Militello Independent Film Fest

Competition Rules
“Militello Independent Film fest 2019”
30 and 31 August - 1 September

CONTACTS
e-mail: independetfilmfest2019@comunemilitello.it
Facebook: Militelloindependetfilmfest
Instagram: Militelloindependetfilmfest
web site: http://independentfilmfest.comunemilitello.it

SECTION I- WORKS IN COMPETITION
PARAGRAPH I - MILITELLO INDEPENDENT FILM FEST 2019 FEATURE FILM AWARD
Article 1. Eligibility Conditions for Selection
Article 2. Terms and Conditions of Registration
Article 3. Feature Film Awards

PARAGRAPH II - MILITELLO INDEPENDENT FILM FEST 2019 SHORT FILM AWARD
Article 4. Eligibility Conditions for Selection
Article 5. Terms and Conditions of Registration
Article 6. Short Film Awards

PARAGRAPH III - MILITELLO INDEPENDENT FILM FEST 2019 DOCUMENTARY AWARD
Article 7. Eligibility Conditions for Selection
Article 8. Terms and Conditions of Registration
Article 9. Documentary Award

PARAGRAPH IV - MILITELLO INDEPENDENT FILM FEST 2019 MUSIC VIDEO AWARD
Article 10. Eligibility Conditions for Selection
Article 11. Terms and Conditions of Registration
Article 12. Music Video Award

PARAGRAPH V - GENERAL RULES
Article 13. Selection of Works
Article 14. Jury
Article 15. Winners
Article 16. General Rules
Article 17. Arbitrary Clauses

SECTION II - SHORT FILM CONTEST
Article 18. Target
Article 19. Recipients
Article 20. Genres
Article 21. Troupes
Article 22. Features of Short Films
Article 23. How to Participate
Article 24. Duration, Features of the Video and Upload
Article 25. Registration Procedure
Article 26. Registration Deadline
Article 27. Composition of the Jury
Article 28. Award
Article 29. Release
Article 30. Obligations of Members

SECTION III - CONCLUSIVE DISPOSITION
Article 31. Miscellaneous
Article 32. Awards Ceremony

SECTION I
PARAGRAPH I
MILITELLO INDEPENDENT FILM FEST 2019 FEATURE FILM AWARD

Article 1. Eligibility Conditions for Selection
1. Feature Films shall be considered eligible for participation in the Militello Independent Film fest 2019 without prejudice to genre and style. All submitted films must have been completed after 1 January 2018.
2. The submitted material will not be returned and will be kept in the archives of the Militello Independent Film Fest for studying, promotional or other purposes, in which case the Direction will make arrangements with the rights holders.

Article 2. Terms and Conditions of Registration
1. Militello Independent Film Fest 2019 registration fee in the Feature film section costs 20 USD.
2. Candidates must register their works through the FilmFreeway platform (https://filmfreeway.com/fests) not later than 18 July 2019.

Article 3. Feature Film Awards
1. The Jury, referred to in Article14, shall grant the following awards:
• Best Director
• Best Film Editing
• Best Actor
• Best Actress
• Best Picture
• Best Original Score
• Best Photography
• Best Costume Design
• Best Scenography
• Best Screenplay

PARAGRAPH II
MILITELLO INDEPENDENT FILM FEST 2019 SHORT FILM AWARD

Article 4. Eligibility Conditions for Selection
1. Short Films shall be considered eligible for participation in the Militello Independent Film fest 2019 without prejudice to genre and style. All submitted Short Films must have been completed after 1 January 2018.
2. The submitted material will not be returned and will be kept in the archives of the Militello Independent Film Fest for studying, promotional or other purposes, in which case the management will make arrangements with the rights holders.

Article 5. Terms and Conditions of Registration
1. Militello Independent Film Fest 2019 registration fee in the Short Film section costs 10 USD.
2. Candidates must register their works through the FilmFreeway platform (https://filmfreeway.com/fests) not later than 18 July 2019.

