2023 Mulan International Film Festival Rules and Regulations
1. Mission Statement
The Mulan International Film Festival (hereinafter referred to as “MulanIFF”) is a federally incorporated not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to showcasing the best of Chinese-language films and pan-Chinese cinemas. The aim of the Festival is to facilitate appreciation of pan-Chinese cinemas across Canadian communities and inspire the audience to discuss contemporary conflicts, challenges and opportunities from a global perspective.
2. Dates
The fourth edition of the Mulan International Film Festival will be held in Toronto, Canada, from Friday, August 11th to Saturday, August 19th, 2023.
3. Festival Programmes
MulanIFF selects and presents films in five distinct programmes: Fountainhead, Lili vs. Leviathan, Yin and Yang, China Retrospective, and Special Presentation. The categorization and screening schedule of each selected film are determined at the sole discretion of the MulanIFF programming team. Films presented in the Lili vs. Leviathan, Yin and Yang, China Retrospective, and Special Presentation programmes are by invitation only. Once a film is confirmed to participate in MulanIFF, it cannot be withdrawn from MulanIFF’s programme.
3a. Fountainhead
The Fountainhead programme celebrates and promotes emerging talents and their works with creative originality.
3b. Lili vs. Leviathan
The Lili vs. Leviathan programme serves to advance the appreciation of female filmmakers’ and actresses’ endeavours, as well as to recognize the identity and power of female protagonists in films.
3c. Yin and Yang
The Yin and Yang programme is dedicated to films that reflect on social issues related to gender inequality, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation, thereby advocating equality and solidarity.
3d. China Retrospective
The China Retrospective programme features award-nominated or -winning films that reveal the zeitgeist and enormous changes in China and the Chinese society since the early 20th century; and that capture how ideas and beliefs have formed and evolved over time.
3e. Special Presentation
The Special Presentation programme focuses on one particular filmmaker or theme every year.
4. Submission to the Fountainhead Programme
The Fountainhead programme accepts submissions of feature-length films and short films from all filmmakers, via FilmFreeway.
This programme recognizes filmmaking achievement through presentation of balloted Audience Awards, including one CAD$1,000 cash award for feature-length film, and one CAD$300 cash award for short film. The Audience Awards go directly to the director(s) of the film.
New in 2023, the final selection committee will vote on and present the Best New Director award to the director of a feature film, and the Jury Prize for Best Short Film to the director of a short film. The directors will receive CAD$1,000 and $300 cash, respectively.
A standard screening fee of CAD$300 for a feature-length film and a standard screening fee of CAD$75 for a short film will be paid to the copyright owner of the film after the screening concludes. MulanIFF will discuss with the copyright owner to pay additional screening fees if more than one screening will need to be booked.
The film must meet the following requirements and conditions:
a. A feature-length film, by MulanIFF’s definition, has a running time of 60 minutes or more, including credits; a short film, by MulanIFF’s definition, has a running time of 20 minutes or less, including credits.
b. The film has been completed on or after January 1st, 2022.
c. Narrative, documentary, experimental and animated films are accepted.
d. Either the main language of the film (>50%) is a Chinese language, or the film focuses on Chinese culture or the lives of the people residing in China and/or the Chinese diaspora.
e. Only one film per director is accepted, be it a feature-length film or a short film.
f. For feature-length films, only the first or the second feature-length film of a director are eligible.
g. Films must NOT have been released in Canada in any form, including but not limited to theatre, broadcast, home entertainment, online streaming and Video On Demand (VOD).
h. An online screener of the film must be provided and made available for streaming. No DVD, Blu-ray or other physical screeners are accepted.
i. A work-in-progress version of the film can be accepted and its status should be clearly indicated on the submission. However, any updated version(s) will not be viewed.
j. The applicant represents and warrants that they hold all the copyrights within and related to the submitted film, and has authority to grant MulanIFF the rights to promote and screen the submitted film.
5. Submission Deadlines and Fees for the Fountainhead Programme
March 22nd: Submissions open
April 12th: Early Bird deadline (CAD$5 for short film, CAD$10 for feature-length film)
May 10th: Regular deadline (CAD$10 for short film, CAD$20 for feature-length film)
May 31st: Late deadline (CAD$15 for short film, CAD$30 for feature-length film)
Submission fees are non-refundable under any circumstances.
Submission fees can be waived at the sole discretion of MulanIFF on a case-by-case basis. Before submitting a film, requests need to be made via email: submission@mulanfestival.com.
6. Selection Process for the Fountainhead Programme
The Fountainhead Programme will present a maximum of five feature-length films and a maximum of eight short films.
The Artistic Director chairs on the preliminary selection committee consisting of programmers and assistant programmers.
The Artistic Director designates a final selection committee consisting of members from film institutions and the film industry.
Final decisions will be made at the sole and absolute discretion of the final selection committee.
7. Official Invitation
All official invitations will be sent out via FilmFreeway and/or email on or before July 10th, 2023. Each film invited to MulanIFF will receive a Certificate of Participation if a request is made at the time of confirming participation.
8. Language and Subtitles
All films must be presented in English, or their original language(s) with English subtitles. The costs of subtitling are to be borne by the filmmaker or a relevant body.
9. Screening Formats
Only Digital Cinema Package (DCP), QuickTime ProRes 422 HQ and 35mm print are accepted, unless special arrangement is made with the MulanIFF programming team.
10. Print Traffic
All screening materials must be received by MulanIFF at least by July 22nd, 2023. Shipping costs to MulanIFF are to be borne by the filmmaker or a relevant body. Otherwise, MulanIFF reserves the right not to accept the package.
MulanIFF pays for return shipping as requested by the filmmaker or a relevant body.
Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, MulanIFF prefers online transmission of screening materials. Special arrangement may be made with the MulanIFF programming team.
11. Copyrights
MulanIFF and its directors, members, officers and volunteers, will not be held responsible for unauthorized use of any copyrighted materials within or related to the selected film. MulanIFF reserves the right to disqualify any film with unauthorized copyrighted materials at any time.
12. General
Participation in MulanIFF implies acceptance of all the aforementioned rules and regulations. MulanIFF reserves the right to rule, at its sole and absolute discretion, on cases and situations not covered by these rules and regulations.
Contact:
For submissions to the Fountainhead programme, please email submission@mulanfestival.com.
For all other inquiries, please email mail@mulanfestival.com.
