Please read these Rules & Terms carefully before you submit your film. By submitting your film into competition in the Tamworth Short Film Festival, you expressly acknowledge and agree that you shall be bound by the terms of these Rules & Conditions.
The Tamworth Short Film Festival (TSFF) is open to any film completed in the past 3 years regardless of content, subject, or origin. Submitting your film to the TSFF is not a guarantee of selection. All the Official selection, Nominees, and the Winners will be listed on our website. All the winning films will receive an award and/or certificate on the night or via mail. Please read all rules and regulations before submitting your project.
1. Films made in languages other than English must have English subtitles.
2. The TSFF reserves the right to refuse entries or change the Submission Status.
3. The TSFF is hereby granted the rights to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted for promotional purposes of the festival within all teritories on all platforms. The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening, and understands and accepts these requirements, rules, and regulations.
4. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the TSFF, from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to legal fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.
5. By submitting your film to the TSFF, the individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that the TSFF is authorized to commit the film for screening, and understands and accepts these requirements, rules, and regulations.
6. Films submitted without the correct fees or proper submission media may be deemed ineligible at the discretion of the TSFF Festival director or Technical director. The festival does not cover any of the expenses incurred by the filmmaker. The festival does not pay any screening fees.
7. After a film has been accepted into Official Selection, the filmmaker will be notified, and eventually, the film will be listed on the festival website under Official Selections. 'Accepted' (Official Selection) status means your film is included in the competition section of the TSFF and you are now eligible for a nomination/award. The award-winning films and short film finalists will be publicly screened at the festival. It is the filmmaker's responsibility to deliver screening media by the submissions closing date listed and in the required format (listed below). Our screening team does not provide any written feedback/critique. Jury deliberations are confidential.
8. An official selection will be privately screened for the TSFF judging panel, and if it wins its category, it will be screened to the public. The screening categories include Best Open Short Narrative, Best Student Narrative Short, Best Open Documentary Short, Best Student Documentary Short, Best Local Film. The festival sends a notification to a filmmaker only if the status of the submission changes via the FilmFreeway automated system.
9. “Best” films of each category will receive an official TSFF Trophy.
10. The festival does not pay any screening fees to filmmakers/producers. A filmmaker can NOT withdraw the film from the festival once official selections have been made public. If a filmmaker/producer wishes to withdraw their film before official selsctions have been posted they must do so in writing the to Festival Director.
13. LIABILITY. Although every possible care will be taken with tapes, films, drives, and files while in our possession, we cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage. Do not send original or master prints, tapes, files or drives. Please keep the TSFF notified of any address/phone number changes.
14. TSFF may without advance notice amend festival dates and/or Rules & Terms. Each and every such amendment shall become effective immediately. It is your responsibility to periodically check for updates to these Rules & Terms.
REQUIREMENTS.
1. Specify your Country of Origin, Address, EMail, and Phone number.
2. Upload an official trailer or poster, synopsis and a link to your film via FilmFreeway.
3. All films must be less that 15 minutes run-time total, including credits.
4. Entries are open to all films from anywhere in the world but the festival has a mandated 80% local content policy. This means that films by locals or made around the Tamworth and North West area of NSW will take precedence over entries from further abroad.
5. The Student Film categories are only open to school students or filmmakers under the age of 18. To qualify as a student film, The majority of the crew must be under 18 and at least one key creative eg: Director, Cinematographer or Writer.
6. The Best Local Short category is open to all ages and experience levels but must be made in Tamworth or surrounding areas by a regional filmmaker.
7. For theatrical screening we require one of these formats delivered to us by the 22nd of September:
- Apple ProRes: 1920 x 1080 video or better + uncompressed 24-bit stereo (upload or USB drive).
- DCP: both 2K or 4K (Physical media only USB/HDD/SSD)
8. All costs for shipping of the screening media to the festival are the responsibility of the sender.
