SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL 2024

Regulations / Entry form

SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL 2024 Regulations

SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL Committee (the "Festival Committee") hereby sets the regulations for the SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL 2024 (the "Festival") in the following guidelines.

1. Name

SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL 2024

2. Organizers

Saitama Prefecture, Kawaguchi City, SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL Committee, The Kawaguchi Chamber of Commerce & Industry

3. Terms

July 13th, 2024(Sat) – July 21st, 2024 (Sun) [9 days]

4. Purpose

Focusing exclusively on Digital Cinema, the industry standard format of production and screening in the 21st century, the Festival will hold international competition and award prizes to excellent films and filmmakers. In addition, the Festival will support excellent films among submissions by giving the opportunities of screenings both locally and internationally and contribute to the development of the film industry in Japan.

5. Entry Requirements

The submissions are accepted in the International Competition and Japanese Film Competition (Feature Length and Short Length sections).

1) International Competition - Running time must be 60 minutes or longer.

・All submissions must be shot digitally and able to be projected in digital format. (If your film is nominated, digital screening material with English subtitles or original language in English will be required.)
・Directors of feature length submissions cannot have more than three feature film directing credits, including documentaries and animations, to their name(s). (If the submitted film is a director's fourth feature, he or she is not qualified for the competition.)
・Production must be completed after January 1st, 2023.
・Japan Premiere at minimum is required.
・Films cannot be released commercially in Japan prior to the closing date of the Festival.
・Entries submitted once before are not eligible.
・We appreciate submissions be made with an understanding of the Festival's purpose.

　The application of these conditions is at the discretion of the Festival Committee.

2) Japanese Film Competition (Feature Length) - Running time must be 60 minutes or longer.

The regulation of this category is written only in Japanese since it's targeting Japanese Features which are directed or produced by Japanese only.

3) Japanese Film Competition (Short Length) - Running time must be between 15 minutes and 60 minutes.

The regulation of this category is written only in Japanese since it's targeting Japanese Shorts which are directed or produced by Japanese only.

6. Selection Process and Announcement

1) Nominees

The Pre-Selection Committee, appointed by the Festival Committee, will select the nominees. Nominees will be informed of their selection prior to a press conference scheduled for June, 2024. The competition lineup will be officially announced at the press conference held by the Festival Committee.
*All applicants will be notified of the results by the end of May, 2024.

2) Award winners

The Jury Committee, appointed by the Festival Committee, will select the award winners for each category.
All award winners will be announced at the closing ceremony on the last day of the Festival.

7. Awards

1) International Competition

All nominated films are eligible for awards. However, only Japanese films are eligible for the SKIP CITY AWARD.
The Jury Committee will select the winners. Cash prizes and awards will be given to the filmmakers by the Festival Committee and co-sponsors of the Festival.

* Although, as a general rule, most awards are given to those who submitted the films to the Festival, Best Director is given to the director(s) themselves.

2) Japanese Film Competition (Feature Length and Short Length sections)

The jury will select the award winners. Cash prizes and awards will be given to the filmmakers by the Festival Committee and co-sponsors of the Festival. Films in the Japanese Film Competition are eligible for SKIP CITY AWARD.
*As a general rule, awards are given to the directors of the films.

Details of the awards will be announced shortly.

8. Entries

1) Entry Fee

There is no entry fee. However, transportation charges and insurance fees for sending the necessary material must be covered by the applicant.

2) Pre-Selection Materials

A. Entry Form
Please submit via FilmFreeway online.

B. Screener
Online screener（Vimeo or YouTube with password security is preferred) is the accepted formats for pre-selection. If the film's original language is anything other than Japanese or English, please make sure it has English subtitles. If you do NOT have an online screener of the film, a DVD (NTSC preferably or PAL) must arrive at the Festival office by March 1st, 2024.

3) Mailing Instructions

If you choose the DVD screener option, the screener must be received by March 1st, 2024 (Fri) at the following address:

Address:
SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL Office
5F, 3-12-63 Kamiaoki, Kawaguchi, Saitama 333-0844 Japan
TEL: 81-48-263-0818 / FAX: 81-48-262-5635
E-mail: entry@skipcity-dcf.jp

4) Return of materials

None of the submission materials will be returned. All submitted DVDs will be shredded after the Festival.

5) Copyrights

The applicant must hold the rights to the entire content of the submitted work and certify that all the content contained therein is the sole property of the submitter and violates no breach of copyright. The Festival organizers shall not be responsible or liable for any litigation or damage of any sort incurred as the result of such violation.

6) Out of Competition

Films not selected for competition may be included in other screenings related to the Festival. We will discuss screening conditions with the applicants before we include the film in any programs.

9. Selected Films

1) Required Materials

Applicants of selected films will be required to submit the following materials to the Festival office:
・Digital exhibition material with English subtitles
- * If the original language of the film is in English, please send exhibition material without any subtitles.
・English subtitles list and original dialogue list
- * Both English subtitles list and original dialogue list are used to create Japanese subtitles.
・Publicity materials
- ・Still photos (1 main image and 5 more images)
- ・Director's headshot, autograph and message for catalogue
- ・Posters (in data)
- ・Trailer

2) Subtitles

The Festival Committee will cover the cost of creating Japanese subtitles for selected non-Japanese language films for the International Competition. The use of these subtitles is limited to screenings related to the Festival.

3) Shipping and Safekeeping

A. Shipping
The applicant will be responsible for the delivery of the exhibition material to the Festival office by the designated date. The Festival will cover the cost of return shipping of your exhibition material.
B. Responsibility of Safekeeping
The Festival will assume insurance responsibility from the moment the exhibition material arrives at the Festival office to the moment the exhibition material is returned.

4) Invitation

The Festival invites one person (the director in principal) per nominated film.
・International Competition (Non-Japanese Films)
- The Festival covers round trip airfare (economy class) and accommodation (stated hotel) during the Festival for one person per nominated film.
・International Competition (Japanese Films), Japanese Film Competition (Feature Length and Short Length)

The Festival covers travel expenses (up to certain amount) during the Festival for one person per nominated film.

Consent

The entry into SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL 2024 constitutes agreement with all Festival regulations and implies permission to exhibit work during the Festival. If any falsehoods are detected on an entry form, the related film will be excluded from nomination and its applicants will be required to repay any expenses incurred by the Festival as a result thereof.

Entry form

We accept your submission through

(Online registration / Free)