Mpumalanga International Film Festival

MPUMALANGA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION 2023

1) WHEN ARE THE SUBMISSION DEADLINES AND WHAT ARE THE FEES?

EARLY SUBMISSION DEADLINE:

PROVINCIAL, NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL FILMS/ SHORT FILMS/ WILDLIFE DOCUMENTARY OR STORIES/DRAMA, FEATURES OPENED 25th of AUGUST 2022 USD $25 ENTRY FEE

PROVINCIAL, NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE & DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILMS/ SHORT FILMS/ WILDLIFE DOCUMENTARY OR STORIES/DRAMA, FEATURES, 30th OF JANUARY 2023 USD $25

LATE SUBMISSION DEADLINE:
PROVINCIAL, NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE & DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILMS/ SHORT FILMS/ WILDLIFE DOCUMENTARY OR STORIES/DRAMA, FEATURES, FEBRUARY 2ND TO 15 JUNE, 2023–USD $35 ENTRY FEE

These are the dates that films must arrive at our office in Mpumalanga SA. They are NOT postmark deadlines. We handle all submissions identically, regardless of which deadline you choose. Late deadline submissions are processed and screened in exactly the same manner as early and official deadline submissions are-- the only difference is the higher submission fee. We encourage you to submit it as early as possible!

Please note that your film MUST arrive at our office no later than the deadline for which you have registered. For example, if you pay USD 25 to register your Film for the Official Submission deadline and we receive it after February the 2nd, you will be prompted to make an additional payment of USD10 in order to bring your account up to date. We will not view your film until this payment is received. For this reason, it is suggested that you mail your film to us well in advance of the deadline for which you have registered!

2) WHAT ARE YOUR SUBMISSION CATEGORIES AND HOW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT ONE FOR MY FILM?
Each year, we select 30 Feature Films and 40-100 Short Films to play in one of 9 days of Festival programs. However, you may not submit your film directly to any one specific program. Instead, you must select from one of the six submission categories, listed below:

MAIN CATEGORIES
Best Short
Best Foreign
Best Documentary
Best Animation
Best Experimental
Best Student Short
Best First-Time Filmmaker Short
Best Music Video
Best Horror
Local is lekker here it’s the municipalities based films
Women in film behind the scenes
The history of films in Africa
Wild film
Educational films
Racism around the world
South African stories

ADDITIONAL CATEGORIES

Best Producer
Best Female Director
Best Male Director
Best Female Student Director
Best Male Student Director
Best Actress
Best Actor
Best New Actress / Actor
Best Acting Ensemble
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Best Production Design
Best Sound Design
Best Original Score
Best Screenwriting

MPUMALANGA NARRATIVE FEATURE FILMS:

Any narrative work of fiction with a running time of 50 minutes or more, including films that are shot in a "mockumentary” style, in order to qualify as an MP Narrative Feature Film, the submitted project must be either scripted or improvisational fiction, and at least half of the project's financing must originate from within MP. Only films that are World Premieres are eligible for our MP Dramatic Competition program, but MP Narrative Feature Films that have previously played at up to two other festivals anywhere in the world are still eligible for one of our out-of-competition programs.

SA DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILMS:
Any non-fiction film with a running time of 50 minutes or more, NOT including entirely scripted or improvised fictionalizations of actual events. If your documentary contains some dramatization of actual events, you may submit it in this category, but we will ultimately decide which program is best suited for your project if accepted. In order to qualify as a SA Documentary Feature Film, at least half of the submitted project's financing must originate from within South Africa. Only films that are World Premieres are eligible for our SA Documentary Competition program, but SA Documentary Feature Films that have previously played at up to two other festivals anywhere in the world are still eligible for one of our out-of-competition programs.

INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURE FILMS:
Any narrative work of fiction with a running time of 50 minutes or more, including films that are shot in a "mockumentary" style, in order to qualify as an International Narrative Feature Film, the submitted project must be either scripted or improvisational fiction, and more than half of the project's financing must originate from outside of the SA. International Narrative Feature Films that have been exhibited theatrically, broadcast on television, released on DVD, or screened at any Film Festival outside of their country of origin are not eligible to submit to the Institute for Festival consideration, though we reserve the right to include in our Festival program International Narrative Feature Films that have previously been exhibited outside of their country of origin.

INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILMS:
Any non-fiction film with a running time of 50 minutes or more, NOT including entirely scripted or improvised fictionalizations of actual events. If your documentary contains some dramatization of actual events, you may submit it in this category, but we will ultimately decide which program is best suited for your project if accepted. In order to qualify as an International Documentary Feature Film, more than half of the project's financing must originate from outside of the SA. International Documentary Feature Films that have been exhibited theatrically, broadcast on television, released on DVD, or screened at any Film Festival outside of their country of origin are not eligible to submit to the Institute for Festival consideration, though we reserve the right to include in our Festival program International Documentary Feature Films that have previously been exhibited outside of their country of origin.

SA SHORT FILMS:
For any narrative or documentary film of SA origin with a running time of fewer than 50 minutes, in order to qualify as a SA Short Film, at least half of the submitted project's financing must originate from within SOUTH AFRICA. Short Films have no premiere requirements or prior screening restrictions- they may have had any number of public theatrical exhibitions, been released on DVD, and may have been broadcast on television or the Internet and still retain eligibility.

INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILMS:
For any narrative or documentary film of international origin with a running time of fewer than 50 minutes, in order to qualify as an International Short Film, more than half of the submitted project's financing must originate from outside of SA. Short Films have no premiere requirements or prior screening restrictions-- they may have had any number of public theatrical exhibitions, been released on DVD, and may have been broadcast on television or the Internet and still retain eligibility.

3) WHAT ARE THE FESTIVAL PROGRAM CATEGORIES AND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH?
Mpumalanga International Film Festival is comprised of five Competition program categories and seven non-competition program categories, listed in separate sections below. You may not submit your film directly to any specific category! If your film is accepted into the Festival, our Programming team will decide which of the festival program categories it will play. Please be aware that these may vary from year to year, so the information listed below is subject to change at any time. At the core of our festival program are our competition categories. Films that are selected to be in one of these five program categories are eligible for Jury Prizes in their respective sections:

SA DRAMATIC COMPETITION (10 SA Narrative Feature Films):
For over a year, MIFF Dramatic Competition has offered a first look at ground-breaking new voices in Local independent film. Fueled by fierce creativity and vision, these 10 films are guaranteed to leave a lasting impact on the next generation of cinema. Films must be WORLD PREMIERES in order to be considered for this program. If your film has been screened at any other film festival, been released on DVD, broadcast on television or the internet, or had a ticketed public theatrical exhibition anywhere in the world, it is not eligible for this program. In order to qualify, the submitted project must be either scripted or improvisational fiction, have a total running time of 50 minutes or more, and at least half of the project's financing must originate from within SA. Films selected to play in this category will compete against one another for jury prizes and an audience award. USD1500

WILDFILM (10 Documentary Feature Films):
From human rights to popular culture, these 10 films confront the subjects that define our time. Stylistic diversity and rigorous filmmaking distinguish these new WILD FILM documentaries. Films must be WORLD PREMIERES in order to be considered for this program. If your film has been screened at any other film festival, been released on DVD, broadcast on television or the internet, or had a ticketed public theatrical exhibition anywhere in the world, it is not eligible for this program. In order to qualify, the submitted project must be a non-fiction documentary subject ("mockumentary" do not qualify), have a total running time of 50 minutes or more, and at least half of the project's financing must originate from your own country. Films selected to play in this category will compete against one another for jury prizes and an audience award. USD1500

WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION (12-14 International Narrative Feature Films):
From all corners of the globe, these emerging filmmaking talents offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles. We present these exceptional works as a way to honor the independent spirit of filmmakers everywhere. Submissions must be INTERNATIONAL PREMIERES in order to be considered for this program. If your film has screened outside of its country of origin, whether at a film festival or other ticketed public theatrical exhibition, it is not eligible for this program. It is also ineligible if it has been released on DVD or broadcast on television or the Internet in any country. In order to qualify, the submitted project must be either scripted or improvisational fiction, have a total running time of at least 50 minutes, and more than half of the project's financing must originate from outside of SA. Films selected to play in this category will compete against one another for jury prizes and an audience award.

WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION/ SHORT FILMS/ WILDLIFE DOCUMENTARY OR STORIES/DRAMA, FEATURES (12-14 International Documentary Feature Films):
Made by some of the most courageous and extraordinary filmmakers working today, these films from around the world poignantly examine issues that range from the personal to the universal. Submissions must be INTERNATIONAL PREMIERES in order to be considered for this program. If your film has screened outside of its country of origin, whether at a film festival or other ticketed public theatrical exhibition, it is not eligible for this program. It is also ineligible if it has been released on DVD or broadcast on television or the Internet in any country. In order to qualify, the submitted project must be a non-fiction documentary subject ("mockumentary" do not qualify), have a total running time of at least 50 minutes, and more than half of the project's financing must originate from outside of the SA. Films selected to play in this category will compete against one another for jury prizes and an audience award.

SHORT FILM COMPETITON (70-80 SA& International Short Films):
Limited only by the runtime and driven by innovation and experimentation, short films transcend the rules of conventional storytelling. From cutting-edge animation to the best in Native and documentary cinema, these Shorts Programs call out filmmaking’s most original imaginations. All short films are selected to play before features or in one of eight Shorts Programs, and all accepted shorts are eligible for awards in our Shorts Competition. Short Films must have a total running time of fewer than 50 minutes, including credits. There are no premiere or prior screening restrictions for short films. Shorts may have been released on DVD, broadcast on television or the Internet, and/or publicly screened anywhere in the world and still remain eligible for our Shorts Competition. All short films at the festival are eligible for the Short Film Grand Jury Prize. Short films will also compete for jury prizes within their specific categories (SA Fiction, International Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Animation). Additionally, Special Jury Prizes may be awarded to short films at the discretion of the jury.
Films selected for the following Festival program categories will screen out of competition, so the eligibility requirements are generally not as strict. With the exception of the Premieres and Documentary Premieres categories, non-competition films do not need to retain any sort of premiere status, and are allowed to have screened at up to two other film festivals before MIFF:

Women in Films (10-12 SA& International Feature Films):
Women in film category is a tribute to the cinema we love. Regardless of where these impressive films have played throughout the world, MIFF is thrilled to light a marquee for them. We are confident you'll love them, too. In order to qualify for this out-of-competition category, films are not required to retain any sort of premiere status and are allowed to have screened at up to two other film festivals or ticketed public theatrical exhibitions prior to MIFF. However, they may not have been released on DVD or broadcast on television or the Internet in their entirety.

My Municipality (17 MP Narrative Feature Films):
Films selected for this category stretch a low budget to create big art. We encourage the municipality to support the local filmmakers by supporting the film production and facilitating the funding too. Each of the provincial municipalities must submit one film or project through this program or the Market Program.

PARK CITY AT MIDNIGHT (8 SA. & International Feature Films):
A treat for true cinephiles and casual filmgoers alike, this out-of-competition section presents an eclectic mix of horror, sci-fi, over-the-top comedies, surreal tales, explicit animation, and bizarre stories that defy categorization. Raucous, rowdy, and rebellious; softies need not enter! Films selected for this section do not need to retain any sort of premiere status and are allowed to have screened at up to two other film festivals before MIFF. However, they may not have been released on DVD or broadcast on television or the Internet in their entirety.

NEW FRONTIER FEATURES (5-6 SA& International Feature Films):
The New Frontier category celebrates experimentation and the convergence of film, art, and new media technology as an emerging hotbed for cinematic innovation, highlighting work that pushes the limits of traditional aesthetics and structures of filmmaking. Films selected for this out-of-competition category do not need to retain any sort of premiere status and are allowed to have screened at up to two other film festivals before MIFF. However, they may not have been released on DVD or broadcast on television or the Internet in their entirety.

