Vienna Shorts

SUBMISSION TERMS July 15, 2024
VIENNA SHORTS 2025

I. GENERAL INFORMATION
II. FILM SUBMISSION
COMPETITIONS
NON-COMPETITIVE SECTIONS
SUBMISSION FEES & MATERIALS
PREMIERE RULE
III. SELECTION
IV. FESTIVAL PRESENTATION
V. RIGHTS & DATA PROTECTION

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

VIENNA SHORTS is the international short film festival in Vienna. The festival is organized by the association Independent Cinema and showcases around 300 productions under 30 minutes annually in competitive and non-competitive sections. The festival is a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards® (Oscars), the European Film Awards, the British BAFTA Awards as well as the Austrian Film Awards.

The 22nd edition of VIENNA SHORTS will take place from May 27 to June 1, 2025, on site in Vienna (subject to applicable government regulations or events of force majeure) and also online via the streaming platform THIS IS SHORT. The festival views itself as a political and fair film festival committed to responsible dealings with filmmakers and all those involved as well as to ecologically sustainable practices (see the festival’s compliance guidelines at https://www.viennashorts.com/en/downloads).

II. FILM SUBMISSION

For VIENNA SHORTS 2025, films of all genres and formats can be submitted, provided they have not been submitted to the festival before. A resubmission is only possible if the film has been substantially altered.

Films can be submitted via the festival’s own platform Filmchief (through the website viennashorts.com) or via the submission platform FilmFreeway. Submitters from Iran who are restricted from making international payments can apply for a free submission through the Filmchief platform.

All films must have English subtitles available. This also applies to films with German or English dialog.

Working or rough versions of films are accepted for submission, but the picture editing process should be completed at the time of submission (picture-lock).

The regular submission deadline for the 22nd festival edition is January 5, 2025, for all submissions. There is an extended deadline exclusively for the competition categories (II.A) which ends on January 31, 2025. No films will be accepted after this date.

A. COMPETITIONS

Films of all genres and formats up to a length of 30 minutes and with a completion date after January 1, 2024, can be submitted for the four competitions of VIENNA SHORTS 2025.

Films can be submitted in four competition categories:
– Fiction & Documentary is devoted to international short fiction and short documentary films,
– Animation Avantgarde to international animation and experimental film
– The Austrian Competition is dedicated to national productions
– The Austrian Music Video Award is given to the best national music video.
On the festival website you can find mission statements for all four categories.
International productions can be submitted for the two competitions Fiction & Documentary and Animation Avantgarde. For the Austrian Competition and the Austrian Music Video Award, only productions by Austrian directors or producers are eligible, or works that were (partially) produced in Austria or mainly financed by Austrian entities. The festival reserves the right to assign films to a category other than the one they were originally submitted for.

The VIENNA SHORTS Awards are endowed with EUR 1,500 to 6,000 per competition and a total of around EUR 30,000. Several prizes are awarded in each competition, including special awards and audience awards. Instead of trophies, the main prize winners are also honored with newly planted trees dedicated to them in Vienna.
Prizes in all categories are awarded by expert juries. The juries each consist of three professionals from the film industry, are international and diverse in terms of fields and gender. Their expertise is brought in by invitation. All films are made available to the jury members in the best possible quality for viewing.

B. NON-COMPETITIVE SECTION

Submissions are also possible for non-competitive festival sections. Films of all genres and formats up to a length of 45 minutes and with a completion date after January 1, 2023, are accepted for this.

All films that have already been submitted for a competition will also be considered for non-competitive festival categories and do not need to be submitted separately. The festival reserves the right to assign films to a category other than the one they were originally submitted for.

Films that either do not meet the conditions of the competition categories or are fundamentally not intended for a competitive presentation are eligible for the non-competitive category. The films must be able to be assigned to one of the following four categories:

– The Late Night Movies category includes the genres trash/absurd comedy (Très chic), horror/thriller (Nightmares), and erotic/pornographic films (Kinky Kino)
– For the International Music Videos category, we emphasize the interplay between image and sound/music
– The Films for Children category seeks short films for people up to 12 years of age
– The Films for Young People category seeks short films for people over 12 years old

Films in these categories are also eligible for a VIENNA SHORTS Award as part of the special awards, but will in any case receive a screening/licensing fee if selected.

For the non-competitive sections, submissions are only possible within the regular submission deadline (until January 5, 2025).

