RULES:
Films must be produced, directed, edited, or written by a woman. Films by men are accepted but they must be about women's social, economical, geographical, political or health issues. WIFF reserves the right to determine whether a film qualifies for this exception.
All non-English language films must have English subtitles or dubbed in English.
First and second time directors encouraged. New York Premieres are given extra points
Students should enter their film under the "Reel Girls:Real Women" category. A copy of the a current student ID must be submitted along with the entry to be considered eligible.
For the 2024 event, at least one person from the filmmaking team is expected to attend the festival in person in New York to participate in the Q&A for the film screening.
Each filmmaker is given a maximum of 5 tickets to their screening for crew, family, personal guests and press.
Submission fees are in US dollars and are non-refundable.
TERMS:
By submitting a film for consideration to the 19th Annual Women's International Film & Arts Festival, the submitter agrees an represents that they have:
1. Read all of the Women's International Film Festival rules and understands and agrees to those rules.
2. Warrants that the submission is original work, and there are no disputes regarding the ownership or distribution or exhibition rights of the submission in part or in entirety. The submitter also warrants the submitted material does not defame or invade the rights of any person living or dead, and fully indemnifies the Women's International Film Festival against any claim made for such violations of law.
3. Obtained consent from any and all owners, creators, writers, producers, and/or other authorized representatives or rights holders of the Film whose consent is required to submit the Film to WIFF.
4. The festival reserves the right to use a clip, and or clips or photos from accepted entries for up to three minutes in length for promotional purposes. The festival reserves the right to screen accepted entries as part of the Women's International Film & Arts Festival.
5. Applicants should test their online screeners thoroughly before submitting. If the submitted film link does not play, does not play in its entirety, the password does not work, or the film is otherwise not viewable, WIFF reserves the right to disqualify the film without refunding the submission fees. WIFF may attempt, but is under no obligation, to contact the applicant in order to obtain a replacement online screener or functioning password. It is the responsibility of the person submitting the film to update any changed passwords or links.
6. WIFF reserves the right to disqualify any film for non-payment of the submission fee. WIFF will attempt to contact the applicant based on the contact information supplied at the time of submission in order to resolve non-payment status.
7. WIFF is under no obligation to provide comments regarding submitted films to any applicant. All selection decisions are at the sole and absolute discretion of WIFF, and are final and un-reviewable. WIFF is not required to provide any feedback, comments, or reasons, or any other information, regarding the selection or non-selection of any submitted Film or the process by which Films are or have been selected. WIFF is not responsible or liable for its selection decisions; for the contents of any internal comments or feedback regarding the Film that are or may be obtained from the Applicant or anyone else; for any communications by any representative of WIFF relating to the Film or the Festival selection process; for the manner in which the Film shall be, is, or was considered and reviewed; or for any failure on the part of the Festival to provide the Applicant or anyone else with information concerning WIFF’s consideration and/or review of the Film.
8. Multiple versions of the same film will not be considered. Only the first submitted version of a film will be considered for WIFF.
9. Films submitted by mail will not be returned. Films submitted by email will not be considered.
10. WIFF is under no obligation to contact the submitting party should the applicant not have adhered to the rules or terms set out here-in. Submission Fees are non-refundable
11. By submitting the film to WIFF, the Applicant (Submitting Parties) hereby warrants and agrees:
(i) to hold The Women's International Film & Arts Festival, Inc. harmless from and defend them from all claims, demands, losses, damages, judgments, liabilities, and expenses (including attorneys' fees) arising out of or in connection with any and all claims of third parties, whether groundless or not, based on any film submitted to the festival.
(ii) the Film is wholly original and is not copied from and does not include any other work that is the subject of copyright or other protection, unless such work is in the public domain or the Submitting Parties have obtained any and all consents, releases, licenses, and other authorizations or waivers of any kind necessary for the inclusion or reproduction of any person, character, location, thing, trademark, sound recording, musical composition, or other work in the Film;
(iii) the Film does not defame any person or violate the common law or statutory rights, including, without limitation, the rights of privacy and publicity or any other right of any person;
(iv) the Film is not the subject of litigation or any dispute that may give rise to litigation;
(v) there are no agreements, nor will there be any agreements made subsequent to the date of this Film submission, that would or could have the effect of impairing the Submitting Parties’ ability to provide the Film as contemplated herein, or otherwise conflict with any provision of these Terms; and
(vi) the Submitting Parties have the full right, power, and authority to submit the Film to WIFF for Festival consideration, and to grant all of the rights granted hereunder and in the FilmFreeway registration form, including, without limitation, the right to screen the Film in Festival venues and/or digitally on WIFF’s online screening platform, and there is no prior obligation or impediment which would in any way impair or restrict the Submitting Parties from fully performing all obligations pursuant to the submission and these Terms.
12. Understands that failure to adhere to festival rules and terms will result in disqualification of screening and forfeiture of entry fee.
