FEATURE FILM / DOCUMENTARY FILM / SHORT FILM - CATEGORY:
The South Asian International Film Festival aims to promote, encourage, and showcase films that reveal all the shades and nuances of the South Asian experience. With its focus on spotlighting emerging filmmakers, SAIFF annually bridges communities, cultures, and generations. The festival intends to put together a diverse slate of films that appeal broadly and embody the dynamic, youthful, cutting-edge spirit which makes our festival so unique.
For the all film categories, we are especially attentive to tight storytelling and rigorous craft. Submissions will be viewed and selected by a programming jury, which includes industry representatives and filmmakers. Applicants will be notified by letter of electronic mail if their work has been selected by March 22, 2024.
FILMMAKER SUBMISSION:
In submitting your film, you, as the entrant, must deliver:
-- A fully completed online application at www.FilmFreeway.com
-- If you choice to print a hardcopy of the application and mail it in, please visit the ‘Submissions’ tab at www.saiff.org, where you can click and download the “2023 SAIFF – Application Form” (PLEASE NOTE: You can also click and download “2024 SAIFF – Submission Rules”).
-- Two (2) festival screening copies in DVD (NTSC Format) to the SAIFF office (ALL SCREENERS: DVD’s "WILL NOT" BE RETURNED! Please send us copies to be previewed, which will be destroyed and disposed immediately after the selection process).
-- A fully completed Press Kit via email which is ready to be used for PRINT (All copy must be in text form or MS Word) and WEB (All images must be in JPG). Your Press Kits must include the following in this order:
PRINT (Text Form):
- Premiere Status (CHOOSE ONE: World Premiere, North American Premiere, U.S. Premiere, or N.Y. Premiere)
- Title of the Film
- Country of Origin
- Year of Production
- Running Time in minutes
- Director's Name
- Director’s Bio
- Synopsis Long (150-200 words)
- Synopsis Short (50-75 words)
- Cast names (list all separately per line)
- Accolades (list notable awards or reviews)
- Production company name
- Contact name, full address, email, mobile, and office number
- Students: Please include a copy of your student ID with your application
WEB (Image Form):
- 3 Film Stills (3 minimum/high-res)
- 1 Director’s Photo (color/head shot)
- 1 Film Cover Artwork/Movie Poster (if available)
- 1 Film Trailer (either attach a movie file or provide us with an html code from your server or YouTube to be imbedded directly onto the SAIFF website)
Once you have gather all of the above information and are ready to send us an email, please send your Press Kit materials to us as shown in the example below, so that we can easily identify your email, the category and your film:
"To: programming@saiff.org
From: me@myfilm.com (you/your company)
Subject: My Film (Feature)
Dear SAIFF,
As per your request, please find the following items within my Press Kit to be part of my application:
Thank you,
Me"
FILMMAKER AGREEMENT:
If your work is selected, you, as the entrant, agree to:
-- I ‘WILL NOT’ withdraw the film from the festival once it is accepted.
-- I ‘WILL NOT’ have another screening of my film in the New York/New Jersey area before SAIFF 2023.
-- I ‘WILL ASSUME’ responsibility for delivering my print or video to the SAIFF office (All 35MM film prints must be shipped in Film Print Canisters Only).
-- I ‘WILL ASSUME’ responsibility for picking-up/shipping my print or video from the SAIFF office after the festival back to my original location or to my next destination. (This is typically for 35MM film prints only!)
-- I ‘WILL DELIVER’ my film to the SAIFF office by March 26, 2024 (PLEASE NOTE: Again, No film can be withdrawn once it is programmed).
--I ‘WILL GRANT’ the festival permission to pull excerpts from the film for all promotional purposes.
-- I ‘WILL PROVIDE’ all the necessary press kit materials to the SAIFF office digitally/via email as identified in the “FILMMAKER SUBMISSION” section above.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Please be sure to read carefully which formats apply when:
All Films screened by the programming committee, before the festival, must:
-- be available in ‘only’ a DVD (NTSC) format
-- must have English subtitles if the original language of the film is not English
All Films selected and finally exhibited, during the festival, must:
-- be available in either 35mm, DigiBeta (NTSC), or HDCAM (NTSC) formats
-- must have English subtitles if the original language of the film is not English
SHIPPING:
All selected works must be shipped prepaid, in packages clearly marked with the festival's address and sender's return address to the SAIFF office.
SAIFF assumes no responsibility for shipments incurring custom brokerage fees, duties, taxes, terminal charges, or any other fees. We will not accept COD or collect those shipments.
All Prints, Videocassettes, and DVD shipping packages must be clearly labeled with the following (PLEASE NOTE: All 35MM film prints must be shipped in Film Print Canisters Only):
-- Film/video title
-- Production company name
-- Director's name
-- Synopsis
-- Contact name, full address, email, mobile, and office number
-- Running time in minutes
- Statement Letter (separate): "Goods on loan to the festival/event. No commercial value. Non-pornographic."
-- Students: Please include a copy of your student ID with your application
-- In addition – Please do not forget to send Press Kit materials to the SAIFF office digitally/via email as identified in the “FILMMAKER SUBMISSION” section above.
Master Film/Copy:
All Filmmakers must take responsibility of their own delivery and pick-up arrangements of their master print to and from the festival office. This includes all charges associated with shipping, handling, and taxes from and back to its original destination or next destination.
Disclaimer:
During the festival’s possession, in the case of a loss or damage to a print, SAIFF's obligation is limited to compensating the producer or distributor only the cost of making a new print. SAIFF must be notified of such loss or damage in writing by April 14, 2024.
PARTICIPATION IN THE 2024 SOUTH ASIAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL IMPLIES UNDERSTANDING AND ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS AND REGULATIONS.
