Film submissions for IndieLisboa 2023 are now open. The 20th edition of the festival will take place between April 27 and May 7, 2023.
The programming committee awaits the films, which may be work versions or finished works, with great expectation. Submissions are open until December 31, 2023.
Rules & Terms
Preamble
IndieLisboa International Film Festival aims to contribute to the discovery in Portugal of new films and new directors within the universe of independent film – both national and international.
Article 1
(Objective)
IndieLisboa intends to stimulate the public exhibition of films that are neither distributed nor exhibited within traditional circuits in Portugal. The festival gives preference to films that haven’t previously been shown in Portugal.
Article 2
(Date)
The 20th IndieLisboa will be held from April 27th to May 7th, 2023.
Article 3
(Sections)
1. The following official sections accept submissions:
International Competition – the International Competition for short and feature films is composed of films that have never been publicly exhibited in Portugal and completed in 2022 or 2023. First, second or third works, that are fiction, animation, documentaries or experimental films, compete, in a clear bet on new directors;
National Competition – composed of Portuguese feature and short films finalized in 2022 or 2023, preferably a world and/or national premiere;
Silvestre – a competition for established authors who find their norm in singularity. Under the wing of Silvestre, we show works that reject consecrated formulas, awaken new languages and mirror the spirit of the festival in their rebellion.
Brand New – a competition dedicated to the discovery of new talents in Portugal among film students, self-taught authors or others who are open to the cinematographic art;
IndieJúnior – a competition for younger audiences (children) that includes short and feature films. Animation, fiction and documentaries are competing;
IndieMusic – a competitive section that comprises films – mainly documentaries – focusing on music and its protagonists;
Director’s Cut – a section comprised of classic titles recently restored or rediscovered or films that reflect on cinema itself, its artistic dimensions and its history;
Mouth of Madness – the films in this section fearlessly march to the edge of the abyss, festively defying any conventions;
Special Screenings – a section that unites films by renowned filmmakers or thematic programs and premieres.
Article 4
(How to apply)
1. All the films that meet the following conditions can apply for the IndieLisboa International Competition:
– short films (up to 59 minutes) or feature films (60 minutes or longer) that are works of fiction, animation, documentary or experimental;
– first, second and third works (excluding works carried out at schools);
– produced in either 2022 or 2023;
– will have their first public presentation in Portugal at the festival.
2. All films that meet the following conditions can compete for the Silvestre Competition:
– short films (up to 59 minutes) or feature films (60 minutes or longer) that are works of fiction, animation, documentary or experimental;
– fourth works or further on (excluding works carried out at schools);
– produced in either 2022 or 2023;
– will have their first public exhibition in Portugal at the festival.
3. Regarding other sections of the festival:
– fiction, animation, documentary and experimental short and feature films;
– no limitations apply to the number of the previous works made by the director(s);
– films produced in 2022 and 2023;
– Portuguese premieres are preferred.
4. The festival may, in exceptional circumstances, decide to select films that do not meet one or more of these criteria.
Article 5
(Subtitling)
1. Submitted films must have a screener subtitled in English (except for English spoken films).
2. Selected films must have a screening copy subtitled in English (except for English spoken films), except for the films selected for the IndieJunior section (that need to provide an unsubtitled exhibition copy).
3. The Portuguese films spoken in other languages must provide a formatted dialogue list in Portuguese.
Article 6
(Juries and awards)
1. The festival’s official juries, made up of personalities from the cinematographic industry, cultural sector and/or civil society, are:
a) Feature Film International Competition Jury, responsible for assigning the following awards: Feature Film Grand Prize and Special Jury Award.
b) Short Film International Competition Jury, responsible for assigning the following awards: Short Film Grand Prize, Best Documentary film, Best Fiction film and Best Animation film.
c) National Competition Jury, responsible for assigning the following awards: Best Portuguese Feature Film, Best Director of a Portuguese Feature Film, Best Portuguese Short Film and New Talent in Short Film.
d) Brand New Jury,responsible for assigning the Brand New award.
e) Silvestre Jury, responsible for assigning Silvestre award for Best Feature Film and Silvestre award for Best Short Film.
f) IndieMusic Jury, responsible for assigning the IndieMusic Award to a film in the respective section.
2. IndieLisboa non-official juries are: Amnesty International, Árvore da Vida, Schools, Universities, and the Audience.
3. Juries will be able to assign honorable mentions when deemed necessary.
4. Individuals directly connected with the production or distribution of films presented in the competitive sections may not make part of the respective juries.
