TAAFI - Toronto Animation Arts Festival International

NOTE: By submitting your entry, you accept all of the following guidelines, rules and regulations relating to the Toronto Animated Arts Festival International (“TAAFI”) and understand that this is a binding contract between TAAFI and you, the entrant.

Eligible Works and Entry Categories

Submissions of fully animated films of all genres with a production date of January 2023 or later are accepted. Films that are live-action and/or are filmed are not eligible. We are not accepting "fully AI works" at this time. Please indicate if the submission is a Canadian or World Premiere.

The shorts category requires that the maximum run time including credits is 40 minutes. The feature category requires a minimum run time of 40 minutes to a maximum of 150 minutes.

If you have submitted a film to previous editions of TAAFI, this film is no longer eligible as a current submission. Each film may only be submitted one time.

Submission Procedure and Format

To be eligible for selection for the 2024 TAAFI festival, you must ensure we receive your submission by the Submission Deadline. You may enter as many works as you wish, but each must be submitted as set out below, with all elements attached.

PLEASE NOTE: TAAFI is no longer accepting DVD screeners as part of the submission. Films must be submitted by digital screener only, or online link (please include password in submission, if needed).

Submissions will not be returned. If you have made arrangements with us to send hard copies of your film and/or any accompanying materials, please do not send us your only copy of such materials.

Once you have made your submission, it cannot be withdrawn, except with the consent of TAAFI.

All submissions are made at the entrant’s sole expense.

Selection

TAAFI has a panel of judges that rotates from year to year comprised of various people experienced in animated film and video, in many different capacities. This panel will make its selections from all entries based on its discretion. While we thank all participants for their interest, we will communicate only with those entrants whose work has been selected for the TAAFI festival, and we do not provide comments or feedback on any entries. TAAFI’s judges’ decisions are final and not subject to appeal.

TAAFI will notify final selected entrants by January 16, 2024, and selection notices will be sent electronically to the email contact provided with submission. Please ensure that the domain name taafi.com is permitted to email you, and check your spam filter. We can take no responsibility whatsoever for entrants who miss our notification and, therefore, miss the final deadlines for delivery of exhibition materials.

If the entrant’s film is selected for the festival, the entrant will be required to supply TAAFI with exhibition materials by no later than February 20, 2024, and failing to supply such materials on time will result in the entrant’s forfeiture of participation in the festival. The exhibition materials must be supplied to TAAFI at the entrant’s expense; however, screening copies will be sent back to the participant at TAAFI’s expense as soon as possible after the festival.

If the entrant’s film is selected for the festival, the entrant must deliver the following by the February 20, 2024, deadline referred to above:
1. A copy of your film in professional broadcast/cinema format.
2. The preferred exhibition format is a data file, meeting the following requirements: Quicktime with H.264 compression is the best. Apple ProRes is no longer required but acceptable. Should your film be accepted into the festival program, specific formatting instructions will be sent out. Other file formats are also workable but if not listed, they need to be discussed with TAAFI before they are sent as a screening copy.
3. Other acceptable projection formats include: HDCAM, HDCAM SR, D-Cinema (DCP), Digital Betacam, Betacam SP, HDV, Mini-DV, DVCAM, 35mm.
4. DVD movies are not an acceptable projection format.
5. Your film must have adequate image resolution, and if possible, be in high definition. TAAFI’s projection system is high definition and is capable of reproducing full 1920x1080m images.

If your original film is in a language other than English, your exhibition copy must be subtitled in English.

The final order and composition of the programs presented in the festival will be in the sole discretion of TAAFI’s Programming Director.

Transportation and Insurance
All material is sent at the entrant’s sole risk and expense. Digital submissions made through TAAFI’s email are not necessarily secure, though we use email systems that include the most recent security measures. If an entrant wishes to deliver digitally with added security, the entrant must do so at his or her own expense. If an entrant wishes to insure physically delivered materials, the entrant must do so at his or her own expense. Promotional Use of Works All entrants grant TAAFI the right to use a maximum of one (1) minute or ten per cent (10%) of the total run time of the film (whichever is less) for the advertising and promotion of the festival. Promotional materials created by TAAFI from the films selected for the festival become the property of TAAFI exclusively, and may be used by TAAFI in perpetuity to promote the festival and TAAFI’s programs, in all media throughout the world. If the filmmaker no longer wishes for their film/material to be used by the festival in this manner, they are welcome to opt out in the form of a written request to the festival."

Representations, Warranties, Release and Indemnity
Each entrants represents and warrants: (a) that he or she is the author and owner of the submitted film, and if the film is co-owned by others that he or she has full authority and consent of all such co-owners to submit the film to TAAFI; (b) all material included in the film is original and authored by the entrant, or has been properly licensed by or assigned to the entrant; (c) no material included in the film will, in its reproduction and/or exhibition, constitute an infringement of copyright, trade-mark or any other intellectual property law or regulation; (d) no material included in the film is in violation of any third party rights, such as privacy rights, and no material included is defamatory. Each entrant releases TAAFI from any liability, costs, expenses, damages and/or claims resulting from the exhibition of the entrant’s film, and each entrant indemnifies TAAFI fully from and against any liability, costs, expenses, damages and/or claims arising against TAAFI as a result of such exhibition. If TAAFI becomes aware of any infringing materials in a film, it reserves the right to disqualify the entry. Each entrant also warrants and represents that he or she if of the age of majority in the jurisdiction of his or her residence. If the entrant is under the relevant age of majority, a parent or guardian’s consent and signature will be required at the time of entry.