Submissions

Submissions for the 2011 Abu Dhabi Film Festival are now closed.

2011 Rules & Regulations

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

The Abu Dhabi Film Festival (formerly the Middle East International Film Festival) was established in 2007, with the aim of helping to create a vibrant film culture throughout the region. The event, presented each October by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage(ADACH) under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, is committed to curating exceptional programs to engage and educate the local community, inspire filmmakers and nurture the growth of the regional film industry.

With its commitment to presenting works by Arab filmmakers in competition alongside those by major talents of world cinema, the Festival offers Abu Dhabi's diverse and enthusiastic audiences a means of engaging with their own and others' cultures through the art of cinema. At the same time, a strong focus on the bold new voices of Arab cinema connects with Abu Dhabi’s role as a burgeoning cultural capital in the region and marks the Festival as a place for the world to discover and gauge the pulse of recent Arab filmmaking.

KEY 2011 DATES

  • April 1 – Submissions open
  • July 1 – Deadline for submissions
  • October 13-22 – Fifth Abu Dhabi Film Festival

1. FESTIVAL SECTIONS, AWARDS AND PRIZES
Films in competition are eligible for Black Pearl Awards as detailed below.

1.1 Narrative Competition 
An international selection of feature-length fiction films.

  • Best Narrative Film ($100,000)
  • Special Jury Award ($50,000)
  • Best Director from the Arab World ($50,000)
  • Best Producer from the Arab World ($25,000)
  • Best Actor ($20,000)
  • Best Actress ($20,000)

1.2 Documentary Competition 
An international selection of feature-length non-fiction films.

  • Best Documentary ($100,000)
  • Special Jury Award ($50,000)
  • Best New Director ($50,000)
  • Best Director from the Arab World ($50,000)
  • Best Producer from the Arab World ($25,000)

1.3 Afaq Jadida (New Horizons) Competition 
An international selection of first and second feature-length narrative films.

  • Best Film ($100,000)
  • Special Jury Award ($50,000)
  • Best Director from the Arab World ($50,000)
  • Best Producer from the Arab World ($25,000)
  • Best Actor ($20,000)
  • Best Actress ($20,000)

1.4 Short Films Competition 
An international selection of narrative and documentary short films.

  • Best Narrative ($25,000)
  • Best Documentary ($25,000)
  • Best Animation ($20,000)
  • Best Film from the Arab World ($25,000)
  • Best Producer ($10,000)
  • Best Producer from the Arab World ($10,000)

1.5 Our World 
Films devoted to broadening public awareness of significant environmental issues.
A prize of $15,000 will be awarded to the film in Our World that shows the best potential to broaden public awareness of environmental issues.

1.6 Showcase 
A panorama of outstanding recent narrative and documentary features competing for the Audience Choice Award. A $50,000 prize that will be shared between the producer ($30,000) and the world sales agent or local distributor ($20,000). Both feature-length narratives and documentaries are eligible for this award.

1.7 Emirates Film Competition 
Short films from the UAE and GCC countries. Please refer to the Emirates Film Competition Rules and Regulations for information on eligibility, awards and prizes.

1.8 Special Programs 
Restorations and retrospectives, as well as specially curated programs and presentations focusing on exciting developments and trends in filmmaking around the world.

1.9 Prizes for the “Best Film” awards in the feature competitions will be shared equally between the director and the production company.

1.10 Awards for films from the Arab World must be from the following countries (or be co-productions of these countries with any other): Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen. Films selected from these countries for the competition sections are eligible for all awards within their section.

1.11 Each award will be given to a single film. Awards may not be shared among films.

2. JURIES

2.1 Each Competition section will have its own Jury comprised of a president and four other members chosen from among outstanding international figures in film, culture and art.

2.2 The decisions of the juries are final.

3. ELIGIBILITY FOR ENTRY

3.1 Premiere status:

  • Priority will be given to world and international premieres.
  • Films may not have been publicly exhibited in the Gulf region prior to the Festival’s 2011 edition.
  • Films from outside the Gulf region must be Gulf premieres and films from the Gulf region must be U.A.E. premieres.

3.2 All sections, with the exception of the Emirates Film Competition, are open to entries from all nations. Eligibility, awards and prizes for the section are listed in the separate EFC Rules & Regulations.

3.3 Only first and second feature-length narrative films are eligible for the Afaq Jadida (New Horizons) Competition.

3.4 Films may not have been released or publicly exhibited before October 1, 2010, with the exception of a festival premiere in the film’s country of production.

3.5 Unless approved in advance by the Festival, films may not be publicly broadcast via TV, Internet or otherwise, prior to or during the Festival’s 2011 edition. This does not apply to shorts, which may be shown prior to the Festival’s 2011 edition on a non-commercial website only and for a limited period (e.g., as part of an online-only film festival).

