The WATERtown Film Fest has been created to increase public awareness of the environmental, social, and cultural importance of water. This two-day, inaugural film festival will screen films in the main gallery at the Plumbing Museum in Watertown, MA on June 27-28, 2019.
We accept any style of film that promotes the mission of the WATERtown Film Festival: to celebrate the importance of water in our lives. From broad comedy set in the bathroom to serious explorations of the melting of the polar ice caps, all have a home at the WATERtown Film Festival.
The festival welcomes films of up to 30 minutes long which include water elements and themes in the following categories:
• Animation
• Documentary
• Narrative
• Experimental
Post-screening there will be a Q&A with the film creators, and audience members will participate in the selection process for the Audience Choice Award.
All Films accepted into the Festival are in competition and therefore eligible for the following Awards:
• Audience Choice Award
• Special Jury Award
1. This Festival is open to all filmmakers from around the world.
2. All films must be 30 minutes or less, including credits.
3. Films must be submitted in English or with English subtitles.
4. Films need not have been completed by a specific date.
5. Premiere status is not a factor for being selected for the festival.
6. There are no restrictions on distribution status.
7. Works in progress are not accepted.
8. The entry fee is non-refundable and required at the time of submission.
9. More than one film may be submitted, but each one must be submitted online on a separate application and accompanied by a separate submission form and entry fee.
10. By submitting, you give us the right to screen your film at our event.
11. A film may be withdrawn from consideration at any time for any reason until it has been selected for screening. Once a film has been selected, it cannot be withdrawn from the Festival for any reason.
12. All submissions are screened and evaluated by the Plumbing Museum Selection Committee, appointed by the festival steering committee. Judges’ decisions are final. Submitters will be advised via email as to whether they’ve been selected. Selection will be announced on our website and our Facebook page on May 13, 2019.
13. The Plumbing Museum will determine the date and time when submissions will be screened. While every effort will be made to follow screening times as printed in the festival program, the festival cannot be held accountable for changes to the schedule after the festival line-up is announced.
14. Please do not send DVDs or copies of your film directly to us unless requested to do so. At time of submission we will only accept your entry if your film is uploaded to FilmFreeway.
15. The Festival will have the right to use the video files, trailers, posters, photographs and other media for promotion, previews, and repeat screenings for all selected films. Filmmakers fully retain all rights, title and interest in their films and all intellectual property. By entering into the contest, contestants hereby grant the WATERTown Film Festival and the Plumbing Museum a non-exclusive, royalty-free, fully paid-up, worldwide, perpetual license to use, copy, display, reproduce, perform, transmit, exhibit and distribute the Entry in any and all media and formats in connection with the WATERTown Film Festival and the Plumbing Museum’s sole discretion.
16. Submissions must be submitted online by the deadline in order to be considered.
17. Once a film has been submitted, it will remain in consideration for up to two years for future screenings. You only need to submit your film once. All submitted films may be used in future WATERTown Festivals.
18. Submissions that are selected must be delivered by filmmakers in final format for festival screening.
19. By submitting, you accept and agree that the events and activities at the Festival may be recorded, filmed and distributed by the organizer in any medium in any part of the world, internet included.
20. The individual or organization submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening.
21. By submitting your film you accept our rules, terms, conditions and regulations.
22. By submitting your film, you agree that you shall indemnify and hold harmless WATERTown Film Festival and the Plumbing Museum 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, intellectual property, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.
23. Submissions (1) must be contestant’s original work, (2) must not be commercial in nature or other branded, (3) must not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other rights of any person, (4) must not violate any law and (5) must comply with the WATERTown Film Festival’s and the Plumbing Museum’s Rules and Terms.
24. Must be 18 years or older at the time of submission.
25. Multiple contestants that submit the same submissions will be disqualified. Any late entries will be disqualified. The WATERTown Film Festival and the Plumbing Museum reserve the right to disqualify any submission for any reason, in its sole and absolute discretion. Decisions of the WATERTown Film Festival and the Plumbing Museum are binding in all matters relating to this contest.
26. By participating in the contests, the finalists and winners grant the WATERTown Film Festival and the Plumbing Museum permission to use his/her name, likeness, voice, address (city and state), testimonials and or images for publicity purposes, except where prohibited by law, in connection with future advertising, the contest and/or similar contests sponsored by the WATERTown Film Festival and the Plumbing Museum or other similar contests held by the WATERTown Film Festival and the Plumbing Museum in any and all media now or hereafter devised throughout the world in perpetuity, without additional compensation, notification or permission or any review or approval rights.
27. Arbitration and Choice of Law: Except where prohibited by law, as a condition of participating in this contest, contestant agrees that (1) any and all disputes and causes of action arising out of or connected to this contest, or any prizes awarded, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action lawsuit, and exclusively by final and binding arbitration; (2) the Federal Arbitration Act shall govern the interpretation, enforcement and all proceedings at such arbitration; and (3) judgment upon such arbitration award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction. Under no circumstanced will contestant be permitted to obtain awards for, and contestant hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, or any other damages, including, attorneys’ fees, other than contestant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e. costs associated with entering this contest), and contestant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased. All issues and questions concerning the construction validity, interpretation and enforceability of these official rules, or the rights and obligations of contestants and the WATERTown Film Festival and the Plumbing Museum, in connection with this contest, shall be governed by the substantive laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts without regard to Massachusetts choice law rules. Notwithstanding the foregoing, WATERTown Film Festival and the Plumbing Museum may seek equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction.
28. Contests is subject to all federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited by law.
29. All queries relating to your submission should be sent to info@theplumbingmuseum.org