The Sham Film Festival is a fun event that honors movies created by independent filmmakers worldwide. These filmmakers specialize in telling brilliant stories through their camera lenses as well as crafting unique genres like mockery, spoofs, satire, and parody. During the festival, filmmakers can showcase their short films in various categories, including movie trailers, funny infomercials, mockumentaries, and reality TV show parodies.

At the festival, everyone comes together to celebrate the creativity and humor of these independent films. It's a fantastic opportunity for filmmakers to share their imaginative works with a global audience and enjoy the thrill of being part of a vibrant film community. With a wide range of genres and categories, the Sham Film Festival promises to be a delightful and entertaining experience for movie enthusiasts and filmmakers alike.

The grand prize is the Palm'd Oar trophy which comes with a $1000 cash prize. There are also consolation cash prices for runner-ups

These are the terms and conditions (“Terms and Conditions”) governing the submission of a film or any other audio/visual content (hereafter called the “Film”) to The Sham Film Festival (hereafter called “SFF”) for consideration in the 20124 Sham Film Festival (hereafter called the “Festival”). By submitting a film to SFF, the person submitting the Film (hereafter called the “Applicant”) agrees to abide by the terms and conditions set forth below, and further acknowledges that he/she has obtained consent from any and all owners, creators, writers, Producers and/or other authorized representatives of the Film (hereafter called the “Film’s Owners”) whose consent is required to submit the Film to SFF, and has read and understood the terms and conditions set forth below:

1) It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to secure authorization and permission from the copyright owner(s) of any and all copyrighted content or materials included within the submitted Film. SFF expressly disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for, any unauthorized inclusion of any copyrighted content or materials within or relating to the submitted Film, including any content or materials that are or may become the basis for any third party claims for copyright infringement. SFF reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees previously collected from the Applicant, any Film with any unauthorized inclusion of copyrighted content or materials. In the event that any claim, dispute, action or proceeding shall be brought or asserted by any person or entity that alleges that the Film makes unauthorized or unlawful use of any copyrighted content or material, Applicant shall fully indemnify and defend SFF, and each of their representatives and affiliates from any liability in connection therewith and from any fees and expenses, including but not limited to attorneys’ fees, that any of them may incur in connection therewith.

2) In order to be considered for the Festival, the Applicant must fill out the Festival submission information as designated on the SFF's official website, www.shamfilmfestival.com. SFF reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees previously collected from the Applicant, any Film that is not submitted through one of these channels. Applicants submitting Films that contain significant non-English spoken dialogue must provide on-screen English subtitles. SFF reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees previously collected from the Applicant, any Film that contains significant non-English spoken dialogue that does not include accompanying on-screen English subtitles.

3) Upon completion of the Festival selection process, SFF will attempt to contact the Applicant using the contact information provided by Application to notify the Applicant of the Film’s acceptance status. SFF disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for, any failure to contact the Applicant using the contact information provided by the Applicant. It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to ensure that the contact information provided is correct throughout the entirety of the Festival selection period.

4) SFF is under no obligation to provide to the Applicant or any other representative of the Film any comments or feedback regarding the submitted Film, any information relating to the manner in which the Film is, will be, or was reviewed; any views that SFF or any reviewers of the Film may hold concerning the Film; any reasons why the Film, should it not be accepted for exhibition at the Festival, was not accepted; or any other information relating to the Festival’s review, consideration and/or selection process regarding the Film specifically or submissions generally beyond the information set forth in these Rules and Regulations. SFF disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible or liable for, the contents of any internal comments or feedback regarding any Film that are or may be obtained by the Applicant or any other representative of the Film; any communications by any representative of SFF relating to the Film or the Festival selection process; the manner in which the Film shall be, is or was considered and reviewed; the identity or identities of any specific reviewers of the Film; and/or any failure on the part of the SFF to provide the Applicant or any other representative(s) of the Film with information concerning the SFF’s consideration and/or review of the Film.

