Terms of Submission

Preamble

Das Taunus Filmfest Oberursel (im Folgenden „das Filmfest“) verpflichtet sich zur Schaffung einer respektvollen und inklusiven Umgebung für alle Teilnehmer*, unabhängig von Geschlecht, sexueller Orientierung, ethnischer Zugehörigkeit, Religion, Behinderung oder anderer persönlicher Merkmale. Wir sind bestrebt, ein Festival zu gestalten, das von Vielfalt geprägt ist und in dem sich jeder wohl und sicher fühlt. Einreichende verpflichten sich, diese Grundsätze zu respektieren. Wir verweisen diesbezüglich auf unseren Code of Conduct.

1. eligibility and categories

The film festival is open to filmmakers from all over the world. Short films, feature-length films and music videos (hereinafter referred to as "works") are eligible to participate. Short films may have a maximum length of 25 minutes, feature films must be at least 40 minutes long. Music videos are permitted with a length of less than 5 minutes. All genres are permitted, with the exception of works with pornographic content and extreme depictions of violence.

Entries can be submitted in the following categories:

• Feature Film – (Langfilm)
• Short Film (Kurzfilm)
• Short AI generated (short film - AI-generated)
• Content Creation 
• Feature Films for KIDS (Langfilme für Kinder)
• Short Film for KIDS (Kurzfilme für Kinder)
• Music Video (Music Video)

2. submission process

Submissions can only be made via the platform filmfreeway.com ( https://filmfreeway.com/taunale ) unter Entrichtung der dort genannten Einreichgebühren

All non-German works must have German or English subtitles at the time of submission.

Works must be made available for viewing on filmfreeway.com. Selected works must be downloadable in high resolution in order to be screened. DVDs and other downloads will not be processed for the selection process.

By submitting to the festival, the submitter confirms that he/she owns the rights to the submitted work. In particular, the submitter assures that his/her submission does not contain any music subject to GEMA. The submitter expressly releases the Filmfest from all claims by GEMA and all other claims by other parties due to any infringements of rights.

All works must be submitted with German or English subtitles for viewing purposes.

If a work is included in the selection for screening at the festival, the work must be submitted within two weeks of notification as follows:

• Works in English must be provided with German subtitles.
• Werke in deutscher Sprache müssen mit englischen Untertiteln versehen werden.
• All works in other languages must be submitted with German and English subtitles.

Bei Stummfilmen sind Untertitel immer erforderlich, sobald im Bild Schrift, Texte oder Zwischentitel zu sehen sind.

In this way, the film festival aims to give both German and international audiences access to the artists' works.

3. Produktionszeitraum

Filme, die bereits auf Streaming-Plattformen (z. B. Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Vimeo oder vergleichbaren Online-Diensten) öffentlich zugänglich sind, sind von der Teilnahme ausgeschlossen. Ebenso sind Produktionen nicht zugelassen, die bereits eine öffentliche Vorführung oder Premiere in Deutschland hatten.

Im Einzelfall kann das Auswahlteam hiervon Ausnahmen zulassen. Ein Anspruch darauf besteht nicht.

4. Fristen

The submission deadlines can be viewed at filmfreeway.com. Films submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

5. Auswahl

A selected work may not be withdrawn from the respective competition after written confirmation of participation by the submitter. If entries receive a new rights holder after selection, this person's consent to participate in the competition must be submitted to the Filmfest. No rental fees will be paid for competition entries.

6. Auswahlbenachrichtigung

Entrants will be notified at least 2 months before the start of the festival.

Filmmakers whose films have been selected must provide all necessary materials for the festival publication in good time.

7. Auswahlverfahren

Eingereichte Werke werden zunächst von einem Auswahlteam gesichtet und im Anschluss von einer unabhängigen Jury unter Berücksichtigung aller Einreichungen ausgewählt. Die Mitglieder sind auf der Website des Festivals transparent aufgeführt (https://taunale.de/team-unterstuetzen/).

The selection is based on artistic quality, originality and relevance to the festival theme.

