The 34rd FilmFestival Cottbus, a Festival of East European Cinema held annually since its establishment in 1991, will take place on November 5th – 10th 2024 in Cottbus.
The deadline for film submission: July 15th 2024
REGULATIONS for the 34nd FilmFestival Cottbus
FESTIVAL PROGRAMME SECTIONS
FEATURE FILM COMPETITION
The Feature Film Competition is intended exclusively for feature length films from Eastern Europe and neighbouring countries (cf. territory) finalised as of January 1st, 2022 (including documentary and experimental works of a feature film nature) with a running time of no less than 50 minutes. The works preferred are expected to be the (co-)director’s first to fifth feature length film. Participation at feature film competition requires German premiere.
SHORT FILM COMPETITION
The criteria of the Short Film Competition are essentially the same, the one difference being that the featured works should have a running time of no more than 30 minutes.
German premiere is required.
U18 YOUTH FILM COMPETITION
This Competition is open to current Feature Films from Eastern Europe and neighbouring countries (cf. territory) ans Germany which engage with youth-specific issues and are first and foremost aimed at young audiences. German contribution to the U18 competition should not yet have enjoyed a domestic screening. All other works for whose a screening at Cottbus would be a German premiere are given preferential treatment.
Further sections
Further programme sections are the annual sections SPECTRUM, HITS, HEIMAT | DOMOWNJA | DOMIZNA, ECOEAST and CHILDREN’S FILM as well as special sections. Graduate films and video works are also open to consideration on an individual basis. Films with documentary forms are also permitted for these sections.
TERRITORY
The FilmFestival Cottbus’ rules and regulations consider a film as eligible for submission when its producer or one of its co-producers and/or director resides in one of Europe’s post-socialist countries (including all successor states of the Soviet Union) or its neighbouring European countries (Finland, Greece, Turkey), as well as feature films from other countries dealing thematically with this territory.
FILM ENTRY
The deadline for film submission is July 15st, 2024.
Competition submissions should be available to the FilmFestival Cottbus in DCP format. In this respect the following DCI standards are to be met: File format Motion jpeg2000, minimum projector resolution of 2048×1080 pixels, XYZ colour space and linear PCM 24 audio. Provided preliminary agreement is in the place the following formats are permitted in the FilmFestival Cottbus’ further programme sections: HDCAM, Blu-Ray, Beta, 35mm.
The following entry materials must be submitted by all entries:
• a properly completed registration form including a screener link (e.g. vimeo or youtube, at all possible with German or English subtitles)
The following materials must be submitted by selection of the film into the programme:
• short biography of the director, as well as portrait photo and filmography (also for documentaries, short films and student films)
• a complete dialogue/text list (in German or English)
• still photographs and a film trailer
The submitter affirms that he/she has the right to make a binding submission or is acting as the authorized representative of all rights holders. The submitter bindingly assures that all rights necessary for the screening of the film at the festival have been clarified, in particular music rights, the right to one's own image and the rights to archive materials used. The submitter is liable for any claims made by third parties in connection with the screening of the film at the FilmFestival Cottbus.
FILM SELECTION AND NOMINATION
The FilmFestival Cottbus reserves the right to decide which films will be admitted to the individual programme sections and, in individual cases, make decisions which run contrary to the festival’s rules and regulations. Nominations for the programme competitions are decided upon by the festival programme direction in cooperation with consultants or a team of curators, whose vote is then passed on to the resprective applicant. Should a film be nominated for participation at the FilmFestival Cottbus and the producer/holder of rights consent there with, this consent may no longer be withdrawn.
The FilmFestival Cottbus reserves the right to disinvite the film in case of violation of the regulations.
TRANSPORT AND INSURANCE
The shipping of parcels from non-EU countries is to be agreed upon in advance with the FilmFestival Cottbus’ head of programme coordination. The shipping costs to the festival are to be borne by the sender; in turn the festival bears responsibility for the costs of return postage. All shipments from non-EU countries are to bear the imprint »No commercial value – for cultural purposes only« . Screening film prints are to reach the FilmFestival Cottbus at the undermentioned address by no later than September 15th, 2024. All films and materials submitted will be insured whilst in Cottbus, the insurance coverage limited to the costs of making a new copy of the relevant materials. The return consignment of films and materials, submitted without the agreement of the FilmFestival Cottbus, is the sole responsibility of the addressor.
ONLINE SCREENINGS
The FilmFestival Cottbus reserves the right to organize an online festival parallel to the physical festival. The festival uses a platform with Studio Grade DRM for the online screening of films.
The online festival is available for two weeks from the start of the festival nationwide for the public audience and without geoblocking for accredited industry guests. The number of times the audience can access the film or the time frame of the film's availability can be limited by the submitter.
The technical requirements for the online festival will be provided with the invitation of the film.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our program department (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
AWARDS AND PRIZE MONEY
(modifications reserved)
FEATURE FILM COMPETITION
An international festival jury decides upon the allocation of the following awards:
• Best Film Award (divided equally between the director and producer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15.000 €
• Special Award for Best Direction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.500 €
• Best Leading Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.000 €
SHORT FILM COMPETITION
An international festival jury decides upon the allocation of the following awards:
• Main Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.500 €
• Special Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.500 €
U18 YOUTH FILM COMPETITION
A student jury awards the following prize:
• Best Youth Film Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.000 €
The following awards are also on offer during the festival:
• DIALOG Award for the promotion of intercultural understanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.000 €
• Best Debut Film Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.000 €
• Audience Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.000 €
• Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique (FIPRESCI) Award
• Ecumenical Jury Award
FINAL PROVISION
Submission of a film registration will be taken as acknowledgement of the above rules and regulations of the FilmFestival Cottbus.
POSTAL ADDRESS FOR SUBMISSIONS
FilmFestivalCottbus
Karl-Marx-Straße 69
D-03044 Cottbus
Germany