I. GENERAL RULES
1. Sections:
a) Méliès d’argent Award - Best European Feature Film (Feature films of European production, including co-productions with a majority of European participation);
b) Room Service (Official Selection - Feature films);
c) Doc Horror (Documentaries about horror films or related themes);
d) Retrospectives (Masters of horror and other cult figures);
e) Special Screenings (Anniversaries, restored prints, TV series);
f) Lost Room (A journey into the history of Portuguese genre film);
g) MOTELX Award - Best Portuguese Horror Short Film (Portuguese short films, up to 15 minutes, including co-productions with a majority of Portuguese participation);
h) International Shorts (Short films, up to 59 minutes, not produced in Portugal or Portuguese ones out of competition);
i) SectionX (Short films, up to 59 minutes, produced worldwide);
j) microSHORTS (Portuguese shorts, up to 2 minutes, filmed with a mobile phone or tablet);
k) Big Bad Wolf (Special programme for younger audiences).
2. The sections mentioned in a), b), c), g), h), and j) will select films produced in the year of the edition to which the film is submitted and in the previous year.
3. It’s not possible to submit films to the sections mentioned in d), e), and f).
4. Awards:
a) Méliès d’argent Award - Best European Feature Film;
b) Méliès d’argent Award - Best European Short Film;
c) MOTELX Award - Best Portuguese Horror Short Film;
d) Audience Award - Room Service Section;
e) microSHORTS Award*.
* The regulations for the microSHORTS Award, as well as the submission deadline, will be published separately on www.motelx.org.
5. The organizers may select a film for a different section from the one it was submitted to, cancel sections or create others not listed here, for programming purposes.
II. SUBMISSIONS
6. Submissions to MOTELX are exclusively made via FilmFreeway, using the link https://filmfreeway.com/MOTELX.
7. The submissions will be completed when the Festival is granted access to the screener copy of the submitted film.
7.1 The screener copy must be exclusively provided through an online screening link.
7.2 All screener copies must come with English subtitles. This is not mandatory for films with English dialogue and for films with Portuguese dialogue submitting to the MOTELX Award – Best Portuguese Horror Short Film.
8. The deadline to submit a film for all sections, with the exception of the microSHORTS award, is 31 May of each edition’s year. Submissions received after that date will be considered for the following year's edition.
9. The participants will be given notice if their films were selected or not until the end of August.
10. The participants are fully responsible for the content of the films they submit, namely in what concerns copyrights. Participants who are underage must have a written and signed authorisation from their parents or legal guardians.
11. Submissions of Portuguese productions or co-productions with a majority of Portuguese participation are exempt from paying submission fees.
12. Re-submissions from previously unselected films are not accepted.
III. MÉLIÈS D’ARGENT AWARD - BEST EUROPEAN FEATURE FILM
13. The winner of the Best European Feature Film Award is the recipient of the Méliès d'argent, being nominated to run for the international competition Méliès d'or, promoted annually by the European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation.
IV. MÉLIÈS D’ARGENT AWARD - BEST EUROPEAN SHORT FILM
14. All eligible European short films selected for SectionX and the International Shorts section are considered for the Méliès d’argent Award - Best European Short Film. Are eligible short films with a maximum running time of 25 minutes (credits included).
15. The winner of the Best European Short Film Award is the recipient of the Méliès d'argent, being nominated to run for the international competition Méliès d'or, promoted annually by the European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation.
V. MOTELX AWARD - BEST PORTUGUESE HORROR SHORT FILM
16. The MOTELX Award - Best Portuguese Horror Short Film aims to stimulate the production of horror films in Portugal, by honouring a short film screened at the Festival and giving also a Special Mention.
17. Horror films produced in the year of the edition to which the film is submitted to and on the previous year*, meeting all of the following requisites, will be considered for selection:
a) Portuguese productions or co-productions with a majority of Portuguese participation;
b) Maximum running time of 15 minutes (credits included);
c) Not released commercially in Portugal until the closing date of the Festival (previous screenings on other festivals will not automatically eliminate a film).
* Example: For the 2025 edition only films produced after 01/01/2024 can be submitted.
18. The winner will receive €5,000 (five thousand euros) paid in a single instalment.
Other prizes may be added. These will be announced in due time on the Festival’s website and social media.
VI.JURIES
19. The juries of the Awards are composed of three individuals invited by the Festival's organisation.
20. No juror can have any sort of personal interest, direct or indirect, in any of the films running for the Awards.
21. The juries’ decisions are final.
22. The juries cannot give the Méliès d'argent awards to any short of feature film that has already received such an award at another Federation festival.
23. The juries’ decisions will be announced at MOTELX's closing ceremony and on the Festival's website, at www.motelx.org.
VII.SELECTED FILMS
24. If a film is selected, the following will be requested:
a)The copy of the film for screening;
b)Legal permits;
c)Credits list and synopsis;
d)List of festival in which the film was screened and awards received;
e)3 high-resolution film stills;
f)1 high-resolution photo of the director;
g)Director's biography;
h)A copy of all promotional materials available (poster, postcard, EPK, etc.).
25. The screening copy must comply with the following characteristics.
25.1Image
a)Screening formats: 35 mm, DCP, or digital files (mp4);
b)The organisation might refuse to screen prints due to technical or quality reasons, in its sole discretion.
25.2Subtitles
a)All films must have English subtitles if they don’t have English dialogue;
b)The festival will provide electronic Portuguese subtitles for foreign films;
c)The participants of Portuguese films in competition must also provide prints subtitled in English. If the films are spoken in more than one language, the participants must ensure subtitles both in Portuguese and English.
26. MOTELX is responsible for the insurance of selected films, from the moment of their delivery until their return.
27. MOTELX assumes all transportation costs of feature films, except in the event of them being sent to another festival, according to the conventions established between film festivals.
28. The directors/producers of films that receive an Award shall agree to mention MOTELX in all press and promotional materials produced after the closing day of the Festival.
VIII.CLOSING RULES
29. The submission of a film to MOTELX implies the acceptance of all the norms here present. Non- compliance with any of the clauses in the regulations may imply the rejection of said film.
30. These regulations are available in Portuguese and English. In case of doubt, the Portuguese version shall prevail.
31. MOTELX’s organisation will decide on any issues not covered by the current regulations.
