SUBMISSION RULES
1. Submissions open between now and January 15, 2027.
2. Preference will be given to films that are 20 minutes or less. However, if you have a film that you believe is a great fit but which is over 20 minutes, please feel free to still submit. If it's a perfect fit, we want to see it!
3. Films accepted to the festival will be screened at the festival. The final screening date and time will be at the discretion of the organizing film festival committee. Clips from said films may also be used for promotional purposes and on the website at the sole discretion of the Neumann Inspires Film Festival.
4. Submitters must be authorized to submit their films to Neumann Inspires Film Festival for consideration and must have read, understood, and agreed to all entry requirements, including:
-Submitter must be the sole person responsible to make the decision to enter this media material (or have the full consent of any partners) and guarantee that such exhibition will not violate or infringe upon any rights whatsoever (including copyright, trademark, musical, or contract right) of any person or entity. They must also own the underlying rights to any adapted work, or the work must be in the public domain.
-Any actors appearing in the film, including those who are clearly identifiable in the background, whether or not they are professional actors, must have given consent to being shown in the film.
-When filling out the entry form and entering this media in the Neumann Inspires Film Festival, filmmaker hereby indemnifies, releases, and hold harmless Neumann Inspires Film Festival, its boards, employees, interns, volunteers, sponsors, co-sponsors, individual, and institutional supporters from any liability related to the use of the entry.
-Submitter understands that by submitting their entry, they indemnify, release and hold harmless Neumann Inspires Film Festival of any responsibility and liability, for any or all damages or losses that may occur to their entry.
-Submitter is responsible and gives express permission to Neumann Inspires Film Festival to exhibit their entries at events which include but are not limited to preview exhibitions, theatrical screenings, and electronic on-line transmissions of the entry for judging purposes or in the event of a virtual screening.
-Neumann Inspires Film Festival is not required to pay screening fees to any film accepted into the festival.
-Films accepted into the festival must be able to provide a link which can be used to download the film as either an MP4 or .mov file, and in full definition 1920 x 1080p.
-All rights and permissions for any materials contained within the entry have been granted and submitter holds harmless Neumann Inspires Film Festival from any or all disputes or claims that may arise from these rights and permissions granted.
-Submitter gives permission to allow Neumann Inspires Film Festival to edit, revise, and expand any text or materials provided with or in their entry solely for the purposes of creating promotional and/or supplementary materials in support of the film as the film festival committee deems fit.
5. Submitter understands that the submission fee is non-refundable under any circumstance.
6. Submitter understands that in order to play in the main competition, a Neumann University student or alumni must have played a key role in the film’s completion. Key role is defined as one of the central roles in the making of the film, such as screenwriter, director, producer, editor, audio specialist, lead actor, or cinematographer. It is the submitter’s responsibility to specify this involvement in their submission.
7. All films submitted that have not had participation from a Neumann University student or alumni will be eligible to run in the general category only.
8. Films that have been created by AI will not be eligible for consideration for the Neumann Inspires Film Festival, and will not be selected.
9. Submitted films are expected to adhere to the theme of inspiration and to uphold the values of Neumann University. Films that do not meet this criteria may be automatically disqualified. Please refer to the mission statement on our film festival website for further guidance.
If you have read and understood the rules, please submit your short film.