FROM THE COLLECTION (1-2 SA& International Feature Films):
Rediscover classic works of independent cinema as the Mpumalanga International Film Festival presents films from the vaults of the MP Collection at Caster Bridge. A unique archive devoted to preserving indie film, the Collection exists not only to save important works that would otherwise disappear but also to make them accessible to new audiences and show them as they were intended to be seen: on the big screen. Formed in partnership with the SABC, Mzansi Magic, E TV, and Film and Television Archive and growing through the support of donor companies and individual filmmakers, the Collection will contain more than 800 films. Acceptance into this out-of-competition category is by invitation only. Open submissions will not be considered for this program.

PREMIERES (14-18 SA& International Feature Films):
The Premieres program showcases some of the most highly anticipated dramatic films of the coming year. Catch world premieres and the latest work from established directors at Mpumalanga International Film Festival before they create a splash at local theatres. Acceptance into this out-of-competition category is by invitation only, but films that are selected must maintain a SA or World Premiere status.

DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES (8-10 SA & International Feature Films):
Reflecting the growing impact and popularity of documentaries in our world today, the Documentary
Premieres' section furthers our commitment to this important form of storytelling. Expect to see the debut of new docs about big subjects from established filmmakers. Acceptance into this out-of-competition category is by invitation only, but films that are selected must maintain a SA or World Premiere status.

4) WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF THE TERM “TICKETED PUBLIC THEATRICAL EXHIBITION”?
As outlined in Item #3 above, your feature-length film is ineligible for many of our Festival Program Categories if a prior “ticketed public theatrical exhibition” has occurred or will occur before the 2nd of August 2023. This doesn’t mean that you may not submit your film, but it does limit the number of Program Categories it is eligible for. A “ticketed public theatrical exhibition” is defined as any screening of your completed film to which members of the general public may purchase or otherwise obtain tickets, whether at a film festival or any other public screening. If you hold a work-in-progress screening of your film in order to raise completion funds, this does not count as a “ticketed public theatrical exhibition.” However, the version of the film you submit to us must be significantly different than the one that was screened as a work-in-progress. Test screenings held for the purpose of obtaining feedback are also considered to be work-in-progress screenings. A private, invite-only screening of your completed film will also not be considered a “ticketed public theatrical exhibition,” even if the invited guests were required to purchase tickets in order to attend. Although feature-length films that have previously screened elsewhere are still eligible for submission to many of our out-of-competition categories, we do prefer to play SA feature films that are world premieres and international feature films that have not yet screened outside of their country of origin, so we reserve the right to use premiere status in our decision-making process. We have no such requirements for Short Films, which may have had any number of prior screenings and still remain eligible.

5) WHAT IS YOUR PREFERRED FORMAT FOR SUBMISSION?
Films should be submitted to us with a link or video file no DVDs or USBs will be accepted online submission only

6) CAN I SEND YOU MY video file IN PAL FORMAT, OR DO YOU ACCEPT NTSC ONLY?
It is highly preferred that you send us an NTSC or PAL

7) CAN I UPLOAD MY FILM DIGITALLY INSTEAD?
Yes, you can submit your film using FilmFreeway's secure online screeners.

8) DO YOU ACCEPT SUBMISSIONS ON VHS OR ANY OTHER FORMAT?
No. Films must be submitted on either a standard DVD-R/DVD+R or DVD-R/DVD+R Dual Layer disc, or via FilmFreeway's secure online screeners. For the purposes of reviewing your initial submission, we cannot accept Blu-Ray, VHS, Beta, Mini-DV, HD-CAM, 16mm, 35mm, or any other format not referenced in items 5, 6, and 7 above.

9) WHY DON’T YOU ACCEPT SUBMISSIONS ON BLU-RAY?
Although we have accepted both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD formats in the past, it has proven to be more efficient to use one standardized format for viewing submitted films. We only take online submission view links

10) HOW DO YOU DISTINGUISH SHORT FILMS FROM FEATURE FILMS?
Films with running times of less than 50 minutes are classified as Shorts. Films that are 50 minutes or longer are classified as Features, you should select your submission category based on what the final projected running time of the film will be, including credits. We have no minimum or maximum length restrictions-all we ask that your film is submitted on a single file uploaded via FilmFreeway’s Secure Online Screener system.

11) HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHETHER A FILM IS CONSIDERED SA OR INTERNATIONAL?
In almost all cases, this is determined by the primary source of the film's funding. If 50% or more of the film’s financing came from sources within SA, it qualifies as a SA Film. If more than 50% of the film’s financing came from international sources, it qualifies as an International Film. Please select your submission category based on the primary source of financing, but we do reserve the right to make a final judgment call based on a number of other factors, such as the primary shooting location, language(s) spoken in the film, and the nationalities of key members of a film’s cast and crew.

12) IF MY FILM INCLUDES NON-ENGLISH DIALOGUE, DO YOU REQUIRE ENGLISH SUBTITLES?
We require that all films that contain significant non-English dialogue include on-screen English subtitles. A translated list of dialogue on paper is not sufficient! If your film is mostly in English and you intend to intentionally leave out subtitles for any non-English dialogue included in the film, you do not need to provide subtitles for those particular sections.

13) WHAT SHOULD I INCLUDE WITH MY SUBMISSION?
After you have completed the online application, all we need from you is a single file for your film, trailer, and your poster or behind-the-scenes.

14) HOW OLD CAN MY FILM BE AND STILL QUALIFY FOR SUBMISSION?
Any film submitted for 2023 Festival consideration must have been completed in either 2019 to 2023. If your film was completed prior to 2019, it is no longer eligible for submission. If your film's production took place prior to 2019 but your final cut was not completed until 2020 or 2021, your film is still eligible.

15) MY FILM WAS NOT ACCEPTED LAST YEAR. CAN I RE-SUBMIT?
Yes, but only if it has changed significantly. We are not interested in seeing the same cut again-- it should be a complete reworking of the previous version that was submitted to us. If you are in doubt, it probably hasn’t changed enough.

16) WILL YOU NOTIFY ME IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE MY FILM?
Due to the volume of submissions, we receive, we are unable to contact each applicant individually if we do not receive his or her film. It is your responsibility to make sure that your package makes its way to our office. Once your film has been marked as received in our system, you will be able to log into your FilmFreeway account and see that it has been marked as such. Alternately, you may also include a self-addressed, stamped postcard, which we will mail back to you once your submission has been processed. Due to the volume of submissions, we receive (300 films for 2014 Festival consideration), we ask that you allow up to one month for us to process your submission once it has been mailed. If your film has still not been marked as received within this period of time, contact us at admin@miff.org.za for further instructions.

17) CAN I SUBMIT A NEWER CUT OF MY FILM AFTER I'VE ALREADY SUBMITTED AN EARLIER VERSION?
Sending in replacement cuts after you have already submitted a prior version of the film can cause a great deal of confusion throughout the screening process and it is also not fair to those who sent in a cut prior to their selected submission deadline. If you pay USD25 to submit your short film to us by the early deadline, you absolutely may not send us a replacement cut once that deadline has passed. We reserve the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees, any applicant who attempts to avoid submission fees by sending in a replacement cut of their film after their selected deadline has passed. If you log into your FilmFreeway account and your film has not been marked as received, please contact us at admin@miff.org.za before you send another copy. WE WILL ONLY VIEW THE FIRST CUT OF YOUR FILM THAT WE RECEIVE!

18) IF MY FILM HAS AIRED ON TELEVISION, MAY I STILL SUBMIT IT?
If your film is short (less than 50 minutes in length), it is still eligible even though it has been broadcast on television. If your feature-length film (50 minutes or longer) had one or more nationwide television airings in one or more countries, that particular cut is NOT eligible for submission. However, it may be submitted if the version that aired on TV is significantly different from the one you wish to submit. For example, a documentary that aired in an hour-long TV slot may still be submitted if a longer cut is created for the purposes of theatrical distribution. Though we reserve the right to make a final determination on any given film’s submission eligibility, those that were broadcast locally or regionally and did not receive a nationwide television broadcast in any country are still eligible to submit the same cut that was broadcast.

19) CAN I SUBMIT MY FILM AS A ROUGH CUT?
A large percentage of the films submitted to us every year are unfinished versions with incomplete or temporary sound, missing scenes, no credits or titles, unfinished effects, etc. However, it does need to be complete enough for us to be able to make a decision. If you expect that your final version will be 90 minutes long, it’s probably not a good idea to send us a 45-minute rough cut. Whenever possible, you should provide an on-screen description of missing scenes or elements as placeholders within the continuity of the film.

