Hispanic Culture Film Festival (HCFF)

TERMS & CONDITIONS FOR SUBMISSION OF FILMS
Rights and Releases

I. APPLICATION OF THESE TERMS & CONDITIONS

(1) The following terms and conditions (the “Terms”) govern the submission of film (the “Film”) to Hispanic Culture Film Festival (“HCFF”), through FilmFreeway or our web site for consideration for the 2019 Hispanic Culture Film Festival (the “Festival”). To the extent that this document is inconsistent with any other document prepared by HCFF or anyone else, this document will take precedence. Any questions about these Terms should be directed to submissions@hcff.online

II. SUBMISSION AGREEMENT
(1) By submitting a Film to HCFF for Festival consideration, the submitter (the “Applicant”) represents that he or she has obtained consent from any and all owners, creators, writers, producers, and/or other authorized representatives of the Film whose consent is required to submit the Film to HCFF (the “Film Owners”) and screen the Film at the Festival, and has read, understood, and agreed to the Terms.

(2) HCFF may disqualify or reject, but is not required to do so, any submission that it determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, is not in compliance, in whole or in part, with these Terms, and may do so without refunding any or all submission fees paid by the Applicant or returning the Applicant’s submission.
 
III. SUBMISSION CATEGORIES AND ELIGIBILITY REQUERIMENTS
(1) The following is a description of each submission category, along with eligibility requirements for each:

Feature Narrative Fiction
Feature Documentary
Narrative Shorts
Documentary Shorts

submitted to HCFF for Festival consideration under these Terms must be submitted in one of the categories set out below.

(2) Films that do not meet the eligibility requirements for any of the below categories should not be submitted and will not be considered by HCFF.

(3) Submission categories:

Feature Narrative Fiction:
Any narrative work of fiction with a running time of 50 minutes or more, including films that are shot in a "mockumentary" style. In order to qualify as a Narrative Feature Film, the submitted project must be either scripted or improvisational fiction.

Feature Documentary:
Any non-fiction film with a running time of 50 minutes or more, not including entirely scripted or improvised fictionalizations of actual events. If your documentary contains some dramatization of actual events, you may submit to this category, but HCFF will ultimately decide which program is best suited for your project.
 

Narrative Shorts:
Any narrative fiction with a running time of fewer than 50 minutes, including credits.

Documentary Shorts:
Any documentary film with a running time of less than 50 minutes, including credits.

(4) Film submission must meet the following guidelines:

The film can be of another ethnic origin as long as it relates to Hispanic cultural content or if the main talent or crew is Hispanic.

All films in Spanish or any other language besides English must have English subtitles.

(5) The Festival is organized into a series of sections, which are subject to change from year to year but might include, for example: Gala Presentations, Anniversaries, Friends of the HCFF, etc. HCFF may slot selected films into sections at its sole and absolute discretion.

(6) All Feature and Short Films must be sent via VIMEO Screener Link and Password for review by the HCFF selection committee.

If your film is selected on or before August 15th, 2019, you should send via courier (tracking number), two (2) DVD Blu-ray disks to:

Attention: HCFF Programming
2054 Riverside Ave.
Suite 5408
Jacksonville, Florida 32207
USA

All selected Films must be available to screen in Blu-ray format by August 31th, 2019.

If you cannot send a Blu-ray disk, for a video processing fee of $100.00 you may send a USB zip drive or hard drive. Entries may also be uploaded to Vimeo Screener Link (HD) for the same fee. Video will then be processed to official Festival theatre specifications and burned to Blu-ray discs as required by The Corazon theatre.

Processed disks by HCFF can be returned to you upon your request. Include a self-addressed envelope with postage or you will incur mailing charges.

IV. PROCESS FOR SUBMISSION
Submission Procedure

(1) All Films submitted under these Terms must be submitted in accordance with the procedure outlined herein. HCFF may, but is not required to, disqualify or reject any Film that is not submitted in this way.

(2) To submit a Film for Festival consideration, an Applicant must:

(a) complete the registration process at FilmFreeway and pay the required fee as outlined in article V.(2) below, and

(b) sent via VIMEO Screener Link and Password for review by the HCFF selection committee.

(c) If your film is selected on or before August 15th, 2019, you should send via courier (tracking number), two (2) DVD Blu-ray disks to:

Attention: HCFF Programming
2054 Riverside Ave.
Suite 5408
Jacksonville, Florida 32207
USA

(3). The Applicant has sole responsibility for ensuring that the submitted Blu-ray disk plays in its entirety.

(4) HCFF will not review multiple versions of a submitted Film. Only one version of the Film may be submitted. If multiple versions are submitted, HCFF will view only the version that was received first.

(5) HCFF is under no obligation to contact the submitting party and/or refund the submission fee should the Applicant not have adhered to the rules, set out in Articles I and IV herein.

V. SUBMISSION DEADLINES AND FEES
(1) In order to be eligible for consideration, submission screeners must be submitted online via FilmFreeway with registration completed and all fees paid and sent via VIMEO Screener Link and Password for review by HCFF, by the deadlines outlined below.
 
