Aiming to inspire, motivate and award new talents as well as experienced filmmakers, Best Film Awards takes the way visual stories are shared and experienced to a higher level. Best Film Awards is a dynamic international festival, connecting the audience to feature length films, shorts, music videos, documentaries, and screenplays from around the globe.

Our vision is to create an opportunity for independent filmmakers to have their work screened and judged. We believe in the potential of the public of becoming a significant actor in contributing to the development of the filmmaking process and we aim to engage them in discovering the potential of the online to the cinematic culture.

This year, we take the film screenings along with the stories right in the capital city of Romania, in the very dynamic Bucharest, an emerging cultural hub in Europe and will bring the uniqueness of the online festivals into a well-known creative environment for all film enthousiasts. J’ai Bistrot Bucharest is a renowed meeting point for those seeking both traditional and alternative expressions of cinematography.

The best entries will be selected and screened twice a year. We will publish the results of the next 2018 Official Selection on October 30th 2018 and the Official Screenings will take place between November 29-30 2018.

A jury of film professionals will review all eligible submitted films, evaluating from an independent point of view, seeking the energy and new ideas that will contour the future of the cinema.

There are 6 nominations for the ‘Best Film Award’, per short, featurette and feature films and 3 nominations for each of the ‘Category/Individual’ Awards.

Best Short-Film, Featurette, Feature Film and the Audience Award will each receive a Best Film Awards Custom Trophy along with Professional Film Review and Award Certificates.

All category/individual winners and nominees will receive Award Certificates along with Best Film Awards Laurels stating their performance in the festival.

CATEGORY AWARDS

Best short film

Best featurette film

Best feature film

Audience Award

Best student film

Best experimental

Best animation

Best documentary

Best music video

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Best director

Best screenplay

Best actor

Best actress

Best editor

Best cinematography

Best original score

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

1. All payments and Submissions must be received by Deadline Dates listed on FilmFreeway.

2. Entry fees are payable through FilmFreeway payment systems and are non-refundable.

3. In order to review your film as quick as possible, we prefer online screeners, digital copies, or a link to an online video (such as YouTube or Vimeo). Please include a valid password if required. We will not accept films with poor quality standard(lack of sound quality, absence of subtitles/captions for non-English films, video resolution less than 720p HD)

4. Titles produced in languages other than English must have legible English subtitles. ALL films selected for the Official Screening will need to provide English subtitles no later than 1 week prior to the festival screening.

5. Short films submitted to Best Film Awards should be under 35 minutes, with a minumum of 2 minutes. Featurette films should be over 35 minutes, with a maximum of 60 minutes. Feature films should be over 60 minutes, with a maximum of 180 minutes. Films must have been completed after 2012.

6. All submitted films must be available for screening.

7. Films accepted in the Official Selection will be notified according to the notification date published on the platform.
Films selected for the Official Screening will need to provide download link or a full quality 1080p online screener file no later than 1 week before the festival screening.

8. Winners will be announced after the Official Screening Event, which will be held twice a year, according to the official dates published on the platform.

9. The selection committees’ and juries’ decisions are final.

10. Entrants are responsible for obtaining any necessary licenses, royalties, release forms, clearances, permits necessary to present their work. Best Film Awards is not responsible for any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, or royalty infringement related to the work. In the event of copyright disputes accepted films may possibly be pulled from festival exhibition.

11. Please carefully read the Best Film Awards Guidelines and all Terms & Conditions as well as the Disclaimer and Rights below, before submitting to our festival.
TERMS & CONDITIONS

By entering or submitting to Best Film Awards, the participant acknowledges understanding and agreeing to all festival Rules, Terms, Conditions, Guidelines, and Disclaimer of Warranties associated with the Festival and listed below.

Submitters agree that clips from films and other materials related to their project may be used and/or published in the website, digital and print event programs, and for any promotional purposes deemed appropriate by the festival.

If selected, all commercial/private property including all trademark/copyrighted materials shown or recorded are the responsibility of the filmmaker.

Best Film Awards reserves the right to make any necessary changes in regulations or festival scheduling.

DISCLAIMER & RIGHTS

Submitter owns or controls the copyright in and to this film, and is authorized to submit this film to Best Film Awards and to the best of their knowledge, all statements the following statements are true; This film contains no material which could result in tort claims, royalty claims, claims for breach of contract, or claims of any sort whatsoever; If this film is selected for screening, Submitter grants the festival the right to screen this film;

Submitter understands and agrees that this film entry, if selected by the Festival, may have elements used for promotional purposes for the Festival, and/or its partners and submitter grants the rights to use up to eight minutes of footage, photographic stills and/or titles and information from the film for promotional purposes.

FILM REVIEW

As our vision is to help improve and promote contemporary films, we offer filmmakers the opportunity to have their work reviewed by our specialists. By requesting our professional review, our team of film professionals will give you a comprehensive feedback on your work, at the price listed on the platform, entry fee to Best Film Awards Official Competition included. Moreover, the film review will be posted on our website and promoted on all our social media channels, so a larger audience will discover your film.

SCREENPLAY COMPETITION

Best Film Awards opens a screenplay competition that runs on two seasons, parallel with the Official Film Competition. Available exclusively through FilmFreeway, we welcome screenplays of any genre, up to 120 pages. We also offer the option to receive a detailed feedback on your work by our specialists.

There will be quarter finalists, semifinalists and finalists out of which a winner, a runner-up and a second runner-up will be designated. The winner will receive The Best Film Awards Custom Trophy and a Certificate Award.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Violetta Moshkova

    Great festival and good communication ! Im so happy to be a part of your festival with my film. Best wishes

    November 2017
  • Best communication and networking.
    High qualified and extremely organized staff...
    I strongly recommend you to submit.

    PS: Also special and thousands times thanks to #filmfreeway

    They made open our path...

    October 2017
  • Thank you so much for awarding my screenplay 'Joseph' first place in the screenplay contest!!

    October 2017
  • Emily Manthei

    I have never received any info from the festival, simply an email from Film Freeway saying that my film had been selected. Although I emailed to get more details, the organizers never responded. I'm quite disappointed by the lack of communication. I would have liked to go to the festival.

    October 2017
  • Stefana Brancastle

    For Filmmakers everywhere, the BFA awards are the jewels in the crown of any true, important film festival run!
    Their ethic is simple - a genuine love of film and profound understanding of all aspects of the 7th art.
    It's as commendable as it is humbling.
    A festival that I highly recommend and encourage movie makers to partake, explore, share and rejoice in. Intrinsic to the Festival's vision, its core values are firmly upheld and it recognises, promotes & supports true talent, exposing diversity and excellence. Their communication is warm and informative at all times. One of my finest experience with a film festival.
    The quality the BFA brings to this stage through careful selection and respect is a true celebration of film at its best.
    Simply put, remarkable people & minds are at the helm of the BFA festival.

    Thank you dear Ciprian & the BFA jury for your humbling awards and for letting us and our film, 'The Mechanism Of Suspended Time', be a part of your festival.
    We are truly most honoured.

    Sincerely,

    Stefana Brancastle & all 'The Mechanism of Suspended Time' team

    May 2017