize allocation.
9. ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS
9.1 By submitting a Project the Applicant indicates their acceptance and agreement to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. This includes adhering to all rules, regulations, deadlines, and instructions set forth by GIFF. The Applicant also acknowledges that they have all the necessary rights and permissions for the Project, and that their submission complies with all legal requirements. In addition, the Applicant agrees to follow any requirements or changes communicated by the Festival.
Should any kind of dispute arise related to the submission to the Festival, the Applicant agrees to resolve such issues in accordance with the specified governing laws and jurisdiction outlined in these Terms and Conditions.
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