20) CAN I SUBMIT MY FILM WITH A TEMPORARY MUSIC TRACK?
Temp tracks, scratch music, and temp scores are perfectly fine for your submission, but please include a list of missing or temporary elements directly on-screen before the film begins.

21) DO I REALLY HAVE TO REGISTER MY FILM ONLINE?
All submissions must be issued a unique Tracking Number in order to be recognized by our system. The only way to get a Tracking Number is to fill out the online application at www.miff.org.za or by
logging into your existing account at www.filmfreeway.com. If you are having trouble with the online form, please e-mail us at admin@miff.org.za and we will be glad to help guide you through the process.

22) AM I REQUIRED TO OBTAIN RIGHTS CLEARANCE FOR MUSIC OR OTHER COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL INCLUDED IN MY FILM?
From a legal standpoint, you must clear all copyrighted material included in your film before you can publicly screen it. However, MIFF does not check to ensure that you have obtained or not, clearance for these materials at any point during the application process, nor will we be held responsible for any inclusion of uncleared materials in your film. It is the sole responsibility of the entity submitting the project to secure permission from the copyright holder of the material in question, whether it is music, stock footage, or any other elements that could violate an existing copyright. Films that are accepted into the festival must sign a waiver stating that materials used in the film do not violate any existing copyright. Quite often, rights holders offer reduced rates for festival films, so you should contact them directly to avoid any possible rights infringements.

23) DO I NEED TO MEET A MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT IN ORDER TO SUBMIT A FILM?
No, we encourage filmmakers of all ages to submit their work. However, we do not have any separate categories or programs specifically related to young or student filmmakers. All submitted films will compete against each other for available slots in each program. If you are under the age of 18 and your film is accepted, we will require signed, written permission from your parent or legal guardian before we are able to screen your film.

24) HOW MANY FILMS MAY I SUBMIT?
You may submit as many films as you'd like, but you only need to create one account. Upon doing so, you may fill out individual applications for multiple films. We do not offer reduced rates in fees for multiple submissions. If you submit three films, you must pay the submission fees for all three of them. Please do not submit multiple projects on the same file. If we receive a submission with multiple films on one file, we will only consider the first film included.

25) WHAT IF MY CONTACT INFORMATION OR ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT MY SUBMISSION CHANGES AFTER I'S FILLED OUT THE APPLICATION?
You may log into your account at www.filmfreeway.com at any time to update or revise your application. We will use the public contact information from your application to contact you regarding problems with your submission and to notify you of your acceptance status, so please ensure that this information is always kept up to date.

26) WHEN WILL I FIND OUT IF MY FILM WAS SELECTED?
We will contact you via e-mail during the first week of June. Please make sure that the e-mail address you provided on your application will be operational at that time. If your e-mail address changes after you’ve filled out the application, please log into your account and update it. We will not be held responsible for any failed delivery of notification! If you haven’t heard from us by June 10th, please
contact us at admin@miff.org.za for official notification
.
27) IF MY FILM IS ACCEPTED, WHAT PROJECTION FORMATS DO YOU ACCEPT?
We accept 2k,4k,8k, or HD this has to be specified on the submission, please.

28) IS THERE A SCREENPLAY COMPETITION AT THE FESTIVAL?
We do currently have a screenplay competition. Completed feature films that are accepted into our narrative competition program categories are eligible for a screenwriting prize, but we do have a screenplay competition at the festival.

29) YOU DON’T ACTUALLY WATCH ALL OF THESE SUBMISSIONS, RIGHT?
We depend on new talent and new filmmakers to uphold our mission as a Festival of discovery. If we didn’t watch the films submitted to us, we would miss out on so many new works of independent film. If your film is received in time, your account is paid in full, and there are no playability issues with your file, your film will be treated exactly the same as all other films submitted to us for consideration.

