Regulations / Entry form
SKIP CITY KINETEC International Film Festival: Submission Rules and Regulations
The SKIP CITY KINETEC International Film Festival Executive Committee (hereinafter referred to as "the Executive Committee") hereby establishes the following Submission Rules and Regulations for the Competition to be held at the SKIP CITY KINETEC International Film Festival (hereinafter referred to as "the Festival").
I. Name
SKIP CITY KINETEC International Film Festival
II. Organizers
Saitama Prefecture
Kawaguchi City
Kawaguchi Chamber of Commerce and Industry
SKIP CITY KINETEC International Film Festival Executive Committee
III. Festival Period
Sunday, January 31, 2027 – Sunday, February 7, 2027 (8 days)
IV. Purpose
While inheriting the rich legacy as a pioneer in digital cinema (D-Cinema), the Festival aims to forge a new horizon where visual expression merges with cutting-edge technologies such as AI, XR, and virtual production. By discovering and supporting next-generation creators who aspire to a dynamic ("kinetic") evolution that transcends the traditional frameworks of film, the Festival seeks to contribute to the further advancement of the visual media industry.
V. Submission Eligibility
Submissions are accepted for the following categories. For all categories, there are no restrictions regarding the country of production (both within Japan and internationally).
1) Cinema Category (Feature Length: runtime of 60 minutes or longer / Short Length: runtime of less than 60 minutes)
A narrative film, documentary, or other style that pursues expression as a traditional "film" while creatively incorporating technology.
- Based on the Festival's philosophy of fusing technology and visual media, the work must creatively incorporate new visual technologies. (Eligible only for works that can clearly specify the sections or methods where the technology was utilized upon entry.)
- The work must be capable of being screened digitally. (Submission of official digital screening materials is mandatory upon nomination.)
- The director must have directed no more than four (4) commercially released feature-length films (60 minutes or longer, including animations and documentaries).
- The work must have been completed on or after July 1, 2025.
- The format of the work must be compatible with the screening and playback environment of the SKIP CITY Hall screen (a standard movie theater environment). (*Works requiring specialized viewing gear such as VR goggles, or installation styles utilizing multiple monitors, are not eligible.)
2) NEXT Category (No runtime restrictions)
Ambitious works that leap beyond existing concepts of cinema and challenge new forms of visual expression. Examples include AI-generated videos, vertical videos, music videos (MVs), media art-like visual expressions, experimental films, and cutting-edge CG animation utilizing game engines (open to all genres).
- Based on the Festival's philosophy of fusing technology and visual media, the work must creatively incorporate new visual technologies. (Eligible only for works that can clearly specify the sections or methods where the technology was utilized upon entry.)
- The work must be capable of being screened digitally. (Submission of official digital screening materials is mandatory upon nomination.)
- The work must have been completed on or after July 1, 2025.
- The format of the work must be compatible with the screening and playback environment of the SKIP CITY Hall screen (a standard movie theater environment). (*Works requiring specialized viewing gear such as VR goggles, or installation styles utilizing multiple monitors, are not eligible.)
*The Executive Committee reserves the right to make final decisions regarding any questions or ambiguities concerning eligibility compliance with the above conditions.
VI. Judging and Announcement
1) Nomination Selection
The Festival Secretariat will select the nominated works based on preliminary evaluations conducted by selection committee members appointed by the Executive Committee. Applicants will be notified of the selection results by the end of December 2026, followed by an official public announcement.
2) Final Judging
A Jury Panel appointed by the Executive Committee will evaluate the nominated works and select the winners for each prize. The final evaluation results and awards will be announced during the Closing/Awards Ceremony.
VII. Prizes and Awards
The Jury Panel will award the following prizes to outstanding works selected from among the nominated titles:
Feature Length Category
- Grand Prize (Best Picture): Supplementary prize of 500,000 JPY
- Audience Award: Supplementary prize of local prefectural products
Short Length Category
- Grand Prize (Best Picture): Supplementary prize of 300,000 JPY
- Audience Award: Supplementary prize of local prefectural products
- SKIP CITY Award (100 hours of production / planning support)
*Eligible to all Japanese films across both the Feature Length and Short Length Categories. It is awarded to a director who demonstrates a powerful potential to lead the next generation of the film industry through the innovative use of technology and unique expressiveness.
*As a general rule, prizes are awarded directly to the director.
NEXT Category
- Grand Prize (Best Picture): Supplementary prize of 200,000 JPY
- Audience Award: Supplementary prize of local prefectural products
VIII. Entry
1) Entry Fee
Free (there is no submission fee).
2) Required Submission Materials for Evaluation
a. Entry Form
Complete all required fields on the online entry form available on the official Festival website and submit it.
b. Screener Material
Provide the streaming URL of an online screener (principally restricted/private links on Vimeo or YouTube) within the entry form. If the original language of the work is neither Japanese nor English, please provide a screener with Japanese or English subtitles.
3) Rights Clearance
Applicants must clear all necessary rights—including music copyrights, visual copyrights, and any other intellectual property rights—prior to submission. Neither the Festival nor the Executive Committee shall assume any responsibility for any disputes or legal issues arising from uncleared rights.
4) Screenings Outside the Competition
Works that are not nominated for the Competition may occasionally be selected for special screenings related to the Festival. In such cases, the Festival Secretariat will contact the applicant separately.
IX. Upon Selection as a Nominated Work (Official Screening Selection)
1) Submission of Materials
Applicants of nominated works must submit the following materials (a to c) to the Festival Secretariat:
- a. Digital Materials for Official Screening: DCP, ProRes 422 data, etc. (If the original language is neither Japanese nor English, the materials must include Japanese or English subtitles.)
- b. Completed Dialogue Script
- c. Publicity and Promotional Materials for the Festival:
- c-1. Stills / scene photos from the film (1 main image, 5 sub-images)
- c-2. Director's portrait photo and a message for the festival catalog
- c-3. Poster data
- c-4. Trailer
2) Subtitles
As a general rule, the Executive Committee will cover the costs of creating subtitles for all nominated works. (Works in English will be screened with Japanese subtitles; works in Japanese will be screened with English subtitles; works in other languages will be screened with both Japanese and English subtitles.) These subtitles are produced solely for use at this Festival.
3) Shipping and Storage of Screening Materials
a. Shipping
The applicant of the nominated work shall cover all shipping costs and insurance fees when sending materials to the Festival. The Executive Committee shall bear the shipping costs and insurance fees for returning the materials.
b. Storage
The Executive Committee will responsibly store and manage the screening materials from the time they are received until they are returned to the applicant after the conclusion of the Festival.
4) Guest Invitation
The Executive Committee will invite one representative per nominated work (principally the director) and cover the expenses related to their stage appearance at the Festival (subject to a maximum cap).
Acknowledgments & Agreements
All applicants to the SKIP CITY KINETEC International Film Festival Competition are deemed to have fully understood and agreed to all the Submission Rules and Regulations stated herein.
Furthermore, if any false information or major errors are discovered in the entry form, the work will be disqualified from nomination. In such cases, the Executive Committee reserves the right to claim reimbursement for any expenses it has already incurred for the work.
Entry form
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(Online registration / Free)