A. General Festival Rules
1) Eligibility
All submissions
• Must be completed from 1 January 2023 onward
• The submitting party ("the Submitter") must have the authority to submit the film to REAL Documentary Festival and the exclusive rights (including all music clearance rights) to screen theatrically in the United Kingdom.
2) Submission Requirements
REAL Documentary Festival accepts documentary films for selection in the following categories.
Feature Documentaries
• Over 45 minutes
Short Documentaries
•Under 20 minutes
Deadlines and Fees (£GBP)
Feature Documentaries
Regular: 14 Mar 2024 £25
Short Documentaries
Regular: 14 Mar 2024 £7.50
Other
• All submissions must include a secure working online screener link.
• All films not in the English language must have English subtitles and where available closed captions. Dubbing is not acceptable.
• Incomplete entries cannot be accepted.
• Works In Progress may be accepted with prior consent from us.
• The Festival is under no obligation to provide comments or feedback regarding the submitted film to the applicant or any other representative of the submitted film.
• It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to secure clearance from all copyright holders of materials and music included in the submitted film.
• The Submitter warrants to keep the Festival indemnified against all claims for the unauthorised inclusion of copyrighted materials or music within or relating to the submitted films.
• The Festival reserves the right to disqualify any film with unauthorized copyrighted materials or music.
• Submitters will be notified of programming decisions by 1st April 2023. The Festival’s decision is final.
3) Selected Films
Screener Link
The Submitter must supply the Festival with a screener and password one week after selection is confirmed and valid until the end of the Festival. The Submitter acknowledges that the screener link will be used for reviews, ratings, promotional purposes and the jury.
Screening Fees
The Submitter acknowledges that the Festival is run by a not-for-profit charitable organisation. Fees (if any) will be advised once a film is confirmed.
Screenings
The Festival is entitled to at its discretion schedule:
• up to two festival screenings
Film Exhibition Format
Complete details will be provided upon selection to the Submitter in due course.
Film Withdrawal Policy
Once the Festival confirms in writing the film's selection:
• The Submitter can only withdraw the Film from the Festival with mutual agreement in writing
• The Submitter must communicate this policy to the film's sales agent/s and/or distributor/s when negotiating the sales or distribution of the film and ensure that all parties comply with this policy
Changes to Film Status
The Submitter must give REAL Documentary Festival prior notice in writing of any changes that may affect the selection or legality of any such screenings of the film. Failure to do so may result in the film being removed at the Festival's discretion.
Publicity
Upon selection, the Festival is authorised to use the publicity materials related to the film (i.e. press kits, posters, trailer, stills and/or clips from the film) in full, or as part of edited montages to promote the film, the Festival and/or its events.
B. Agreement
I, the Submitter, have the sole and exclusive ownership of all rights related to the submitted production and/or have the full authority to submit the production to the Festival and bind all other third parties with an interest in the film (director, producer, sales agent or film distributor) to this Agreement.
I also confirm that all rights and clearances have been obtained and we will indemnify the Festival should any dispute arise as a result of the public screening of the film by the Festival pursuant to these rules and regulations.
I undertake that the information provided in this Entry is complete and correct. By submitting the film, I understand, accept, and agree to comply with this Agreement.
