Seedlings Film Fest

1. Seedlings Film Fest is being held on a date in December, yet to be finalised. We will return annually.
2. The aim of the Festival is to celebrate the natural world, sustainability, creative practices which are in harmony with our planet and authentic, natural living in all its forms including joy, queerness, and celebrating our individuality, diversity and difference.
3. Official Selection
3.1 Feature Films
Unfortunately, we will not be able to accept feature films in Seedlings Film Fest 2024.
3.2 Short Films
In order to submit to this category, the total running time of the film needs to be of less than 45 minutes (including credits).
We welcome narrative, documentary, and animation short films, as well as music videos.
We have two separate categories for shorts: ‘Micro Short’ (0-5 mins) and ‘Short Film’ (5-40 mins)
4. Juries and Awards
4.1 Feature Films Jury
A Jury, comprising the Seedlings team and some other filmmakers and curators will make the selection and award the following prizes for the feature films:
Best Short
Best Best Documentary
Best Screenplay (all films automatically entered)
Best Analogue film – an award to a film which celebrates analogue filmmaking (including using film stocks from super 8 to 35mm, VHS, and traditional animation practices)
Best Celebration of Heritage– an award to a film which celebrates traditional practices
Best Young Filmmaker (under 25)
Best Queer Film
Best Global Majority Film
We will notify of the nominees in advance, and in some cases there may be joint winners.
5. Selection of films/projects
5.1 Selection Procedure
Only films that have been registered can be considered for selection.
 Film registrations are accepted exclusively online on FilmFreeway.
5.2 Submission Deadlines
Following deadlines must be met without exception:

Early Submission Deadline: September 23rd, 2024
Regular Submission Deadline: September 30th, 2024
Late Submission Deadline: October 20th, 2024

Extended Submission Deadline: November 11th, 2024
Late submissions can only be made with the express approval of the respective section head.
5.3 Registration Fees
For each film submitted to the selection of the Festival, a registration fee is requested to cover administrative and programming costs. Films will only be considered for selection after the entry fee is received.
Fees are depending on the submission deadline:

Short films: $10 > $20
Micro short films: $5 > $10
This fee will only be reimbursed under extremely special circumstances and discussions with Seedlings.
5.4 Materials to submit
Films are to be submitted in their original version for the selection process. Films in English do not require translation. Films in other languages must be subtitled in English.
All Projects must be uploaded via the FilmFreeway Secure Online Screener system.
Seedlings Film Fest reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees previously collected from the applicant, any Project that is not submitted via one of these formats.
5.5. Dialogues/Subtitles
If your project includes non-English dialogues, please ensure all subtitles are hardcoded to your video file (we do not accept a translated list of dialogue on paper).
5.6 Completion
Projects need to be completed from January 1, 2022, to be eligible for consideration for the 2024 edition of the Festival.
6.7 Premiere Status
Short Films do not need to retain any sort of premiere status. Short Films do not forfeit their eligibility for submission to the Festival if they were previously released theatrically or via any home video platform, broadcast or streamed on television or the internet, or screened at any number of film festivals anywhere in the world.
6.8 Declaration of Rights Upon Submitting a Film
Seedlings Film Fest will only accept the submission of a film if the submitter is the holder of all usage rights to the film necessary for the submission and use of the film within the context of participation in Seedlings Film Fest. Seedlings Film Fest reserves the right to demand appropriate proof of these rights and to reject the submission upon failure to provide it.
6.10 Notification
All the submitted films will be notified on November 22nd, 2024 in writing if their film has been successful or not.
If your film is invited to the official selection of Seedlings Film Fest, you will be contacted by the Festival in regards to all the logistical and practical details of your screening during the Festival.
7. Selected Films/Projects
The invitation to participate is issued by the Festival Director or the section heads, respectively. Only officially selected films/projects can participate in the Seedlings Film Fest.
Upon completion of the Festival selection process, Seedlings Film Fest will attempt to contact the Applicant using the contact information provided on the submission form to notify the Applicant of the Project’s acceptance status. Seedlings Film Fest disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for any failure to contact the Applicant using the contact information provided on the submission form. It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to ensure that the contact information provided on the submission form is correct.
8. Participants Obligations
No film may be withdrawn from the festival program after its participation has been publicised. During the festival, no participating film may be screened outside the festival venues prior to its official presentation at the festival.
Participation in the festival requires unconditional adherence to all regulations set out in these guidelines.
The Director of Seedlings Film Fest reserves the right to rule on any cases not provided for in these guidelines.
8.1 Acceptance Form
Selected films will receive an Acceptance Form to be duly completed and returned no later than 10 days after the end of the extended submission deadline. Receipt of the form by the Festival implies the legal acceptance of the invitation by all concerned and will be considered definitive and irrevocable.
8.2 Announcement
The invitation of a Project to participate must remain confidential until the announcement of the program by the Seedlings Film Fest. Failure to comply will result in its exclusion from the selection. The general scheduling and screening times are the sole responsibility of Seedlings Film Fest.
8.3 Screening Formats
Short + Feature Films
Selected films MUST provide an adequate video file to be screened (with English subtitles).
The Festival reserves the right to refuse any copy that, on the advice of the Festival technicians, is considered to be of inadequate quality for public screening.
8.4 Catalogue
All the material required for the Festival catalogue (synopses, cast and credits, biography and a complete filmography of the director, photographs of the director, of actors and scenes from the film in b/w and colour, plus a brief director’s comment on the film) must reach the Festival as soon as possible, but no later than 10 days after the end of the extended submission deadline, if required
8.5 Press Material
The presenters of films participating in the Festival must send the promotional material for distribution to the press and potential buyers (press book, digital images of the film and the director, video material, audio clips, etc.) under separate cover, at their own expense, no later than 10 days after the end of the extended submission deadline, in the quantities that will be requested after the invitation.
8.6 Official Logo
All forms of promotional activity after the presentation of the program by the Seedlings Film Fest must mention their participation in the Seedlings Film Fest, including the official logo of the Seedlings Film Fest, as supplied by Seedlings Film Fest. Films awarded a prize must also state which award was won, in accordance with the official graphic designs predetermined and supplied by Seedlings Film Fest.
9. Hospitality
Our hospitality department will be in touch with selected filmmakers to organise attendance and post-screening Q&As.
10. Usage Rights
The participant declares and guarantees that he/she is the holder of all usage rights necessary for the use of the film in the context of this agreement. The participant affirms that any third parties involved in the production and distribution of the film have agreed, where necessary, to its use in the context of Seedlings Film Fest as specified in this agreement. The participant guarantees that by using the film in the context of this agreement, no rights of third parties, including persons depicted in the film, are infringed.