Santa Fe Film Festival

1. The submitted film must be the original work of the Filmmaker. The Festival does not investigate rights or authorship, by entering the competition, you represent that you have secured the necessary rights.

2. A student submitting a film must provide a photocopy of a current and valid student ID or a letter from his/her school verifying enrollment.

3. The Filmmaker is responsible for all shipping costs, domestic or international of requested media and for the return if requested. The filmmaker is also responsible for meeting the required deadlines for submitting the materials requested if selected or they will not be programmed for the live festival. You can include a self-addressed, stamped postcard for each submission if you wish to confirm receipt of your entry.

4. The Festival cannot provide feedback and/or additional correspondence to films that are NOT selected.

5. In order to qualify as an International Film, more than half of the project's financing must originate from outside of the United States or the film must be primarily shot outside of the US. Qualification for this category is at the discretion of the festival.*

6. If the film or series has US distribution before the festival, congratulations however, it is disqualified from the competition but can be screened at the festival if your distribution partner allows it to be. Films and series produced, financed, or initiated by a major film studio or television network or screened on a US network, television or have been distributed to theaters prior to the festival dates are also ineligible for competition. However, if the film is accepted and the filmmaker will be in attendance, we can have an exhibition screening for the film.

7. Short Films that have played in New Mexico in a theatrical venue for a public audience or online prior to December 1, 2022, are not eligible to compete at SFFF, the only exception is for a student screening for an accredited university's film program.

8. If your Feature Film, Short Film, Digital Series or Television Pilot is submitted, it must have been completed after March 1, 2021and available to screen at the SFFF Festival in February 2023. If you get distribution and cannot have your film screen, please notify our programmer at your earliest convenience.

9. Feature Films - we prefer to have a World Premiere, North American Premiere, US Premiere for screenings at our festival. At the very least, it should be a New Mexican premiere.

10. Digital series must have up to three episodes for the first season produced and submitted and cannot be publicly screened in person or online prior to December 1, 2022 to be eligible to screen at the SFFF.

11. Television Pilots can be in the scripted drama, comedy, or animated genre, and must be a 20 to 60-minute episode length and cannot be publicly screened in person or online prior to December 1, 2022 to be eligible to screen at the SFFF.

12. Films and series which have been selected to screen at SFFF may not be selected to be “in competition” for awards purposes. The Festival will contact the filmmaker about the competition status which may occur after notifications of acceptance have been sent out to the filmmakers.

13. Filmmaker submissions should be "locked" for the consideration process. Technical changes in color or sound will not affect the overall story which is the focus of our team in screening films. Should the festival accept the film, then the filmmaker has the opportunity to send an updated version before the deadline posted by the programmer in advance of the live festival.

14. If your film was made in New Mexico, has a New Mexican cast or crew, or was shot in New Mexico (all or part), PLEASE make note of it in your submission as we don't want to miss your film.

15. The SFFF is championing inclusion for our hearing impaired filmmakers and audience. We are asking that our filmmakers submitting their films to the Festival work to include a SRT file for closed-captioning or have Burned In Subs. Thank you

16. If you are in need of an ASL interpreter for the Q&A after your film, we request at least a 30-day notice so we can make arrangements for you to have one to support you and your film screening.

Selected Entries and Winners

1. SFFF has no obligation to disclose any of the following information (except for the rules as posted in our profile): 1) notes, feedback, or ratings on submissions, 2) identities of judges or screeners, 3) details regarding our review or selection process.

Terms

1. I, the representative of the project being submitted (the "Film"), acknowledge and agree as follows in connection with the Film's submittal to Santa Fe Film Festival (SFFF or Festival):

2. I hereby represent and warrant to the Festival that (a) I am duly authorized, on my own behalf and on behalf of all other persons or entities who have any ownership rights in the Film, to exhibit this Film at the Festival, (b) this exhibition will not violate any law or any right or consent of any person or entity and (c) the Film is not subject to litigation nor is it threatened by any litigation.

3. I further represent and warrant that, to the best of my knowledge, the exhibition of the Film at the Festival will not violate or infringe any copyright, patent, privacy right, publicity right, trademark, service mark or any other personal or property right of any person or entity and that my Film does not constitute defamation of any person or entity. I have paid and will pay in full all license fees, clearance fees, and other obligations, of any kind, arising from the exhibition of the Film in connection with the Festival.

4. If accepted, I acknowledge that the Festival's presentation of the Film does not create any confidential or fiduciary relationship between the Festival and me. I understand that I will not receive any compensation for such exploitation, although some prizes at the Festival may include cash awards. I acknowledge that no obligation of any kind is assumed by or may be implied against the Festival or the official sponsors of the Festival because of the Festival's selection of the Film. I understand and acknowledge that the selection of my Film by the Festival does not in any way constitute an express or implied endorsement or approval by the Festival of the content of the Film or any opinion expressed therein.

5. I agree to indemnify and hold harmless Santa Fe Film Festival, the affiliate, subsidiary and parent entities of each, and the officers, directors, employees, attorneys, advisers and agents of each of the foregoing from and against any and all claims, losses, or liabilities (including reasonable attorneys' fees) that may be asserted against any of the foregoing or incurred by any of the foregoing at any time in connection with the Film or the Festival's use thereof, and/or arising from any breach or alleged breach of any representation made by me to the Festival.

6. If accepted, I hereby grant without reservations, to the Festival, and their related entities (a) the right to use footage, stills and/or titles, and information from the Film for promotional purposes and (b) the right to issue and authorize publicity concerning the filmmakers and the Film and to use all associated names, likenesses and biographical information. I also agree to provide contact information for the director and producer(s) of the Film and grant the Festival the right to provide this information to film industry organizations sponsoring Festival events at its discretion.

7. I represent that I am 18 years of age or older, or that if I am younger than the legal age to enter into contracts in my state, I have provided written consent from my parent or legal guardian. I agree that any controversy arising out of or in connection with my Film and the Festival will be governed by the internal laws of the State of New Mexico and conclusively determined by arbitration in the City of Santa Fe in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association before a single arbitrator mutually agreed by the parties. I hereby waive any and all rights and benefits which I might otherwise have or be entitled to litigate any such dispute in court, including without limitation a trial by jury.

8. I acknowledge that I have read and understood the rules and regulations for submitting a film to the Festival, located at http://www.santafefilmfestival.com.

9. By submitting the Film, I constitute my full and complete acceptance of the terms hereof. I acknowledge that no oral representations of any kind have been made by Santa Fe Film Festival. Filmmaker grants the Santa Fe Film Festival the right to use a clip or clips from the film or any press materials submitted for publicity and promotional purposes.

10. The Santa Fe Film Festival reserves the right in its sole discretion to reject or disqualify any ineligible entries, without a refund.

11. For accepted titles, the Festival should receive the exhibition print (requested file in the accepted format) no later than January 7, 2023. The filmmaker is responsible for the expense of shipping their exhibition print to the Festival.

Please note: COMPETITION IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.