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COMPETITION SECTIONS
4.1 International Competition:
Films entered in the International Competition must fulfil the following conditions:
Format and Eligibility
●Films must be feature-length works of not less than 70 minutes in duration, with an
original language soundtrack and English subtitles.
●Films must have been completed between 1st June 2024 to 30th June 2026.
●Eligibility will be determined by the declaration made by the entrant in the official
entry form.
●For international entries where official certification is unavailable, the date of the first
public/theatrical screening or a formal self-declaration will be considered.
Co-productions: In the case of co-productions, the entrant must possess the legal right to
authorise the film's participation in the International Competition and to authorise the receipt of awards on the film's behalf.
Award Acknowledgement: Entrants agree that if their film wins an award at IFFJK 2026, all
future theatrical screenings, prints, and digital distributions shall prominently acknowledge
the award on the film itself.
Selection and Programming: The Festival Management reserves the right to consider films
not selected for the International Competition for inclusion in other categories, if eligible.
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4.2 Best Debut Film of a Director
Eligible films must:
●Be the first film directed by the filmmaker; Co-directors must each satisfy the debut
requirement.
●Must adhere to all eligibility criteria as per the International Competition Section.
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4.3 Jammu & Kashmir Select
To qualify for this regional showcase, films must
satisfy at least one of the following criteria:
●Produced by a production house based in Jammu & Kashmir.
●Directed by a filmmaker originating from/domiciled in Jammu & Kashmir.
●Primarily shot(more than 50 per cent of the shoot) within the geographical territories
of Jammu & Kashmir.
●Substantially focus on themes, histories, cultural traditions, or communities of Jammu
& Kashmir.
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5. NON COMPETITION SECTIONS
5.1 Cinema of the World: A non-competition section for feature films from around
the world, including both fiction and documentaries, with a minimum duration of 70 minutes.
●Fiction or Documentary(70 minutes or longer)
●Completed between 1st June 2024 to 30th June 2026
5.2 Bharat Panorama: Bharat Panorama covers the best of contemporary Indian
feature and non-feature films, selected for their cinematic, thematic, and aesthetic excellence.
The primary aim is to promote Indian film art through non-profit screenings across
three platforms — international film festivals held in India and abroad, Indian Film
Weeks under bilateral cultural exchange programmes, and special Indian Panorama
festivals held within India.
5.3 Horror Film Section: Works must explicitly belong to horror, supernatural,
gothic, dark fantasy, or psychological thriller traditions.
5.4 Documentary/Hybrid: Eligible works must be grounded in real-world subject
matter and structured through one or more recognised documentary approaches.
●Filmmaking based on real events or subjects
●Archival work drawing on existing footage or historical material
●Hybrid forms that blend documentary and fictional or experimental elements
●Observational/Experimental filmmaking that captures subjects as they naturally
unfold without scripted intervention.
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6. GENERAL ELIGIBILITY
Duration:
●Feature films must not be less than 70 minutes in duration.
●Short films must be more than 1 minute and not exceeding 35 minutes.
●Non-feature/Documentary/Hybrid films may be of any length.
Production period: All categories or submissions: Feature films, Short films, and
Non-Feature/Documentary/Hybrid — must have been produced between 1st June 2024 and 30th June 2026, except Special Screenings/Curated Sections, where the festival
programming department reserves the sole discretion to showcase films of any production
time period.
Language and Subtitles: All films must be submitted in their original version with
embedded English subtitles and a separate subtitle file, regardless of category; whether
feature, short, or non-feature/documentary/hybrid. For films originally in English, English
subtitles are preferred as well.
Submission Authority: Entries may only be submitted by producers, directors, authorised
sales agents, authorised distributors, or individuals holding legal authority to submit the film. The Festival may request proof of authorisation at any stage.
Screening History: Films that have been publicly exhibited, theatrically released, broadcast,
streamed, or screened at other festivals may be considered, unless otherwise specified for a particular competition section. The Festival reserves the right to determine the
significance of a film's premiere status, while finalising the programme.