C. SUBMISSION FEES & MATERIALS

In order to guarantee a high-quality selection process and a professional handling, VIENNA SHORTS charges a submission fee:
– for all Austrian films and music videos: EUR 5,-
– for non-competitive films (outside the competition): EUR 10,-
– for animated and experimental films (Animation Avantgarde): EUR 13,-
– for short fiction and documentary films (Fiction & Documentary): EUR 18,-

During the extended deadline (January 6 to January 31, 2025), the submission fee for all competitive categories will be increased by EUR 10. There is no extended deadline for non-competitive films.

The festival reserves the right to make changes to the submission fee. We also note that the submission platform FilmFreeway and the payment platform PayPal may charge additional processing fees. Refunds of submission fees are not possible.

When submitting, only the basic information of the film, along with a viewing copy and a film still, will be requested. In the event of an invitation to VIENNA SHORTS 2025, further details for the festival publications will be requested in a second step.

D. PREMIERE RULE

There is no strict premiere rule. However, to ensure the highest relevance of the competition entries for the audience and industry guests, films in all competition categories that have not been shown in cinemas or made available online in Austria before VIENNA SHORTS will be given preference. The festival reserves the right not to show films or to show them only "out of competition."

Additionally, for public screenings in Vienna, an exclusivity clause applies: If films are shown to an audience in Vienna between January 1, 2025, and the end of the festival, they can only run "out of competition" at VIENNA SHORTS. (The only exception is competition screenings at the animation film festival Tricky Women.)

III. SELECTION

All submitted films will be viewed and evaluated by professional programmers and viewers. This process can be conducted partially outside of Austria and is not limited to the submission platforms.

All submitted films will receive an email notification by April 30, 2025, at the latest. The status of the film can also be checked directly on the submission platform FilmFreeway starting from this date.

The notification of selection for the competition of VIENNA SHORTS 2025 will be sent by March 31, 2025, and for any other sections by April 21, 2025, at the latest. The festival asks for patience as the program selection process is carried out in stages due to the high number of submissions and will be finalized by this time.

If the submitted film is selected for VIENNA SHORTS 2025, the festival will promptly communicate the deadline for submitting the screening copy, request additional information for the festival's publications, and reach out to you regarding attendance at the festival. If a film is not selected, we appreciate your understanding that further feedback can not be provided.

Once a film has been selected and the screening is confirmed, the logo of VIENNA SHORTS and the text “Official Selection VIENNA SHORTS 2025” may be used for advertising purposes. These assets will be provided in digital format. Films in non-competitive sections will also receive laurels.

IV. FESTIVAL PRESENTATION

The festival aims to present each selected film in the best possible form––both in theaters and online. For the theatrical screenings, the festival aims to show all films in their original format and with the presence of directors and film teams.

All competition films will be accompanied by their own texts, which will be published in the festival's publications. These texts can also be reused with proper authorship attribution (first name last name, VIENNA SHORTS).

The guest department will contact the director (or another representative of the creative team) to facilitate their presence at the screening in Vienna. The festival supports environmentally friendly travel to Vienna.

The festival actively fosters connections among filmmakers, industry representatives, programmers, and each other through its dedicated industry program, receptions, meetings, and providing guest lists with contact information (with the consent of the respective individuals).

VIENNA SHORTS pays a screening or license fee for films presented outside the competition. However, the festival cannot cover fees for screenings within the competition framework. If a film submitted for competition is also screened outside the competition, screening fees will be paid.

English subtitles must be provided for the presentation of all films. This requirement applies to German and English-language productions as well. Burned-in subtitles for theatrical screenings must not appear in the black part of the film.

For cinema screenings, the festival accepts ProRes files, DCPs, 35mm film, and 16mm film. Files will be converted to DCP format for screening. Film copies will be insured for the duration of the festival. The festival will not accept deliveries subject to customs duties, taxes, or shipping charges. In the case of an analog film copy, the festival will handle the return shipment (including shipping charges) to the original shipping address or an address provided by the submitter beforehand.

For presenting the film in the video library for accredited professionals and in case of a screenings on the festival's streaming platform THIS IS SHORT, the festival requires a file upload. Specifications regarding digital formats for theatrical and online screenings will be communicated to submitters upon selection of the film.

