RULES FOR 2024 FILM SUBMISSIONS
✓ Films are expected to fall under the theme for the current year (2024): “Water: Fertility & Prosperity”
✓ All films must be between 1 to 20 minutes in length.
✓ All films must be submitted in English or with English subtitles if in a different language.
✓ The screenings may take place in front of a live audience within the United States, in international events, and online screenings as curated Films for the Forest content and ensure their licensing will allow such screenings.
✓ Any submissions from those under 18 years of age require adult consent and they must sign a consent form.
✓ All submissions confirm they follow the terms and conditions set by FilmFreeway and the terms and conditions below.
✓ If you have submitted your project in the previous year, please do not resubmit the same project to the current Films for the Forest edition.
✓ A film can fall into more than one category. It is up to the filmmaker to choose under which category he/she wishes the film to be judged.
Note: Films for the Forest reserve the right to change the date of the event under special circumstances. All filmmakers will be informed about any changes through email and our online platforms.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Definitions:
Films for the Forest also known as F3
Launched by Rainforest Partnership in 2010, Films for the Forest (F3) is an annual juried short film competition that invites filmmakers from around the world to share the voices and stories of forests worldwide, highlighting their rich biodiversity and local communities, their immense beauty and importance to the entire planet, the threats they face, and the opportunities for renewal.
Films for the Forest aims to use the power of creative visual storytelling to convene, empower, and activate global audiences to take action on behalf of the world's forests.
Rainforest Partnership
Founded in 2007 in Austin, Texas, Rainforest Partnership is an international nonprofit organization that protects tropical rainforests by partnering with indigenous and local communities to support sustainable livelihoods, thriving biodiversity, and long-term conservation.
Film definition:
The term ‘Film’ shall include any titles, scripts, books, photographs, drawings, and other materials or information provided in connection with the submission.
Filmmaker:
The individual or group that creates and submits the film for entry into the F3 short film challenge. The filmmaker is responsible for obtaining proper rights and permissions to submit the film. They grant certain license rights to Rainforest Partnership and F3 as part of entering the competition.
Film Owner:
The individual or entity that owns the copyright and intellectual property rights to the submitted film. The film owner may be the same as the filmmaker if they fully own the rights to the film. Or the film owner may be a separate entity from the filmmaker and submitter that has legally obtained permission and rights to the submitted film.
Indigenous peoples:
Indigenous peoples shall have the same meaning as provided in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Specifically, indigenous peoples are those who:
Self-identify as indigenous peoples at the individual level and are accepted by their community as their members.
Have historical continuity with pre-colonial and pre-settler societies.
Have strong links to territories and surrounding natural resources.
Maintain distinct social, economic, or political systems.
Maintain distinct languages, cultures, and beliefs.
Form non-dominant groups of society.
Resolve to maintain and reproduce their ancestral environments and systems as distinctive peoples and communities.
This definition of indigenous peoples by the United Nations provides an important context for the mission of F3 and Rainforest Partnership to collaborate with and empower indigenous and local forest communities.
Original film:
For a film to be considered original it must be a newly created, unreleased film; never screened or presented before in any other competition; that fits the current year's theme; and is authentic to its filmmaker and film owner.
In consideration for submitting the Film, I warrant and represent the following:
1) I am the owner of all rights in the Film, I am a co-owner of all rights in the Film and am acting with the permission and on behalf of the other co-owner(s) of the Film, or I am an authorized representative of the owner(s) of all rights in the Film and am acting with the permission and on behalf of the owner(s); and
2) If I am submitting a film original to Films for the Forest, I attest that I am the creator and owner of the idea for the project
2) I am 18 years of age or older, or I include with my submission a signed, written consent from my parent or legal guardian, available at http://www.filmsfortheforest.org.
3) I understand any compensation or prize awarded for a film submitted to F3 will be determined and distributed at the sole discretion of Rainforest Partnership and F3;
4) I understand that the Film will be reproduced, distributed, publicly displayed, digitally transmitted, and/or will have derivative works prepared based thereon prior to and as part of F3-related events;
5) I grant Rainforest Partnership and F3 a non-exclusive, non-transferable, irrevocable, worldwide, fully paid-up, royalty-free license to all intellectual property rights in the Film, including the right to reproduce, publicly display, digitally transmit, and prepare derivative works of all or part of the Film for non-commercial purposes;
6) I grant Rainforest Partnership and F3 the right to use the name(s), likeness, and/or any additional biographical information of the filmmakers in connection with the Film and/or F3, and I further grant Rainforest Partnership and F3 the right to provide this information to third party sponsors of F3; and
7) The Film does not violate any law or infringe any right of any third party, including any copyright, trademark, patent, privacy right, publicity right, or any other personal or property right.
8) As further consideration of entering this F3 short film challenge, I agree to RELEASE, DISCHARGE, AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE RAINFOREST PARTNERSHIP AND F3 AND ANY AFFILIATES, SPONSORS, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, REPRESENTATIVES, AND ASSIGNS THEREOF (RELEASED PARTIES) from and against all claims, damages, charges, injuries, losses, proceedings, suits, actions (including but not limited to tort actions, product liability actions, wrongful death actions, warranty actions, breach of contract actions, privacy and defamation actions, misappropriation of likeness actions, identity theft, loss of consortium claims), expenses and attorney fees that they or anyone on their behalf (including but not limited to their heirs, representatives or next of kin) have or might have for any death, injury, damage or claimed injury or damage arising out of, involving or relating to their participation in F3, including, but not limited to, any claim that the act or omission complained of was caused in whole or in part by the strict liability or negligence in any form of the Released Parties.
