Global Cinema Film Festival of Boston (GCFF) is committed to spotlighting films that make us care. Our annual programs proudly showcase unconventional styles that speak to the evolution of the documentary form. Moreover, through the visual language of film, we invite audiences to embark on a journey, exploring sensitive stories captured by unflinching lenses held by filmmakers with the audacity to inform, inspire and visually transport audiences to places near and far. Our annual editions include award-winning independent films from around the globe. Come and discover extraordinary films that make us care!

We invite and welcome our international community to take part in the 2025 Global Cinema Film Festival of Boston!

Awards & Prizes
Unless otherwise agreed to by Festival programmers in writing, awards will be given to the winning film director.

THE GLOBAL CINEMA FILM FESTIVAL OF BOSTON AWARDS will include a GRAND JURY PRIZE FOR BEST PICTURE (ALL CATEGORIES IN COMPETITION). Awards will be given in various categories.

Please read our rules and regulations below carefully prior to submitting your film for consideration.

GLOBAL CINEMA FILM FESTIVAL OF BOSTON GENERAL RULES:

Submission of a film constitutes acceptance of these Entry Rules & Regulations (by filmmakers and their agents/distributors), please review this document carefully prior to submitting your film for consideration.

***UNLESS GRANTED PRIOR APPROVAL BY FESTIVAL Please note that U.S. Narrative and Documentary Feature Films that have been previously released via any home video platform or other distribution platform including, but not limited to DVD, Blu-ray or video on demand, broadcast on television or the Internet (Youtube/Vimeo) in any country are not eligible for submission to the Festival unless the version submitted is significantly different from the version that was previously released or broadcast***

***Please note prior to submitting your film for consideration that we do not pay screenings fees for titles selected to participate in our annual programs***

ENTRY FEES ARE IN US DOLLARS AND NON-REFUNDABLE

NOTIFICATION DATE: Filmmaker will be notified by email.

NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE FILMS: MUST have English subtitles, no exceptions.
ENTRY MATERIALS: 1) Entry form online along with payment) Downloadable Online Vimeo screeners accepted/preferred (please provide us link and password) or1 DVD or Blu-ray copy of the film, formatted for Zone 1 (North America) labeled with the work’s Title, Running Time, Director(s) name(s).

** ENTRY MATERIAL WILL NOT BE RETURNED AND WILL BE STORED IN OUR ARCHIVES **

MULTIPLE ENTRIES:
A separate submission must be accompanied by its own entry form and each entered work must pay separate submission fee.

IF YOUR FILM IS SELECTED: You must fulfill the following requirements by the date(s) designated by the Festival upon invitation:

You accept responsibility for obtaining any and all clearances necessary to exhibit your film at the Global Cinema Film Festival of Boston, warrant that you have the rights necessary to exhibit your film, indemnify and hold harmless The Global Cinema Film festival of Boston and its affiliates against any claim arising out of exhibition of your film at the Global Cinema Film Festival of Boston.

1. The undersigned represents and warrants to the festival that: (a) The undersigned is duly authorized, on behalf of the undersigned and on behalf of all other persons or entities who have any ownership rights, licenses or interests (including, without limitation, intellectual property rights or distribution licenses) in or relating to the Project (collectively and separately hereafter called the “Project’s Owners”), to permit the festival to exhibit this Project in the Festival and to make the promises, representations and warranties set forth herein, (b) exhibition of the Project in the Festival will not violate any law or any right or consent of any person or entity, whether such exhibition is theatrical (live), digital, or any combination thereof; and (c) the Project is not subject to any litigation, arbitration, or other adversarial claim or proceeding, nor is the Project the subject of any threat of litigation, arbitration, or other adverse claim or proceeding.

2. The undersigned further represents and warrants, on behalf of the undersigned and the Project’s Owners, that the exhibition of the Project in the Festival, whether live, digital, or any combination thereof, will not violate or infringe any copyright, patent, privacy right, publicity right, trademark, service mark or any other personal or property right of any person or entity, and that the Project does not and will not constitute or include any defamation of any person or entity. All license fees, clearance fees, and other obligations, of any kind, arising from or associated with the exhibition of the Project in or in connection with the Festival, have been and will be timely paid in full.

