OVERVIEW:
• Our festival is designed to showcase the best of impact-themed films (shorts and features) from around the world.
• We accept any genre (documentary, animation, comedy, experimental, etc.), however, it MUST contain an underlying theme, issue, or focus on human and/or environmental systems.
• Features and shorts MUST demonstrate a bold commitment to subject matter, excellence in cinematic craft and innovation in environmental storytelling.
• Please pay close attention to language and subtitling requirements in the section below.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
• We accept a variety of running times (including credits):
Feature film and documentaries are 41 minutes or longer. No more than 130 minutes.
Short films are 20 minutes or less, including all credits. No minimum running time.
• Exclusive Festival premiere is not required, but your film must have been completed within the past 5 years (2019+). Any film is eligible regardless of television broadcast history and online availability, as well as current premiere status.
*IMPORTANT*
• Non-English entries must be submitted with embedded English subtitles and English open or closed captions for any dialogue in English. We welcome and encourage all languages, but for review purposes must be subtitled in English.
• Since our festival is hosted in a number of Latin American countries, we heavily appreciate films in Spanish or subtitled in Spanish!
• If selected, you must provide a downloadable file of your film with no hard coded subtitles. Additionally you must send all available .SRT files and/or transcripts.
Since the festival takes place all over the world we aim to make all films accessible, therefore you must provide all available language files.
• MUST be submitted through FilmFreeway. If you run into any issues uploading your file, please contact us at film@plasticoceans.org. If agreed, we can accept via alternative online platforms. We will only accept online screeners and will not be accepting any physical or mail-in copies to reduce environmental impact. Thank you!
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TERMS & CONDITIONS:
1. Upon selection, the entrant grants the Trees & Seas Film Festival the right to utilize publicity materials related to the production (i.e. press kits, posters, stills, preview tapes, etc.) for promotional purposes in all mediums, including broadcast, print and internet. 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 and regulations.
2. The undersigned shall indemnify and hold harmless the Trees & Seas Film Festival and the Plastic Oceans International organization from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's 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.
3. The film has been submitted for consideration with the knowledge and consent of the Producer(s) listed in this form.
4. Participation in the Trees & Seas Film Festival implies an understanding and acceptance of these regulations. The Festival reserves the right to rule on cases not foreseen by these regulations.
5. TSFF festival dates are subject to change, however we will provide ample notice if this were the case.
SUBMITTER RELEASE:
1. By participating in the Trees & Seas Film Festival (TSFF), I certify that I/we are the sole owner(s) of the work submitted and that I/we have obtained all necessary releases and clearances necessary for public screening. By submitting this entry, I agree that TSFF & its affiliates and assigns may publicly screen the work, as part of TSFF, and may use all or part of the work and any stills and descriptive material, including the title of the work in any publicity efforts for the festival, including any broadcast or internet and website use.
2. I/we also agree to allow this submission to be included in repeat screenings of TSFF or Plastic Ocean's Blue Community program which may occur outside of the original context, and which may include being part of a Plastic Oceans International sponsored screening at other film festivals both within and outside of the United States of America.
THIRD-PARTY RIGHTS & CLEARANCES:
All films must be the original work of the entrant and must not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity. If the film contains any material or elements that are not owned by the entrant and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties, the entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to the submission of the film, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the use of the film by TSFF. TSFF reserves the right, in its sole and unfettered discretion, to verify at any time during the Competition that all necessary clearances relating to any film have been obtained. At any time during the Festival, TSFF reserves the right, in its sole and unfettered discretion, to disqualify and remove any film that potentially or actually infringes any third party's copyright(s).
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY:
1. By entering into this Contest, entrants hereby release and discharge the Trees & Seas Film Festival (TSFF) and its respective affiliates, subsidiaries, assigns, agents, representatives, independent contractors, officers, employees and directors from and against any and all claims, liabilities, costs, damages and expenses of any kind arising out of or relating to their participation in this Festival, their use or acceptance of any prize, the use by TSFF of any films submitted by entrants and/or any actions or decisions of TSFF in connection with the conduct and administration of this Festival.
2. Entrants hereby waive any right to seek injunctive or other equitable relief in connection with any claim against TSFF, any of the Sponsors or Co-Sponsors, or any of their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, assigns, agents, representatives, independent contractors, officers, employees and directors.
3. TSFF is not responsible for technical failures of any kind or any problems or delays arising from any technical, software or equipment malfunctions, computer viruses, or any other technical, equipment or human errors of any kind, or any damage or alteration to your film that may occur in connection with the uploading or display of the film.
4. If TSFF determines in its sole discretion that there is any suspected or actual evidence of electronic or non-electronic tampering or fraud relating to any portion of the Festival, or if technical difficulties compromise the integrity of the Festival, TSFF reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest, in whole or in part, at any time without notice.
5. TSFF is not liable for any failure to screen any submitted films if that failure is due to circumstances beyond its control.
