Indie Film Festival Awards

Rules & Terms for Film Submission
To submit your film to the Indie Film Festival Awards (IFFA), you must:

Comply with Preselection Conditions & IFFA Guidelines
Fill Out the Online Entry Form
Upload Your Film Online
If your film is selected for nomination, you must adhere to the festival's rules and regulations.
Preselection Conditions
Feature Film
Films must be unreleased.
The film must have a runtime of more than 60 minutes.
Short Film
Films must be unreleased.
The film must have a runtime of less than 55 minutes.
Student Film
Films directed by a student as part of their school curriculum.
The film must be more than 10 minutes long.
Films must be unreleased.
Documentary / Web Shows
Documentaries and web shows must be unreleased.
Documentaries must be more than 5 minutes in length.
Web Shows must be more than 15 minutes per episode.
Screening and Submission
All films submitted to the IFFA will be screened through a secure online virtual screener during the Award Nomination Festival. By submitting a film, the beneficiary, producer, or authorized representative agrees to this clause.

Submission Material Requirements
Regardless of the equipment used for shooting, all films must meet the following format specifications:

Feature Content (Movies/Series)

Accepted Media Formats: MPEG-4 / QuickTime (ProRes)
Audio: Embedded in .mp3 or .wav format
Video Resolution: 1920×1080 or higher (use codec H.264 for .MOV / .MP4)
Content Subtitles

Preferred Formats: VTT or .SRT with timecodes
Alternative: English subtitles burnt into the video
Trailer

Same format as feature content.
Poster Image

Portrait image with a size of 1080 x 1920 pixels.
Banner Image

Landscape image with a size of 1920 x 1080 pixels.
After submitting the online form, a Dropbox link will be provided for you to upload all materials. (Max upload limit: 50 GB at once).

Subtitling Guidelines
1) Films in English we prefer to have subtitle but it's not compulsory.
2) Films in all other languages must include English subtitles.

Terms & Conditions:

Indie Film Festival Awards Agreement
By submitting to the Indie Film Festival Awards (IFFA), you acknowledge and agree to the following terms and conditions for virtual screening and participation.

Grant of Rights
By submitting your film to the IFFA, you grant the festival and its sponsors the right and permission to use the film during any stage of the festival (Submission, Selection, or Nomination) for the following purposes:

Broadcast, duplication, and advertising in association with the IFFA.
Viewing on IFFA platforms, television, in theaters, on the internet, and on IFFA’s website and sponsors' websites.
Podcasting, archival purposes, and any other lawful media purpose, worldwide, and in perpetuity.
You may opt out of future use after the Award Show by providing written notice 30 days following the festival’s final date. However, the film may still be retained for archival purposes.

Jurisdiction and Dispute Resolution
This contract is governed by the laws of New York. Any disputes arising from this agreement will be resolved through the American Arbitration Association under its Commercial Arbitration Rules at the New York office.

You agree that remedies for breach by the IFFA will be limited to monetary damages and will not include the right to terminate or seek injunctive relief.

Exhibition Rights
The submitter grants the IFFA the right to exhibit the film during the LIVE IFFA Festivals in theaters worldwide. By submitting, you accept that there is no promise of payment in any form, including money, likeness, image, biography, recording, or other compensation from IFFA.

You confirm that you are authorized to submit the film and related materials on behalf of all contributors, including performers, directors, writers, technical crew, and distributors.

Award Selection: Rules and Regulations
The INDIE FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS is organized by the Indie Film Festival Awards in collaboration with Indie Films World.

1) Purpose
The festival aims to recognize and showcase films that highlight the importance of creativity and craftsmanship in filmmaking.

2) Eligibility for Feature Films
A Feature Film must be 60 minutes or longer and unreleased theatrically. Directors of previous student thesis films or TV films are eligible for the INDIE FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS with their first feature film.

3) Eligible Films for Competition
The films eligible for the awards must be part of the Official Selection (Competition, Out of Competition, Un Certain Regard), or one of the Parallel Sections such as "The Critics' Week" or "The Directors’ Fortnight."

4) Jury Selection
The winner will be chosen by a Jury of six members:

One president
One director (from the Society of Hollywood Directors)
One director of photography (from US Cinematographers)
One film critic (from American Film Critics)
One industry professional or international film enthusiast
One representative of the Cinema and Audiovisual Industries
The Jury will only vote for one winner per section, and the Jury President will resolve any tie-breaking issues.

5) Winner's Obligations
The producer and director of the winning film must agree to use the IFFA logo in all promotional materials.

6) Final Authority
The President of the IFFA has the final authority to settle any cases not covered by these rules. His/her decision is final in any disputes related to the festival.

7) Language of Rules
The rules are provided in English.

8) Acceptance of Regulations
Participation in the competition implies full acceptance of all the aforementioned rules and regulations.

9) Festival Authority
The President of IFFA, Mr. Mukesh Modi, is the permanent authority of the festival and has the exclusive power to remove or add any submissions, officials, or partners during the festival's lifetime.

Additional Terms and Conditions of Entry
No Withdrawal: Once your film is accepted and scheduled for the IFFA, you may not withdraw your submission. Please ensure there are no conflicting festival schedules before submitting.

Rights and Permissions: By submitting your material, you confirm you hold the rights to all images, sound, music, interviews, promotional materials, and any third-party content used in the film and its promotion. If your film is accepted for screening, you grant the festival the right to use portions of your film for promotional purposes in all media in perpetuity.

Selection & Notification Process
Films are reviewed by a screening committee who assess elements such as craft, technique, originality, and professionalism. High-scoring films are then re-screened and evaluated by the jury.

Submitters will first be notified if their film has not been selected. Afterward, those whose films are selected for screening will be informed via the email provided during the application process. A dedicated page for each selected film will be created on the festival’s website.

Damaged Drives
IFFA cannot be held responsible for any damaged or lost drives during shipping.

Opinions Expressed in Films
The views expressed in the films are those of the filmmakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the IFFA, its board, or its associates.

By submitting to the Indie Film Festival Awards, you agree to comply with all the terms and conditions outlined in this agreement.