OPEN CALL - English version
In this document you will find information related to Under Our Skin 2023’s open call for film submissions. Please note that by submitting a film to Under Our Skin 2023’s open call, you commit to the rules, regulations, and procedures of the film festival, as outlined below. For additional information or queries please email: film@underourskinkenya.org
ARTICLE 1 - Thematic focus
1. Social and Economic Rights: Highlight the importance of access to basic human rights, including education, healthcare, and decent work, as fundamental to achieving sustainable development and improving the quality of life for all individuals.
2. Non-discrimination and Inclusion: Address the struggles that marginalized communities face, including discrimination and exclusion based on gender, race/ethnicity, identity, and sexual orientation, and emphasize the need for equal treatment and inclusion in all aspects of society, particularly gender equality
3. Inequalities: Explore the deep-rooted disparities between different socio-economic groups and the impact these inequalities have on communities and propose solutions for more equitable societies.
4. Governance Issues: Examine the challenges and opportunities of governance systems in Kenya, Africa, and worldwide, focusing on transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in decision-making processes.
5. A Global Perspective: Showcase how the themes explored in Kenya's context resonate with similar issues faced by communities worldwide, emphasizing the universality of human rights and the importance of collective action.
6. Right to a healthy environment: Explore initiatives and challenges specific to Kenya, while also drawing parallels to global efforts in safeguarding the environment for present and future generations.
ARTICLE 2 – Objective
The purpose of the Under Our Skin 2023 film festival is to entertain, inform and inspire through the medium of film.
This year, the world commemorates the seventy-five years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 10 December 1948 in the aftermath of World War II.
https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/UDHR/Documents/UDHR_Translations/eng.pdf
The UDHR recognized that governance oriented toward promoting and protecting human rights is the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world. Universal and indivisible, anchored in fundamental values that span every culture, religion and continent, human rights are tools to address the world’s biggest challenges, from the triple planetary crisis, skyrocketing inequalities, gender discrimination and backlash, insecurity, and conflict, as well as a rise in hate speech, disinformation and polarization.
The festival offers a unique opportunity to celebrate the landmark 'Human Rights @75', reflect on the progress made since its adoption, and inspire audiences/participants to question, debate and reflect the state of human rights both in Kenya and internationally. Our vision for the festival is a catalyst for dialogue and collective action, driving us toward a more inclusive, just, and empathetic society.
ARTICLE 3 - Festival dates
The third edition of Under Our Skin 2023, Kenya will be held in Nairobi from the 9th to the 16th of November 2023. A satellite screening will be held in Laikipia County between the 20th to 22nd October.
ARTICLE 4 - Additional scheduling
Under Our Skin will also be hosting one-off events and screenings in the month before the festival in a variety of cities, towns, and communities in Kenya. We aim to stage events and screenings in schools, universities, rural communities, prisons, and rehabilitation centers for young people. You will be notified in advance if your submission is selected to be part of this programming.
ARTICLE 5 - Pre-selection conditions
The festival selection committee is exclusively responsible for the official selection and scheduling. The selection committee has exclusive and final say on which films are selected and shown during the festival. There will be an award ceremony at the end of the Nairobi edition of the festival where awards will be given to a selection of those films screened. Films will be nominated and awarded by an independent panel of judges.
SUB-ARTICLE 5.1 - Tariffs
● The submission of your film is not subject to any registration fee.
● Each filmmaker can enter more than one film.
SUB-ARTICLE 5.2 - Criteria
Films sent for selection must meet the following criteria:
4.2.1. Be related to the education, promotion, and/or violation of Universal Human Rights (as adopted by the United Nations [UN]) in general and/or in particular.
4.2.2. Be related to topics including, but not exclusively, education, sustainable development, the impact of climate change.
4.2.3. Has been submitted via the open call registration form.
4.2.4. Has been released or completed after the 1st of January 2022.
4.2.5. Has been rated/classified for screening.
4.2.6. Respect the aims of the festival as defined in Article 1.
SUB-ARTICLE 5.3 - Deadline for submissions
Registration ends at 23:59:59 East Africa Time (+3 GMT) on September 5th, 2023. Films submitted after this deadline will only be accepted under exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the film selection committee.
SUB-ARTICLE 5.4 - Duration of films
During the festival films will be categorized by duration including credits. Films no longer than 20 minutes will be counted as short films. Films between 20 minutes and shorter than an hour will be categorized as medium length. Those which are an hour or longer will be categorized as features or long films.
SUB-ARTICLE 5.5 - Viewing for selection
All films must be presented in their original language (the language in which a film is or will be exhibited in its country of origin). It is for the selection committee to decide whether or not a film that does not exactly meet these criteria may participate in the Festival.
