Rules

Film Registration

• DFFI accepts submissions on yearly basis.
• Submissions should be done via FilmFreeWay.
• You must own or have all the rights to the submitted film.
• Maximum length allowed is 15 minutes including credits.
• The Festival accepts films completed after the 1st of January of 2022. Please note, the films produced before this date will be automatically disqualified.
• We accept all short films shot with any equipment/device having a digital camera including mobile phones or tablets.
• We do not require premiere status.
• Entry fees are non-refundable.

Copyrights

• It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to secure authorization and permission from copyright owner(s) of any and all copyrighted content or materials included within the submitted Project. The Company and Festival expressly disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for, any unauthorized inclusion of any copyrighted content or materials within or relating to submitted Project, including any content materials that are or may become the basis for any third party claims for copyright infringement. The Company reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees previously collected from the Applicant, any Project with any unauthorized inclusion of copyrighted content or materials. In the event that any claim, dispute, action or proceeding shall be brought or asserted by any person or entity that alleges the Project makes unauthorized or unlawful use of any copyrighted content or material, Applicant shall fully indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Festival, and each of their representatives and affiliates from any liability in connection therewith and from any fees and expenses, including but not limited to attorneys’ fees, that any of them may incur in connection therewith.
• By submitting, the filmmaker allows the DFFI to use, distribute and share the film poster, trailer, synopsis and movie stills in our social media accounts and to create a web page for their film without infringing copyright of any kind of form.

Selection Criteria & Winners

• The DFFI seeks creativity and innovation in cinematic language.
• The preliminary jury evaluates all the films in terms of the festival rules and determines the festival selection for the contest and the screenings
• Not all the submissions are selected for the official competition.
• The main jury votes on all the selected films using the multiple scoring method.
• The festival selections and the winners are announced publicly on all social media accounts of the festival.
• The DFFI also informs the winning applicants individually by email.
• All winners will receive the DFFI certificate (digital file ready to print) in their emails.
• All winners will be eligible to use the DFFI Laurel on their promotional materials.

Restrictions

• The DFFI can consider any film to be disqualified if the festival considers the content inappropriate. If you have any question regarding this decision you might contact us at our email address info@digitalfilmfestival.org
• Not acceptable: Extremist or propaganda content from religious or political organisations.
• Not acceptable: Pornography of any kind.
• Not acceptable: Torture/Snuff/Mutilation material
• Not acceptable: Films with a poor production standard (bad sound, lack of subtitles/captions for non-English films, video resolution less than 720p HD).
• Not acceptable: Any films submitted before.

Application Categories

• Fiction
• Documentary
• Experimental
• Video Art
• Animation
• Fashion Films

Main Awards

• Category Winner : The Best Fiction
• Category Winner : The Best Documentary
• Category Winner : The Best Experimental
• Category Winner : The Best Video Art
• Category Winner : The Best Animation
• Category Winner : The Best Fashion Film

Sub Awards

• The Best Director
• The Best Screenplay
• The Best Cinematography
• The Best Editing
• The Best Actor
• The Best Actress
• The Best Costume/Art Direction
• The Best Music Soundtrack

Special Prizes

• The UN Goals Award
• Istanbul Theme Award
• DFA Award