The aim of the Ionian Contemporary Animation Festival ICONA 2023, which is organized by the Department of Audio and Visual Arts of the Ionian University, is to present the best from the field of animation from all around the world.
The festival also aims to preserve and help develop the cultural heritage of animated film, contribute to creation of new films, provide ground for potential international co-productions and encourages dialogue between professionals, filmmakers and the public.

The jurors give out the following awards:

a) The Award for the Best International Short Film comes with a financial prize of 300 EUR.
b) The Award for the Best Greek Short Film comes with a financial prize of 300 EUR.
c) The Award for the Best International Student Film comes with a financial prize of 300 EUR.
d) The Award for the Best Greek Student Film comes with a financial prize of 300 EUR.
e) The Award for the Best film in GSC category comes with a financial prize of 300 EUR.
f) The Audience Award for the Best International Short Film
g) The Audience Award for the Best Greek Short Film
h) The Audience Award for the Best International Student Film
i) The Audience Award for the Best Greek Student Film
j) The GSC Audience Award
k) Two Honorary Distinctions in Category I
l) Two Honorary Distinctions in Category II
m) Two Honorary Distinctions in Category III
n) Two Honorary Distinctions in Category IV
o) Two GSC Honorary Distinctions in Category V

The financial prize is to be equally shared by the director and the producer of the awarded film.

1. The aim of the Ionian Contemporary Animation Festival ICONA 2023 is to present the best from the field of animation from all around the world. The festival also aims to preserve and help develop the cultural heritage of animated film, contribute to creation of new films, provide ground for potential international co-productions and encourages dialogue between professionals, filmmakers and the public.

2. ICONA 2023 is organized and promoted by the Department of Audio & Visual Arts of the Ionian University.

3. ICONA 2023 is a hybrid event and will take place in Corfu and online. Screenings in Corfu will be open for everyone. Online screenings will be available only for registered users.

4. The competition program of ICONA 2023 consists of the following categories:
Category I. International Competition of Short Films
Category II. International Competition of Student Films
Category III. Greek Competition of Short Films
Category IV. Greek Competition of Student Films
Category V. Greek School Competition (GSC)*

The highly rated films by the movie selection committee of the Greek Competitions (Category III and IV) will compete in the International Competitions of each category as well.

5. Only films made after January 1st 2022 can enter the competition. Films selected for the competition will be assessed by the festival selection committee. Each participant who submitted a film is subsequently informed about the result.

6. All films in the competition are screened in their original language and must be provided with English subtitles by the party submitting the film. If selected for screening the director/producer must also send in to the Festival:
- a list of dialogue (for films that have dialogue or voice-over), in English
- a biography, filmography and photo of the director

7. All communications and screening material transfers will take place exclusively in digital format. The submitting party is held responsible for providing the submitted work; the digital copy of the submitted work; the digital copy must be compliant with the technical requirements below: part B).

8. Director, producer or the world sales company cannot withdraw the film from the festival once its screening has been officially confirmed.

9. The international jury consists of distinguished representatives of culture, film production and theory; and of film reviewers, filmmakers and producers. A person who has taken part in the production of any of the films in the given competition cannot become a member of the jury. All the members of the jury are bound by secrecy. The Festival Director and the Programme Director or their deputies may attend the jury sessions, but do not take part in the voting.

10. The jurors give out the following awards:

a) The Award for the Best International Short Film comes with a financial prize of 300 EUR.
b) The Award for the Best Greek Short Film comes with a financial prize of 300 EUR.
c) The Award for the Best International Student Film comes with a financial prize of 300 EUR.
d) The Award for the Best Greek Student Film comes with a financial prize of 300 EUR.
e) The Award for the Best film in GSC category comes with a financial prize of 300 EUR.
f) The Audience Award for the Best International Short Film
g) The Audience Award for the Best Greek Short Film
h) The Audience Award for the Best International Student Film
i) The Audience Award for the Best Greek Student Film
j) The GSC Audience Award
k) Two Honorary Distinctions in Category I
l) Two Honorary Distinctions in Category II
m) Two Honorary Distinctions in Category III
n) Two Honorary Distinctions in Category IV
o) Two GSC Honorary Distinctions in Category V

11. The financial prize is to be equally shared by the director and the producer of the awarded film. Authors of selected works will receive official certification of participation in digital format of selection.

12. In ambiguous or unclear situations and cases unforeseen by the statutes, the director of the ICONA 2023 Festival is to take the corresponding decision in accordance with international statutes. The organizer reserves the right to change these statutes in exceptionally serious cases.

13. By participating in the festival you accept these statutes.

B. COMPETITION RULES
1. The competition is announced on 21th June 2023.
2. The application submission deadline is set on 8th September 2023 and is governed by the Festival statutes and the Competition rules.
3. The notification Date will be on 10th October 2023.

4. The audio-visual work is accepted into the competition on condition that:
• It was completed after January 1st 2022.
• More than 50% of the film is an animation; the animation technology used in the film is not restricted.
• Film duration minimum 2mins, maximum 24mins.

5. One film can be submitted to one competition category.

6. The films for the competition are selected by a selection committee.

7. Submission of the film screener for the selection committee:
a. Use the https://filmfreeway.com/icona
b. Instructions can be found on https://iconafestival.eu/

8. Film screener for the selection committee - format specifications:
• HD video file (or similar resolution)
• minimum data stream 1000 kB/s
• maximum data stream 15000 kB/s
• stereo sound L/R or 5.1

9. The final festival version of the selected film must be in the following formats:
• Standard: 1080p24, 1080p25 and 1080p30 HD widescreen
• Resolution: 1920 x 1080
• Picture aspect ratio: 16:9
• Video compression: H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, format: .mp4, .mov
• Audio encoding: AAC
• Sample rate: 44.100 Hz

10. Delivery of the film print to the festival
a. Use the https://filmfreeway.com/
b. Instructions can be found on https://iconafestival.eu/

11. The selected films are evaluated by an international jury.

12. By submitting the audio-visual work, the submitting party declares that they are authorized to screen the film at the festival and to handle the film. The award-winning films (entire or excerpts thereof) and for a period of 1 year from the date of the award announcement may be shown in any medium - at the discretion of the festival's organizing committee - in promotional events or for educational purposes and in any case not for commercial purposes.

13. The organizing committee reserves the right to screen on demand (password protected) all the films that take part in the competition for a short period after the end of the festival (and in any case not more than 1 month after its end) and for a period that will not exceed 2 weeks.

*Category V. Greek School Competition (GSC)
This category is addressed to students studying in Primary and Secondary Education in Greece. Submissions must necessarily include 1 teacher as co-creator/supervisor. Submissions should be made by persons and not institutions.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the Festival! Excellent organization, professional evaluation of works and excellent animation from the participants. Hope to meet again next year!

    December 2023
  • A nice festival to be in.

    December 2023
  • Dave Quion

    The communication and everything was great from the start. Im glad to be a part of this festival.

    December 2023
  • Vibin Alex

    Thank you so much for selecting our animated short film "The Grandma's Mind"

    December 2023
  • 彥蒼 李

    Thank you very much for my work "MOBIUS" being selected for this festival. It was an honor. I hope I can participate again next year.

    December 2023