ZagrebDox is an international documentary film festival taking place every year in Zagreb, Croatia.

Launched in 2005, the festival is intended to provide audiences and experts insight into recent documentary films, stimulate national documentary production and boost international and regional cooperation in co-productions. ZagrebDox is a specialized festival that presents the best creative documentary films whose imaginative form and choice of topics make it unique in Croatia and Europe.

Festival program consists of a competition program, an official program, retrospective programs and special thematic programs.

Only films released after January 1, 2024, can participate in the competition program. Participation in the competition section of ZagrebDox requires a first screening in Croatia (the screening must be a Croatian premiere). For other official programs, priority will also be given to films which haven't been screened in Croatia.

ZagrebDox is one of European Film Awards-qualifying festivals for documentary films.

Official Awards:

Big Stamp Award
for Best Film in International Competition Program

Big Stamp Award
for Best Film in Regional Competition Program

Little Stamp Award
for Best Film in Competition Programs of a young author of up to 35 years of age

Little Stamp Award
for Best Short Film in Competition Programs

Audience Award for International film – for best international film in all programs (except the retrospectives) by audience choice

Audience Award for Regional film – for best regional film in all programs (except the retrospectives) by audience choice

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Special Awards:

Movies that Matter Award
for film that best promotes human rights

Teen Dox Award
for best film about issues concerning the youth.
The award is given by a special jury consisting of high school students.

FIPRESCI Award
For best film in Regional Competition
The award of the International Federation of Film Critics – FIPRESCI Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique, the oldest and most prestigious film critics association comprised of members from around fifty countries.

Honorary Big Stamp
The award dedicated to those filmmakers who have, often in a quiet and unassuming manner, achieved great quality of work and whose presence has been crucial to documentary film for years, even decades. The filmmakers without whom there would be no documentary film. Awarded by Nenad Puhovski, the founder and Artistic Director of ZagrebDox.

EFA Nomination
The members of the International and Regional Jury will jointly determine the film that will be nominated by ZagrebDox for the annual award of the European Film Academy in the documentary film category, in accordance with the propositions of the European Film Academy. Only films awarded with the Big Stamp will be considered.

The awards (except the special ones) include a statue and a diploma. The Festival Jury can also award Special Mentions.

ZagrebDox - ZagrebDox Terms and Conditions (2025)
(excerpt - complete Terms and Conditions at www.zagrebdox.net)

ARTICLE 1 / General Provisions

ZagrebDox is an international documentary film festival taking place in Zagreb every year, organized by FACTUM.

The Festival aims to offer viewers and film experts an insight into contemporary documentary film production, at the same time providing a place where film professionals can meet and share their creative ideas for future projects.

ZagrebDox is focused on encouraging cooperation throughout southeastern Europe and enabling mutual contacts and recognition of world, European, regional and local documentary production.

ARTICLE 2 / Program

Festival program consists of a competition program, an official program, retrospective programs and special thematic programs.

The competition program consists of international and regional programs.

1. International Competition Program includes films from all over the world, excluding those competing in the Regional Competition Program.

2. Regional Competition Program is intended for the films produced or co-produced in the following countries: Albania, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia.

ARTICLE 3 / Conditions for submission

The films can be submitted by directors, producers, distributors and national film authorities entitled and authorized for representation and submission of films.

Documentary films of all running times, topics, style and production technologies can be submitted.

By submitting a film, the applicant accepts that the film can be selected for any of the competitions or for another program section.

The film format acceptable for ZagrebDox is DCP. Video files or any other formats will not be accepted as screening formats. The delivered DCPs must have English subtitles, unless the film is in English language.

Only films released after January 1st of the previous year (in regard to the year in which the Festival takes place) can participate in the competition program. Participation in the competition section of ZagrebDox requires a first screening in Croatia (the screening must be a Croatian premiere).

Films that have been submitted to ZagrebDox for consideration in previous years are not eligible.

ENTRY DEADLINES:

· October 14, 2024 for films released after January 2024

· December 2, 2024 for films in post-production

(Please note that films in post-production must be finished no later than January 2025)

Factum reserves the right to directly invite films outside the specified deadlines.

The films must be submitted online, through FilmFreeway platform and an online screening link (with English subtitles) must be entered into the submission form. The screener must be identical to the final screening copy of the film (for the released films).

When submitting online links, please note that it is the submitters' responsibility to make sure the film can be downloaded for the use by the ZagrebDox team and that the password remains valid until the end of ZagrebDox.

By filing the submission form the applicant guarantees the accuracy of the submitted data.

Once the submission has been made, the submission fee cannot be refunded.

ARTICLE 4 / Authorisation

By submitting a film to the Festival, i.e. filing the submission form, the applicant confirms and warrants that he/she is entitled to submit the film to ZagrebDox and has authorization and consent from the owners of copyright and related rights, any trademarked content and/or other subject matter of intellectual property on the content included within the submitted film.

Furthermore, by submitting a film to the Festival, i.e. filing the submission form, the applicant guarantees that all ZagrebDox screening rights are cleared, declares to be the owner of the rights in the work submitted and that he/she is authorized to grant rights of usage and/or to transfer it to third parties.

ZagrebDox, Factum, its representatives, authorized persons and/or employees shall not be held responsible for any unauthorized inclusion of any content in the film that might be the basis for third parties` claims.

The applicant shall defend and fully indemnify ZagrebDox, Factum, all of its representatives, authorized persons and/or employees against all claims, losses, damages, liabilities, and expenses arising out of or in connection with claims by third parties in relation to the submitted film.