Article 6. Short film Awards
1. The Jury, referred to in Article14, shall grant the following awards:
• Best Director
• Best Film Editing
• Best Actor
• Best Actress
• Best Picture
• Best Original Score
• Best Photography
• Best Costume Design
• Best Scenography
• Best Screenplay

PARAGRAPH III
MILITELLO INDEPENDENT FILM FEST 2019 DOCUMENTARY AWARD
Article 7. Eligibility Conditions for Selection
1. Documentaries shall be considered eligible for participation in the Militello Independent Film fest 2019 without prejudice to genre and style. All submitted Documentaries must have been completed after 1 January 2018.
2. The submitted material will not be returned and will be kept in the archives of the Militello Independent Film Fest for studying, promotional or other purposes, in which case the management will make arrangements with the rights holders.

Article 8. Terms and Conditions of Registration
1. Italian and foreign documentaries completed after 1 January 2018 can participate in the section.
2. Militello Independent Film Fest 2019 registration fee in the Documentary section costs 15 USD.
3. Candidates must register their works through the FilmFreeway platform (https://filmfreeway.com/fests) no later than 18 July 2019.

Article 9. Documentary Award
1. The Jury, referred to in Article 14, will award the best Documentary.

PARAGRAPH IV
MILITELLO INDEPENDENT FILM FEST 2019 MUSIC VIDEO AWARD
Article 10. Eligibility Conditions for Selection
1. Music Videos shall be considered eligible for participation in the Militello Independent Film fest 2019 without prejudice to genre and style. All submitted Music Videos must have been completed after 1 January 2018.
2. The submitted material will not be returned and will be kept in the archives of the Militello Independent Film Fest for studying, promotional or other purposes, in which case the management will make arrangements with the rights holders.

Article 11. Terms and Conditions of Registration
1. Italian and foreign Music Videos completed after 1 January 2018 can participate in the section.
2. Militello Independent Film Fest 2019 registration fee in the Music Video section costs 5 USD.
3.Candidates must register their works through the FilmFreeway platform (https://filmfreeway.com/fests) no later than 18 July 2019.

Article 12. Music Video Award
1. The Jury, referred to in Article 14, will award the best Music Video.

PARAGRAPH V
GENERAL RULES

Article 13. Selection of Works
1. The Direction of the Militello Independent Film Fest will communicate the results of the selection via the FilmFreeway platform not later than 30 July 2019.
2. The selected authors must thereupon submit, not later than 7 August 2019, under the penalty of exclusion from the competition, a copy of the film to be shown during the fest in DCP format in order to carry out the technical tests. The Direction reserves the right to request the replacement of copies that are inadequate for a good quality public screening.
3. The organization will cover hospitality expenses for the director of the selected works for the duration of two days (one night).
4. The Jury will have the discretion to accept Feature Films, Short Films, Documentaries and Music Videos in the OUT OF COMPETITION section; they will be taken into consideration for a screening outside the competition.

Article 14. Jury
1. The Direction of M.I.F.F. 2019 will appoint a jury composed of a jury president and five to ten jury members. A representative of the Direction of the M.I.F.F. 2019 will be present during the voting procedure of the Jury, with an exclusive function to provide assistance regarding the Rules and practice.
2. The decisions of the Jury are indisputable and unappealable.

Article 15. Winners
1. The Producers of the Awarded Works are committed to mentioning the words “Militello Independent Film Fest 2019” in the opening and closing credits, in the press releases and in all the advertising and information material both in print and in other media, without exception.

Article 16. General Rules
1. It is the responsibility of the authors who register the feature for the competition to ensure that they are legitimately authorized to do so by any rights holders.
2. Registering the work in the competition exempts the managers of the Militello Independent Film Fest 2019 from any liability regarding the use of the work and the payment of prizes.
3. All matters not covered in these Rules are the responsibility of the Governing Board of the organizing association, which has the power to derogate from the Rules in particular and well-motivated cases.