5. The payment of the prizes will be made according to the bank details contained in the prize certificate, and IndieLisboa is not responsible for any information provided incorrectly. Any additional bank charges related to the operation are the responsibility of the award winning.
6. The payment of the prizes can be made up to 180 days after the end of the festival and after the prize certificate is properly filled in, signed and submitted.
Article 7
(Submissions)
1. Submissions must be exclusively made online via https://filmfreeway.com/IndieLisboa no later than December 31, 2022.
2. The online screener and password (requested in the form) should be valid until March 31st 2022. If the film is selected, please note that we will need to download the file for press/internal use. The submission entry must include a screener of the film via direct digital upload to FilmFreeway or a Vimeo or YouTube link. The screener link and password must remain active until March 31, 2023. If this is not the case,the film in question may not be considered.
3. Please indicate if the submitted version of the film is a work in progress, if relevant.
4. The festival guarantees that all submitted films will be watched and considered. The festival is not answerable for the statistics of viewing platforms that it does not control.
Article 8
(Submission fee)
1. In order to complete the submission, the payment is required according to the deadline:
early bird / July 18th to August 31st, 2022
short films 8€
feature films 20€
regular / September 1st to November 30th, 2022
short films 12€
feature films 30€
extended / December 1st to December 31st, 2022
short films 20€
feature films 40€
2. The films with a mostly Portuguese production (shorts and features) are exempt from payment and to this effect should fill the corresponding entry form.
3. The entry fees are applied to each submitted film.
Article 9
(Re-entry)
In case the project was submitted and considered for the previous editions of the IndieLisboa, it can be re-submitted in case significant changes have been made and if all eligibility requirements are met at the time of the new entry.
Article 10
(Selection)
1. The official selection will be announced one month prior to the festival. After the communication of the selection and until its exhibition at the festival, the selected films must not be publicly exhibited in Portugal.
2. A film cannot be withdrawn from the festival after being accepted for the selection for any section of IndieLisboa.
3. In case a film is selected, the following materials must be sent to program@indielisboa.com immediately after the communication of the selection:
- Subtitles with timecode (.srt file) in English;
- Film stills and digital poster;
- Credit list;
- Exhibition authorization;
- Trailer and excerpts;
- EPK (electronic press kit);
- Synopsis (up to 460 characters with spaces);
- Biography (up to 460 characters with spaces):
- Link to download the screener of the film file for internal use and press use.
Till March 31st, 2023, the following materials must be sent to IndieLisboa International Film Festival, Casa do Cinema, Rua da Rosa, 277, 2º– 1200-385 Lisboa, Portugal:
- Exhibition copy of the selected film (in the required format);
- Posters, postcards and other promotional material for the film.
3. Unsuccessful submissions will be notified at least one month prior to the festival.
Article 11
(Shipping and exhibition copies)
1. The shipping costs of materials submitted to the festival for selection purposes, as well as their return, must be paid by the person/organization submitting the film.
2. IndieLisboa is responsible for covering the shipping costs of import and export of exhibition copies, in the case of physical copies, as well as their insurance. If the film is sent to another festival afterwards, IndieLisboa is only responsible for covering the costs of the import.
3. All exhibition copies must remain at the festival until the end of the festival, and they will only be returned after the festival has closed and, in some cases, subject to authorization, up to one month after the festival’s closure.
4. Insurance for all films is at the full responsibility of the festival, in the period between the reception of a film copy by the festival until its return.
Article 12
(Publicity)
The producer (and/or the owner of the exhibition rights for film festivals) of a film that has won award(s) at the festival agrees to mention IndieLisboa and use its logo in all the publicity and press/promotion materials produced after receiving the award.
Article 13
(Extensions)
The selected films can be integrated into festival extensions within four months after the end of the event. If you do not authorize the film to make part of a festival extension, you must send an email to: program@indielisboa.com until March 31st, 2023.
IndieLisboa/IndieJunior Extensions – Circulation and exhibition in some Portuguese cities of films screened during IndieLisboa, throughout 4 months following the festival. Non-commercial screenings that normally take place in partnerships with municipal auditoriums and cineclubs, in a decentralisation perspective.
Article 14
(Acceptance)
The participation in the festival implies the acceptance of all the aforementioned regulations.
Article 15
(Omitted cases)
The festival administration is responsible for any decisions regarding issues not covered by the above regulations, in accordance with the international rules of film festivals.