**If you are 18 years old or younger and wish to submit to the "Hollywood Nights Young Filmmaker Competition", please see last paragraph.**
Submission Guidelines
Submission Formats:
For programming consideration, the festival accepts online screeners for the complete film. The Festival will not consider trailers or rough edits for selection purposes.
Eligibility Requirements:
To be eligible for consideration, all films must meet the following requirements:
i. Be available to screen by March 1, 2024. Filmmakers must provide the Sarasota Film Festival with a clean, clear print for projection. Filmmakers must provide the film for presentation in DCP (MUST be professionally authored) at the Festival’s sole discretion. PLEASE NOTE: Due to the digital transition of our screening locations, we are unable to show film, HDCAM, or BetaCam formats.
ii. Not have been commercially screened in the US, or available for video or internet distribution prior to March 1, 2024.
iii. Be in their original language with English subtitles when applicable.
iv. Have completed production within 2023.
v. Films previously submitted to the Festival and not programmed will only be considered for the 2024 Festival if they meet all the other eligibility requirements as outlined here, and only if it has changed significantly from the previous version submitted.
Deadlines:
Early submission is strongly encouraged with reduced entry fees. The Festival is not obliged to view late entries.
Entry Fees:
All entry fees must accompany your submission for consideration in the Festival.
Submission Materials:
All submissions must adhere to the following guidelines;
i. We require ALL submissions to be registered with one of our submission platforms.
ii. Applicable entry fee submitted
iii: Electronic Press Kits only. Hard copy materials submitted with the films will be discarded.
Selections:
Films will be selected and entrants will be notified around March 1, 2024.
Requirements for Selected Films:
Once an entry has been reviewed and selected for the festival, a preliminary notification letter will be issued by email. All selected applicants will be notified by March 1, 2024. Upon notification, the Sarasota Film Festival will request additional press kits, press screeners, posters, and postcards for each film.
Any unused press materials may be picked up at the press office at the conclusion of the Festival. All unclaimed materials will be disposed of immediately upon conclusion of the Festival.
Promotional Usage:
Participants agree that all materials related to their film may be published in the Festival Guide, website, ticketing system, and other promotional materials or property and in all media. Posters and images of the film may be used independently as well as in combination with images from other films to promote the film and the Sarasota Film Festival.
Clearances:
If selected for screening, all commercial/private property including trademark and/or copyrighted materials shown and recorded in the project must come with authorized permission for screening. The filmmaker remains entirely liable for any claims that may occur in result of screening the film.
Print Liability:
The Sarasota Film Festival holds no responsibility for prints damaged upon arrival and may reject or replace the film in the Festival if this requirement is not met. The Festival will insure the safety of film prints only from the time of delivery to the Festival through the time the print is delivered to a shipping agent for return. In case of loss or damage to a print, the Festival must receive notification and independent verification immediately. The Festival’s obligation is limited to compensating the producer only for the cost of replacing the damaged tape(s)/ drive(s).
Print Shipping:
Selected film prints must be received by PREPAID courier no later than 10 days prior to first screening date unless pre-approved by the Sarasota Film Festival.
Prints must be clearly marked with the film’s title, the sender’s return address and the Festival projection address exactly at the address provided.
Prints will be returned to the Submission Contact within 10 days after the close of the Festival unless pre-arranged with the Sarasota Film Festival prior.
Please clearly indicate on all waybills that transportation and customs charges will be billed to the sender. For custom’s purposes please indicate under declaration “Goods on loan for cultural and educational purposes only. No Commercial Value.” And indicate fair market value not to exceed U.S. $50 for drives.
Please request/obtain confirmation of delivery through the courier tracking service.
College Student/NYU Films:
Any film submitted to these categories must state the school they are with and upload a picture of your student ID. Any submission that does not meet these requirements will not be considered.
SRQ/FLA Filmmakers:
Any film submitted to this category must state what part of Florida their film is associated with.
Hollywood Nights Young Filmmaker Competition:
You must be 18 years of age or younger in order to submit to this category. Due to the number of incorrect submissions to this category, all Hollywood Nights Young Filmmaker Competition films must be submitted with proper identification (student ID, names of school, grade).
