Rules & Regulations
1. Eligibility
• Open to short films of all genres.
• Maximum runtime: 25 minutes (including credits). No minimum time limit
• Films completed after 1st January, 2023 are acceptable.
• Submissions can be in any language, but all films must have legible English subtitles.
• Individuals with current affiliation with Dadasaheb Phalke School of Film Studies, including students and faculty members, are ineligible to participate in this competition.
2. Submission Guidelines
• All entries must be submitted through FilmFreeway or the official HISFF website.
• Submission fee: ₹500. Fees are non-refundable.
• Registration Starts from October 15th, 2025
• Last day of Submission - November 20th, 2025
• A screener link (Vimeo/Google private drive link) must be provided for selection.
• The festival prefers a high-resolution DCP/ProRes/MP4 file for possible screening.
3. Mandatory Additional Materials
Each submission must include:
• Poster: Horizontal PNG/JPG, minimum 1920 x 1080 pixels
• Poster: Vertical PNG/JPG, minimum 1080×1500 pixels
• Teaser: MP4, max. 10 seconds
• Trailer: MP4, max. 90 seconds
• Synopsis (100–150 words).
4. Selection & Notification
• The Selection Committee will shortlist films for competition and showcase categories.
• An appointed preview committee will shortlist entries for screening and the jury committee for
selection of awards.
• The committee’s decision is final and binding.
• Selected films will be notified by December 5th, 2025 via email and FilmFreeway
5. Categories & Awards
Competitive Categories:
• 1st Place: 1100 USD /₹100,000
• 2nd Place: 800 USD/ ₹75,000
• 3rd Place: 500 USD/ ₹50,000
• I. Promising Endeavor $200 USD/ ₹20,000
• II. Promising Endeavor $200 USD/ ₹20,000
• I. Jury Special Mention $100 USD/ ₹10,000
• II. Jury Special Mention $100 USD/ ₹10,000
• People’s Choice Award (1)
Awards will include Plaques of Shyam Benegal, Citation Certificates of Merit and cash prize.
Jury’s decisions are final.
6. Screening Rights
• If there is a copyright infringement, festival committee is not responsible for it.
• The submission should indemnify their legal rights
• By submitting, filmmakers grant HISFF the non-exclusive right to screen their films during the
festival.
• Selected films may also be used in post-festival roadshows, educational screenings, or
promotional activities (with prior intimation).
• Copyright remains with the filmmaker.
7. Technical Specifications
• Accepted formats: DCP, ProRes, or high-quality MP4 (1080p minimum, 4K preferred).
• Frame rate: 24 fps preferred.
• Subtitles must be burned-in for all films.
• Filmmakers are responsible for ensuring films are free of technical errors.
8. General Rules
• Participation implies acceptance of all festival rules.
• The festival reserves the right to reject any film violating legal, cultural, or ethical guidelines.
• Films promoting hate speech, explicit pornography, or political propaganda will not be considered.
