Statutes and rules
International Festival of Animated Films, 7 - 12 May 2024, Czech Republic

Festival statutes and rules

Festival statutes

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ANIMATED FILMS ANIFILM, 7-12 MAY 2024, LIBEREC, CZECH REPUBLIC

  1. The aim of the International Festival of Animated Films Anifilm is to present the best of the field of animation from all around the world. The festival also aims to preserve and help develop the cultural heritage of Czech animation, contribute to the creation of new Czech films and provide groundwork for potential international co-productions. The festival’s accompanying programme supports education in the field of animation. With its wide and varied programme Anifilm is changing the stereotypical perception of animation as a mere entertainment for children. Last but not least, Anifilm also devotes itself thoroughly to the art of computer games, which it understands as a part of animation.

  2. Anifilm is organised and promoted by OSPAF (Občanské sdružení pro podporu animovaného filmu, z.s.), company address: Hradešínská 6, 101 00 Praha 10, Czech Republic; e-mail: program@anifilm.cz,website: www.anifilm.cz.

  3. Anifilm 2024 will take place in Liberec from 7th-12th May 2024.

  4. The international competition programme consists of the following categories:

    International Competition of Feature Films
    For films longer than 60 minutes. The jury gives awards to film for children and film for grown-ups.

    International Competition of Short Films
    This competition section presents several blocks of animated short films made by professionals (out of school). A short film is no longer than 59 minutes.

    International Competition of Student Films
    These films can be submitted by schools or by the students themselves. 

    International Competition of Music Videos

    International Competition of Abstract and Non-Narrative Animation
    Unconfined audio-visual works using the principles of animation in the widest possible extent.

    International Competition of VR Films
    Films designed for virtual reality - animated 360° videos.

    International Competition of Computer Games
    The jury gives awards for game for children and for visual art.

  1. The national competition is called Czech Horizon and it is divided into five categories: 
    Short and Feature Films
    Student Films
    Series
    Music Videos
    Commissioned Works

  2. Anifilm has been approved as an Academy-qualifying festival for the Short Film Awards. The winner of the Short Film category is Oscar® eligible.
    The winners of the Czech Horizon Competition can be nominated for the European Animation Awards. By submitting works to the Czech Horizon competition, the submitter gives the Council of Animated Film (Rada animovaného filmu - RAF) their approval of the nomination.
    Works selected for the Czech Horizon competition (except music videos, TV and commissioned works) are provided to the Czech National Film Archive (Národní filmový archiv) for archiving.

  3. Only works completed after 1st January 2023 can be entered in the competition. Works selected for the competition will be assessed by the festival selection committee, made up of representatives of the festival and invited experts.
    Each party who submitted their work is subsequently informed of the result.
    Authors of selected works will receive an official invitation including information about accommodation provided by the festival. They are welcome to attend the Closing Ceremony where the International Competition results are announced.

  4. All films in the competition are screened in their original language and must be provided with English subtitles by the party submitting the film, with the exception of English-spoken works and music videos.

  5. The costs of the transportation of the film prints from the country of origin to the festival and the costs of travel insurance are covered by the participant, if not arranged otherwise. The costs of insurance against loss and partial damage or complete destruction of the screening copy are covered by the festival, for the period starting on the day when the festival receives the copy and ending when the festival hands the copy over to the carrier. In case of loss or destruction of the copy during the festival, the festival is responsible only for the cost of the data media. All complaints concerning the technical condition of the returned screening copy must be registered with the festival within one month after receiving the copy.

  6. Games in competition will be available to the jury and the accredited audience to play in the Game Zone during the festival. 

  7. Films and games in competition cannot be withdrawn from the festival once their screening has been officially confirmed.

  8. The international jury consists of distinguished representatives of culture, film production and theory; and of film reviewers, filmmakers, game industry professionals and producers. A special international jury will be assembled for each of the competition sections. A person who has taken part in the production of any of the films in the given competition cannot become a member of the jury. All the members of the jury are bound by secrecy. The Festival Director and the Programme Director or their deputies may attend the jury sessions, but do not take part in the voting. 

