GENERAL PROVISIONS

SIFF is an international film festival as an annual event in Kishinev, Republic of Moldova.The full international name of the festival is “Serbest International Film Festival”. The short international name is SIFF. The festival will take place from September 5 -10, 2024.

The festival aims to support and encourage filmmakers, turning Republic of Moldova into a launch pad for their ideas and stories. The main festival program (Official selection) will, therefore, feature directorial fiction and short films, documentary, animated ,experimental and student films.

PROGRAM

Competing programs: The Main Festival Program (Official Selection) will regularly feature director’s films from all over the world; short films (Official Selection), documentary, animated or experimental films from all over the world.

The festival also includes additional out-of-competition films that the International Jury considers as part of a closed screening.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

These regulations govern the submission of all films for the Main Program (Official Selection):

– Feature films and documentary must be 50 minutes or more in length, but exceptions are possible.

– Short films and documentary shot must be less than 30 minutes in length, but exceptions are possible.

– Experemental films, Animation films and Students films are not limited in length.

– The lapse between the film’s premiere and the beginning of the festival has no limits.

FESTIVAL JURY

The festival jury is international and consists of 3-7 distinguished representatives of the world’s film-making industry. A separate international jury of 5 -7 distinguished representatives of the world’s film-making industry will rule on the Short Films Program. A country may appoint no more than one representative to the jury. The jury’s verdicts are made with an open vote, whereby the majority decides.

Official festival awards that the Main jury should give:

●  Best Feature film 

●  Best Short film 

●  Best Documentary Film

●  Best Documentary Short

●  Best Animation Film

●  Best Experimental Film

●  Best Student Film

●  Under 5 min Film

FILM SUBMISSIONS

Submissions to the annual Serbest International Film Festival are now open! To submit, please visit the SIFF listing on FilmFreeway.

For information about submitting to SIFF, please check out the RULES & TERMS and FAQs below. The standard deadline is June 30, 2024.

Serbest International Film Festival will take place from September 5-10, 2024.

FILM SELECTION FOR THE FESTIVAL PROGRAMS AND SCREENING

After the program selectors choose films for every category, the festival will inform by email the distributors, producers or the authorized representatives of the selected films. The announcement of the final selection of the program selectors for each program section will be no later than 30 days prior to the festival opening.

Each selected film in any festival program can be screened once as a premiere and can have no more than two reruns in the course of the festival.

FILM COPY SUBMISSION

Screening copies in HD or DCP format of the films selected in any festival program must be made available to the festival. Along with the film copy for the films selected in any festival program section, sending dialog lists in English, three film photos and a photo of the director is also required. Sending a trailer, posters, and additional advertising materials for the film is desirable, but optional.

The festival reserves the right to reject technically defective film copies and low-quality copies that might obstruct the screening.

Shipping fees for sending the film screening copies for all festival programs to Moldova are borne by the participant.

The festival takes responsibility to protect and guard the screening copy from the moment it enters the festival center. In case of damage of the screening copy during transportation, the festival has no obligation to compensate for the damage.

The festival appoints a three-member jury of experts to evaluate the technical correctness of the film copies and their format (hard driver, USB, 35mm film copy ) upon receipt.

ACCOMMODATION and ACCREDITATIONS

The festival will invite the directors or screenwriters as representatives of the films in the Official Selection to take part in the event. The festival takes responsibility to provide for their accreditations and accommodation.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, LEGAL CLAIMS, AND INDEMNITIES

By submitting the film to SIFF, the Applicant and Film Owners (the “Submitting Parties”) hereby warrant and represent that: (i) the Film is wholly original and is not copied from and does not include any other work that is the subject of copyright or other protection, unless such work is in the public domain or the Submitting Parties have obtained any and all consents, releases, licenses, and other authorizations or waivers of any kind necessary for the inclusion or reproduction of any person, character, location, thing, trademark, sound recording, musical composition, or other work in the Film; (ii) the Film does not defame any person or violate the common law or statutory rights, including, without limitation, the rights of privacy and publicity or any other right of any person; (iii) the Film is not the subject of litigation, nor any dispute which would give rise to litigation; (iv) there are no agreements, nor will there be any agreements made subsequent to the date of this Film submission, that would or could have the effect of impairing the Submitting Parties’ ability to provide the Film as contemplated herein, or otherwise conflict with any provision of these Terms; and (v) the Submitting Parties have the full right, power, and authority to submit the Film to SIFF for Festival consideration, and to grant all of the rights granted hereunder and in the FilmFreeway registration form, and there is no obligation or restriction which would in any way impair, limit, or impede the Submitting Parties from fully performing all obligations pursuant to the submission and these Terms.

The Submitting Parties agree to indemnify and hold harmless SIFF, its licensees, successors, and assigns, and its and their members, officers, directors, employees, volunteers, agents, representatives, associates, and affiliates (each, a “Releasee”), from any claim, suit, action, or other proceeding brought against a Releasee and from any losses, costs, or damages, including the Releasee’s full legal fees and costs, which it may have suffered or incurred or may suffer or incur, directly or indirectly based on, in connection with, or arising from the use and exhibition of the Film submitted by the Applicant or the breach or alleged breach of any representation, warranty, or other agreement made by the Applicant in these Terms, or in the Applicant’s FilmFreeway registration form.

SIFF takes reasonable anti-piracy precautions. While in SIFF’s possession, all Films are securely stored and regularly inventoried. Access to Films is limited to SIFF staff who require access in order to screen and consider submissions. No duplication and loaning of Films is permitted. By submitting a Film to SIFF, the Submitting Parties hereby release the Releasees from any and all liability in the event of theft, unauthorized access, or copying, or any breach of copyright of the submitted Film while it is in SIFF’s possession.

FINAL REMARKS

 SIFF reserves the right to rule, in its sole discretion, on cases and situations not foreseen by these Terms. The festival’s Council rules on any issues not mentioned under these Rules and Regulations and that are compliant with the organizer’s Statute.