GENERAL RULES
Article 1
Introduction
The mission of SOUQ FILM FESTIVAL (SFF) is to explore social issues in its broadest sense by showcasing a collection of fiction and documentary short films from emerging as well as established filmmakers. The festival believes that promoting films that address prisoners' justice, mental health, immigration, and equality issues is a means to celebrate richness and diversity, to dispel negative stereotypes and to promote a culture of inclusion and understanding.
The 11th edition of the festival, organized by Fondazione Casa della Carità in Milan (Italy), will be held at the prestigious Anteo Palazzo del Cinema from October 25th to October 27th, 2024.
Article 2
Typology of products admitted
The competition is open to short films from any country with a maximum length of 30 minutes (including opening and closing credits) in two different categories: documentary and fiction. Any genre is accepted.
There is no restriction on the entry of films that have participated in previous competitions, festivals, or similar events, or that have previously received an award. There is no limit to the number of entries one can submit to this contest, but each one must be accompanied by its own completed submission form and entry fee.
The shooting formats of the films can be analog or digital.
The preview formats for submission are either a digital online screener that can be uploaded to the festival’s platform FilmFreeway or a link to an online accessible digital preview screener.
The exhibition format is digital.
Article 3
Submission process
Admission fee
The application process (including entry fee payment) must be completed online using the FilmFreeway service (https://filmfreeway.com). Admission is subject to the payment of an entry fee of € 15 for the “Earlybird” deadline, which runs from April10th to April 30th, 2024, and €20 for the “Regular” deadline – which runs from May 1st to September 19th, 2024. Participants who miss these deadlines still have a chance to enter the competition late, as the competition's schedule allows it. Therefore, a late registration deadline will be available at a higher fee until September 27th, 2024. To avoid this extra fee, the festival recommends filmmakers to enter the competition as early as possible.
Preview screeners
The preview formats for submission are either a digital online screener that can be uploaded to the festival’s platform FilmFreeway or a link to an online accessible digital preview screener.
Other items required
All entries should be accompanied at the moment of submission by a 50-word synopsis of the film (in English for non-Italian speaking films).
All non-Italian language submitted films must be provided with English subtitles for festival presentation.
A dialogue list of the film in English and the original language (for non-English films), if not provided previously, must be sent electronically to the festival by October 27th, 2024.
Moreover, a complete submission must comprise the following items:
a biography of the director
two production still photos (in high quality .jpeg/png)
a photo of the director (in high quality .jpeg/png)
a director’s statement on the film
At any stage of the competition, the films that are understood to be falling short of any of the requirements mentioned above will be disqualified.
Article 4
Terms and conditions for competition
Works properly delivered NO LATER THAN September 27th, 2024, dealing with the theme of the festival will be evaluated for entering the 2024 SOUQ competition. Audiovisual works will be viewed and selected by a committee composed of experts. The works selected for the 11th SOUQ FILM FESTIVAL will be screened at Anteo Palazzo del Cinema in Milan with appropriate advertising and promotion, subject to prior notification to the authors.
The official selection will be announced approximately on September 30th, 2024, through FilmFreeway and published on https://souqfilmfestival.org. A notification will be sent by email to the submitter or the director of the film.
Article 5
Selection and exhibition
The Selection Committee of the festival reserves the sole right to decide which films will be admitted to the competition. Its decisions are final in all matters and no further correspondence or attempts to dispute the competition and the decisions taken in that regard will be entertained.
For selected short films: upon acceptance, filmmakers must make arrangements with the festival staff to promptly send, at their own expense, the digital file of the film in accordance with the specifications needed for subtitling and exhibition.
Technical specifications
format: .mov, .mp4 or .m4v.
resolution: 1080p.
codec: h264.
audio: stereo.
Article 6
Jury and Award phase
The festival’s jury will evaluate the works selected by the Selection Committee and admitted to the competition as well as award the winning films. The jury members include filmmakers, journalists, film experts and personalities from the world of culture. Their judgment will be made public during the Award Ceremony.
The members of the Jury for the 2024 competition will be announced through the festival’s website.
The most important recognition awarded by the festival is the Jury Award, which includes a cash prize of 1.500 Euros. Additionally, the Audience Award will be granted, consisting of a cash prize of 1.000 Euros. Special Mention Plaques may be awarded at the discretion of the Jury.
The prizes will be subject to taxation in accordance with Italian regulations, and the aforementioned cash prizes will be disbursed to the winners no sooner than six months after the end of the event.
Article 7
Clauses
Admission and participation in the festival are subject to these additional conditions:
1. That the film does not violate human rights in any way.
2. That the submitter, acting on behalf of the director/producer, owns all rights to the film*(including screening rights) and has not surrendered them to any distributor or any other institution at the time of entering the competition. Otherwise, the participant must promptly notify the organizers of the festival of this circumstance, and it will be their own responsibility to obtain the necessary permission for their entry. On the contrary, the short film will be disqualified from the competition.
3. That the director/producer surrenders all rights of use (including screening rights) of their short film to the organizers of the festival for the smooth performance of the event and for the duration of the event. They accept that the short film shall be used by the festival itself and the festival’s promoter, Casa della Carità Foundation, for their promotional, cultural, and educational purposes, even after the conclusion of the event.
4. That the director/producer accepts that the digital file of the film shall remain the property of the festival. It will be made available in the festival's archive and will be used for cultural, educational, and promotional purposes.
5. That the entrant will be responsible for all shipping fees unless otherwise stated in agreement with the festival organizers.
6.That the entrant will be responsible for any shipping insurance.
7.That the entrant has read, understood and accepted the Rules and Regulations of the competition. Entry in itself constitutes agreement with these Rules and Regulations.
In case of dispute, any problem will be referred to the Court of Milan.
Personal data will be processed as provided by the Italian Data Protection Act (no. 675 of 31/12/1996) and subsequent amendments thereto.
*In accordance with Italian legislation, particularly Administrative Decree no. 633 of April 22, 1941 and its amendments, concerning the Protection of royalties and other related rights.