5) The Applicant represents and warrants to SFF that: (a) he/she is duly authorized, on his/her own behalf and on behalf of all other persons or entities who have any ownership rights or interests (including, without limitation, intellectual property rights) in or relating to the Film (hereafter called the “Film’s Owners”), to exhibit this Film at the Festival, (b) exhibition of the Film at the Festival will not violate any law or any right or consent of any person or entity; and (c) the Film is not subject to any litigation, arbitration, or other adversarial claim or proceeding, nor is the Film the subject of any threat of litigation, arbitration, or other adverse claim or proceeding. The Applicant further represents and warrants, on behalf of his/herself and the Film’s Owners, that 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 the Film does not constitute or include a defamation of any person or entity, and that he/she has paid and will pay in full all license fees, clearance fees, and other obligations, of any kind, arising from or associated with the exhibition of the Film at or in connection with the Festival.

6) In the event that the Film is accepted by SFF for inclusion in the Festival, the Applicant acknowledges, on behalf of his/herself and the Film’s Owners, that SFF’s exhibition or presentation of the Film at the Festival does not and will not create any confidential or fiduciary relationship between SFF on the one hand and his/herself and/or the Film’s Owners on the other.

7) The Applicant further acknowledges, on behalf of his/herself and the Film’s Owners, that they understand they will not receive any compensation for such inclusion of the film in the Festival, although some prizes at the Festival may include cash awards.

8) The Applicant acknowledges that no obligation of any kind is assumed by, or may be implied against SFF in the event of, by virtue of, or as a result of SFF’s selection of the Film for the Festival. The Applicant and the Film’s Owners understand and acknowledge that the selection of the Film for inclusion in the Festival does not and will not in any way constitute an express or implied endorsement or approval by SFF of the content of the Film or any opinion expressed therein. The Applicant agrees, on behalf of his/herself and each of the Film’s Owners, to indemnify and hold harmless SFF, together with each of its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, employees, volunteers, attorneys, creative advisors, agents and representatives (collectively, “SFF Related Parties”), from and against any and all claims, losses, liabilities, damages, fees and expenses (including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs) that may be asserted by any person or entity, or may be incurred by SFF or any SFF Related Parties, at any time in connection with the Film or SFF’s use, handling or consideration thereof, and/or arising from any breach or alleged breach of any representation made by his/herself to SFF or any SFF Related Parties, including, without limitation, any express or implied representation in these Rules and Regulations.

9) The Applicant warrants and agrees, on behalf of his/herself and each of the Film’s Owners, that the Film is being submitted to SFF voluntarily and without promise or inducement, and that the submission of the Film neither imposes nor creates any obligation or responsibility on the part of SFF or any SFF Related Parties to accept the Film for inclusion in the Festival, to exhibit the Film at the Festival, to acknowledge the submission of the Film, or to return the Film to me or others. The Applicant further agrees, on his/her own behalf and on behalf of the Film’s Owners, that he/she and the Film’s Owners, in submitting the Film for consideration, are waiving, forfeiting, foregoing and relinquishing any right that he/she or the Film's Owners might otherwise have to assert any claim or commence any proceeding in any forum or tribunal against SFF, or any SFF Related Parties, based upon, arising out of or otherwise relating to the submission, exhibition or failure to exhibit the Film (including, without limitation, claims relating to any failure or refusal to exhibit the Film at the Festival, the exhibition or marketing of the Film at or in connection with the Festival, alleged oral or written representations by the Festival or its representatives relating to the submission or exhibition of the Film, and any other matters arising from or relating to the submission of the Film), whether such claims may be based on theories of contract, implied contract, tort, statute, or other legal theory (hereinafter, “Claim”). In the event that any Claim is asserted, or any action, arbitration or other proceeding is brought or commenced, in violation of the agreement set forth in the immediately preceding sentence, the Applicant agrees, on his/her own behalf and on behalf of each of the Film’s Owners, to indemnify SFF and SFF Related Parties from any and all Claims, losses, liabilities, damages, fees and expenses (including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs) that are incurred by SFF and any SFF Related Parties as a result of or in connection with any such Claim or any action, arbitration or other proceeding brought in violation of the representations and agreements set forth in this paragraph, including, without limitation, reimbursement of all attorneys’ fees incurred or to be incurred by SFF, or any SFF Related Parties in connection with any Claim or any action, arbitration or other proceeding brought or initiated by me or any of the Film’s Owners or any other representative of, or person affiliated with, the Film.