V. RIGHTS & DATA PROTECTION

With the submission, the submitter guarantees that they own all rights to the film (particularly intellectual property) or are authorized to submit on behalf of the rights holder, and that no rights of third parties will be infringed by screening or other uses for the festival's purposes. In case of any third-party rights infringement, the festival must be indemnified by the submitter.

If selected, the film may be screened multiple times during the festival period, including reruns. Winning films at VIENNA SHORTS 2025 may also be showcased twice in cinemas or online as part of post-festival best-of programs. The submitter will be notified in advance in such cases.

By submitting the film, the festival is granted permission to use the film title, credits, director's name, film stills, and excerpts (up to 40 seconds) for general promotion, including reporting on the festival (TV, web, cinema, showreel). The festival also reserves the right to provide password-protected access to the film to press representatives or selected industry visitors.

All selected competition entries are automatically included in the video library available on the streaming platform for accredited industry professionals. The video library is password-protected.

By submitting to VIENNA SHORTS, the festival is authorized to process the provided data for managing the festival and its archive. This consent serves as the legal basis for data processing under the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation of the European Union). Data will only be retained as long as necessary for the aforementioned purposes and will not be shared with third parties. Further information on data protection and GDPR rights can be found here: https://viennashorts.filmchief.com/shop/privacy-policy

Submission guidelines for VIENNA SHORTS are available in both German and English. In case of discrepancies, the German version will prevail.

Any changes to the festival's implementation, organization, structure, or prize money will be promptly communicated through festival channels.

For any questions regarding submissions, please contact us at film@viennashorts.com.
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Special Terms for the Short Film Contest by VIENNA SHORTS and Johann Strauss 2025 Vienna:

DANUBE SO BLUE
Reframing An Evergreen

It is one of the most famous pieces of music in the world and has also made a lasting impact on film history: from Grand Hotel (1932) with Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford to Stanley Kubrick's classic 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) to the Netflix series Squid Game (2021), the waltz The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II is linked with numerous iconic scenes.

Those searching for the “Danube Waltz” on common video platforms today will immediately be rewarded with the composer’s music, whose 200th birthday will be celebrated in 2025. Visually, however, the search often yields little result, as the music is usually accompanied by static orchestral images or kitschy advertising visuals. This is set to change with this call for entries.

Starting July 1, 2024, the Johann Strauss Year 2025 and VIENNA SHORTS are looking for modern and original cinematic interpretations to reframe the popular evergreen beyond advertising clichés. Whether it’s a music video, animation, or artistic experiment, and whether the approach is poetic, political, or personal, the choice is yours. The only restriction: The submitted short films should ideally be 4 to 7 minutes long and must not exceed 10 minutes.

The competition is open internationally. All applicants will be provided with a musical version of the waltz, performed by the Johann Strauss Orchestra Vienna, free of charge for the duration of the submission period and for use and editing (with copyright credit in the film credits). The best submissions will be awarded a total of 12,000 euros (1x 6,000 euros, 1x 3,000 euros, 1x 1,200 euros, 6x 300 euros) and will be presented on May 28, 2025, within the festival framework. The submission deadline is January 5, 2025.

Overview of the Call for Entries: Looking for modern, original films around the Blue Danube Waltz

- Maximum length of 10 minutes
- Submissions open from July 1, 2024 – January 5, 2025
- All categories and genres allowed
- No geographical restrictions
- Grand prize of 6,000 euros, 8 additional prizes from 3,000 to 300 euros

Available for download: Version of the waltz for free use/editing: https://mab.to/9jFO8VjMXD8h5/eu1

This version can be used free of charge and can also be edited, remixed, and adapted. It can only be used in films that will be submitted to this competition. Copyright credit is mandatory: Music provided by the Johann Strauss Orchestra Vienna.

SUBMISSION TERMS

I. GENERAL INFORMATION
II. FILM SUBMISSION
COMPETITION
SUBMISSION MATERIALS
PREMIERE RULE
III. SELECTION
IV. FESTIVAL PRESENTATION
V. RIGHTS & DATA PROTECTION
_________________________________

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

VIENNA SHORTS is the international short film festival in Vienna. The festival is organized by the Independent Cinema association and annually showcases around 300 productions under 30 minutes in both competitive and non-competitive programs. The festival is a qualifying event for the Academy Awards® (Oscars), the European Film Awards, the British BAFTA Awards, and the Austrian Film Awards.