Article 17. Arbitrary Clauses
1. Any dispute that should arise between the participants and the M.I.F.F. 2019 shall be devolved to the final decision of an arbitration panel composed of three friendly composer arbitrators, who will judge "ex bono et aequo" without procedural formalities, without prejudice to the parties' contradiction, within 60 days of the appointment.
2. Their decision shall have the effect of an agreement directly reached between the parties.
3. The arbitrators are appointed one by each of the parties and the third by the first two, or in the absence of agreement, by the president of the Court of Caltagirone, who will also appoint the arbitrator for the party that has failed to do so.

SECTION II
SHORT FILM CONTEST

Article 18. Target
1. The competition "Short Film Contest" within the M.I.F.F. 2019 represents an opportunity to discover and deepen the culture, the territory and the traditions of Militello in Val di Catania; the essential factors are creativity, imagination and ingenuity of the participants in creating compelling plots through the cinema.

Article 19. Recipients
1. There is no age limit; anyone who wants to try is free to register by following the instructions contained in the announcement.

Article 20. Genres
1. The permitted genres will be the following: Documentary, Comedy, Horror, Drama, Western, Musical, Crime story, Fantastic.
Documentary: It is a work whose narrative and expressive elements are taken from reality and not artificially constructed, as is commonly the case in fictional cinema. The documentary does not necessarily have to be a faithful reproduction of reality: the narrative and the dramaturgy of the documentary is based on the director’s subjective vision of a given aspect of the observed reality and its interpretation. The "fake documentary" genre (or mockumentary) is also admitted, where fictitious or fantasy events are presented as real through the artifice of documentary language.
Comedy: It is a genre in which you a light-toned stage representation is created, animated in dialogue and action, characterized by an alternation of happy and sad situations whose conclusion is usually happy. Comedy includes all the situations in which there is a clear humorous (or, in part, satirical) will to represent the reality or the criticism of custom.
Horror: The horror genre uses themes and elements related to the unknown and the supernatural to arouse emotions of scare, fear and / or disgust. Although explicit content and scenes of strong violence (such as splatter) are often present, such features are not strictly necessary.
Drama: The drama is centered on the interactions and emotional development of the characters, with a resolution that can be positive or negative. Unlike melodrama, the representation of emotions should not be exaggerated; it must instead remain credible and proportionate to the events of the plot.
Western: Although the classic western features well-known settings and customs, we decided to consider loyalty to the atmospheres and narrative elements of the genre more relevant. A western short film can therefore be set even today (the so-called metropolitan western), however without turning into a thriller or a noir.
Musical: In the musical, the plot develops not only through acting, but also through sung and / or choreographed scenes. For the pieces used, the conditions set by the Rules of the M.I.F.F. 2019 shall apply.
Crime story: For this genre we refer to the classic giallo film, focused on a mystery whose solution must be rational, coherent and devoid of supernatural elements. Unlike the thriller, a sustained rhythm is not necessary in giallo, since the logical and deductive paths that allow us to reconstruct the case are more important.
Fantastic: When the world of fantasy comes into contact with the real world: mermaids, aliens, sea monsters or any other magical creature that end up on our planet Earth in contact with us humans. Reference film as a concept: Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shape of Water, Splash, ET, Harry Potter, The Neverending Story. Not to be confused with the genre Fantasy, where the characters interact only in their ad hoc created world among creatures similar to them. In the fantastic genre, the contact with the Other, understood as a human being is fundamental.

Article 21. Troupes
1. The competition is held between working groups ("troupes"), represented by a responsible contact person ("Contact"). A Contact can participate in the competition with only one troupe. The troupe can also be formed by minors, provided that the Contact is an adult. Collaboration between members of different troupes is permitted.