3. The undersigned agrees, on behalf of the undersigned and each of the Project’s Owners, to indemnify and hold harmless the Festival, together with each of their parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, employees, attorneys, creative advisors, agents and representatives (collectively, “GCFF Parties”), from and against any and all claims, losses, liabilities, damages, fees and expenses (including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs) that may be asserted by any person or entity, or may be incurred by the Institute, the Festival, or any GCFF Related Parties, at any time in connection with the Project or the festival’s use, handling, consideration or exhibition thereof, and/or arising from any breach or alleged breach of any representation made by the undersigned to the Institute, the Festival or any related parties, including, without limitation, any express or implied representation in these Terms and Conditions.

4. As the author/director/producer/cinematographer of the screenplay, stageplay, short story, teleplay, TV, film score, radio play, &/or film (material), & etc. I/we have submitted to the GLOBAL CINEMA FILM FESTIVAL OF BOSTON (GCFF). I/we warrant as sole and exclusive owner(s) of all legal right and title thereto have absolute authority to submit the enclosed material to GCFF.

5. I/we will indemnify and hold harmless GCFF, its judges, sponsors and partners, individually and collectively, from and against all claims, demands, losses, damages, costs, liabilities and expenses including legal expenses arising out of or in connection with any and all claims, or third party claims based on material submitted to GCFF.

6. GCFF finalists, winners & filmmakers of selected films will permit GCFF to use title of the work submitted and the logline, their name, contact information and/or likeness & publicity stills, brief film clips, trailers, and/or film footage in pre & post-competition publicity & promotional efforts.

7.If your film is accepted to be shown in The Global Cinema Film Festival of Boston, you and/or your production company, distributors etc. won’t be allowed to withdraw the selected film from our film festival during or prior to the event.

8.The Festival reserves the right to change the date and venue. Event will take place in March, April, or May 2025. We will notify filmmakers of exact dates once their films are accepted. Due to the unprecedented disruption of festival programming around the globe in 2020 as a direct result of COVID-19, our festival dates are always subject to change in the event of a global or national crisis.

9.TICKETS: ALL invited filmmakers will receive two ( 2) VIP ALL ACCESS PAS , which grants access to all film screenings, and festival events.

10. By agreeing this release form I/we understand and agree to all the terms and conditions of submission of materials to this competition, which are listed in this release form, and in the guidelines and entry form.

12. I/we have read, understand and agree to, and will abide by, all of the guidelines, rules & regulations posted for the GCFF.
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TECHNICAL SPECS For FEATURE FILMS
You will be responsible for delivery of the exhibition copy of the invited work in one of the Exhibition Formats specified below to the address designated by the Festival. We exhibit FEATURE FILMS in Dolby DSS200 Digital Cinema Projection (DCP), BLU-RAY, DVD. SOUND CAPABILITIES: Film: Dolby SRD, Dolby SR, Dolby A Video Dolby E, Dolby 5.1,, Left & Right Stereo.

Films in competition will be required to provide a second exhibition copy to accommodate juror screenings and all exhibition copies must not contain any watermark and will not be returned.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Clenet Verdi-Rose

    Loved this festival! One of our favorites in the US. We had a Sold Out theatre for our Premiere and the Exec Director moved it to a bigger venue - which also sold out! Don't miss it. Highly recommend

    July 2024
  • Armin Hasemann

    It is a great honor to be part of the Global Cinema Film Festival of Boston (GCFF).
    A special thanks to the juries for selecting our Documentary in the Best Documentary category.
    Greatly appreciate.

    June 2022
  • Fauve Film

    It was a great experience being part of the festival and an honour to have my film, The Sea Between Us, next to so many incredible titles in a year where screenings were held online. Raouf is a wonderful organizer and made sure the films got all the exposure and recognition they deserved! Thank you to the entire team, I hope to come back with my next feature film! Marlene Edoyan

    August 2021
  • Java Films

    This is a great festival, especially when it comes to human rights documentaries : as a global distributor of documentaries, we have had several films selected ( and some of them awarded) there along the years and communication with the festival has always been great. Nice & effective communication with our interlocutors at the festival, and great organization, even in this period of Covid-19 pandemic where they have been able to adapt to the situation as best as possible.

    August 2021
  • Rich Serrao

    Thanks to Global Cinema Film Festival of Boston. So happy to have been selected amongst many great films. The virtual film festival format worked great!

    July 2021