3.6 Films that have been submitted to prior editions of the Festival will not be considered unless they have been altered significantly. The Festival reserves the right not to consider any previously submitted film.

3.7 Narrative feature films must have a running time of 60 minutes or more. Documentary feature films must have a running time of 52 minutes or more. Short films must not have a running time more than 35 minutes.

4. HOW TO ENTER

4.1 No entry fee is required to submit your film to the Festival.

4.2 All entries must be submitted on or before July 1, 2011 by completing the entry form and mailing a DVD of the film for arrival at the Festival offices by the same date of July 1, 2011.

4.3 Work-in-Progress projects may be submitted but must be identified as such on the entry form and the DVD. A final version of the film must be submitted to the Festival by August 15, 2011.

4.4 Submissions must include the following materials:

  • Two multi-zone or region-free DVD copies of the film with English subtitles. Each DVD must be clearly marked with the film’s title, director’s name, year and country of production and running time.
  • Press materials including production credit list, synopsis in English, director’s biography and filmography.

NOTE: Incomplete entry forms may not be considered. The information entered on the submission form is essential for the consideration of your film.

4.5 Shipping costs for submissions must be covered by the sender. Submission materials will not be returned unless previously agreed upon between the sender and the Festival.

4.6 Submission of a film implies unconditional acceptance of the Rules & Regulations.

4.7 Submissions should be sent to the address below in envelopes clearly marked with “For cultural use only” and “No commercial value.”

Abu Dhabi Film Festival
Attention: Özge Calafato, Entries
Abu Dhabi Film Festival 
Al Raha Beach Theater, 
Al Raha Beach Service Road Abu Dhabi - Dubai Highway
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Tel: +971 2 556 4000
Fax: +971 2 556 4343
E-mail: entries@adff.ae

5. IF YOUR FILM IS INVITED…

5.1 The Festival reserves the right to assign each film to the section it believes most appropriate.

5.2 Invited films will be informed by the Festival no later than September 1, 2011. Most correspondence will be conducted via email.

5.3 The invitation will include a Film Information Form and a List of Materials to be duly completed and sent back to the Festival within two weeks of receiving the invitation and no later than September 1, 2011. The Film Information Form, duly signed, will be taken as a document attesting the legally binding acceptance of the invitation by all concerned and will be considered definitive and irrevocable. It will also serve as a binding agreement that all materials related to the presentation of the film will be sent to the Festival.

5.4 The invitation must remain strictly confidential until the Festival’s program is officially announced by the Festival. Any exception must be approved in writing by the Festival.

5.5. Any changes to the information in the entry form must be communicated to the Festival without delay. Email any changes to: entries@adff.ae.

5.6 The Festival will announce its program in early September 2011.

5.7 If your film has not been selected, the Festival will do its best to inform you before the announcement of the program. Festival programmers may communicate with filmmakers regarding their films but the Festival reserves the right not to comment on the reasons for not selecting a film.

6. REQUIREMENTS AND INFORMATION FOR INVITED FILMS

6.1 The exhibition copy must be in one of the following formats: (a) a 35mm print, (b) an HDCAM tape or (c) a Digital Betacam PAL tape.

6.2 An English-subtitled screening copy must be provided for all films not in English.

6.3 An English dialogue list is required for all films, even those in English, in order to facilitate the Festival’s preparation of electronic subtitles in Arabic. (Please note: Operational requirements may sometimes make it impossible to present electronic subtitles).

6.4 A completed film information form and list of materials.

6.5 A DVD copy of the final version of the film for the Festival’s archives.

6.6 The Festival reserves the right to screen each film up to three times with tickets sold for all screenings and will choose at its sole discretion the screening schedule for each film. A fourth screening may be held for accredited press and industry guests.

7. SHIPPING AND INSURANCE

7.1 The Festival will cover the cost of shipping the exhibition copy to and from the Festival offices. In cases where the exhibition copy is to be sent to another festival, all shipping costs will be the responsibility of the receiving party.

7.2 The Festival covers insurance costs for the exhibition copies of all invited films while they are in the Festival’s possession. All insurance costs for shipping the exhibition copy to and from the Festival must be covered by the shipping agent or sender. In the case of loss or damage, the Festival will only be responsible for replacement value of the print if it was originally received by the Festival in good condition and if notification of the damage is received no later than November 30, 2011.

7.3 All exhibition copies must reach the Festival offices no later than September 23, 2011. If the exhibition copy is not in perfect condition, the Festival may refuse to present it.

7.4 The Festival reserves the right to change the above rules and regulations without notice.

8. ADDITIONAL TERMS

8.1 The Festival reserves the right to change the above Rules & Regulations without notice.