EVENT DESCRIPTION
Uncut Gems Lab is a new film & video programme with workshop and contest exhibition. It takes place in Split, Croatia. This Lab invite authors and audiences ready to colaborate and experience film and experiment with moving images. It's founded by Goran Cace and supports film and video artists who experiment with kinestethic narrative.

At the intersection of performance, somatic practices, experimental film and video, Uncut Gems Lab bring together artists, scholars, researchers, filmmakers and actors, inviting them to submit their finished, as well as unfinished film and video works, but also scatches and rehearsals connected to any art discipline and format. The most important, Uncut Gems offers also online editing workshop, Gem Lab which will gather selected works by the selection committee.

Gem Lab, the editing workshop, is focused on opening new perspectives to authors whose films and videos are in the editing process. Every Gem selection includes interaction with the audience (selection committee, jury). Selectors knowledge and prejudices might suppress potentially up-and-coming works and various opinions of different selectors sometimes are not enough open for various art perspectives that will sustain some event continuum in versatitlity of programme in its future editions.

That's why Uncut Gem Lab is about audiovisual art as embodied experience. Every exhibition or festival glorifies some kind of body excitement which occurs not only to the public, but also jury as well to the artists. Not the body just as an object of display while forcing the domination of the visual over other senses in our culture, but the body as the agent of seeing. For this purpose, we offer a creative exploration of the relationship between the sensory spectrum and the space or platform for screening - bringing together two different places where the codes and conventions of each medium are constantly changing. Some works or author's visions, although unfinished, can be selected as guests in the main competition and for its future edition, therefore, even if their project is in the initial phase - submitted to the Lab as a visual clip of a film or video art.

Structure
Uncut Gems festival projections in the Split Old Town, official competition (21.5.-24.5.2025)
Gem Edit Lab - online workshop (23.5. 2025)

Awards & Prizes

Main Competition
Grand prix
Special Mentions form Main Competition

Youth competition
Youth award (Youth Competition)
Special Mentions for Youth Competition

Gem Edit Lab Final Selection

Grand Prix include 130 euro prize

Rules & Terms

Film requirements:
- Films submitted for the Main Competition category must be completed after January 1, 2024
- The latest deadline for applications is May 1, 2025
- The maximum duration of films is 15 minutes.

Please note that we will not be able to receive long films during the exhibition. Those selected will be notified of the selection results via email and FilmFreeway. Application does not guarantee selection, and the Uncut Gems Lab is not obliged to provide feedback on non-selected films.
• For a free online workshop, select the Gem Lab category. The number of participants is limited.
• All films and proposals for workshops must be submitted to the Lab by the deadline. All submissions are final and there are no refunds.
• The film must not be accompanied by a screening fee. Uncut Gems Lab will not pay a screening fee for any film shown at the exhibition; there are no exceptions.
• Non-English films must be subtitled in English.

It's possible to submit more than one work. Multiple submissions must be submitted as individual submissions. The author or producer must own or be granted copyright for all aspects of the submitted film. This includes all music and images used. Uncut Gems accepts no responsibility, financial or otherwise, for the removal of copyrighted material.

Selected films must be submitted in high quality digital format for screening. Uncut Gems reserves the right to adjust screening schedules, venues or formats if necessary. By sending the works, you agree to all the terms and conditions listed here and confirm that the shipping fees are non-refundable.

The producers or the author confirm with the application that they have all the necessary legal authorizations and rights to submit, distribute and present the work. The filmmaker must own or approve the copyright for all aspects of the submitted film. This includes all music and images used. Selected works must be submitted in high quality digital format for screening. We reserve the right to adjust screening schedules, venues or formats if necessary. By submitting, you agree to all terms and conditions listed here and confirm that shipping fees are non-refundable.

Why do we charge a fee?
Uncut Gems charges a fee because in our experience working with open submissions, a free event will attract many hundreds of submissions which do not relate to the theme of the call. Unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to shift through that volume of material.