Factum reserves the right, at any time prior to or during ZagrebDox, to disqualify and exclude from ZagrebDox any film that is subject to third parties` claims.

The applicant is obliged not to withdraw the film from ZagrebDox after announcement of the official program of ZagrebDox, which usually takes place 25 days before the beginning of the festival. In case the film is withdrawn, ZagrebDox and Factum reserve the right to claim damages.

Directors, producers and distributors of the awarded films shall commit to mentioning the award and ZagrebDox in official and promotional materials as well as during the film’s distribution.

Directors, producers, distributors of films selected for ZagrebDox program may use ZagrebDox logo and the text "official competition" and “official selection” for publicity purposes. The files will be sent to you in digital form.

Factum reserves the right to write its own texts for the festival catalogue, programs, flyers and other promotional materials.

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ARTICLE 6 / Selection and Screenings

The Artistic Director/Head Programmer selects the films for the official competition and official program. He/she also decides on the screening timetable. In his/her selection work, the Artistic Director/Head Programmer may be assisted by advisors of his/her choice.

The Artistic Director/Head Programmer chooses the section in which the film will be presented.

The Artistic Director chooses the selectors for other special programs and retrospectives.

The number of films in each program will depend on the running time of individual films.

Only films which are selected shall receive an official acceptance letter. Notification of definitive selection (with indication of the program section) will be sent to the applicant up to 30 days before the festival.

Factum is not obligated to give feedback and comment on the selection process.

Each selected film will be shown not more than three times during ZagrebDox. In case a film receives an award, it will be shown up to three more times together with other awarded films.

The films are screened with English and/or Croatian subtitles.

Submitters of films selected for ZagrebDox are obliged to inform Factum about any screenings and broadcasting dates in Croatia scheduled for a date prior to the end of ZagrebDox. If any other screening/broadcasting event becomes known, the film accepted for ZagrebDox will be immediately disqualified and excluded from the official program. In that case, ZagrebDox and Factum reserve the right to claim damages.

For the purpose of promotion of films from the official program and ZagrebDox itself, ZagrebDox may screen some of the selected films after the Festival dates. In that case, the applicant will be contacted to discuss the screening conditions.

During the Festival, the film can be viewed by accredited professional guests and accredited media representatives. Factum is entitled to use the submitted screeners for this purpose.

All screeners shall remain in ZagrebDox archives to be used for non-circulating use, documentation, educational and cultural purposes, which rights are hereby granted to Factum. For easier storage, films can also be stored in a digital database.

ARTICLE 7 / Awards

Official awards of ZagrebDox are:

Big Stamp Award – for best film in International Competition Program

Big Stamp Award – for best film in Regional Competition Program

Little Stamp Award – for best film in Competition Programs of a young author of up to 35 years of age

Little Stamp Award – for best short film in Competition Programs

Audience Award for International film – for best international film in all programs (except the retrospectives) by audience choice

Audience Award for Regional film – for best regional film in all programs (except the retrospectives) by audience choice

Official awards consist of a statue, a diploma and, subject to availability of funds, a cash prize in the amount that shall be determined by Factum subject to the available budget.

Special awards can be given by Factum, ZagrebDox Artistic Director, expert bodies, professional organizations, NGOs, media, etc.

ARTICLE 8 / Juries

When evaluating films, each jury shall follow their own criteria and shall abide by Jury Rules and ZagrebDox Terms and Conditions.

The winners of the Audience Awards are selected based on the average rating given by the audience after each screening of the films from all the programs (except the retrospectives).

ZagrebDox Artistic Director proposes the members of the jury for each category.

International Jury – presents the Big Stamp Award for the best film in the International Competition Program. It is composed of three acclaimed international experts for documentary films.

Regional Jury – presents the Big Stamp Award for the best film in the Regional Competition Program. It is composed of three acclaimed international experts for documentary films.

Young Jury – presents the award for the best film of a young author of up to 35 years of age in Competition Programs. It is composed of three acclaimed international experts for documentary films.

Short Dox Jury – presents the award for the best short film, with the running time of up to 40 minutes, in Competition Programs

Special juries – present the awards in special categories

The members of the International and Regional Jury will jointly determine the film that will be nominated by ZagrebDox for the annual award of the European Film Academy in the documentary film category, in accordance with the propositions of the European Film Academy. Only films awarded with the Big Stamp will be considered.

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ARTICLE 10 / Accommodation and Accreditations

The authors of all films selected for the competition programs at ZagrebDox are invited to take part in ZagrebDox. If they apply on time (one month before the beginning of ZagrebDox), Factum will ensure all necessary accreditation and promotion of their film, subject to available funds.

Subject to availability of funds, Factum may invite the director or a representative of a film and cover their travel and/or accommodation expenses.

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ARTICLE 13 / Final Provisions

By submitting the film, all applicants acknowledge and agree to these Terms and Conditions.

These Terms and Conditions are written in Croatian and English. In case of any discrepancies between the two versions, as well as for interpretation purposes, the Croatian version shall prevail.

The provisions not included in these Terms and Conditions shall be considered directly by Factum in accordance with the Statute of Factum.

Croatian law shall apply to all relations between the applicant and Factum and to all issues not governed by these Rules. In case of any dispute, the competent court in Zagreb shall have exclusive jurisdiction over all issues related to ZagrebDox. The ZagrebDox Director shall have the discretionary right to decide on and solve the cases not specified in these Terms and Conditions.

Questions concerning regulations and/or submissions should be directed to submissions@zagrebdox.net.