The 22nd edition of VIENNA SHORTS will take place from May 27 to June 1, 2025, in cinemas in Vienna. (This is subject to applicable official guidelines or events of force majeure.) The festival considers itself a political and fair film festival committed to responsible and transparent dealings with filmmakers and all participants, as well as to ecologically sustainable practices.

Johann.Strauss-Festjahr2025 GmbH is a company of Wien Holding, established to celebrate the 200th birthday of composer Johann Strauss II. On behalf of the City of Vienna, the anniversary will be celebrated in 2025 with a variety of events developed, curated, and coordinated by a creative team under the artistic direction of Roland Geyer.

The aim is to provide a contemporary and often unconventional interpretation of Strauss’ work in collaboration with a multitude of artists, collectives, and cultural institutions. The program includes approximately 60 events in Vienna, including classical concerts, operettas, dance and spoken theater, as well as non-classic concerts, outdoor projects, light art installations, and film engagements.

Together, VIENNA SHORTS and Johann Strauss 2025 Wien are announcing the competition DANUBE SO BLUE – Reframing An Evergreen, seeking modern and original film interpretations of Johann Strauss II’s most famous piece, The Blue Danube. The best submissions will be awarded at a gala event on May 28, 2025, during the festival and will be publicly presented again in July and August 2025 at the Film Festival at Vienna’s Rathausplatz.

Should there be any last-minute changes regarding the execution, organization, or structure of the event or the prize money, these will be promptly communicated through the channels of the festival and Johann.Strauss-Festjahr2025 GmbH.

II. FILM SUBMISSION

The call for entries DANUBE SO BLUE – Reframing An Evergreen is international and not geographically restricted. Submissions are possible starting July 1, 2024, and are free of charge.

Films can be submitted via the festival's own platform Filmchief (through the website viennashorts.com) and, from August 2024, also via the submission platform FilmFreeway.

If the submitted film contains non-English dialogue or text, English subtitles must be provided. This also applies to German-language films. Work-in-progress or rough cuts of films will be accepted for submission – however, the picture edit process should already be completed at the time of submission (Picture-lock).

The submission deadline is January 5, 2025. No films will be accepted after the submission deadline.

A. COMPETITION

The competition is dedicated to the most famous piece by composer Johann Strauss II: the waltz An der schönen blauen Donau. We are looking for modern and original cinematic visions of the Blue Danube Waltz, beyond kitschy advertising imagery. The musical piece can appear in any interpretation, and unconventional approaches to music, text, and image are welcome.

The Johann.Strauss-Festjahr2025 GmbH exclusively provides the music rights for the following musical interpretation of the Blue Danube Waltz: 12.ATAQ69107312_WJSO_Strauss_II An der schönen blauen Donau. This version is free of charge for use and also free to edit, provided it is used for the purpose of submission to the competition. If the piece of music is used in the film, the following crediting of the authorship is mandatory: “Music provided by the Vienna Johann Strauss Orchestra”. There is no obligation to work with this version of the Blue Danube Waltz.

The resulting films must not exceed 10 minutes in duration and can move freely within (or between) the categories of music video, animation, feature film, documentary, or digital art.

In the competition, ten prizes totaling EUR 12,000 will be awarded: The first prize is endowed with EUR 6,000, the second prize with EUR 3,000, and the third prize with EUR 1,200. All other prizes will be compensated with EUR 300.

The prizes will be awarded by an expert jury. The jury consists of five individuals, diverse in terms of sector and gender. Their expertise will be brought in upon invitation. All films will be provided to the jury members in the best possible quality for viewing.

B. SUBMISSION MATERIALS

When submitting, only the basic details of the film, along with the screening copy and a film still, are requested. In case of an invitation, a second step will request the completion of information for the film catalog, websites, the app, and – in the event of an online presentation – the streaming platform.

C. PREMIERE RULE

There is no specific premiere rule. However, to ensure the highest possible relevance of competition entries for the audience and industry guests, films that have neither been screened in cinemas in Austria nor made available online before the gala on May 28, 2025, will be given preference.

Additionally, for public cinema screenings in Vienna, an exclusivity clause applies: Submitted films may only be shown to audiences in Vienna between January 1, 2025, and August 31, 2025, with the approval of the Johann.Strauss-Festjahr2025 GmbH. From September 1, the exploitation of the films in cinemas and online is explicitly allowed and encouraged.

III. SELECTION

All submitted films/videos will be viewed and evaluated by professional programmers and reviewers. This process may take place partially outside of Austria and does not have to be conducted through the submission platforms.

