By submitting a film to the INSPIRE Cinema Fest, you agree to the following terms and conditions. These guidelines are in place to ensure fairness, clarity, and the highest standard of artistic celebration.
GENERAL ELIGIBILITY
• Submissions must fall within one of the two official categories. By submitting to your main category you are eligible for consideration in the craft categories.
Best Music Video (5-minute Original Music Video)
Best Narrative Short (20-minute Narrative Short Film)
• Films must adhere to the time limits stated per category. Projects exceeding the specified runtime may be disqualified. Credits must fall within the time limit.
• All submissions must be in English or contain English subtitles.
• All films must be original works, and the submitting party must hold all necessary rights (including but not limited to: music, footage, and imagery). The festival is not liable for any copyright or intellectual property disputes.
• We welcome global submissions.
• Films with gratuitous violence, gore, explicit nudity, overt political propaganda, glorification of suicide, or excessive racism that does not advance the narrative will NOT be accepted.
PREMIERE STATUS & SCREENING RIGHTS
• Premieres are not required, though premiere status (World, National, Local, or Online Premiere) may be noted during programming.
• By submitting your work, you grant INSPIRE Cinema Fest the right to screen your film publicly if selected.
• You also authorize the festival to use stills, posters, and brief clips (under 60 seconds) from your film for promotional purposes across social media, festival trailers, press materials, and the festival website.
FORMAT & TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
• Accepted screening formats include .mp4 or .mov files in 1080p or 4K resolution.
• All selected films must be submitted without watermarks.
• Final screeners must meet broadcast standards. Poor quality submissions (e.g., low resolution, distorted audio, or missing subtitles when required) may be disqualified.
• If your film is selected, a digital file must be delivered by the deadline to ensure inclusion in the program.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) GUIDELINES
• Use of AI in any part of the production (e.g., writing, voice, visuals, music) must be disclosed upon submission.
• AI-generated content must not infringe on any existing rights, including but not limited to, likeness rights, copyrighted works, or intellectual property.
• The submitting party is solely responsible for ensuring proper permissions and legal compliance for any AI-generated content.
• INSPIRE Cinema Fest reserves the right to disqualify any project found to be in violation of applicable laws or rights.
FEES, REFUNDS & SUBMISSIONS
• All submission fees are non-refundable, regardless of acceptance or selection status.
• Submission does not guarantee selection. All entries will be reviewed by a programming team and judged by an appointed jury.
• Submissions must be made through FilmFreeway only. No physical submissions will be accepted.
• No waivers or fee discounts are provided except in exceptional cases with prior written approval.
• Films submitted with a waiver do not qualify for any prizes, and will only receive a laurel
• Any prizes given during the in-person ceremony will not be mailed, and must be picked up at the physical event
JURY & AWARDS
• A curated jury of filmmakers, designers, musicians, and creatives will evaluate selected films based on originality, craft, emotional impact, and storytelling.
• Decisions of the jury are final and cannot be appealed.
• Craft awards will be given across multiple categories, including directing, cinematography, acting, sound, production design, and more.
• To be eligible for craft awards, the film must also be submitted to a main category.
ATTENDANCE & REPRESENTATION
• Selected filmmakers are encouraged to attend the festival in Vancouver, BC.
• If you are unable to attend, a representative may join on your behalf with prior written notice 7 days prior to event date.
• Selected films may be screened publicly during the festival and included in post-festival highlight reels or press coverage.
• Films selected to be screened at the festival will receive TWO complimentary tickets.
FINAL NOTES
• The INSPIRE Cinema Fest does not pay screening fees for selected films.
• By submitting, you agree not to request screening fees as a condition of participation.
• All decisions regarding programming, awards, and scheduling are at the sole discretion of the festival and are not subject to negotiation or appeal.
• INSPIRE Cinema Fest reserves the right to disqualify any submission that does not comply with these rules or fails to reflect the spirit of the festival.
