Rules & Terms
11.11 – 19.11 2025
Introduction
The Poetry Shorts programme is a non-competitive programme which will be screened in Tallinn in association with PÖFF Shorts.
PLEASE NOTE: In submitting to this programme, you are submitting to Poetry Shorts, a non-competitive special programme screening in association with PÖFF Shorts. This is NOT the same as submitting to PÖFF Shorts, and any films submitted to Poetry Shorts will not be watched in consideration for any other section at PÖFF Shorts.
If you wish for your film to be also considered for any of the other sections within PÖFF Shorts, you must also submit your film separately to the PÖFF Shorts entry page at https://filmfreeway.com/POFFShorts
Applicants need to be 18 years old or older.
The submission deadline is the 10th of August 2025.
1. Submission entry procedures
1.1. Films meeting the programme requirements must:
-Be up to 25 minutes: live-action or animation films that interpret a poem in film.
-Be presented in an HD video screening format (minimum 1920x1080px, Prores, DNxHD), DCP.
-Have English subtitles if they are not in English.
-Use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the making of the films is permitted, but it needs to be mentioned in the submission. In case an AI-assisted film is selected, it’ll also be mentioned during the screening. Furthermore, by submitting the film the submitter affirms that their submission to the festival aligns with all applicable laws. The Festival refuses any liability regarding copyright infringment or unauthorised use of third-party materials and tools.
The Poetry Shorts programming team reserves the right to evaluate eligible films for the programme.
We are accepting submissions of Russian films produced without the financial support of the Russian Federation's government and businesses tax-resident in the latter country. Film Schools will be considered state-funded organisations and not considered. This means that we can only consider films made by independent production companies in Russia or by Russian filmmakers in exile.
Applicants are requested to submit the film and required supplementary materials only via the indicated online submissions page. Entries submitted by post, e-mail or any other form except the online submission form are not considered eligible for selection.
The Poetry Shorts programming team reserves the right to refuse late submissions.
1.2. Submission deadlines and fees
There is a single submission deadline which is the 10th of August 2025.
Submission fees are to be paid by secure online payment with a credit or debit card. Submission fees are non-refundable.
The submission fee is 5 euros.
The Poetry Shorts programming team reserves the right to change submission fees, waive submission fees for selected applicants, to not comment on their decisions regarding waivers. The Poetry Shorts programming team reserves the right to select films received at any time and through any means, or process and to refuse late submissions.
If you have questions regarding the regulations or submission process, please email: poetry.meets.shorts@gmail.com
1.3. Submission materials
For a successful submission via the submission platform, the applicant is required to:
-Fill in all fields possible and submit the entry form.
-Provide a non-expiring screening link with English subtitles and a password if necessary.
-Provide the text interpreted in the film as a separate document, with English translation if necessary
-Provide the country of production and the nationality of the director of the movie.
-We do not screen movies produced with the financing of the Russian Federation
The Poetry Shorts programming team reserves the right to reject any film if it is funded by state or non-state actors perpetrating gross violations of human rights and/or substantial environmental harm, such as fossil fuel-driven climate degradation or genocide. The Poetry Shorts programming team reserves the right to make decisions at its sole discretion and not to comment on its decisions.
The approved requirements for the promotional photos and trailers for the Festival are the following:
Film stills
Format: landscape (16:9), .jpg (.png, .tiff)
Size: 1920 x 1080 px minimum
Minimum of 3 stills.
Director’s portrait image
Format: square (1:1), .jpg (.png, .tiff)
Size: 500 x 500 px minimum
Film poster
Format: portrait, .jpg (.png, tiff)
Aspect ratio: 1,45 (recommended)
Size: 555 x 800 px (recommended)
Film trailer/teaser
Provide an HD resolution trailer or an HD teaser clip of the film, either as a public link to a downloadable and embeddable video on YouTube or Vimeo or as a separate file. The Poetry Shorts programming team should receive the trailer or teaser by the 1st of October, at the latest, with an allowance to upload it on the Festival’s online channels.
2. Programming
Each film may be screened a minimum of one (1) time and a maximum of three (3) times during the Festival. Consent from the applicant will be asked for any extra screening. The Poetry Shorts programming team reserves the right not to comment on its decisions as well as the final line-up of the Festival.
The Poetry Shorts programming team works towards achieving a gender-equal selection-evaluation process and film programme.
3. Confirmation of films and reimbursements
Upon confirmation of the film, the Poetry Shorts programming team will inform the applicant no later than the 25th of September 2025.
Upon confirmation of the film to the Poetry Films programme of PÖFF Shorts, the applicant agrees to:
-Confirm participation of the film in the Festival.
-Provide all necessary information and materials (see 1. Film submission). Provide all missing information and materials from the original submission in the way and by the deadline indicated by the Poetry Shorts programming team.
-Provide the required screening copy (see 4 Technical requirements for screening copies) in the way and by the deadline indicated by the Poetry Shorts programming team.