  9. The jurors give out the following awards: 

    a) Award for Best Feature Film for Grown-Ups comes with a financial prize of 1,000 EUR.
    b) Award for Best Feature Film for Children comes with a financial prize of 1,000 EUR.
    c) Award for Best Short Film comes with a financial prize of 1,000 EUR.
    d) Award for Best Student Film comes with a financial prize of 1,000 EUR.
    e) Award for Best Abstract and Non-Narrative Animation comes with a financial prize of 1,000 EUR. 
    f) Award for Best Music Video comes with a financial prize of 500 EUR.
    g) Award for Best VR Film comes with a financial prize of 500 EUR.
    h) Award for Best Visual Art in Game
    i) Award for Best Game for Children

    The jury can also award one Special Mention in the following categories: Short Film, Student Film, Abstract and Non-Narrative Animation, Music Video.

    The financial prize is to be shared equally by the director and the producer of the awarded film and will be sent via bank transfer not later than two months from the end of the festival.

  10. The winners of the Czech Horizon categories are decided by the Council of Animated Film (RAF), whose creation was initiated by Anifilm in 2017 with the support of the Association of Czech Animation Film (ASAF) and the European Animation Awards Association (EEA). The RAF consists of Czech authors, directors, producers, animators, dramaturges, animation theorists, historians, critics, film pedagogues and representatives of showcases and festivals. The RAF selects the winners in an online vote before the festival.

  11. During the Opening Ceremony, awards in the Czech Horizon categories are announced. In accordance with the RAF's decisions Anifilm gives out the following awards:

    a) Award for Best Czech Creation - Czech Television Award
    b) Award for Best Czech Short and Feature Film - PPF Foundation Award
    c) Award for Best Czech Student Film
    d) Award for Best Czech Series
    e) Award for Best Czech Music Video
    f) Award for Best Czech Commissioned Work

  12. The festival visitors decide on the audience prize - the prize of the Liberec region. They select work across all categories.

  13. In ambiguous or unclear situations and cases unforeseen by the statutes, the executive or programme director of the International Festival of Animated Films Anifilm is to make the corresponding decision. The organiser reserves the right to change these statutes in exceptionally serious cases.

  14. By submitting their work, the submitting party grants consent to one screening within the framework of the "Awarded Films" of the year's Anifilm edition, which takes place within 14 days after the festival in cinema in Prague.
  15. By submitting their work, the submitting party declares that they are authorised to screen the work at the festival and all rights, including rights to music used in the work have been cleared

  16. By participating in the festival you accept these statutes.

 

Competition Rules

The competition is announced on 1st September 2023, the application submission deadline is set at 31st December 2023 and is governed by the Festival Statutes and the Competition Rules. The work is accepted into the competition on condition that

- It was completed after 1st January 2023.
- More than 50% of the film/game is an animation; the animation technology used is not restricted.
- The submitted work did not take part in the Anifilm festival competition in any of the preceding years. 

  1. One work can be submitted to one competition category (except Czech works which can compete simultaneously in the Czech Horizon national competition and the international competition).

  2. Works for the competition are selected by a selection committee, see Statute 7).

  3. Delivery of the screener for the selection committee is perfomed by providing a download link via the submission form on https://vp.eventival.com/anifilm/2024

For the proper efficiency of the selection committee please make sure your video is downloadable. Please note that as a result of any complication in the selection process, films provided on streaming links (without the possibility of download) might be rejected.

  1. For a computer game submission, please deliver promo codes or download links via the submission form at https://vp.eventival.com/anifilm/2024.

  2. Screener for the selection committee - format specifications:
    HD video file (or similar resolution) with maximum data stream 6000 kB/s

  3. The submitters of the works selected for the festival will be informed during the month of February 2024 and requested to complete materials for the catalogue (photo, credits etc.). The list of selected works will be announced subsequently by the end of February 2024 and published on the festival website www.anifilm.cz.

  1. The screening copy of the selected film must be in one of the following formats:

    - DCP (preferred format), minimum data stream 6000 kB/s, stereo sound or 5.1 (other formats will be converted)
    - FULL HD video file (or similar resolution) / minimum data stream 6000 kB/s, stereo sound or 5.1
    - 35 mm copy 

    The submittting party is also requested to provide a back-up FULL HD video file, minimum data stream 6000 kB/s, STEREO SOUND.
  1. Delivery of the screening copy to the festival (possibilities)
    a) By sending a link for downloading the file to vojtech.spevak@anifilm.cz
    b) By sending it by post on a medium (USB, hard drive, 35 mm print) by post - for the address, please write to: vojtech.spevak@anifilm.cz.

  2. The screening copies of the selected films must be delivered to the festival by 31st March 2024 at the latest. This deadline must be respected in all cases. The participant is bound to comply with the screening copy transportation instructions.