1. Festival
1.1 About
The Istanbul International Experimental Film Festival is an annual international festival dedicated exclusively to experimental cinema and moving image practices. The Festival presents an international competition alongside curated screenings, exhibitions, performances, talks, and educational programmes.
These Rules & Terms govern the submission, selection, exhibition, and participation of works submitted to the Festival. By submitting a work, the Applicant acknowledges that they have read, understood, and accepted these Rules & Terms.
1.2 Festival Dates
The 8th Istanbul International Experimental Film Festival will take place in May 2027 in Istanbul, Türkiye. The Festival will announce its official dates no later than three months prior to the opening of the Festival. Should circumstances beyond the Festival's reasonable control require changes, the Festival reserves the right to modify the Festival dates or schedule.
2. Eligibility
2.1 Completion Date
Works completed on or after 1 January 2025 are eligible for submission.
2.2 Eligible Works
The Festival accepts experimental moving image works created using analogue, digital, computational, AI, and other emerging technologies. All submissions are evaluated on the basis of their artistic vision, conceptual integrity, and contribution to experimental moving image practices, rather than the technologies used in their creation.
2.3 Premiere Status
The Festival does not require world, international, regional, or national premiere status. However, where works are of comparable artistic merit, the Festival may give preference to premieres or works with limited prior public exposure.
2.4 Online Availability
Works that have been made publicly available online, including through streaming platforms, video-sharing websites, or other publicly accessible digital platforms, are not eligible.
2.5 Work-in-Progress Submissions
Work-in-progress submissions are accepted. Such works must be completed and delivered in accordance with the deadlines communicated by the Festival if selected.
2.6 Resubmissions
Works previously submitted to the Festival may be resubmitted. Resubmission is recommended only where the work has undergone significant artistic, editorial, or technical development since its previous submission.
2.7 Festival Discretion
The Festival reserves the right to determine the eligibility of submitted works in cases where the application of these Rules & Terms requires interpretation or clarification.
3. Submission
3.1 Categories
The Festival presents the following competition categories: Experimental Feature, Experimental Short, Experimental Non-Fiction (Documentary), Experimental Animation, First Experiment, Music & Performance Films, National Submission. Experimental Feature accepts works with a running time of 40 minutes or longer. Experimental Short, Experimental Non-Fiction (Documentary), and Experimental Animation accept works with a running time of less than 40 minutes. First Experiment, Music & Performance Films, and National Submissions accept works of any running time. The First Experiment Competition is open to filmmakers presenting their first experimental film. The National Submission is open to filmmakers from Türkiye, including Turkish citizens residing abroad, and individuals residing in Türkiye under temporary protection status. Selected Applicants may be required to provide documentation confirming their eligibility.
3.2 Selection
A work may be submitted to one or more competition categories. The Festival determines the competition category or categories in which each submitted work will be considered. There is no limit to the number of works an Applicant may submit. Each submission is evaluated independently on its own artistic merits. To encourage diversity within the programme, the Festival generally selects no more than one work per filmmaker unless exceptional artistic circumstances justify otherwise.
3.3 Submission Materials
Submissions must be completed through the official submission platform(s) designated by the Festival. Applicants must provide all required submission materials, including but not limited to: Preview screener, Synopsis, Director biography, Technical information, Still images, Poster or key artwork (where available), Subtitle information, Any additional materials requested by the Festival. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all submitted information and materials are complete, accurate, and accessible throughout the selection process.
3.4 Preview Screener
Preview screeners must remain available throughout the selection period. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that submission links remain active and that all passwords or other access credentials are provided correctly.
3.5 Subtitle Requirements
All works containing spoken language must be submitted with English subtitle files. For works in languages other than English, English subtitles are required for the selection process. English-language works must also include English subtitle files or closed captions to support accessibility, translation, and exhibition requirements. Selected works may subsequently be required to provide additional subtitle files, caption files, or translation materials for screening, accessibility, press, or catalogue purposes.
3.6 Submission Fees
Where applicable, submission fees are non-refundable. The Festival may grant fee waivers at its sole discretion.
3.7 Applicant Declarations
By submitting a work, the Applicant confirms that they are authorised to submit the work and that all necessary rights, permissions, and clearances have been obtained. The Festival may exclude incomplete submissions or submissions containing inaccurate or misleading information from consideration.
4. Selection Process
4.1 Selection Committee
All submitted works are reviewed and evaluated by the Festival's selection committee and programme team.
4.2 Selection Criteria
Selection decisions are based on the artistic vision, originality, formal approach, conceptual depth, and contribution of each work to experimental moving image practices. The Festival considers works across all forms, formats, and approaches to cinema.
4.3 Selection Decisions
The Festival determines the final selection, programme structure, and competition category of all selected works. All selection decisions are final and not subject to appeal.
4.4 Notification
Applicants whose works have been selected will be notified directly using the contact information provided during submission. The Festival is not obliged to provide individual feedback or explanations regarding non-selected works.
4.5 Withdrawal of Invitation
The Festival may withdraw an invitation if a selected work no longer satisfies these Rules & Terms or if the required materials are not delivered within the deadlines specified by the Festival.
5. Selected Films & Materials
5.1 Official Selection
Applicants whose works have been selected will be notified directly by the Festival using the contact information provided during submission. Following acceptance of the Festival's official invitation, a selected work may not be withdrawn from the Festival programme except with the prior written consent of the Festival.
5.2 Delivery Requirements
Applicants whose works have been selected shall deliver the final exhibition version of the work, together with all required screening and promotional materials, by the deadlines specified by the Festival. The Festival may request additional technical, promotional, or administrative materials where reasonably necessary for the presentation of the work.