Article 22. Features of Short Films
1. The troupe Contact, upon delivery of the short film, must indicate, under the penalty of exclusion, the genre of the short film chosen among those proposed. The Organization and the Quality Jury will evaluate the short film according to the formulas and conventions of the cinematographic genre indicated by the Contact Person.
2. The short film must necessarily, under the penalty of exclusion from the competition, feature some technical and artistic elements (for example phrases, objects), or any other specifications that the Organization will reveal during the evening of the start of the race.
3. In the short film, under the penalty of exclusion, a reference to Militello in Val di Catania (the territory, history, culture, characters, monuments, inhabitants and / or any other feature considered useful for the screenplay) must be present, true or feasible within the proposed script. Alternatively, the territory of the Municipality of Militello in Val di Catania must be used as a setting for the representation of at least one scene.
4. The shorts, under the penalty of exclusion, shall NOT:
• exceed the duration of 10 minutes from black to black (including opening and closing credits), with a tolerance of 10 seconds;
• contain material shot before the start of the race;
• present clips of other video works of any type and duration;
• use soundtracks without having the right to use and synchronization;
• include scenes made in private places without the consent of the owner or manager;
• include scenes performed by people who have not previously given their consent (for minors, consent must be requested from parents or those who act in their authority);
• be released or distributed before the final evening of the competition;
• be discriminatory, detrimental to human and social rights and / or contain images, sounds or other contrary to the Constitution of the Italian Republic, public morality and decency.

Article 23. How to Participate
1. The videos must be made using any digital medium. Single or group works are allowed. Each candidate can present only one video.

Article 24. Duration, Features of the Video and Upload
1. The final product must be uploaded on YouTube and made public no later than 12:00 A.M. of 30 August 2019. The name of the video must be in the following format: "Short film Title - M.I.F.F.2019".
2. In case of winning, it will be necessary to deliver the video in original and high resolution format to the organization through digital support.

Article 25. Registration Procedure
1. Registration is free and must be sent via e-mail to the address: independentfilmfest2019@comunemilitello.it with the subject: “Militello Film Fest 2019”. In the e-mail, the contact person must specify: NAME, SURNAME, NAME OF THE TROUPE, PHONE NUMBER, YOUTUBE LINK TO THE VIDEO.

Article 26. Terms of Registration
1. Only registrations received by 23 August 2019 at 23.59 will be considered. Entries received after the specified time will not be taken into consideration.
2. On 24 August 2019, the criteria that the crew will have to use for the realization of the work over seven days will be made official.

Article 27. Composition of the Jury
1. The Jury will be composed of the same members of the Jury as provided under Article 14.

Article 28. Award
1. The "Contest Cortometraggi M.I.F.F. 2019” Award consists of the delivery of a plaque and the maximum media coverage of the work by the organization.

Article 29. Release
1. The authors and / or productions of the short films must authorize the screening of the works and their dissemination (on TV, press, radio, posters, internet, etc.), even partially, for the promotional purposes of the event.
2. To access any channels for dissemination of the work identified by the Organization, the member will be asked to declare explicit consent. The denial of this consent is not prejudicial to participation in the competition.
3. The Organization has the faculty to select some short films for screening in other national or international fests.

Article 30. Obligations of Members
1. The applicant accepts the present Rules in their entirety and without conditions. Any irregularity or default will render the participation in the competition void. Upon registration, the member must also sign the information for the processing of personal data.
2. The member is responsible for the content of the work presented, any copyrights of third parties and in particular the rights concerning the privacy of the subjects involved in the proposed artistic works.
3. The member personally assumes the responsibility for the truthfulness of the information indicated.
4. The Organization is not liable for any violations of copyright or privacy.

SECTION III
CONCLUSIVE DISPOSITION
Article 31. Miscellaneous
1. The Jury, referred to in Article 14 and 27, will have the right of final decision on everything not expressly specified in these Rules. Participation in the Competition implies acceptance of all the conditions set out in these Rules.

Article 32. Awards ceremony
1. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 1 September 2019 at 9.00 pm, in Piazza Santa Maria della Stella in Militello in Val di Catania.