By February 28, 2025, at the latest, all submitted films will be notified whether their film has made it to the second round or not. Notification will be sent via email in any case. (If the email does not arrive due to technical reasons, such as a spam filter, the status of the film can also be checked on FilmFreeway through the submission platform starting from early April.)

If the submitted film is ultimately selected for presentation at VIENNA SHORTS 2025, the festival will promptly communicate the deadline for receiving the screening copy, request additional data for the film catalog, website, app, and/or streaming platform, and get in touch regarding a possible visit to the festival. Additionally, a laurel and an end card for the credits will be provided for the screening copy.

If a film is not selected, please understand that no further feedback can be provided.

IV. FESTIVAL PRESENTATION

The premiere and award ceremony will take place on May 28, 2025, as part of the Vienna Shorts film festival.

The festival aims to present each selected film in the best possible form—both in the cinema and online. For the cinema screening, the festival strives to show all films in their original format and in the presence of the directors and film teams.

Texts about all selected films will be published on the websites of both institutions, in the festival app, and/or on the streaming platform.

The project management will contact the director (or another representative of the creative team) to enable personal attendance at the screening in Vienna. The Johann Strauss Year 2025 supports an environmentally friendly travel.

The prize money for the up to nine films shown in the cinema during the gala covers the screening fees for cinema and potential online use, as well as for a one-time screening in the summer at the Vienna City Hall Square.

If the submitted film includes non-English dialogue or text, English subtitles must be provided for the screening. This also applies to German-language productions. Burned-in subtitles for the cinema screening must not be in the black part of the film.

For cinema screening, the festival accepts ProRes files, DCPs, 35mm film, and 16mm film. Files will be converted to DCPs for screening. Film copies will be insured for the duration of the festival. The festival will not accept shipments that incur customs duties, taxes, or shipping fees. In the case of an analog film copy, the festival will cover the return shipping (including shipping fees) to the original shipping address or an address specified by the submitter.

For the film’s presence in the video library for accredited guests and in the event of a screening on the festival's streaming platform, the festival requires a file upload. Specifications for the digital formats for cinema and online screening will be communicated to the submitters upon the film’s selection.

V. RIGHTS & DATA PROTECTION

By submitting, the applicant guarantees that they hold all rights to the film (especially intellectual property) or are authorized to submit on behalf of the rights holder, and that no third-party rights will be infringed by the screening or other use for the purposes of the festival. Should third-party rights nevertheless be infringed, the festival reserves the right to seek indemnification from the submitter.

The provided musical interpretation of Johann Strauss II's An der schönen blauen Donau may only be used for the purposes of submission in this competition. Remixes or similar adaptations are also permitted within the scope of the call for entries. If this version is used, crediting the authors in the credits is mandatory.

If selected, the submitted film may be shown multiple times (including repeats) in cinemas and online during the festival period. Since screening also entails an award, the film may additionally be shown once in cinemas, once at an open-air event at Vienna's Rathausplatz, and online as part of best-of programs following the festival. The submitter will be contacted in advance for these cases.

By submitting the film, the festival is granted permission to use the film title, credits, director's name, as well as film stills and excerpts (up to 40 seconds) for general promotion as part of festival coverage (including TV, web, cinema, showreels). The festival also reserves the right to provide representatives of the press or selected industry visitors with password-protected access to the film.

With the selection and awarding of the film, Johann Strauss Fest Year 2025 GmbH is granted permission to freely use the awarded works for documentation or promotion within the context of the 2025 festival year, as long as there is no commercial use or loss of income for the authors. This right expires at the end of the 2025 festival year.

All selected entries are automatically part of the video library offered to all accredited industry visitors. The video library is password-protected.

By submitting, the festival and Johann Strauss Year 2025 are permitted to process the provided data for the purpose of managing the gala event and the archive. This consent forms the legal basis for data processing (in accordance with the GDPR - EU General Data Protection Regulation). The data will only be stored for as long as necessary for the aforementioned purposes and will not be disclosed to third parties. Further information on data protection and rights under the GDPR can be found here: https://viennashorts.filmchief.com/shop/privacy-policy

The regulations for submission to VIENNA SHORTS are issued in German and English. In case of doubt, the German version shall prevail.

For all submission inquiries, please contact: film@viennashorts.com

July 15, 2024