Medez Fest - International Youth & Children Film Festival will be happening for the first time in July 2024 focusing on Short Films.

It is to form part of a wider event: MEDEZFEST which will include performances of poetry, literature, drama and musics.

The name itself is a unique and catchy name that combines the first four letters of the word Mediterranean with the abbreviation "Fest" for festival. The name suggests a celebration of Mediterranean culture, including its film, poetry, literature, drama, dancing, singing and music. The name is easy to remember and has a positive connotation, making it a great choice for an event focused on promoting the arts and culture of the Mediterranean region.

MEDEZFEST will be taking place in Malta, a Mediterranean island located right in the centre of the Mediterranean sea.

The location is L-Imselliet, a valley on the the limits of Żebbiegħ in the northern part of the island. This festival is meant to focus on works created by students aged 11-13 years old. It is also open to students aged 14 - 16 years old. Works will be accepted in separate categories from educators, professional film makers (freelance) or film companies.

Out-of-competition submissions may also be included.

Awards & Prizes

AWARDS

1. Official Selection for each category will receive a MEDEZFEST digital certificate with verification and a digital copy of the official MEDEZFEST laurel.
2. Winners of the Best Children’s Film and Best Teen Film are chosen from the winners of the main categories.
3. Winners of Best Children’s Film, Best Teen Film will be handed MEDEZFEST's official statuette called the “Il-Bumerin Dehbi” during the awarding ceremony.
4. In case of the recipients’ absence during the award ceremony, MEDEZFEST will send the statuette to them via post.
5. Other additional award prizes may be given during the ceremony.
6. Selection:
– NOT SELECTED – unfortunately your film didn’t meet the minimum requirements of the Film Festival
– SEMI-FINALIST – your film was selected as the semi-finalist in the category(s) to which it was submitted. The judging status is to all categories.
– FINALIST – your film was selected as the finalist in the category(s) to which it was submitted. The judging status is to all categories.
– WINNER – your film won the category(s) to which it was submitted and received the Official Selection to the Live Screening.

This makes the selection process more transparent to all filmmakers and is a guarantee that all kind of films (short, feature, student, documentary, etc) have equal opportunities to be selected to the Live Screening.

For translation's sake, the Maltese words: Il-Bumerin Dehbi may be translated in English to: The Golden Monk Seal.

The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is a monk seal belonging to the family Phocidae. It is the only seal to inhabit the Mediterranean basin and is a critically endangered species. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) (2012), the Mediterranean monk seal is on the verge of extinction, currently amounting to approximately 700 individuals. The Mediterranean monk seal sightings have been historically recorded in the surrounding Maltese waters, however, nowadays are near to none.

Rules & Terms

RULES AND TERMS

1. Submissions for MEDEZFEST, Youth & Children Film Festival are open to short films made for, by and about children.
2. If films are presented in their original language, they need to be accompanied with English subtitles.
3. Films must have been completed after 1st January 2021. Premiere status is not required.
4. Short film entries must not exceed a running time of 45 minutes.
5. Student films and videos must present proper documentations from their academic institution, example: academic ID of the director/producer or a letter of recommendation from an academic adviser or institution. Any films submitted as student film without proper identification will be disqualified in the category.
6. Student films must be submitted no later than two years after graduation.
7. Any changes to the rules will be at MEDEZFEST's discretion.
8. All entries must be submitted online via FilmFreeway.
9. All submissions are screened and evaluated by the MEDEZFEST Selection Committee.
10. Criteria for judging is based on creativity of visual images, production quality (without irrespective of the cost of production), originality of storytelling and entertainment value.
11. Submissions will be checked for their eligibility and judged only in their appropriate categories.
12. All Official Selections for each category will be announced on the MEDEFEST Section of the Official San Andrea School Website
13. Screening and Awarding Ceremony will be held at San Andrea School, L-Imselliet, l/o Zebbiegh, Malta (EU)
14. Films must exclude graphic violence, profanity, and nudity

SCREENING
1. All official selections are included in the festival programme for exhibition.
2. MEDEZFEST reserves the right to choose other shortlisted films to be screened in the film festival.
3. The filmmakers and/or production companies must provide MEDEZFEST a copy of their films for screening at least 15 working days prior to festival. This is to make sure the festival has enough time to check for any technical concerns that may occur and resolve them prior to the screening.
4. If sending DCPs, the sender is requested to inform MEDEZFEST on the means of dispatch and the date of shipment. Postage or shipment costs are the responsibility of the sender. No collect costs are accepted unless authorised by the MEDEZFEST.
5. All screening formats can be received by participants during the festival screening.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR EXHIBITION
1. All films must be of standard cinema aspect ratio and resolution (Square Pixels 1.0).
Flat:1.85:1 2K (1998x1080) or 4K (3996x2160) Scope: 2.39:1 2K (2048×858) or 4K
(4096x1716)
2. HD format is possible, but the filmmakers/producer must give MEDEZFEST the rights to re-format it for screening purposes. HD quality digital copy of the film in Quicktime (Pro Res 422) if applicable.
3. H264 (MP4) files can be accepted provided the images are of great quality.

OTHER AGREEMENTS
1. MEDEZFEST is hereby granted the rights to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted for promotional purposes of the festival.
2. The filmmakers and/or the production company allow MEDEZFEST to use their film’s Press Kit for promotional purposes.
3. The submission of any films to the festival means that the filmmakers and/or the production company agree without any reservation to all the rules and regulations of MEDEZFEST.