Lake Champlain International Film Festival

RULES AND GUIDELINES

Lake Champlain International Film Festival
November 1st-5th, 2017

Exhibition Theatre:

Strand Theatre
25 Brinkerhoff Street
Plattsburgh, NY 12901

Welcome to the Lake Champlain International Film Festival (LCIFF)! The organizers of the LCIFF have outlined the following submission guidelines to ensure your submission process is as painless as possible.

ELIGIBILITY

LCIFF is a juried competition, open to any independent or student filmmakers worldwide. The early bird submission period starts March 15, 2017 and ends April 30, 2017. The standard submission period ends on July 31, 2017, and the late entry deadline is August 15, 2017. The LCIFF organizers reserve the right to determine the eligibility of the film.

All qualified entries must be entered by the sole creators of the film, script, short stories or poems. Entries must be independently financed and produced. Films, scripts, short stories or poems developed, financed or produced by a major film studio or television network are ineligible for competition.

SUBMISSIONS

The early bird submission period starts March 15, 2017 and ends April 30, 2017. The standard submission period ends on July 31, 2017, and the late entry deadline is August 15, 2017.

Those filmmakers whose films are selected for the festival shall be notified no later than October 1, 2017.

Submissions will be received through an established film festival site: www.filmfreeway.com – this site will collect submission fees, filmmaker details & the actual film submission.

To submit your film as a DVD (or preferably Blu-Ray) screener through the mail: Please ship your screener DVD in a bubble­pack envelope. A check or money order made out to “Lake Champlain International Film Festival” for the appropriate entry fee must accompany the disc. Receipt of your entry is acknowledged by email to the address listed on your entry form. No discs or drives submitted as a consideration for entry will be returned.

Mail to:

LCIFF
P.O. Box 533
10 Miller Street
Plattsburgh, NY 12901

Certain short films entered in the contest may be screened at earlier events to raise awareness of the festival. Filmmakers shall be notified prior to such an event and have the option to opt out if it isn’t desired for the film to be shown early. A showing at earlier events isn’t a guarantee that that film shown has gained entry into the film festival.

A completed entry form and fee must be submitted with each project to be considered in the LCIFF. Multiple submissions by a Production Company and/or director are accepted and encouraged, but a separate completed form and fee must accompany each film.

All films entered must be in English or have working English subtitles.

All entry forms must be signed by each director and/or production company owner. Unsigned or incomplete entry forms will be rejected.

The entry should include: film description (100 words or less); complete production credits; director’s bio (and headshot, digital 200 dpi, if possible); available press kits; and a list of previous and/or planned screenings.

As one should expect with any festival: any materials (DVDs, press kits, thumb drives, etc.) sent to the festival are non­returnable and any fees paid (entry or otherwise) are non­refundable. The LCIFF, its officers, staff or volunteers are not liable for any loss or damage to these or any materials compromised, these are solely the responsibility of the filmmakers. By signing the release form and submitting material, you acknowledge LCIFF and its organizers the right to copy any material for the festival’s non­commercial use only.

Submission Fees:

Early Bird Entry: Short film 20 USD. Feature 30 USD.

Standard Submission Entry: Short Film 30 USD. Feature 40 USD.

Late Entry: Short film 40 USD. Feature 50 USD.

DEADLINES

The early bird postmark deadline for DVD entries in the 2017 LCIFF competition and festival is April 30, 2017.

The standard postmark deadline for DVD entries in the 2017 LCIFF competition and festival is July 31, 2017.

The late entry deadline postmark deadline for DVD entries for the 2017 LCIFF competition and festival is August 15, 2017.

Filmmakers whose films are selected for the festival shall be notified no later than October 1, 2017.

JUDGING

Entries are pre­screened by the Festival Selection Committee in a multi­tier process. The jury panel is made up of artists, writers, filmmakers, community members, and educators. No single film entered in the festival shall be viewed by less than three judges.

