Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Call for submissions: 2015 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival


Submit A Film To Hot Docs 2015 Festival

Hot Docs is now accepting submissions for the 2015 Festival! Newly revised submission guidelines and FAQs are available

Film submissions to Hot Docs 2015 are now open. Please note that deadlines and fees have changed from previous years. Please review the below before submitting a film.

Please consult the submissions FAQ page for additional information.


SUBMISSION DEADLINES AND FEES
EARLY-BIRD DEADLINEDEADLINELATE DEADLINE
November 19, 2014December 10, 2014January 7, 2015
Short               (1-29 min)$25$25$50
Feature and Mid-Length (30+ min)$50$100$150

Please note that HST taxes (13%) are not included in the above fees.

All deadlines are postmark deadlines.

EARLY-BIRD DEADLINE – November 19, 2014

Online forms must be submitted no later than November 19, 2014, at 11:59 p.m. EST.
Submissions to this deadline must be postmarked no later than November 19, 2014.
  • Feature and mid-length (30 minutes or more): $50 + HST
  • Shorts (29 minutes or less): $25 + HST
DEADLINE – December 10, 2014

Online forms must be submitted no later than December 10, 2014, at 11:59 p.m. EST.
Submissions to this deadline must be postmarked no later than December 10, 2014.
  • Feature and mid-length (30 minutes or more): $100 + HST
  • Shorts (29 minutes or less): $25 + HST
LATE DEADLINE – January 7, 2015

We strongly recommend that applicants submit for the early-bird or regular deadline.

Online forms must be submitted no later than January 7, 2015, at 11:59 p.m. EST.
Submissions to this deadline must be postmarked no later than January 7, 2015.
  • Feature and mid-length (30 minutes or more): $150 + HST
  • Shorts (29 minutes or less): $50 + HST

ELIGIBILITY


All submissions:
  • must have been completed after January 1, 2014;
  • must be at minimum Toronto premieres (i.e. cannot have been screened publicly in Toronto prior to the 2015 Festival, including broadcast versions of any length);
  • must be in English, subtitled in English or English versioned (non-English language films may be submitted with an English transcript; however, if selected for Hot Docs, it must be subtitled or dubbed into English at the applicant’s expense);
  • may not have submitted to the Festival previously in any stage of completion (i.e. films that were submitted as rough cuts will not be reconsidered. If you have any specific questions regarding this, please contact us.
Please consult the submissions FAQ page for additional information.

WHAT DOES MY SUBMISSION FEE INCLUDE?

All fees outlined above include:
  • submission to the 2015 Festival for programming consideration;
  • inclusion to The Festival Doc Shop;
  • a 12-month presence on The Doc Shop Online, Hot Docs’ year-round market service for buyers, distributors and festival programmers.

Please note: Although inclusion in both of The Doc Shop markets is covered in the fees outlined above, you must also opt-in to both of these markets during the submission process.

In addition, the Festival submission and market fee covers the administrative expenses related to cataloguing, previewing and digitizing each work.

Submission fees are non-refundable.


PROGRAMMING CONSIDERATION


Hot Docs accepts Canadian and international documentaries of all lengths and subject matter.

All Hot Docs screening programs are curated and all submissions will be fully considered by Hot Docs’ programming team.

For the purposes of eligibility and awards consideration, Hot Docs uses the following definitions:

Film Length
  • Feature Length: 60 minutes or longer
  • Mid-Length: 30 to 59 minutes
  • Short: under 30 minutes
Country of Production and Submission Categories
Submissions to the Festival are divided into two categories:
  • Canadian Submissions: All films produced in Canada or directed by Canadian filmmakers.
  • International Submissions: All films produced outside of Canada and directed by non-Canadians.
Country of Production
The origin of the majority of the film’s financing and/or the film’s key crew members, which can also include the location of significant production support.

Rough Cuts/Fine Cuts
Rough/Fine Cuts: The Festival will only accept one cut of each film for programming consideration. If needed, Hot Docs will request an updated version and will contact those applicants directly.

Made in… Program
Each Festival, Hot Docs presents a program showcasing recent films from a selected country or region.


PROGRAMMING DECISIONS


Applicants will be notified of programming decisions via email by the end of March 2015. Final programming, categorization and slotting of films will be determined by the Festival programming team. Their decision is final. Successful applicants will receive this information in their official invitation.

No screeners or application materials will be returned. Do not send film prints, master tapes or other originals.


SELECTED FILMS


AWARDS
  • Hot Docs features two juried competition programs, Canadian Spectrum and International Spectrum, and several non-competitive programs.
  • Selected feature-length films in the Spectrum programs are eligible for jury prizes. All selected short and mid-length films (except those in retrospective categories) will be considered by the jury.
  • All feature films selected for Hot Docs, with the exception of those screening in retrospective programs, are eligible for the Audience Award.
Hot Docs is recognized as a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards® in the Documentary Short Subject category. The winner of the Best Short Documentary at this year’s Festival will qualify for consideration in the Documentary Short Subject category of the annual Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules.

Hot Docs is also BAFTA-recognised festival, acknowledged to be one of the most trusted and respected arbiters of excellence in the art of short filmmaking. Shorts screened at Hot Docs fulfill an important eligibility criterion for entry to the BAFTA British Short Film and British Short Animation categories at the EE British Academy Film Awards.


TRAVEL & ACCOMMODATION

For officially selected films, Hot Docs aims to provide as much support as possible to filmmakers attending the Festival:
  • For feature length films, Hot Docs strives to bring at least one filmmaker to Toronto for each invited film, by providing hotel accommodation and a stipend for travel expenses, as well as an airport transfer, if required.
  • For all selected films, Hot Docs will provide Festival accreditation for every credited director as well as one producer.

ENTRY PROCEDURES

Step 1: Online Submission Form & Payment

To submit your film for consideration, you must complete and submit Hot Docs’ online submission form.

If interested in The Festival Doc Shop and The Doc Shop Online, please mark the appropriate boxes noted in the Terms and Conditions section of the entry form.

At the end of the form, you will be asked to make a credit card payment. All major credit cards are accepted.

Step 2: Send Us Your Screeners

You must submit two clearly labeled DVD copies of your film for preview screening purposes. All formats and regions are accepted. Please make sure to test out your DVD screeners in a commercial DVD player. We do not require a printed version of the online form.

All submissions must be sent prepaid. The Festival will not accept collect or C.O.D. shipments.

Hot Docs will not assume responsibility for, nor will it accept shipments incurring expenses for terminal charges, duties, taxes or customs brokerage.

Please note: Hot Docs does not accept international shipments via United Parcel Services (UPS) since this courier does not deliver international duty-free shipments to Toronto.


SUBMIT YOUR FILM


2015 SUBMISSION FORM

Submission guidelines for Hot Docs are subject to change. Hot Docs reserves the right to rule on all issues not expressly covered in these guidelines.

http://www.hotdocs.ca/festival/submit_a_film


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