SDG Ent. Pictures Filmfestival

All award winners win a distribution through the SDG Entertainment Pictures with profit-sharing and a slot in the future streaming channel. Category winners may also win distribution. Cinema distribution is possible under certain conditions and will be provided only to award winners if applicable. No cash prices.

All winning documentaries will be part of the SDG Documentary Pictures. As there are many good films, you have the opportunity to apply for the Distribution Award and/or Second Chance Award. Even if your film is not selected in the other categories, the Distribution & Second Chance Award still gives you the opportunity to get your film distributed.

WINNERS FOR EACH CATEGORY (may also win distribution):
– Best Film (Category)
– Best National Movie (Category)
– Best International Movie (Category)
– Best Student Film (Category)

AWARDS (distribution winners):
– Best Feature Film (entire Festival)
– Best Middle-length Film (entire Festival)
– Best Short Film (entire Festival)
– Best Feature Documentary (entire Festival)
– Best Short Documentary (entire Festival)
– Best Series/Pilot (entire Festival)
– Best Animation (entire Festival)
– Special section: Distribution Award
– Special section: Second Chance Award
– Special section: Sustainability Award
– Special section: Best Faith-based Movie

UNIQUE AWARDS (chosen from all submissions/category winners):
– Grand Jury Award (Best of Festival)
– Best Directing (Director’s Award)
– Best Producing (Producer’s Award)
– Best Performance (Acting Award)
– Best Cinematography (entire Festival)
– Best Editing (entire Festival)
– Best Screenplay (entire Festival)
– Best International (entire Festival)
– Best National (entire Festival)
– Best Costumes / Production Design / Hair & Make-up
– Best Feature Screenplay
– Best Short Screenplay
– Best Teleplay / Series
– Young talent award (Best Student Film)

We reserve the right to present additional awards not outlined.
(Experimental & Sport films are not a special category – Awards will presented separate if applicable or may win one of the outlined Awards (in their category and/or a unique Award). This rule is applicable to all genres.)

SCREENPLAY CONTEST WINNERS
Winning Screenplays win distribution after completion through SDG Entertainment Pictures. As an award winner, you can promote your Teleplay/Screenplay also to other Studios, Production & Distribution Companies and film funds. Under certain conditions, SDG Ent. Pictures may help to produce and/or finance the realization of a winning screenplay.

***Please read all rules and conditions carefully before submitting***
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FOR SUBMISSIONS

For all sections:
● Completed after 1st January 2023 (exception to this is the “Second Chance Award”)
● Burnt-in subtitles in English (no matter the original language)
● Eligible Genres: Drama, Romance, Adventure, Family, Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Comedy, Crime, Biography, Sport, Experimental, Faith-based Movies, Animation (Experimental & Sport are not a special category – Awards will presented separate if applicable or may win one of the outlined Awards (see “Awards & Prizes”). This rule is applicable to all genres.)
● Not eligible: Horror, Ads/Commercials, Porn, Music videos
● If you submitted in a wrong section, please contact us immediately via Mail.
● Please submit only via FilmFreeway. No CD, DVD, Blu-ray, E-Mail etc.
● All rights has to be cleared. By submitting, you agree that you own all rights. The Festival organizers (SDG Ent. Pictures & Delphi Arthaus Kino) are free from all claims. Failure to comply will result in disqualification. All legal consequences will be borne by the submitter if the chain of rights/chain of title is violated.
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CATEGORIES

Feature Film
● Films over 60 min. are eligible for this section.
● International & National (German) films are eligible.
● Student films are eligible to submit (Upload a proof of your student status to your filmfreeway profile or a proof that the film was made as a student project)

Short Film
● Films under 40 min. are eligible for this section.
● International & National (German) films are eligible.
● Student films are eligible to submit (Upload a proof of your student status to your filmfreeway profile or a proof that the film was made as a student project)

Feature Documentary
● Films over 60 min. are eligible for this section.
● International & National (German) films are eligible.
● Student films are eligible to submit (Upload a proof of your student status to your filmfreeway profile or a proof that the film was made as a student project)

Short Documentary
● Films under 40 min. are eligible for this section.
● International & National (German) films are eligible.
● Student films are eligible to submit (Upload a proof of your student status to your filmfreeway profile or a proof that the film was made as a student project)

Middle-length Films & Documentaries
● Films between 40-60 min. (middle-length films) are eligible for this section.
● Movies & Documentaries are eligible
● International & National (German) films are eligible.
● Student films are eligible to submit (Upload a proof of your student status to your filmfreeway profile or a proof that the film was made as a student project)

Series (Fiction & Non-Fiction)
● Submit only the pilot
● Miniseries are eligible
● Series with one season, two seasons (or more) are eligible
● Documentary Series are eligible
● Student series are eligible to submit (Upload a proof of your student status to your filmfreeway profile or a proof that the film was made as a student project)

Animation Film
● Short, Featurette & Feature Films with any duration are eligible for this section (we reserve the right to present additional awards, for example for short and/or feature films or all three film lengths – short, medium & feature).
● only animated films are eligible for this section
● International & National (German) films are eligible.
● Student films are eligible to submit (Upload a proof of your student status to your filmfreeway profile)
● You can either submit in this section alone or together with other sections

Special Section: Distribution Award
● Short, Featurette & Feature Films with any duration are eligible for this section.
● Movies & Documentaries are eligible
● International & National (German) films are eligible.
● Student films are eligible to submit (Upload a proof of your student status to your filmfreeway profile or a proof that the film was made as a student project)
● You can either submit in this section alone or together with other sections