5.3 Technical Specifications
The Festival will provide technical delivery specifications to all selected Applicants. Screening copies may be requested in formats including, but not limited to: DCP, Apple ProRes, H.264 / H.265, MP4. Applicants wishing to present works in analogue film formats (including, but not limited to, 8mm, Super 8, 16mm, or 35mm) must notify the Festival in advance. The feasibility of analogue presentations is subject to technical availability, venue conditions, and prior agreement with the Festival.
5.4 Delivery Deadline
Selected works must be delivered in their final version by the deadline communicated by the Festival. Where a work has been submitted as a work in progress, the completed version must be delivered within the timeframe agreed with the Festival.
5.5 Required Delivery Materials
Applicants whose works have been selected shall provide all materials requested by the Festival for exhibition, accessibility, promotion, and catalogue purposes. Such materials may include, where applicable: Screening copy, English subtitle files, closed captions, dialogue lists, additional subtitle translations, screening stills or poster, director photograph, trailer, press kit, and any additional technical or promotional materials reasonably requested by the Festival.
6. Screening & Exhibition
6.1 Festival Licence
By accepting the Festival's official invitation, the Rights Holder grants the Festival a non-exclusive, non-transferable, royalty-free licence to exhibit the selected work as part of the Festival's official programme. This licence permits the Festival to present the selected work at official Festival screenings, jury screenings, press screenings, and other official Festival events forming part of the Festival programme. This licence applies exclusively to the edition of the Festival for which the work has been selected.
6.2 Festival Screenings
The Festival determines the number, date, time, venue, and format of all screenings. The Festival may schedule additional screenings of selected works where necessary for programming, jury deliberation, press, or accessibility purposes during the Festival.
6.3 Exhibition Format
Selected works will be presented in accordance with their artistic and technical requirements, subject to venue conditions and technical feasibility. Where necessary, the Festival may determine the most appropriate exhibition format in consultation with the Right Holder. Right Holder wishing to present their work as an expanded cinema performance, installation, exhibition, or other site-specific or alternative presentation format are encouraged to discuss their proposal with the Festival in advance. The Festival will consider such proposals on a case-by-case basis, subject to curatorial suitability, technical feasibility, venue conditions, and available resources.
6.4 Online Screenings
The Festival does not make selected works publicly available online or through digital streaming platforms unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Rights Holder.
7. Jury & Awards
7.1 Festival Jury
The Festival appoints an international jury for each edition. The Jury is composed of filmmakers, artists, curators, researchers, critics, and other professionals working across experimental cinema and moving image practices. The Jury evaluates all works selected for the International Competition and determines the recipients of the Festival's official awards.
7.2 Jury Decisions
All Jury decisions are final and not subject to appeal.
7.3 Festival Awards
The Festival presents the Jellyfish Award as its highest distinction. In addition, the Festival may present other competitive or non-competitive awards recognising outstanding artistic achievement. The Festival reserves the right to determine the number, categories, form, and conditions of such awards for each edition.
7.4 Award Presentation
Award recipients will be announced by the Festival following the Jury's deliberations. Unless otherwise specified by the Festival, trophies and any other physical awards will be dispatched within 180 days of the official announcement of the results.
8. Rights, Publicity & Archive
8.1 Rights Ownership
The Applicant confirms that they hold all rights, permissions, and clearances necessary to submit the work and to grant the Festival the rights set out in these Rules & Terms. The Applicant shall indemnify and hold harmless the Festival against any claims arising from copyright infringement or the violation of third-party rights. Copyright and all intellectual property rights in the submitted work remain the property of the Rights Holder.
8.2 Promotional Use
Following official selection, the Festival may use excerpts from selected works for promotional purposes in all media worldwide. Such excerpts shall not exceed three (3) minutes in duration or, for short films and documentaries, ten per cent (10%) of the total running time, whichever is shorter.
8.3 Publicity Materials
The Festival may use still images, trailers, synopses, director biographies, posters, and other promotional materials submitted by the Applicant for catalogue production, publications, press, social media, the Festival website, and other non-commercial promotional activities relating to the Festival.
8.4 Festival Archive
The Festival may retain selected works in its institutional archive exclusively for non-commercial research, educational, documentation, and archival purposes. Archived works shall not be made publicly available, exhibited, distributed, reproduced, or otherwise used outside the scope of the Festival archive without the prior written consent of the Rights Holder.
8.5 Additional Use
Any use of a selected work beyond the rights expressly granted under these Rules & Terms requires the prior written consent of the Rights Holder.
9. Final Provisions
9.1 Interpretation
The Festival reserves the right to interpret these Rules & Terms and to decide on any matters not expressly provided for herein. All decisions regarding the interpretation and application of these Rules & Terms shall be final.
9.2 Amendments
The Festival reserves the right to amend these Rules & Terms where necessary. Any amendments shall be published through the Festival's official communication channels and shall take effect upon publication.
9.3 Force Majeure
The Festival shall not be liable for any delay, modification, suspension, or cancellation of the Festival, or any part thereof, resulting from circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, public health emergencies, armed conflict, civil unrest, governmental restrictions, strikes, terrorism, technical failures, or other events of force majeure. In such circumstances, the Festival reserves the right to modify the Festival programme, screening schedule, venues, or any other aspect of the Festival as reasonably necessary.
9.4 Governing Language
These Rules & Terms are published in English. If translated into another language, the English version shall prevail in the event of any inconsistency or dispute.
