Directors Cut is a film competition that brings short films from directors around the world to battle for greatness. The audience votes, and the winner moves on to the final round and a chance to win the cash prize.
Films do not need to retain any sort of premiere status. Films are permitted to have been previously released theatrically or via any home video platform, broadcast or streamed on television or the internet, or screened at any number of film festivals anywhere in the world.
Projects that have been submitted for consideration in previous years are eligible for re-submission at any time for consideration only if the content of the film has changed significantly since the previously submitted film. The Directors Cut shall have the sole authority and discretion to determine whether a submitted film that was previously submitted has been changed significantly from the previously submitted version. The Directors Cut reserves the right to determine if a previously submitted film's eligibility, without refund of any or all submission fees previously collected from the Applicant, based on the content of the newly submitted version of the film as compared with the previously submitted version.
Applicant is responsible for securing authorization and permission from the copyright owner(s) of any and all copyrighted content or materials included within the submitted film. The Directors Cut 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. The Directors Cut 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 the Directors Cut, and each of its 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.
It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to secure authorization and permission from the owner(s) of any and all trademarked content or materials included within the submitted Project. The Directors Cut expressly disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for, any unauthorized inclusion of any trademarked 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 trademark infringement, trademark dilution or unfair competition. The Directors Cut 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 trademarked 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 trademarked content or material, Applicant shall fully indemnify and defend the Directors Cut and each of its 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.
It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to clear all content of his/her film from any and all actual or potential legal claims and issues, including, without limitation, claims based upon theories of libel, defamation, invasion of privacy, violation of rights of publicity, theft of trade secrets, breach of confidence, breach of confidential relationship, and breach of express or implied content ("Third Party Claim(s)"). The Directors Cut expressly disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for, any unauthorized inclusion of any content or materials within or relating to the submitted film that are or may be the basis for any Third Party Claims based upon any of the foregoing legal theories or others. The Directors Cut reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees previously collected from the Applicant, any film that is or may become the subject of any Third Party Claims. In the event that any Third Party Claims(s) shall be asserted by any person or entity, Applicant shall fully indemnify and defend the Directors Cut and each of its representatives and affiliates from any liability in connection therewith and from any and all fees and expenses, including but not limited to attorneys' fees, that each of any of them may incur in connection therewith.
All films submitted to the Directors Cut for Festival consideration must be uploaded directly on the online application or via FilmFreeway. The Directors Cut reserves the right to disqualify , without refund of any or all submission fees previously collected from Applicant, any film that is not submitted via one of these formats.
In order to be considered by the Directors Cut, the Applicant must complete the submission form located HERE or at www.filmfreeway.com. The Directors Cut 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 links.
The Directors Cut reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees previously collected from the Applicant, any film with a submission form that is considered to be delinquent due to the non-payment of any or all submission fees. The Directors Cut may attempt, but is under no obligation, to contact the Applicant using the contact information provided on the submission form in an effort to bring the payment status of the account up-to-date. The Directors Cut disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for, any failure to contact the Applicant and inform the Applicant of any payment delinquency or other deficiency of a submission form.
Upon reviewing the submitted film, the Directors Cut will attempt to contact the Applicant using the contact information provided on the submission form to notify the Applicant of the Project's acceptance status. The Directors Cut disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for, any failure to contact the Applicant using the contact information provided on the submission form. It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to ensure that the contact information provided on the submission form is correct and updated as needed.
The Directors Cut is under no obligation to provide to the Applicant or any other representative of the film with 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 reasons why the film, should it not be accepted for exhibition, was not accepted; or any other information relating to the Directors Cut review, consideration and/or selection process regarding the film specifically or submissions generally beyond the information set forth in these Rules and Regulations. The Directors Cut disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible or liable for, the contents of any internal comments or feedback regarding any submitted films that are or may be obtained by the Applicant or any other representative of the film; 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 Directors Cut to provide the Applicant or any other representative(s) of the film with information concerning the Directors Cut's consideration and/or review of the Project.
All films, accepted for presentation and consideration, will be judged by audience vote. Each round of competition shall last for 120 consecutive hours. A bracket of all movies in the Directors Cut Competition will be posted May 30, 2020.