Sicilia Queer filmfest

International Short Films Competition

(DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: FEBRUARY 28, 2015)

REGULATIONS 2015

1. AIMS
SICILIA QUEER filmfest - International LGBT Film Festival and New Visions is a project that aims, through film and audiovisuals, to go against any kind of social discrimination, to defend and support the culture of diversity (sexual orientation, ways of living and thinking, etc.) and to raise a greater awareness of the positive contribution related to the differences. The Festival will promote the artistic and expressive form of the short film and give visibility to independent authors as well as to marginal and experimental activities.

2. DATES
The fouth edition of SICILIA QUEER filmfest, founded by Alessandro Rais, directed by Andrea Inzerillo and produced by the Cultural Association “Sicilia Queer”, will take place in Palermo from May 25 to May 31, 2015.

3. COMPETITION
The SICILIA QUEER filmfest 2014’s programme is rich in non-competitive sections and permanent activities meant to raise awareness of the reference issues of the festival. The Festival does include just one competitive section:
QUEER SHORT – International Short Films Competition: a competitive selection of short films from all over the world, either on film or video or realized with the most up-to-date digital technologies, that are related to LGBT issues, or even to heterosexuality seen from a “queer perspective”. All genres are eligible (fiction, documentary, animation, experimental film and music video), except for commercials and tv jingles and titles. Running time must not exceed 20 minutes, titles and film credits excluded. The Direction of SQFF reserves the right to admit, in exceptional cases, works that exceed the running time indicated above. Films must have been completed after January 1, 2013.

4. AWARDS AND JURY
a) The Direction of SICILIA QUEER filmfest will nominate a qualified Jury which will award the following official acknowledgments, accompanied by the relevant motivations:

• Queer Short: Best Short Film
• Special Prize of the Jury
• Best low-budget Short Film

b) It might be decided, close to the dates of the Festival, to add one more acknowledgment (for example an Audience Award), which will be entitled and supported by one of the sponsors of the Festival.

5. SELECTION
The film selection will be the sole responsibility of the Artistic Direction of SICILIA QUEER filmfest.

6. RULES FOR PARTICIPATION
a) the official online entry form must be downloaded directly at the Festival website (www.siciliaqueerfilmfest.it), then printed and sent by post by February 28, 2015 - (postmark will be proof of the date of sending), along with a preview copy of the short film in DVD PAL format (or ONLINE SCREENER, QT.mov files, blu-ray or DVD, copies in different formats from DVD PAL will not be considered), and the rest of the documentation required in the entry form.

b) Short films not spoken in Italian language and not subtitled either in Italian or French or English, must be provided with a dialogue list (in Italian, English or French) that has to be included in the submission package together with the preview copy.

c) Entry forms and DVDs must be received by the following address not later than February 28, 2015, punishment exclusion:

SICILIA QUEER filmfest c/o Cowork Re Federico 
Via Re Federico, 23
90138 Palermo – Italy

d) Applicants of selected films will be asked to send, as soon as possible, at least 3 color photos in 13x18 cm minimum size if on paper, or on digital file: .jpg or .tif at 300dpi, with implicit authorization for free publication, both for the official festival catalogue as well as for press promotional reasons.

e) Any missing written or photographic material must absolutely reach the Festival office not later than one week after the selection communication.

f) The screening copies - once the selected films have been announced - must be sent by May 3, 2015 for foreign authors, and by May 10, 2015 for residents in Italy.

g) The preview copies on DVD of all the submitted short films will not be returned for any reason, and will be kept in the archive of the SICILIA QUEER filmfest which will make them available for consultation exclusively for study, research and cataloguing purposes. The archive will be available under request to anybody for a free consultation exclusively in the festival offices.

7. DEADLINE
SENDING OF ENTRY FORM AND PREVIEW DVD(s):
February 28, 2015 (both Italian and foreign applicants)

SENDING OF SCREENING/EXHIBITION COPIES OF SELECTED MOVIES:
May 3, 2015 (foreign movies)
May 10, 2015 (Italian movies)

8. SCREENINGS
a) The screening schedule will be the sole decision of the Direction of SICILIA QUEER filmfest.

b) The festival will screen exclusively: 35mm with optic sound, for film; Betacam SP and Digital Beta (PAL), ONLINE SCREENER, QT.mov files, blu-ray or DVD, for video. Films shot in 16mm will be screened in Betacam SP (PAL) only. Any other format must be agreed with the Festival.

c) All films in foreign language, if not provided with Italian subtitles, will be screened in their original version with Italian electronic subtitles provided by the Festival. The Direction of SICILIA QUEER filmfest will be in charge of the publication of a general catalogue of the selected films and a screening schedule.

9. GENERAL RULES
a) To participate in the SICILIA QUEER Filmfest, no registration fee is required .

b) The shipping expenses of the preview copies (DVDs sent for pre-selection) are entirely at the applicant's expense. The preview DVDs of not selected films will not be returned.

c) The shipping expenses of the screening copies of the selected films are partly at the applicant's expense (sending) and partly at the Festival's expense (return).

d) All selected films will be insured against any damages with an "all risks" insurance policy (including loss and theft of copy), stipulated by SICILIA QUEER filmfest throughout the period in which the copies are at the Festival's disposal. Screening prints/tapes must be sent - via express courier or quick mail – to the following address:

SICILIA QUEER filmfest c/o Cowork Re Federico 
Via Re Federico, 23
90138 Palermo – Italy

e) Unless otherwise agreed, the screening copies of the selected films coming from non-European Union countries must be sent via express courier . For Customs purposes, participants are requested to write on the outside of the package: “No commercial value, for cultural purposes and exhibition only”. The Festival will not accept shippings of films burdened by customs fees at the Festivals’ expense.

f) Filmmakers, producers and distributors of the films awarded in the SICILIA QUEER filmfest international short films competition engage themselves to show the logo of the Festival and to mention the award received in the opening credits of the awarded film, as well as in any promotional material and official web sites.

g) Filmmakers and/or producers are responsible for the content of their works and by applying to SICILIA QUEER Filmfest they automatically acknowledge that they have fulfilled any obligations towards third parties, including royalties and copyright.

h) The selected films, whose availability has already been confirmed by their rights holders, cannot be later withdrawn from the Festival for any reason. Should the filmmaker or the producers decide to withdraw a selected film already included in the Festival’s schedule, they will be required to pay the sum of € 1,000.00 (one thousand euros) as compensation for damages.

i) The application to SICILIA QUEER Filmfest implies the unconditional acceptance of every part of the present regulations.

j) The Direction of SICILIA QUEER Filmfest can take any decision on issues which are not listed above. In case of any controversy, the place of jurisdiction is the Court of Palermo. Please note that, in any case of dispute, only the Italian version of these Regulations is legally valid.