Regulations– International Short Film Competition

Artistic Statement of Intent
The School of Audio and Visual Arts at Sapir Academic College (the "College") plans to hold an award-winning international cross-genre short-film competition in the fiction, documentary, experimental, animation and other categories (the "Competition"), as part of the Cinema South Festival (the "Festival").
These Regulations are worded in the masculine form for convenience only and they apply equally to men and women.
Competition Objective
To create a competitive framework for fictional, documentary, experimental, animated and other short films ("film" or "films"), that encourages innovative and unconventional filmmaking. The Festival is looking for films whose creators express themselves in a unique cinematographic language and show willingness to dare in both form and content.
Eligible Candidates
1. Independent filmmakers of fictional, documentary, experimental, animated and other films produced between 2024 and 2025.
2. Film length may not exceed 25 minutes.
3. Films produced in educational frameworks (student films) may not be submitted.
4. The screening of the film in Cinema South Festival must be a premiere screening in Israel. Therefore, films that have been screened or broadcasted (or that are scheduled to be screened or broadcasted) on Israeli Tv or VOD archives, are NOT eligible for submission.
Required Submissions
An electronic registration form fully completed in English and signed by the filmmaker submitting his candidacy for the Competition (the "Registration Form"). The Registration Form is published on the Festival website.
Any question regarding the Registration Form can be sent by email to: csf-program@sapir.ac.il.
Deadlines and Submission Format.
1. The filmmakers undertake to meet the deadlines, and to submit all the materials required under these Regulations by the registration closing time: Sunday, February 9th, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.
2. The filmmakers undertake to provide a screening copy according to the requirements of the Festival management or its representatives, including Hebrew and English subtitles (line in Hebrew/line in English as per the Accessibility Law and since this is an international festival). The Festival may use the subtitles and/or their translation for the same purposes as the films, as provided in these Regulations.
3. A final copy should be delivered at the Festival offices by Sunday, 4/5/2025. Copies delivered after that date will not be accepted.
Agreement Terms and Rights
1. The submitted films will be evaluated by a screening and selection committee appointed by the Festival management (the "Screening and Selection Committee"). The Festival management may determine the number of committee members and their identity, and it may change them from time to time at its discretion.
2. The films participating in the Festival will be selected at the sole and absolute discretion of the members of the Screening and Selection Committee.
3. The scheduling of the selected films in the Festival's program, and the number of films, will be determined at the sole discretion of the Festival management.
4. The filmmakers participating in the Competition undertake to cooperate with the Festival's public relations department and/or anyone acting on its behalf in marketing and advertising activities and PR events related to the films created by them.
5. The filmmakers will attend at least one of the screenings of a film at the Festival.
6. The Festival may hold up to three screenings of any film accepted to the Competition in the framework of the Festival's events, and it may, at the discretion of the College, use the films and/or related materials for a length of up to 3 minutes or up to 10% of the length of any film (whichever is the longer), to promote the Festival's activities including promotion and marketing of the Festival.
7. The filmmakers undertake that starting from when they receive the College's notification that their film has been selected to participate in the Festival, the selected films will not be screened or broadcast or made available to the public in any festival, cinematheque and/or internet framework, until they are screened at the Festival, except with the prior written authorization of the Festival management.
8. The submission of a film to the Festival constitutes the submitter's confirmation of the provisions of the Regulations and his agreement that these Regulations apply to him and bind him in all respects.
9. Invitations to screenings of the selected films at the Festival will be given to the creator of any selected film, at the discretion of the Festival management.
10. For the sake of clarity, no screening fees will be paid for participation in competitions.
11. The Festival Management will determine at its discretion the sum of prize money for the winning film/s . Prize monies may be subject to deduction of tax. Sums will be paid net of any deduction that may apply.
Copyright
1. It is clarified that the films must be original creations that do not infringe any third party and/or other legal right. If a film is not an original creation or is not based on an original script or in any other case where third party authorizations are required, the filmmaker must obtain such authorizations. A filmmaker who does not arrange the rights and authorization in advance will not be allowed to participate in the Competition.
2. Specifically and without limiting the generality of Section 7.1 above, each participant warrants that he is in possession of authorizations for the use of the musical creations and performances incorporated in the film (including words, tune, arrangement, recording, playing of musical instruments, singing and so forth), on any media, whether existing presently or in the future, including internet, cellphone or VOD, without any limit on time or territory.
3. The screening rights remain the sole property of their owners.
4. The rights in the films are subject to the copyright regulations of the College. Accordingly, the College may screen the films and/or any part thereof and perform any other act with them in accordance with its rights, any copyright agreement and the provisions of these Regulations.
5. By participating in the Festival, the participant expresses his consent to the College's use of his persona, including his name, voice, image and biographical details, for doing public relations for the Competition and/or the Festival and/or the College, and he warrants that he has arranged such consent with respect to all the characters appearing in the film. The participant undertakes to participate, free of charge, in the Festival and/or in public PR events as required by the College.
6. It is clarified that the terms of this section apply to all the films entered in the Festival, not only those selected to compete in the Competition.
General
1. The contents of this document constitute regulations for participation in a short-film competition. The Festival management may modify the terms of the Competition and/or the terms of the Regulations and any particular thereof, at any time, at its sole discretion. Such modifications will bind the filmmakers who have submitted their candidacy at all times, thus any filmmaker interested in participating in the Competition should read the Festival's publications from time to time in connection with the Competition. These publications will appear on the Festival website.
2. The Festival management and/or the College may, at their sole discretion and at any stage, disqualify the candidacy of any film, where incomplete and/or incorrect details were entered in the Registration Form and/or where the candidate does not comply with any of his above undertakings and/or with the Regulations, without owing any duty of explanation and/or other duty.
3. The College will make best efforts to screen the selected films during the Festival, but it does not undertake to screen all the films, and the filmmaker will not have any complaint in this regard.
4. Participation in the Competition is the sole responsibility of the filmmakers. The College and/or its representatives will not be liable for any damage, loss, detriment or expense incurred (if at all) by any of the filmmakers in connection with the Regulations and/or the Competition and/or the Festival, the conduct or results thereof and/or anything involved therein.
5. The filmmakers and anyone acting on their behalf will not have any demand and/or claim and/or complaint against the College and/or its representatives in connection with the Competition, these Regulations and/or any related documents, including in connection with the conduct and results of the Competition and any other matter as well as their participation or non-participation in the Competition. Any filmmaker choosing to participate in the Competition will be responsible for his participation and for the submission of his candidacy.
6. The Festival management may cancel and/or discontinue the Festival at any time, at its sole discretion.
7. Any disagreement over the interpretation of the Regulations will be decided by the College.

Email for clarifications: csf-program@sapir.ac.il