Technical Specifications for Selection Screeners

• H.264 Upload

The link for uploading your file will be provided on the confirmation page at the end of the application form for film submissions. Should you wish to upload your film at a later date, you can do so until the respective deadline via the link on the “My Film Entry” page which will be activated once you have successfully registered your film.

After the upload is completed, your data will be processed and encrypted. The processing usually takes 2–3 hours. In the days around the deadline for film submissions it might, however, take up to 24 hours. In the next step you can check your processed file, change the thumbnail preview picture or, if necessary, upload a new version of your selection screener. In a final step you must release the file for the selection screenings.

The Berlinale will only gain access to your film once you have approved the release of the screener. Therefore, please remember to complete the upload by clicking the release button after checking the details of your file.

Once you have released the upload, it cannot be replaced by another upload. The film version that is submitted for selection purposes should at least have reached the stage of picture lock. In such cases, it is recommended that the film be preceded by an onscreen caption stating which post-production work is still to be completed.

Please note:

• Audio, video and subtitles must be contained in a single file and the file size should not exceed 10 GB.
• Please submit HD material in the mp4 format (H.264, AAC, Stereo).
• Please encode your video data with a constant bitrate and either 24, 25 or 30 progressive frames per second.
• The file name must not include any special characters or blank spaces. We recommend using a short file name consisting of few characters only. Please use the Latin alphabet.
• Please submit an English subtitled version for the selection screenings (except if the film’s original version is English). The subtitles must be "burned in", srt files cannot be processed.

To ensure a high technical quality, the following settings for file compression are suggested:

• Size / aspect ratio: 1920 x 1080 px / 16:9 HD
• Video codec / bit rate: H.264 high profile / 10 Mbit/s
• Audio codec / bit rate: AAC / 320 Kbit/s, sampling rate 48 kHz

If your film is available in a different file format, a conversion to H.264 is recommended. Files can be converted by the open source (GPLv2) software “HandBrake”, for example, which is available for all major operating systems.

For questions concerning the file upload please contact the Film Office:

phone: +49 30 25920-833