Grand Rapids Film Festival

ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for the Grand Rapids Film Festival, films must comply with the following:
• The film must have been completed on or after June 1, 2019.
• The film must be available for screenings during the Festival in September 2022

SELECTION
Each submitted film goes through an involved judging process and is screened in its entirety by at least three members of the selection committee. Selected films have been seen 6-15 times by members of the screening committees, programming staff, and juries.
Films submitted to the Grand Rapids Film Festival are judged on their overall artistic and technical quality.

• There must not be a screening fee attached to the film. GRFF will only pay a screening fee to solicited content featured in the Festival.
• GRFF requires a digital file for every feature film. The file must be at least Apple ProRes 422 (or equivalent) and 1080p. The file may be delivered on hard drive (unencrypted) or we can extract the file from an HDCAM (no HDCAM SR).
• Short films must be available in one of the following formats: HDCAM or Apple ProRes 422 (or equivalent) on a flash drive, hard drive or other digital media. All films must have a resolution of 1080p.
• Films that have had a theatrical release, a television broadcast within the United States, or a release through an on-demand outlet such as Netflix, Amazon On-Demand, or any other outlets that are available in Michigan prior to the Festival dates are not eligible to be named Finalists but may be considered for “Special Presentation” screenings. Films with a theatrical release, television broadcast, or available on-demand outside of the USA are eligible to screen as “Official Selections” and are eligible to be named Finalists.
• The film cannot require dual projection (interlock) or separate soundtracks.
• Non-English films must be subtitled.

RULES FOR SUBMISSION
In addition to the eligibility requirements listed above, filmmakers must comply with the following submission rules to be considered as a Finalist in their respective category:
• The submitting filmmaker must be either the producer or director of the film.
• Entries are accepted through www.FilmFreeway.com.
• A completed official entry on FilmFreeway.com must be digitally signed by the filmmaker.
• Payment of the non-refundable entry fee must accompany the submission.
o Payment can be made by credit card, check, or money order payable in US dollars to Grand Rapids Film Festival, Inc. The filmmaker will be responsible for bank fees associated with any check returned to GRFF by the bank as unpaid.
• All items on the materials checklist (below) must be provided by the entry deadline.
• Feature films must be submitted via Region 1 or Region 0 DVD. (Note: GRFF does not accept prints or arrange screenings as a form of submission.)
• Short films (including HSFC submissions) must be submitted via Region 1 or Region 0 or a link to a functional streaming video file on VIMEO. All streaming submissions must be HD (720p or 1080p). If the quality of the link is not high enough, you will be required to send us a DVD of your film. Links may be included in the FilmFreeway cover letter.
• Multiple submissions must be provided as individual submissions.

MATERIALS CHECKLIST
• Link – if applicable, to a functional streaming video file (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.) in high definition 720p or 1080p. If the link is password-protected, please provide the password.
• Completed and digitally signed submission on filmfreeway.com.
• Entry fee.

WHAT IF MY FILM IS ACCEPTED TO SCREEN AT GRFF?
All selected films must provide all of the following items by September 18th for promotion of the film in GRFF's print materials, website, and media kit:
• A trailer of the film (a short clip is acceptable for selected Short Films). It must be Apple ProRes 422 (or equivalent) and 1080p. Standard Definition (480p resolution or lower) clips/trailers will not be accepted.
• One (1) headshot of each filmmaker or cast member who may be attending the Festival – 300 dpi and 4 in (h) x 6 in (w) or 1200 pixels (h) x 1800 pixels (w).
• Biography of 50 words or less for each filmmaker, principal cast member, or featured individual expected to attend.
• Twitter handles, Facebook/website URL for director/crew, and film for social media promotion.

EXHIBITION FORMAT FOR SELECTED FILMS
Selected films must provide a digital file of the film for exhibition by September 18th. Files must be at least Apple ProRes 422 (or equivalent) and 1080p.

*a note about waivers
Please, do not email the festival asking for a fee waiver. Filmmakers who are confident that their work meets our guidelines and content areas should demonstrate this by submitting it through formal means. There is an expense attached to exhibition and promotion, which GRFF absorbs on your behalf. The submission fee is the filmmaker's contribution toward this. International films from filmmakers in developing countries may be the only exception, however, priority will be given to those who contributed financially.