- RAKSA Festival – Film Competition Rules & Guidelines
- Eligibility
* Short films of any genre, style, or production format are eligible for consideration in the International Competition.
* Only films directed, produced, or created by filmmakers of Arab heritage, or produced within an Arab film school or university, are eligible for the Arabic Competition.
* Only films directed, produced, or created by French filmmakers, or produced within a French film school or university, are eligible for the French Competition.
* There are no restrictions regarding genre, theme, or filmmaking style.
* The maximum running time for short films is 30 minutes, including credits.
- Premiere Status
* For the International Competition, a Paris premiere is recommended but not required.
* No premiere status is required for the Arabic Competition, French Competition, or any other section of the festival.
- Submission Guidelines
* Applicants may submit multiple films, provided they align with the vision and spirit of the festival.
* There is no need to submit the same film to multiple sections. A single submission is sufficient, as the programming team may consider the film for additional sections if deemed appropriate.
* Submission fees are non-refundable.
* A submitted film may be withdrawn within two (2) weeks of submission. After this period, withdrawal requests may not be accepted.
- Exhibition Formats
Selected films must be delivered in one of the following formats:
* QuickTime (.mov) using ProRes, ProRes HQ, or ProRes 4444 codecs;
* DCP (Digital Cinema Package);
* H.264 (.mp4).
Films should be supplied in their original frame rate and highest available quality.
- Rights and Permissions
* The individual or company submitting the film warrants that they hold all necessary rights, licenses, permissions, and clearances required for the exhibition of the film and any accompanying materials.
* The submitter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless RAKSA-Ciné Paris from any claims, liabilities, damages, or expenses arising from copyright infringement or any other third-party claims related to the submitted work.
* By submitting a film, the filmmaker grants RAKSA-Ciné Paris the right to use excerpts, still images, trailers, and promotional materials solely for festival communication, publicity, educational purposes, and promotional activities related to the festival.
- Festival Screenings
* By submitting a film to the RAKSA Festival, the filmmaker grants RAKSA-Ciné Paris the right to screen the film during the festival if it is selected.
* If the filmmaker chooses to participate in the "RAKSA Outside the Walls" program, they also grant RAKSA-Ciné Paris permission to consider the film for additional non-commercial screenings and parallel events organized by RAKSA beyond the festival dates.
* Should a film be selected for any screening outside the festival, the director, producer, or rights holder will be contacted separately to sign a screening agreement specifying the terms and conditions of participation.
- Artistic Integrity
* No alterations, edits, cuts, or modifications will be made to any selected film without the prior consent of the director or rights holder.
- Final Provisions
* Any matters not covered by these rules shall be resolved by RAKSA-Ciné Paris in consultation with the filmmaker when necessary.
* Submission to the festival implies acceptance of all rules and regulations outlined above.