10) The Applicant further agrees and accepts that, in the event that any Claim is asserted, or any action, arbitration or other proceeding is brought or commenced, by the Applicant, any of the Film’s Owners, or any other representative of or person affiliated with the Film, in violation of the agreements set forth above, and in the further event that an arbitrator or other tribunal should permit such Claim to proceed despite the waiver language set forth above, the sole and maximum remedy that could be awarded to the Applicant or any other person or entity asserting any Claim shall be a refund of the submission fee paid in connection with the submission of the Film to SFF for consideration for the Festival. Under no circumstances shall any other remedy, including without limitation actual, expectancy, reliance, consequential, special, punitive or exemplary damages, or any other damages, or injunctive, declaratory, provisional or other relief, be available to the Applicant, the Film’s Owners, or any other person or entity representing or affiliated with the Film.

11) In the event that the Film is accepted by SFF for inclusion in an exhibition at the Festival, the Applicant hereby grants, on behalf of his/herself and each of the Film’s Owners, each of the following rights to SFF, and any SFF Related Parties without reservations, conditions or qualifications: (a) the right to use footage, stills and/or titles, and information from or relating to the Film for promotional purposes; (b) the right to issue and authorize publicity concerning the filmmakers and the Film and to use all associated names, likenesses and biographical information; The Applicant also agrees to provide up-to-date contact information pertaining to the director and producer(s) of the Film, and to grant SFF, at their sole and absolute discretion, the right to provide this information to film industry organizations that sponsor Festival events

12) The Applicant warrant and agrees, on behalf of myself and each of the Film’s Owners, that SFF has made no claims, representations or guarantees, and has provided no assurances, in relation to the internal process utilized by SFF with respect to selection of films for inclusion in the Festival, and that the submission of the Film neither imposes nor creates any obligation or responsibility on the part of SFF or any SFF Related Parties to provide the Applicant, the Film’s Owners, or their related parties with comments, feedback or other information pertaining to the viewing or consideration of the Film by SFF for possible inclusion in the Festival.

13) The Applicant represents that he/she is 18 years of age or older.

14) Without in any way limiting the provisions or scope of the agreements set forth above, the Applicant further agrees, on behalf of his/herself and each of the Film’s Owners, that any claim, dispute or controversy arising out of, in connection with, or otherwise related to the Film, the Festival, or these Rules and Regulations, including, without limitation, any Claim (as this term is defined above) and any other claim or cause of action of any nature arising from the actual or alleged breach, termination, enforcement, interpretation or validity of these Rules and Regulations, will be governed by the internal, substantive laws of the State of Missouri and will be subject to and submitted to exclusive jurisdiction in St. Louis, Missouri, which shall be the sole and exclusion forum for determination of such claim, dispute or controversy.

15) The Applicant hereby acknowledges that he/she has the right to consult with an attorney of his/her own choosing with respect to these Rules and Regulations for submitting a film to the Festival. By submitting the film to SFF, the Applicant agrees that he/she is doing so after having consulted with an attorney or after freely or voluntarily electing not to do so without coercion or duress. Further, the Applicant freely and voluntarily gives and expresses his/her full and complete acceptance of all of the terms and provisions set forth in these Rules and Regulations, and acknowledges that no oral representations, inducements, promises or assurances of any kind, and no representations, inducements, promises or assurances not set forth in these Rules and Regulations, have been made to the Applicant or the Film’s Owners by SFF, or SFF Related Parties.

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  • Mike Piccirillo

    LOVE THE SHAM! These guys rock.

    Fair-priced and so considerate to filmmakers! A well-produced, well-run festival run by a great group of folks!

    May 2016