(2) Submission fees and deadlines for 2019 are as follows:

Category Standard Submission Deadline & Fee Late Submission Deadline & Fee
Feature narrative fiction $40.00
June 30th, 2019 $60.00
July 31th, 2019
Feature documentary $40.00
June 30th, 2019 $60.00
July 31th, 2019
Narrative Shorts $25.00
June 30th, 2019 $45.00
July 31th, 2019
Documentary Shorts $25.00
June 30th, 2019 $45.00
July 31th, 2019
NOTE: all fees are denoted in US dollars.

(3) HCFF may accept late submissions in its sole and absolute discretion, but an additional submission fee may apply (see V.(2)).

VI. SELECTION
(1) HCFF will consider for inclusion in the Festival all eligible films that have been submitted by the above deadline and in accordance with these Terms. HCFF reserves the right to consider for inclusion in the Festival, and include in the Festival, films received at any time and through any means, channel, or process, including means, channels, or processes other than those outlined in these Terms. Nothing in these Terms or otherwise requires HCFF to select for Festival inclusion any of the Films submitted through the process outlined in these Terms.

(2) All selection decisions are at the sole and absolute discretion of HCFF and are final and unreviewable. HCFF is not required to provide any feedback, comments, or reasons, or any other information, regarding the selection or non-selection of any submitted Film or the process by which Films are or have been selected. HCFF is not responsible or liable for its selection decisions; for the contents of any internal comments or feedback regarding the Film that are or may be obtained from the Applicant or anyone else; for any communications by any representative of HCFF relating to the Film or the Festival selection process; for the manner in which the Film shall be, is, or was considered and reviewed; or for any failure on the part of the Festival to provide the Applicant or anyone else with information concerning HCFF’s consideration and/or review of the Film.

(3) HCFF will notify on or before August 15th, 2019, all Applicants who have been selected to participate in the Festival. All selected Films must be available to screen in Blu-ray format by August 31th, 2019.

All Applicants who are not selected to participate in the Festival will be contacted by email on or around August 15th, 2019. HCFF will contact Applicants using the contact information provided in the FilmFreeway registration form. Applicants are responsible for providing correct and functional contact information. HCFF is not responsible for any failed attempts to contact Applicants using the contact information provided

VII Awards to be conferred

The HCFF jury will select the films to receive awards of merit in the following eight (8) categories:

HCFF Audience
HCFF Director
HCFF Best Actor Performance
HCFF Best Actress Performance
HCFF Best Feature Narrative
HCFF Best Feature Documentary
HCFF Best Narrative Shorts
HCFF Best Documentary Short

Selected exhibitors will receive the official HCFF selection seal.

VIII. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, LEGAL CLAIMS, AND INDEMNITIES

(1) By submitting the film to HCFF, the Applicant and Film Owners (the “Submitting Parties”) hereby warrant and represent that: (i) the Film is wholly original and is not copied from and does not include any other work that is the subject of copyright or other protection, unless such work is in the public domain or the Submitting Parties have obtained any and all consents, releases, licenses, and other authorizations or waivers of any kind necessary for the inclusion or reproduction of any person, character, location, thing, trade-mark, sound recording, musical composition, or other work in the Film; (ii) the Film does not defame any person or violate the common law or statutory rights, including, without limitation, the rights of privacy and publicity or any other right of any person; (iii) the Film is not the subject of litigation, nor any dispute which would give rise to litigation; (iv) there are no agreements, nor will there be any agreements made subsequent to the date of this Film submission, that would or could have the effect of impairing the Submitting Parties’ ability to provide the Film as contemplated herein, or otherwise conflict with any provision of these Terms; and (v) the Submitting Parties have the full right, power, and authority to submit the Film to HCFF for Festival consideration, and to grant all of the rights granted hereunder and in the FilmFreeway registration form, and there is no obligation or disability which would in any way impair, restrict, or impede the Submitting Parties from fully performing all obligations pursuant to the submission and these Terms.

(2) The Submitting Parties agree to indemnify and hold harmless HCFF, its licensees, successors, and assigns, and its and their members, officers, directors, employees, volunteers, agents, representatives, associates, and affiliates (each, a “Releasee”), from any claim, suit, action, or other proceeding brought against a Releasee and from any losses, costs, or damages, including the Releasee’s full legal fees and costs, which it may have suffered or incurred or may suffer or incur, directly or indirectly based on, in connection with, or arising from the use and exhibition of the Film submitted by the Applicant or the breach or alleged breach of any representation, warranty, or other agreement made by the Applicant in these Terms, or in the Applicant’s FilmFreeway registration form.

(3) HCFF takes reasonable anti-piracy precautions. While in HCFF’s possession, all Films are securely stored and regularly inventoried. Access to Films is limited to HCFF staff or Jury who require access in order to screen and consider submissions. No duplication and loaning of Films is permitted. By submitting a Film to HCFF, the Submitting Parties hereby release the Releasees from any and all liability in the event of theft, unauthorized access, or copying, or any breach of copyright of the submitted Film while it is in HCFF’s possession.

IX. OTHER

(1) HCFF reserves the right to rule, in its sole discretion, on cases and situations not foreseen by these Terms.