-Grant permission to include the screener in the Festival’s video library, Poetry Shorts invitees and accredited industry members only (restricted access).
-Authorise to screen the film and/or promotional materials (stills, trailer) at the Festival and at any presentation of the Festival programmes, side and promotional events in any location if organised by/or participated in and authorised by the Poetry Shorts programming team.
Confirmed titles may not be withdrawn from the Festival programme after their participation has been officially confirmed and the producer or producer’s authorised representative has verified confirmation of the film to the programme.
If, for exceptional reasons, the film has to be withdrawn three weeks or less before the opening of the Festival, the applicant agrees to reimburse all costs to the Festival related to the confirmation and programming of the film including the screening fee (when applicable), print delivery and handling costs as well as associated travel costs for the film delegation. If the applicant decides to withdraw their film after confirmation of participation less than 14 days before the start of the Festival, a penalty fee of 1000€ will apply.
Please note that the Poetry Shorts programming team cannot guarantee the use of missing promotional materials in the Festival communications delivered after the deadline set by the Poetry Shorts programming team upon confirmation of the film in the Festival.
The invoices for the film rights or print loans should be issued and delivered for payment no later than two months from the end of the Festival (19th of January 2026). The Poetry Shorts programming team does not accept or reimburse invoices issued after that date.
If the applicant does not provide the materials required by the Poetry Shorts programming team by the date set in regulations or by the date agreed with the Poetry Shorts programming team beforehand, the Poetry Shorts programming team reserves the right to withdraw the film from the programme.
4. Technical requirements and guidelines for film formats
Screening formats for all films in all Festival sections are DCP and video files. PÖFF Shorts requires both versions for its screenings.
Provided DCPs must be DCI compliant (http://www.dcimovies.com/) and adhere to all applicable conditions below.
DCPs must be delivered digitally through a link provided by the Poetry Shorts programming team, and it should be uploaded no later than the 10th of October 2025. DCPs must be provided with the correct naming according to the ISDCF DCP Naming Convention. Information for digital delivery will be provided before the Festival.
If agreed upon by the Poetry Shorts programming team, video files will be converted into DCPs by the lab appointed by the Poetry Shorts programming team to ensure the best possible image and sound quality during playback. Only ProRes, ProRes 444, and ProRes HQ are accepted video formats.
All films selected for the Festival must be provided with English subtitles, unless they are already in English. Hardcoded subtitles are recommended. Otherwise, DCPs with subtitles should be provided as original language versions (OV) with separate accompanying subtitles as version-file packages (VF).
All screening copies for all sections, if provided with any subtitles, must have the subtitles in the active picture area and not in the letterbox area. Please note that the image may be cropped by up to 3% during projection, due to the position of the projector and the venue’s characteristics, therefore, a good safe area for the subtitles would be at least 5%. Dubbed language copies are also refused.
The Poetry Shorts programming team reserves the right to demand new DCP packages free of charge in case of non-compatible DCPs or if other quality standards are not met. These include wrongly placed or missing subtitles, or wrong soundtracks.
Only unencrypted DCPs are accepted, and encrypted DCPs will be refused by the Festival.
The Festival supports 2K and 4K content. However, not all screens have a 4K screening capability. The Festival therefore, cannot guarantee that all 4K films will be screened in a 4K resolution.
We can accept high-frame-rate (HFR) or 3D DCPs, however, we are only able to screen them in selected cinema halls. Please notify the Poetry Shorts programming team if you are planning on presenting a high-frame-rate DCP.
Tapes, Blu-rays, DVDs and all other formats are not accepted as screening formats, unless there are no alternatives and with prior acknowledgement from the Poetry Shorts programming team.
PÖFF Shorts technical guideline is provided along with a confirmation entry form.
The Poetry Shorts programming team reserves the right to refuse and withdraw the screening of the film from the competition or any other section if all requirements are not followed.
The Poetry Shorts programming team reserves the sole discretion in regard to inviting guests.
5. Delivery of materials
Screening copies should be delivered electronically via the indicated means by the Poetry Shorts programming team upon confirmation. The Festival only accepts films uploaded to the provided link, all external links will be refused. All technical questions and information regarding file formats, DCP, and upload should be sent to dcinema@poff.ee.
The Festival does not accept physical copies.
In case of the exceeding file size, details about the delivery of physical copies will be given by the Poetry Shorts programming team.
6. Film delegations
The Poetry Shorts programming team may invite members of the crew, providing either travel, accommodation and/or Festival accreditation. The Poetry Shorts programming team reserves the right to invite guests.
7. Using the Festival laurels
Films that have been selected to the Poetry Shorts programme are welcome to use the Poetry Shorts laurels in their film’s publicity and promotional materials. We ask you not to modify or alter the laurels without prior written permission from the Poetry Shorts programming team.
8. Contact
Programming Directors
Roberta Bühler and Ruut Nurk
poetry.meets.shorts@gmail.com