30) WHAT TYPES OF FILMS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? WHAT STANDS OUT?
We celebrate the independent spirit of interesting and original storytelling. Diverse voices and films that push the limits of style and narrative also excite us, but there is no single aesthetic that we look for over any other. We are mainly looking for great films and interesting points of view. We also consider the wildlife documentary for the future of wildlife filmmaking in Mpumalanga

31) IF MY FILM IS NOT CHOSEN, MAY I SPEAK WITH A PROGRAMMER FOR NOTES OR FEEDBACK?
Yes. With up to 500 film submissions expected this year alone, it is simply viable for us to correspond with each applicant individually. Don't be discouraged if your film isn't accepted-- we view far more worthy films each year than we have room to play. This is subject to change once a high volume of Submissions is received over the years.

32) WHERE DOES MY SUBMISSION FEE GO?
MIFF is a non-profit organization that provides many different programs and initiatives for film and theatre writers, directors, actors, producers, and composers. Fees from Festival submissions help fund programs such as these and also help us keep the submissions process thorough and democratic. We strive to process every package promptly and view every film with an attentive and unbiased eye. For more information about MIFF's many programs, please visit us at www.miff.org.za the submission fee is non-refundable.

33) WHEN DOES THE 2023 MPUMALANGA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL TAKE PLACE?
The festival will take place in KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, Mbombela from the 2nd to the 10th of August 2023. We hope to see you there!

The festival will have one outdoor film every night. We have dedicated a space that will take care of the outdoor screening. A lot of wireless headphones will be used to manage the event. One can buy on arrival or can rent on arrival. This will help you watch the movie at night.

A call specifically for the municipalities to sponsor one film that needs to be sent to the festivals. This means one municipality one film. They can either help fund it or pay for its submission to the festival. This will drive commitment from the municipalities to support young filmmakers. They can pay for the submission on a pitch format or completed projects. They also need to focus on those categories.

Women in Films on this category we are going to select the best films in the category where women have lead roles behind the scenes or with the majority of the crew being women. We will focus on scarce skills which most of the time men dominate, this programming will only be for women on August 9 during the time of the festival

Online programming will happen but only industry discussion which will be the focus on that day and we will only sell those separately which means someone who is interested in that particular topic and wants to participate or watch the programming they can do so by registration and pay.

The documentary will be one of the major pushes for the wild stories because we are running our programming in Kruger national park we want to support the wild as much as possible. We are going to engage those companies that shoot especially in Kruger to sponsor local communities to shoot local and sell to the world.

A guided tour of the game drive can either be in one VR room or you can easily go anywhere but your passport will have a Unique QR code that will guide you as to which entrance you have access to and not. This will be a key component in the festivals because most people might not have time. We are going to find a way to work with VR companies to create a virtual world of the guided trips which will then form part of the programming for those who missed the trip can actually follow along with the VR truck but at the comfort of their chairs.

RULES

1- In order to submit a film, you must own the rights or have permission from the owner.
2- The Festival relationship will exclusively be related to the film submitter.
3- Any Foreign film that is not in English must have English subtitles.
4- All fees are non-refundable.
5- MIFF will not be responsible for damaged copies.
6- Students must present a valid Student ID in order to receive our student discount.
7- Not all submissions are selected for the official competition. Our Judges are free to make their own choices and no answers will be given about not selected films.
8- MIFF can consider any film to be disqualified if the festival considers the content inappropriate. If you have any questions regarding this decision you might contact us at our email address info@miff.org.za
9- Filmmakers can submit the film in multiple categories in order to become multi-award films. Still, the decision about the selection is strictly determined by our judges' team and no selection is guaranteed.
10- A fee is required for the main category submission and also fees for additional categories. For payment structure visit (the FilmFreeway website).
11- The applicants (submitters) must accept MIFF Rules and Terms.
12- All submissions in personal categories required the name of the person and the category. You can easily send us this information in the cover letter on the FilmFreeway website.
13- Submitting your movie, you authorize MIFF to use, distribute and share the film poster, trailer, synopsis, and movie stills on our social media.
14- Maximum length allowed is 70 minutes.
15- A DCP copy will be requested for the live Events with English and/or French subtitles.
16- If your movie is selected to be screened at our Annual Live Event, you must provide subtitles in English.