Special Section: Second Chance Award
● Short, Featurette & Feature Films with any duration are eligible for this section.
● Movies & Documentaries are eligible
● International & National (German) films are eligible.
● Student films are eligible to submit (Upload a proof of your student status or a proof that the film was made as a student project to your filmfreeway profile)
● You can either submit in this section alone or together with other sections
● No restriction on the completion date

Special Section: Sustainability Award
● Short, Featurette & Feature Films with any duration are eligible for this section.
● Movies & Documentaries are eligible
● International & National (German) films are eligible.
● Student films are eligible to submit (Upload a proof of your student status to your filmfreeway profile)
● Films, which have a focus on green production throughout the entire production process (pre-production, production, post-production), are eligible in this section.
● You can either submit in this section alone or together with other sections

Special Section: Faith Based Movie
● Short, Featurette & Feature Films with any duration are eligible for this section.
● Movies & Documentaries are eligible
● International & National (German) films are eligible.
● Student films are eligible to submit (Upload a proof of your student status to your filmfreeway profile)
● Films, which have a focus on faith, are eligible in this section.
● You can either submit in this section alone or together with other sections

Screenplay Contest: Feature Film Script
● 60 Pages or above
● Live-Action & Animation (fiction & non-fiction) in all genres regarding our ‘Rules & Terms’ are eligible
● International & National (German) screenplays are eligible. All non-German or non-English scripts has to be translated into English
● Student screenplays are eligible to submit (Upload a proof of your student status to your filmfreeway profile)

Screenplay Contest: Short Film Script
● 40 Pages or less
● Live-Action & Animation (fiction & non-fiction) in all genres regarding our ‘Rules & Terms’ are eligible
● International & National (German) screenplays are eligible. All non-German or non-English scripts has to be translated into English
● Student screenplays are eligible to submit (Upload a proof of your student status to your filmfreeway profile)

Screenplay Contest: Teleplay / Series
● submit only the pilot in any length
● Live-Action & Animation (fiction & non-fiction) in all genres regarding our ‘Rules & Terms’ are eligible
● International & National (German) teleplays are eligible. All non-German or non-English scripts has to be translated into English
● Student screenplays are eligible to submit (Upload a proof of your student status to your FilmFreeway profile)
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IF SELECTED FOR AN AWARD (screening at Festival):
● DCP file for Trailer or Teaser is necessary. If your film will be shown in full lenght at the festival, we’ll let you know asap. In this case a DCP of your film is needed.
● DCP files has to be send at least one moth before the festival takes place (Deadline for DCP submission is June 15th)
● A film poster is needed
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IF SELECTED FOR DISTRIBUTION (Award-winning films):
● The film has to be dubbed & subtitled in German, English, French, Spanish, Italian & Russian. For easy dubbing, you can use vidby (https://vidby.com/) (If any is not possible, let us know asap – it does not affect the decision. At least English & German is the minimum of languages to be dubbed.)
● Audio should be mastered in stereo sound & 5.1 (if 5.1 is not possible, let us know asap – it does not affect the decision)
● Film poster (This will be used to promote the film)
● 3-5 stills (This will be used to promote the film)
● Film trailer (This will be used to promote the film)
● One 15 sec. teaser (This will be used to promote the Film)
● A one or two sentence logline and a film synopsis of around 120 words must be submitted with the application (This will be used to promote the film)
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GENERAL RULES

Filmmakers must fill out the submission form and all fees must be paid before the deadline for a film to be eligible for the festival. Submission fees will not be refunded if a Film is disqualified or not selected to be included at the Festival.

By submitting a Film to the Festival, the Filmmaker agrees to allow the Film to be screened at the Festival and to allow short portions of the Film to be used by the Festival for promotional purposes.

Filmmakers may submit multiple Films. Each Film must be accompanied by its own entrance fee.

The Festival is under no obligation to provide feedback on individual films or on the selection process. We are not able to provide feedback on individual films.

Films that contain significant non-English dialogue must include English subtitles. Also English Films should have English subtitles.

We strongly encourage you or a representative of the Film to be in attendance at the Festival to receive any potential awards. Please notify us ahead of time if this is not possible.

We reserve the right to present additional awards not outlined.
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TECHNICAL GUIDELINE (review copy)

Recommended film submission specifications: 1080p, 2K or 4K QuickTime video (MOV, MP4 or M4V – H.264 or H.265 file at a bitrate of 10-20Mbps), 23.98 FPS, 24 FPS,25 FPS

Name your file the exact name of your Film.

Audio should be mastered in stereo sound for reviewing.
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REFUNDS & DISQUALIFICATION

SDG Ent. Pictures reserves the right to disqualify any submission without refund.
Once a project is listed “In Consideration” on FilmFreeway, we are unable to offer refunds for any reason.
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COPYRIGHT & LEGAL TERMS

It is the sole responsibility of the Filmmaker to secure authorization and permission from the copyright owners for any and all copyrighted or trademarked content. The Festival will not be held liable for any unauthorized use of copyrighted or trademarked materials and reserves the right to disqualify any Film for copyright or trademark infringement.

By entering your film for SDG Entertainment Pictures Distribution Award, you authorize that your work is cleared for exhibition and accept full legal responsibility for the intellectual property therein. The submitter and all filmmakers associated with the project shall indemnify and hold harmless SDG Ent. Pictures and any representative or affiliates from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney’s fees and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.