SCREENING THEATRE

All Official Selection films are screened in the Strand Theatre in Plattsburgh, NY or another yet to be selected theatre. The Strand Theatre is a historical landmark built in 1924. The restored theatre is a 958-seat theatre, which serves as a multi­use arts facility.

Official Selection Filmmakers will be asked to supply the festival program committee with a copy of the accepted film in an approved format to be received by the festival no later than October 15, 2017.

The LCIFF and its organizers reserves the right to change the dates or location of the festival or the films it screens at any point deemed necessary.

AWARDS

The festival shall award several awards and accolades. Details on categories and exact prizes will be announced shortly. The prizes will be divided between audience­voted awards and a few juried awards.

CONTACT US

Please email us at lcifilmfest@gmail.com

Mail to:

LCIFF
P.O. Box 533
10 Miller Street
Plattsburgh, NY 12901

TRAVEL

The LCIFF and its organizers do not provide room, board or travel for filmmakers. However, a liaison will be available to assist in making arrangements (with the festival and its organizers accepting no responsibility for those arrangements).

PUBLICITY

By signing the entry form, the filmmaker gives LCIFF and its organizers, permission to use all submitted materials, including but not limited to film stills, descriptions, director’s biography and film screening history in any and all forms of media for the express purpose of festival promotion and publicity. The LCIFF and its organizers may request from filmmakers clips from the Official Selection Films for both television and Internet publicity. Footage is limited to less than 60 seconds and will not authorize television broadcast of any footage without the direct consent of the filmmaker and/or producers.

THE FESTIVAL

Mission/description: The Lake Champlain International Film Festival turns the spotlight on new films and filmmakers working in any and all genres and forms of film. Good, old-fashioned entertainment and cutting-edge artistry will be showcased in equal measure. Set in Plattsburgh, NY, nestled in the heart of the Adirondack Coast, LCIFF takes place in November along the shores of Lake Champlain.

The Lake Champlain International Film Festival on the web:
lcifilmfest.com
facebook.com/lcifilmfestival
@lcifilmfest
Film submission website: https://filmfreeway.com/festival/LakeChamplainIFF

SUBMITTING VIA PARTICIPATING FESTIVAL PLATFORMS

The LCIFF is a participating member of the online film submission platform FilmFreeway. The site will collect submission fees, filmmaker details and the actual film submission. To learn more, visit www.filmfreeway.com.

As a condition of the entering the Lake Champlain International Film Festival, hereafter known as LCIFF, I/we hereby certify that:

1. I/we am/are the sole creator of the film script, short stories, poems that I/we have submitted to the LCIFF.

2. I/we warrant as sole and exclusive owner(s) of all legal right and title thereto have absolute authority to submit the enclosed material to LCIFF.

3. I/we understand that the LCIFF will not return and is not obligated to return my film or any other materials I/we have submitted to the LCIFF.

4. I/we hereby grant the LCIFF the nonexclusive right to use my name, photograph, and likeness in connection with any and all publicity and promotion activities regarding the LCIFF.

5. For filmmakers: LCIFF may transfer the submitted material to a compilation NTSC DVD or Blu-Ray for screening, if needed, and if the submitted material is selected for screening the compilation DVD or Blu-Ray may be used by LCIFF for promotional purposes.

6. I/we will indemnify and hold harmless LCIFF, its organizers, its judges, sponsors, partners, partners’ employee/staff/volunteers, partners’ board of directors and volunteers individually and collectively, from and against all claims, demands, losses, damages, costs, liabilities and expenses including legal expenses arising out of or in connection with any and all claims, or third party claims based on material submitted to LCIFF.

7. I/we shall be solely responsible for taking all necessary steps to establish and protect my/our copyright in submitted material, and the LCIFF, and its organizers, shall have no obligation with respect thereto. The LCIFF, and its organizers, shall have the right to reproduce all or part of said material for use in its publicity and any and all related communication directly associated with LCIFF.

8. I/we have read all of the festival rules, regulations and releases, understand them, and have complied with them. I/we understand that the festival rules, regulations and releases may change or be updated, and that it is my responsibility to read, understand and comply with any changes or updates.