Films that are not in English (including Swahili) should be submitted with English subtitles for selection purposes. Electronic subtitles (the additional digital text file containing the time codes with each dialog corresponding to the film in .srt or .sub formats) are accepted and may be requested if your film is selected for the awards section. Please do not send copies with double subtitles. Swahili may be requested for films in English. If you do not have a copy of your film in English please contact our submissions department for additional information. Under Our Skin is not able to contribute to subtitling costs.
SUB-ARTICLE 5.6 - Formats
Only films matching the following specifications will be accepted:
● Video format MP4 (H.264) in HD (from 1080 x 720 pixels to 3840 x 2160 pixels if possible)
● It is suggested to encode the video with a constant bit-rate and with 24, 25, or 30 progressive frames per second.
● The audio, video, and subtitles must be contained in a single file and the file size must not exceed 10 GB. (electronic subtitles in an extra file in .srt or .sub format)
● The file name must not include any special characters. Do not use, for example, any file name such as: "myfilm! @ &% $ § * ().mp4".
● The film must be sent once and in a single file.
To guarantee the high technical quality, the following configurations are suggested for the file compression:
Size / aspect ratio Video codec/min. bit rate Audio codec/min. bit rate
1920 x 1080 px / 16: 9 HD High profile H.264
5.000 - 10.000 Kbit / s Sampling rate AAC / 320 Kbit / s 48 kHz
HandBrake is a free video converter software available for all operating systems.
SUB-ARTICLE 5.7 - Submissions
The films must be sent via the open call online submission form by providing a link to WeTransfer, MyAirBridge, Dropbox, Google Drive, or Vimeo (direct download).
ARTICLE 6 - Screenings
The main movie selection will be screened at a range of venues and settings throughout Nairobi. Short films, medium length, feature-length, or a combination will be displayed at every screening (competitive or non-competitive). There will be additional screenings in alternative spaces: movie theaters or cultural spaces suitable for films. The entire festival is free of charge.
ARTICLE 6.1 - If your film is selected
1. If your film is selected you will be notified before the official press release announcing the selection, which will be published in the beginning of October.
2. We request confidentiality before the selection is officially announced.
3. Once selected, no film can be removed from the programme.
4. We ask you to send a trailer of the film of max. 3 mins in H.264 HD file format to be used only to promote the film’s exhibition. (If the trailer is not sent, then whoever holds the rights to the film authorizes the selection of a clip from the work, being a three-minute fragment max, or 10% of the total duration, for its dissemination as information material to be used for promotional purposes.)
5. We ask you to send a poster of the film, in a JPEG or TIFF file, 60 cm. x 100 cm 300 dpi minimum. (If the poster is not sent, whoever holds the rights to the film authorizes the use of a fragment of the work for dissemination as an informative graphic material to be used for promotional purposes.)
6. We ask you to send a photograph of the film in a digital JPEG format (720x576 pixels minimum) as an attached document for publication in the Festival Catalog.
7. We ask you to send a photograph of the filmmaker or filmmakers in a JPEG digital format (720x576 pixels minimum) as an attached document for possible publication in the Festival Catalog.
8. Please send us a digital copy of the identity document of the owner of the rights to the film.
9. If you have any questions, please contact us as soon as possible using the email address indicated at the end of this document.
10. You will receive a digital certification of your participation in the festival.
ARTICLE 7 - Additional notes
• The films selected for this exhibition may be shown in the festival tour and special screenings, always for cultural, solidarity, educational, or training purposes without profit.
• After the festival and any subsequently associated screenings, any further use will be dependent on the permission of the rights holders, who will be contacted for permission.
• The editorial content of the catalog is the responsibility of the festival organizers.
• Any person or institution interested in acquiring a copy of any of the films will be put in direct contact with the film rights holder, leaving the organization outside of any commercial transaction.
ARTICLE 8 – Unforeseen Issues
The festival general coordinator may decide on any situation not mentioned in this paper.
ARTICLE 9 - Participant responsibilities
• Participation in the Festival implies acceptance of all the aforementioned regulations and the pre-selection conditions.
• In case the submitted works include the author's music, they must have the respective rights and/or give the appropriate credit to the authors of the music tracks.
• Whoever holds the film rights must have the licenses, copyrights, copyleft, and rights over the images, sounds, or any other intellectual property right that has been used for the film realization.
• Whoever holds the rights to the film agrees to the registration form in the open call as a sworn statement, which holds the rights and authorizations and the acceptance of conditions.
• This regulation applies to the entire official selection.
• In case there are questions or doubts regarding these regulations, we kindly ask you to get in touch with the festival organization: festival@underourskinkenya.org
R E G I S T R A T I O N
The open call entry can be found here: https://filmfreeway.com/UnderOurSkinFestival
CONTENT AND ACQUISITIONS UNDER OUR SKIN FESTIVAL KENYA
film@underourskinkenya.org
Nairobi, Kenya.