A film's premiere status must be accurately declared at the time of submission; any
misrepresentation may result in disqualification with a penalty.
Multiple Entries: A producer, company, or filmmaker may submit multiple films. Each film
requires a separate submission.
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TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS (DELIVERY)
●Selected films must provide screening materials from August 21, 2026, to August 30,
2026.
●Failure to meet technical delivery deadlines may result in withdrawal from the
programme.
Preferred Format: The Digital Cinema Package (DCP) must be submitted exclusively via
an online file transfer platform as specified by the Festival Programming Department.
Submission of DCPs through physical media or courier shall not be accepted.
* Note - physical submission of films only allowed from the Union Territory of
Jammu & Kashmir.
This exemption is granted by the festival programming department to the
filmmakers/producers or applicants who reside in the Union Territory of Jammu &
Kashmir.
The physical submission process will be conveyed to the applicants from the Union
Territory of Jammu & Kashmir through - iffjk.programming@gmail.com
The J&K Applicants who are unable to submit their films online are requested to
individually contact the email id cited above.
Alternative Formats: High-bitrate MP4
KDM Requirements
Where encrypted DCPs are supplied, KDMs must remain valid for:
●Technical testing periods;
●Festival screening dates; and
●Any officially scheduled repeat screenings.
The Festival reserves the right to reject files that do not meet exhibition standards.
Insurance: The entrant shall be solely responsible for arranging and maintaining insurance
coverage for all DCPs and other screening materials during transit(online) to and from the
Festival. The Festival, its organisers, officers, employees, and representatives shall not
assume any liability for loss, damage, delay, theft, or destruction occurring during
transportation.
Film Materials
Selected films shall provide:
1. Log Line & Synopsis(maximum 250 words)
2. Director biography(maximum 100 words)
3. Directors Note(maximum 150 words)
4. Directors Photograph
5. Production Stills
6. Film Poster(s), if any.
7. Film trailer, if any.
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9. GENERAL RULES
9.1 Festival Screening Rights
1. By accepting an invitation to participate, rights holders grant the Festival a
non-exclusive right to screen the selected film during the Festival.
2. No screening fee shall be payable. The Festival shall not make the film available for
public online streaming without the prior written consent of the rights holder.
9.2 Archival and Cultural Preservation Copy: For selected films, the Festival may request
a separate viewing copy for non-commercial archival, research, educational, and cultural
preservation purposes. Provision of such a copy shall be voluntary unless otherwise agreed in writing with the rights holder. Any archival use shall be non-commercial and shall not include public exhibition without prior authorisation from the rights holder.
9.3 Rights Granted to the Festival
By submitting a film, the rights holder grants the Festival the non-exclusive right to:
●Screen the film during the Festival;
●Use stills, posters, trailers, and publicity materials to promote the Festival.
9.4 Withdrawal Policy
●Once a film has been officially selected and the rights holder confirms participation, it
shall not be withdrawn from the festival programme before or during the event.
7
●Withdrawal post-selection may lead to a penalty of 2000 USD or disqualification
from future editions of the Festival, or both at the discretion of the Festival
Management.
9.5 Liability: The Festival shall exercise reasonable care in handling screening materials.
However, the Festival shall not be liable for loss, theft, damage, or technical failure beyond
its reasonable control. Participants are encouraged to maintain backup copies of all submitted materials.
No screening fees shall be payable for any selected entries.
Acceptance of Regulations: Submission of a film constitutes unconditional acceptance of
these Rules and Regulations. The IFFJK Festival team reserves the right to make final
decisions regarding the interpretation and implementation of these regulations.
Festival rights: The Festival reserves the right to determine award categories, appoint juries, amend awards, and withhold awards where it deems appropriate.
Participation in the Festival implies full acceptance of these rules and regulations
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10. Submission Link
https://filmfreeway.com/InternationalFilmFestivalofJammuKashmir
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11. Official Website of the Festival
www.iffjk.org
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12. Contact details
Email: programming.iffjk@gmail.com
