Queer Hippo is a celebration of queer cinema that brings together authentic stories and audacious audiences for its annual program of original documentaries, dramatic films, original teleplays, music videos and shorts. With filmmaker forums and panels, live music performances, distributors, engaging community and student programs, Queer Hippo brings together today’s most original storytellers to a place where they can collaborate and connect.

The Golden Hippo will be awarded in the following categories:

Jury Award for Narrative Feature
Jury Award for Documentary Feature
Jury Award for Narrative/Documentary Short
Jury Award for Animation Short

The following is an explanation of rules and regulations (“Rules and Regulations”) governing the submission of a film (hereafter called the “Film”) to Queer Hippo International LGBT Film Festival (hereafter called the “QH”) for consideration for the 2018 Queer Hippo International LGBT Film Festival (hereafter called the “Festival”).

ALL DEADLINES ARE RECEIVED-BY DEADLINES. All materials must be received by the deadlines listed, NOT postmarked by that date.

Filmmakers are welcome to either submit a FilmFreeway online screener or send us a DVD. We do NOT accept Blu-ray discs as submission copies.

We strongly advise filmmakers to submit a password-protected link of their film IN ADDITION to their FilmFreeway online screener or DVD submission. Please include the link in the Cover Letter section of your FilmFreeway submission page, or email it to us at submissions@queerhippo.com by referencing your FilmFreeway tracking number. Once again, the online link is only a supplement to your official submission screener (DVD or FilmFreeway online screener)

If you are mailing a DVD to us, please send your film in a paper DVD sleeve. When packaging, protect the DVD in a padded envelope, or similar package. Please DO NOT send your DVD in a slim, jewel, or standard DVD case. We also advise that you purchase tracking for the shipment of your submission DVD to ensure that we receive it on time. Film submissions are non-returnable. Please do not send original materials.

Please note that the ONLY difference in the early submission deadline versus the final submission deadline is the fee discount. The submission process and consideration by the Programming Committee is not affected by the date you submit your film as long as it is received by our final deadline! We appreciate, however, filmmakers submitting their work as early as possible.

The 2019 Queer Hippo International LGBT Film Festival will take place in Houston, Texas at the Pride Festival in June. Unfortunately, QH does not waive festival fees. QH does not provide room, board or travel for filmmakers. Festival dates are subject to change.

Rules & Terms:

1. It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to secure authorization and permission from the copyright owner(s) of any and all copyrighted content or materials included within the submitted Film. QH 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. QH 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 QH, the Festival, and each of their 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.

2. 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 Film. QH 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 QH 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 QH, the Festival, and each of their 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.

3. It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to clear all content of the 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 contract (“Third Party Claim(s)”). QH 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. QH 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 Claim(s) shall be asserted by any person or entity, Applicant shall fully indemnify and defend QH, the Festival, and each of their 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.

4. Applicants submitting Films that contain significant non-English spoken dialogue must provide on-screen English subtitles. QH reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees previously collected from the Applicant, any Film that contains significant non-English spoken dialogue that does not include accompanying on-screen English subtitles.

5. It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to ensure that any submitted disc plays in its entirety on an industry-standard DVD player prior to submitting it to the Festival. In the event that a submitted disc does not play in an industry-standard standard DVD or Blu-ray player, QH will attempt, but is under no obligation, to contact the Applicant using the contact information provided on the submission form in an effort to obtain a replacement copy of the Film. QH reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees previously collected from the Applicant, any Film for which the initially-submitted disc does not play on an industry-standard DVD.

6. It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to ensure that the submitted disc arrives at the shipping destination provided to the Applicant upon completion of the submission form. In the event that a submitted disc does not arrive at the designated shipping destination within the deadline window selected by the Applicant, QH will attempt, but is under no obligation, to contact the Applicant using the contact information provided on the submission form in an effort to obtain a submission copy of the Film. QH reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees previously collected from the Applicant, any Film that does not arrive at the designated shipping destination within the deadline window selected by the Applicant.

7. In the event that the Applicant remits an updated version of the Film to QH after having submitted a previous version of the Film to QH during the same calendar year, QH is under no obligation to view any or all of the updated version.

8. In order to be considered for the Festival, the Applicant must fill out the Festival submission form located at www.filmfreeway.com. QH 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 this platform.

9. QH 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. QH 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. QH 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.

10. QH reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees previously collected from the Applicant, any Feature Film (50 minutes or longer) received after the closing of the submission period.

11. QH reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees previously collected from the Applicant, any Short Film (less than 40 minutes in length) received after the closing of the submission period.

12. Upon completion of the Festival selection process, QH will attempt to contact the Applicant using the contact information provided on the submission form to notify the Applicant of the Film’s acceptance status. QH 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 throughout the entirety of the Festival selection period.