For organizational reasons, it is not possible to give reasons for the rejection of a work

The jury's decisions are final and cannot be appealed.

8. Auszeichnungen

Der beste Film in der Kategorie „Feature Film“ – Narrative (Erzählung)  wird mit einem Preisgeld von 1.000 Euro ausgezeichnet.

Der beste Film in der Kategorie „Feature Film“ – Documentary (Dokumentarfilm)  wird mit einem Preisgeld von 1.000 Euro ausgezeichnet.

Der beste Film in allen Kurzfilmkategorien wird als „Best Shortfilm“ mit einem Preisgeld von 500 Euro ausgezeichnet.

Der „Spotlight Award“ für herausragende Filme in einer jährlich wechselnden Kategorie. Das genaue Thema wird zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt auf Filmfreeway bekannt gegeben. Dieser wird mit einem Preisgeld von 500€ ausgezeichnet. 

Der „Special Audience Award“ wird vom Publikum vergeben und wird mit einem Laurel (Lorbeerkranz) ausgezeichnet. 

9. Preisverleihung

The recipient of prize money agrees to accept the prize in person. If a personal presence is not reasonable, a live interview with Zoom or similar can be arranged. Reasonableness depends in particular on the following factors: Location of the recipient, distance to the festival venue, cost of travel and possible coverage of travel costs by the festival, physical condition of the recipient, e.g. illness.

If the winner is unable to attend the award ceremony in person or virtually, the Filmfest reserves the right to award the prize to the second-best film.

The prizewinner must offer the Filmfest a standard bank transfer option and pay any transfer costs incurred (e.g. costs of a foreign bank transfer). The Filmfest accepts no responsibility for any tax liability of the recipient.

The winners will be publicly announced during the closing ceremony.

All decisions regarding the awarding of the prize are at the discretion of the jury and are final.

10. Lizenz und Rechte

By submitting a film, the filmmakers agree to grant the Filmfest the right to publicly screen the submitted film during the festival.

The Filmfest reserves the right to use excerpts of the submitted films for advertising and promotional purposes.

Submitters provide the following materials:

• Film stills (minimum width 1920 pixels & minimum height 1200 pixels, JPG/TIFF) and a portrait of the director (minimum width 1200 pixels & minimum height 1920 pixels, JPG/TIFF) - with caption - in electronic form
• Film poster in electronic form (300dpi JPG on 13 x 18 cm),

The material may be passed on by the Filmfest to third parties for the purpose of editorial reporting on the Filmfest and may be used by them.

The images will also be used for the Filmfest's publicly accessible print products (festival publications) and online media (websites, apps, social media channels) and will remain available there for an unlimited period of time and territory.

The Filmfest reserves the right to show the submitted films again at subsequent events during the year (e.g. in the form of a "Best of" or similar formats). The Filmfest will inform filmmakers of this in good time. They can object to the reuse up to three weeks before the respective screening. In this case, the Filmfest will endeavor to pay an appropriate screening fee to the submitters.

11. Datenschutz

By submitting your work, you authorize the Filmfest to process the data you provide for the purpose of handling the Filmfest (festival, distribution and archive). This consent is the legal basis for data processing (Art. 6 para. 1 letter a) EU General Data Protection Regulation - GDPR). Your data will only be stored for as long as it is required for the above-mentioned purpose and will not be passed on to third parties.

12. Sonstige Bedingungen

The Filmfest reserves the right to make any necessary changes to the festival schedule.

Participation in the festival implies unconditional acceptance of all provisions of these guidelines. Producers, distributors or other persons or organizations who register a work must ensure that third parties who were involved in the production agree to participate in the festival.

13. Gültigkeit

These regulations are published in German and English. In cases of doubt, the German version shall prevail.

*The masculine form has been used as the generic masculine, which includes all genders equally. It should be noted that this is purely for reasons of linguistic simplification and has no intention of neglecting or discriminating against gender. We recognize the importance of inclusive language and respect the diversity of gender identities.