9) I agree that the Film is not subject to any threat of or actual litigation, arbitration, or other adversarial claim or proceeding;
Additionally, as consideration of entering this F3 short film challenge, I agree to INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS, AND DEFEND RAINFOREST PARTNERSHIP AND F3 AND ANY AFFILIATES, SPONSORS, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, AND REPRESENTATIVES (“RELEASED PARTIES”) FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, LOSSES, LIABILITIES, DAMAGES, FEES, COSTS, AND EXPENSES (INCLUDING REASONABLE ATTORNEY'S FEES) RELATING TO SUCH VIOLATION AND/OR INFRINGEMENT IN THE EVENT THAT THE FILM DOES VIOLATE A LAW AND/OR INFRINGE A RIGHT OF A THIRD PARTY.
I agree, in the event that a claim is asserted as described in the Paragraph above (relating to INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS clause), to reimburse Rainforest Partnership and F3 for all losses, fees, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorney's fees) incurred in connection with defending against such claim, and agree that in no event can damages be awarded in excess of the submission fee for the Film.
10) I understand that submitting the Film creates no obligation for Rainforest Partnership or F3 to use the Film or to include the Film in any F3 screenings or events, and I hereby relinquish any right to assert any claim in any forum against Rainforest Partnership or F3 based upon, arising out of, or otherwise relating to the submission of the Film, exhibition of the Film, failure to exhibit the Film, and/or failure to award compensation or a prize for the Film;
11) I agree that these terms and conditions and all activities relating to F3, including the acceptance of the Film and exhibition thereof, shall be governed by the laws of the State of Texas, United States; and
12) I agree that I have read, understood, and agree to the foregoing conditions and the Rules and Regulations for submitting the Film to F3 and Rainforest Partnership available at http://www.Filmfreeway.com and http://www.filmsfortheforest.org, and that the foregoing conditions and Rules and Regulations shall not be superseded by any other information, including information elsewhere on the Rainforest Partnership or F3 website, any past conditions or Rules and Regulations relating to F3 and Rainforest Partnership, or any alleged oral communications with Rainforest Partnership, F3, or any representative thereof.
13) I understand that F3 is a short film challenge of skill with the Rules and Regulations for such challenge available at http://www.Filmfreeway.com and http://www.filmsfortheforest.org, that any prize for a film submitted to F3 will be awarded based on skill demonstrated in creating and/or presenting such film, and that the award of such prize will be determined at the sole discretion of Rainforest Partnership, F3, and/or judges selected by Rainforest Partnership and F3 based on criteria determined by Rainforest Partnership, F3, and/or judges selected by Rainforest Partnership and F3. I further understand that Rainforest Partnership and F3 reserve the right in their sole discretion to terminate these terms and conditions or make changes to these terms and conditions at any time without notice.
14) If Rainforest Partnership or F3 wishes to allow any third-party platform (such as a streaming service, television network, etc.) to exhibit or otherwise use a submitted Film, Rainforest Partnership, and F3 agree to obtain express written consent and permission from the Film's owner(s) before granting such third-party exhibition rights. Filmowners retain the right to withhold consent for third-party use of their Films at their sole discretion.
15) Any sponsorships, donations, grants, or other funding secured in connection with Films for the Forest will be directed to and belong to Films for the Forest and its parent organization Rainforest Partnership. Films for the Forest and Rainforest Partnership retain full discretion over the use of these funds to further their organizational missions. No sponsorship money will be owed or paid to individual filmmakers. Films for the Forest and Rainforest Partnership may choose to allocate a portion of sponsorship funds as prizes or grants for winning film submissions, but filmmakers shall have no ownership, entitlement, or expectations regarding such funds. The awarding of monetary prizes, if any, remains fully at the discretion of Films for the Forest and Rainforest Partnership.
16) By original works, we refer to short films that have been created after the publication of this call for entries and that reflect the essence of the current year's theme. The creators retain ownership and distribution rights. In addition to screenings and events, the original works may be exhibited and used for other events (conferences, summits, etc.) in which the Rainforest Partnership participates. In addition, the creators are responsible for any legal liabilities arising from the use of the original works.
17) If a submitted film becomes subject to actual or threatened piracy, illegal access, or other infringement, The film owners(s) retain the right to pursue any legal claims and actions against infringing parties. Rainforest Partnership and F3 shall not be held liable for any unauthorized access or infringement that may occur through no fault of their security precautions, but agree to reasonably cooperate with film owners in addressing the infringement threat.
18) Unless otherwise expressly stated in writing, Rainforest Partnership and Films for the Forest shall have a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to publicly display, exhibit, transmit, broadcast, reproduce, distribute, modify works based upon, and otherwise use the films created under this agreement, in whole or in part, in all media formats and channels now known or hereafter devised for promotional, marketing, public relations, and other purposes reasonably related to Rainforest Partnership's mission.