13. QH is under no obligation to provide to the Applicant or any other representative of the Film 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 views that QH or any reviewers of the Film may hold concerning the Film; any reasons why the Film, should it not be accepted for exhibition at the Festival, was not accepted; or any other information relating to the Festival’s review, consideration and/or selection process regarding the Film specifically or submissions generally beyond the information set forth in these Rules and Regulations. QH disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible or liable for, the contents of any internal comments or feedback regarding any Film that are or may be obtained by the Applicant or any other representative of the Film; any communications by any representative of QH or the Festival relating to the Film or the Festival selection process; 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 QH or the Festival to provide the Applicant or any other representative(s) of the Film with information concerning QH’s consideration and/or review of the Film.

14. Films submitted to QH for consideration for the Festival may apply in one of seven submission categories. QH reserves the right to determine eligibility of any film for any Festival program or submission category. The following is a description of each submission category, along with eligibility requirements for each:

U.S. NARRATIVE FEATURE FILMS
Any narrative work of fiction with a running time of 50 minutes or more, including films that are shot in a "mockumentary" style. In order to qualify as a U.S. Narrative Feature Film, the submitted project must be either scripted or improvisational fiction. U.S. Narrative Films that have been exhibited theatrically, been broadcast on television or the Internet, or released via any home video or other distribution platform including, but not limited to, DVD, Blu-ray or video on demand, are not eligible for any of QH’s Festival programs.

U.S. DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILMS
Any non-fiction film with a running time of 50 minutes or more WITH THE EXCEPTION OF, and NOT INCLUDING, entirely scripted or improvised fictionalizations of actual events. If your documentary contains some dramatization of actual events, you may submit in this category, but we will ultimately decide which program is best suited for your project, if accepted. US Documentary Films that have been exhibited theatrically, broadcast on television or the Internet, or released via any home video or other distribution platform including, but not limited to, DVD, Blu-ray or video on demand, are not eligible for any of QH’s Festival programs.

INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURE FILMS
Any narrative work of fiction with a running time of 50 minutes or more, including films that are shot in a "mockumentary" style. In order to qualify as an International Narrative Feature Film, the submitted project must be either scripted or improvisational fiction, and more than half of the project's financing must originate from outside of the United States. International Narrative Feature Films that have been exhibited theatrically, broadcast on television, released via any home video or other distribution platform, or screened at any Film Festival outside of their country of origin are not eligible to submit to the QH for Festival consideration, though we reserve the right to include in our Festival program International Narrative Feature Films that have previously been exhibited outside of their country of origin.

INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILMS
Any non-fiction film with a running time of 50 minutes or more WITH THE EXCEPTION OF, and NOT INCLUDING, entirely scripted or improvised fictionalizations of actual events. If your documentary contains some dramatization of actual events, you may submit in this category, but we will ultimately decide which program is best suited for your project, if accepted. In order to qualify as an International Documentary Feature Film, more than half of the project's financing must originate from outside of the United States. International Documentary Feature Films that have been exhibited theatrically, broadcast on television, released via any home video or other distribution platform, or screened at any Film Festival outside of their country of origin are not eligible to submit to QH for Festival consideration, though we reserve the right to include in our Festival program International Documentary Feature Films that have previously been exhibited outside of their country of origin.

U.S. SHORT FILMS
Any narrative or documentary film of U.S. origin with a running time of less than 40 minutes. In order to qualify as a U.S. Short Film, at least half of the submitted project's financing must originate from within the United States. Short Films have no premiere requirements or prior screening restrictions-- they may have had any number of public theatrical exhibitions, been released via any home video or other distribution platform, and may have been broadcast on television or the internet and still retain eligibility.

INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILMS
Any narrative or documentary film of International origin with a running time of less than 40 minutes. In order to qualify as an International Short Film, more than half of the submitted project's financing must originate from outside of the United States. Short Films have no premiere requirements or prior screening restrictions-- they may have had any number of public theatrical exhibitions, been released via any home video or distribution platform, and may have been broadcast on television or the internet and still retain eligibility.

ANIMATED SHORT
Films must be animated short narratives of 40 minutes or less. Please note: Animated films over 40 minutes should be entered in the Narrative Feature category. Open to any form of animation. Animated Shorts must be narrative works only, no experimental pieces.

ORIGINAL MUSIC VIDEO
The Music Video category is for original music videos (a visual accompaniment and/or representation of a piece of music generally 3-4 minutes in length) and music films (no longer than 20 minutes) that may be narrative, experimental, or animated. Songs must be the ORIGINAL composition of the band or musician featured in the video. Covers will not be considered.

STUDENT FILMS
Film or video made by high school and college students from any country. Entries should be no longer than 10 minutes. (MUST HAVE A VALID SCHOOL ID)

Please include in your cover letter if your film was SHOT IN TEXAS (include locations) or made by TEXAS FILMMAKERS. We have special Out-Of-Competition categories for which your film may be eligible if it is not selected for the competition, and we don't want to miss your film!

The QH does not present sponsored works (such as training films or commercials produced for a client). Only independently produced films and videos are appropriate for this competition. Artists must have final creative control over their work to be eligible.

The QH DOES NOT PAY SCREENING FEES. By submitting your film via FilmFreeway.com you acknowledge that the festival will not pay to present your work.

GOOD LUCK!!!