Sci-Fi Horror & Action Film Festival

## Rules and Terms

### Submission Requirements

**Language:** Non-English films must include English subtitles or dubbing.

**Authorization:** The individual or corporation submitting warrants they are authorized to commit the film for screening and accept all festival requirements and regulations.

**Entry Acceptance:** The festival reserves the right to refuse entries without providing waivers.

### Promotional Rights

By submitting, you grant the Sci-Fi Horror & Action International Film Festival rights to use excerpts from accepted competition films for promotional purposes. Clips from winning entries may be streamed on the festival website and WRPN.TV.

### Category Submission Guidelines

**Official Selection Listing:** Your film appears on the Official Selection list only when submitted to a main (full-price) category. Films entered solely into reduced-rate production value subcategories will not be publicly listed.

**Subcategory Judging:** Entry into subcategories does not guarantee selection or award. Films submitted exclusively to subcategories (without a major category entry) risk rejection if judges find the specific subcategory submission lacking merit, regardless of overall film quality. Judges may also award subcategory honors you didn't enter if they identify exceptional technical achievement.

**Subcategory Limitation:** Winning an award in a subcategory does not qualify a film for live screening or distributor submission.

**Award Allocation:** The number of awards granted at each level varies based on the total number of entries received by the competition deadline.

### Independent Merit-Based Evaluation

To ensure each film is evaluated on its own merits, we established a mechanism to prevent entries from being judged against one another. They are competing against themselves: we judge each item on its own merits and provide a score based on an innate value system.

We want to ensure that when it's your moment to be judged, the judges' attention is focused on you and not on the other films in the queue. This way, they won't be thinking about comparisons when they should be thinking about you.

**Award Distribution:**
- **Best of Festival & Best of Show:** Top-scoring entries per season
- **Awards of Excellence levels:** Exceptional artistic and technical achievement
- **Awards of Merit & Kudos:** Notable achievements
- **No Award:** Some entries may not reach the award threshold

### Live Screening Protocol

**Best of Festival winners only** are screened theatrically. These events capture authentic audience reactions that distributors use to inform their decisions. The Sci-Fi Horror & Action International Film Festival does not conduct after-screening networking parties or seminars. Audience video interviews may be conducted and featured on WRPN.tv.

**Technical Requirements:** Winners must provide screening-quality files (DCP preferred) and submit all required materials by the deadline.

**Screening Cancellation Rights:**
- Attendance numbers vary independently of promotional activities by the cinema venue or our festival. If a film does not draw viewers, we reserve the right to cancel the screening.
- If a Best of Festival winner decides not to screen live, fails to submit required materials, or doesn't respond to requests, we reserve the right to cancel the live screening. However, the award winner will still retain their award.

The festival reserves the right to modify program dates and times.

### Refund Policy

- **Before Official Selection:** Full refund upon withdrawal
- **After Official Selection:** No refunds issued

### Professional Judging

All judges (selection and awarding phases) are compensated professionals. We do not use unpaid volunteers.

### Communication & Notifications

**Subscribe to the WRPN.tv mailing list** to ensure receipt of award notifications and exclusive discounts. We are not responsible for missed opportunities due to unread or undelivered emails.

### Indemnification

Submitters must indemnify and hold harmless the Sci-Fi Horror & Action International Film Festival, WRPN.TV, and ROMAN PICTURES from all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including attorney's fees and court costs) arising from copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, or loss/damage to submitted materials.