ELIGIBILITY & REQUIREMENTS
Madness Film Festival (MFF) is open to anyone who wishes to enter! We strongly encourage POC, Women, gender non-conforming, and LGBTQIA+ Filmmakers to submit.
All projects must have been completed after January 1, 2020.
There is no premiere status required, we want to share your work with the community!
All films must be in English or with English subtitles.
Filmmakers accepted and attending the Festival are responsible for travel and all other expenses. If accepted, filmmakers are expected to assist the Festival in film promotion.
All films submitted must be free from any legal disputes and it is the sole responsibility of the filmmaker to have cleared all rights and releases for exhibition (including music, audio, images, graphics, trademarked images, etc.)
Only the submitted version of the film may be considered in the acceptance process, we will not consider incomplete works.
If your film is selected, then you will be asked to provide digital stills from the film, press materials, headshots, filmographies, and video trailers (if available).
If your film is accepted, you will be solely responsible for delivering your promotional materials to and from the festival venue.
Please note that materials, drives, discs, etc. will not be accepted and cannot be returned under any circumstances. Please DO NOT send film prints, master tapes, primary hard drives, DVD Masters, or other irreplaceable original media.
MFF is not responsible for any materials that are lost or damaged.
The entrant warrants that they are the sole and exclusive owner(s) of all legal rights and title thereto to have absolute authority to submit the enclosed material to MFF.
MFF holds the right to change the deadlines for submissions and/or festival dates at any time.
REFUNDS
There will be NO refunds issued once your project is submitted.
MFF will not honor any requests for submission-fee refunds. Refunds will not be issued to any Applicant for any submission, regardless of selection for MFF, for any reason, including changes to MFF’s dates, venues, or format that MFF may announce at any time.
SUBMISSION FEE WAIVER
If you would like to request a submission fee waiver, please email us at madnessfilmfestival@gmail.com with the subject line “Film Name - FEE WAIVER REQUEST” While we are open to requests, it is not guaranteed that it will be granted.
USAGE
By submitting your film, you grant MFF the nonexclusive right to use footage, stills, and/or titles and information from the film, as well as your name, photograph, and likeness in connection with any and all publicity and promotional activities regarding MFF prior to, during, and/or after the festival.
MFF may use images, sounds, and excerpts from the films for promotional purposes in all media including the website and may present accepted films at any MFF event without notice.
WARRANTIES AND LICENSE
MFF does not consider films that require SCREENING/RENTAL FEES and DOES NOT PAY SCREENING or LICENSING FEES for submitted films. By submitting your film, you acknowledge that the festival will not pay you to present your work.
All Applicants and Participants warrant that they own the copyright to the film that they have submitted for MFF consideration. Applicants and Participants further warrant that they have secured all necessary rights and clearances to exhibit their film during MFF; are authorized to accept these Filmmaker Terms and Conditions; and are authorized to grant MFF a license to exhibit the film during the Festival. Participants hereby grant MFF a non-exclusive license to exhibit their film during MFF.
INDEMNITY
The entrant shall release, discharge, indemnify and hold harmless MFF, and its agents, respective officers, directors, employees, representatives, contractors, partners, sponsors, and volunteers from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, costs, and expenses (including, without limitations, attorneys' fees).
All Applicants and Participants agree, to the extent permissible by applicable law, to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless MFF and its directors, officers, employees, affiliates, licensees, and agents from and against any and all claims, losses, liabilities, demands, legal costs (including court costs and reasonable experts’ and attorneys’ fees), judgments, and other expenses that arise at any point in time, before, during, or after MFF, out of or on account of the Applicants’ or Participants’ involvement in MFF and/or MFF’s selection process for the same.
CHOICE OF LAW
These Filmmaker Terms and Conditions will be governed by the laws of the State of New York or Connecticut, without regard to its conflicts-of-laws principles, except those necessary to enforce the choice of applicable law; may be enforced only in a state or federal court sitting within New York City, New York or Norwalk, Connecticut, with respect to which court MFF and the Applicants and Participants agree to personal jurisdiction and venue, further waiving any right to challenge venue; and is binding upon, and inures to the benefit of, MFF’s and the Applicants’ and Participants’ successors, assigns, heirs, and personal representatives.
LOSS OF DAMAGE
Although every precaution will be taken to prevent loss or damage to materials while in the possession of the festival, MFF is not responsible should any materials be damaged while in transit to or from, or while in the possession of the festival.
ENTRY LIABILITY
The filmmaker holds the MFF, its management, juries, subsidiaries, agents, sponsors, affiliates, and etc. harmless from any and all claims of liability resulting from entry. The filmmaker certifies to have full rights. Producer will indemnify the organizers of the Festival against all claims, demands, costs, damages, expenses (including legal fees), proceedings, and losses resulting from the screening of the film at the Festival or from claims by any third parties.
SEVERABILITY
If any provision of these Filmmaker Terms and Conditions is determined to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, then that provision will not affect the enforceability of any other provision of these Filmmaker Terms and Conditions. Rather, the invalid, illegal, or unenforceable provision shall be deemed severed from these Filmmaker Terms and Conditions, which will be enforced as if they did not contain the invalid, illegal, or unenforceable provision.
By entering, the applicant agrees that all information is true and correct and agrees to all festival rules and guidelines.
