The festival is mounted by Kulturveranstaltungen des Bundes in Berlin GmbH. The official programme comprises films in Competition, Out of Competition, Berlinale Shorts and the Panorama. The Berlin International Film Festival also comprises the sections Generation, Perspektive Deutsches Kino and Forum, which is organised independently. Applicants may choose the festival section(s) to which they would like to submit their film. However, the programmes Berlinale Special and Berlinale Special Gala (Official Programme), Retrospective, Culinary Cinema and Forum Expanded are curated.
Submissions
Please register the film online at:
online film entry
Only films that have been registered online can be considered for selection.
Film submission to the European Film Market at
www.efm-berlinale.de
A film synopsis, filmography and biography of the director as well as a crew and cast list can be sent either via e-mail or regular mail to:
Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin
Programme Department
Potsdamer Straße 5
10785 Berlin
Germany
phone +49 • 30 • 259 20 444
fax +49 • 30 • 259 20 499
Deadline for Submissions
The following deadlines must be strictly observed:
- Feature-length films: film prints and screening material submitted for selection by: October 31st, 2011
- Short films: film prints and screening material by: November 14, 2011
Late submissions will only be accepted following formal approval by the head of the festival section in question.
Selection
Films are to be submitted in their original version for the selection process. Films in German and English do not require translation. Films in other languages must be subtitled in either German or English.
Formats accepted for selection are film prints, HDCAM, Digital Betacam, Betacam SP, DVD and Blu-ray (region free).
Please contact the programme organisation for other formats (additional charges may arise).
Shipping of prints, tapes and DVDs
Screening material sent for selection should be sent to the following address:
Film prints, tapes and DVDs via courier or (air) mail to:
Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin
Film Print Co-ordination
Voxstraße 3
10785 Berlin
Germany
phone +49 • 30 • 259 20 888
fax +49 • 30 • 259 20 899
The full cost of sending screening media for selection, including customs fees and insurance of all prints, as well as their return freight, must be borne by the producer or his authorised representatives. The festival is only responsible for the costs of storage and insurance of films while they are on the premises of the festival in Berlin.
Tapes and DVDs should be marked ‘Sample’.
All 35mm prints originating outside the European Single Market – regardless of whether they are submitted for selection or invited to participate in the festival – are subject to rules governing temporary imports. It is recommended that they are sent via the festival‘s shipping agent who will handle temporary import of the prints into Germany. Film prints handled by the festival‘s shipping agent can only be returned by air freight through the same. Costs of temporary import must be borne by the producer or his authorised representative.
Film prints sent by air freight:
Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin
c/o Kroll, Internationale Spedition
Flughafen Berlin-Tegel
13405 Berlin
Germany
phone +49 • 30 • 417 48 510
fax +49 • 30 • 417 48 529
Notice of despatch
The sender should notify the festival in written of the date and means of shipment, including shipment number / airway bill number and film title.
Liability of the festival
In case of damage or loss of a print, either during the selection process or during the festival itself, the festival is liable only for the cost of striking a new print at the rate charged by film laboratories for ordering a standard print.
Return of film prints and tapes/DVDs
Provided the entry fees have been paid, film prints will be returned by the Festival or its shipping agent according to the print owner’s instructions on cash on delivery basis. All transportation costs are the responsibility of the entrant. All prints imported temporarily into Germany by the festival‘s shipping agent must be exported by the same and by air freight.
All tapes and DVDs submitted for selection will be returned only at the express wish of the owner and at the owner’s expense. Requests for return of material can be made to up to six months after the festival.
Upon explicit demand, the submitted material may also be destroyed by the festival. In this case it is similarly necessary to send the respective instruction to within six months after the festival.
After this period all unfinished versions of films will be deleted and the remaining media will be archived in the reference collections of Deutsche Kinemathek – Museum für Film und Fernsehen for the sole purpose of onsite documentation and research – excluding any loan or public presentation, in order to protect the interests of the filmmakers and the producers.
Entry fees
Films will only be considered for selection after the entry fee is received. The fee for submitting a long film is € 125 (7% VAT included) regardless of the number of sections for which the film is entered. The fee for short films is € 50.
Means of payment
Payment of the entry fee is to be effected by credit card during the online submission.
Visa, Mastercard and American Express are accepted.
There are special conditions for filmschools and film institutes. Please contact the programme organisation at for further details.
Programming
Programming is at the sole discretion of the Directors of each festival section and their decision is final and irrevocable. Each film may be screened up to five times during the festival.
Participants’ obligations
No film selected may be withdrawn from the festival programme after its publication. During the festival no film selected may be screened outside the Festival venues before its official presentation at the festival.
Participation in the festival requires the unconditional adherence to its regulations as set out here. Producers, distributors or other organisations submitting a film must ensure that they are legitimately entitled to enter a film in the festival. Please note that each festival section has its own terms and conditions of entry.
The festival director reserves the right to settle any case not covered by these regulations.
Your contact in Berlin
The festival has permanent delegates around the world who can be of assistance in making an application. (See also contact)
For further information please contact:
Submissions and selection
Daniela Weber
phone +49 • 30 • 259 20 444
fax +49 • 30 • 259 20 499
Technical details and despatch of prints:
André Stever
phone +49 • 30 • 259 20 878
fax +49 • 30 • 259 20 899
Awards
A Jury, consisting of at least three international personalities is appointed by the Festival Director to award the Best First Feature Award, endowed with € 50.000, founded by GWFF.
This award is not specified by section.
Download Guidelines Best First Feature Award, PDF (19 KB)
Independent Juries
Besides the official juries the following juries award prizes at the Berlin International Film Festival:
The prize of the Churches of the Ecumenical Jury is awarded to a film in Competition, in the Panorama and in the Forum.
The FIPRESCI-Jury awards its prizes to a film in Competition, in the Panorama and in the Forum.
The Jury of the Guild of German Art House Cinemas awards its prize to a film in Competition.
The Reader’s Prize of the daily Berliner Morgenpost is awarded to a film in Competition.
The C.I.C.A.E. Jury awards its prizes to a film in the Panorama and in the Forum.
The Panorama Audience Award presented by the magazine Tip and by Radio Eins is awarded to a film in the Panorama.
The Label Europa Cinemas presents an award to a European film in the Panorama.
The Amnesty International Film Prize is awarded to a film from either Competition, Panorama, Forum or Generation sections, that tackles the topic of human rights.
The Peace Film Prize is awarded to a film in either the Competition, the Panorama, the Forum or Generation.
The Teddy – Queer Film Award is not specified by section and awarded each to a feature film, a documentary film and a short film from the Berlinale programme.
The Reader’s Prize of the magazine Siegessäule is awarded to a gay/lesbian film of either the Competition, the Panorama or the Forum.
The Caligari Film Prize is awarded to a film in the Forum.
The NETPAC Prize is awarded to an Asian film in the Forum.
The Reader’s Prize of the daily Tagesspiegel is awarded to a film in the Forum.
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) awards the Cinema fairbindet Prize to a film from the Competition, Panorama, Forum or Generation section, that encourages, in an outstanding way, the current dialogue about North-South relations.
Deadline for receipt of entry forms and films:
- Feature length films: October 31st, 2011
- Short films: November 14, 2011
Contact
Berlin International Film Festival
Potsdamer Straße 5
10785 Berlin
Germany
phone +49 • 30 • 259 20 444
fax +49 • 30 • 259 20 499
www.berlinale.de
