CMU Short Film Competition

SPECIAL PROMOTION: From now until April 24th, it is FREE to enter the competition! ABOUT THE COMPETITION: In conjunction with the Carnegie Mellon International Film Festival, we are very excited to announce the Short Film Competition. Our annual competition event unites young filmmakers with professionals as well as in-house audiences. We will shine the spotlight on competitors who have a unique vision and who can stimulate meaningful conversation through their films. AWARDS: • Grand Prize*: $1,000 • Second Prize*: $500 • Audience Prize: $250 *The Grand and Second Prize will be given to films selected by a panel of four respected filmmakers and scholars, as based on quality and merit of the submissions. *The Audience Prize will be determined through voting on Eventive during the screening period of the Short Film Competition. The winner of the Audience Prize will be announced together with the winners of the Grand Prize and Second Prize. REQUIREMENTS: Criteria • Films must be submitted before April 24th, 2021. • Filmmakers should be at least 18 years old and must be based in the United States. • Each director can submit a maximum of 2 short films . • The film must not have been submitted to CMU IFF Short Film Competition before 2020* • The fee for submission is $20. Films submitted and accepted for the 2020 Short Film Competition, which was not held, will have their submission fee waived. Format: 1. MP4 or MOV formats 2. Use H.264 codec 3. Code Rate: 5M per second 4. Video size: 720P (1280x720) Submission Deadline: All the films must be submitted prior to April 24th, 2021. Failure to submit prior to the due date may result in rejection. Filmmakers will be notified about acceptance by March 15th. Screenings: Ten selected submissions will be screened virtually at the festival’s Short Film Competition night. The date of the showing of the top ten films will be announced on our website, social media channels, and by e-mail. Submission Process: The submission fee for this year’s short film competition is $20. If you submitted for the 2020 Short Film Competition, you can apply for a fee waiver*. The submissions will be made through FilmFreeway. *Fee waiver applies to those that submitted to the canceled 2020 CMU IFF Short Film Competition. If a filmmaker submitted a project in 2020 but is now submitting a different project, the fee waiver will not apply. To receive this fee waiver, please email cmusfc@gmail.com, and include your name, name of 2020 submission film-and the festival committee will send you a waiver code Warranties/Representations, Right of Use and Indemnity By making a submission: (1) The filmmaker warrants and represents that the film is the filmmaker’s original work and that the filmmaker has obtained any and all rights and permissions needed for the Carnegie Mellon University Film Festival and/or Carnegie Mellon University to show the film in public and to use the film, or portions thereof, in educational, advertising and promotional materials in any medium. (2) The filmmaker grants to the Carnegie Mellon University International Film Festival and/or Carnegie Mellon University the right to use the filmmaker’s name, image and likeness and biographical information, in educational, advertising and promotional materials in any medium. (3) The filmmaker agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Carnegie Mellon University International Film Festival and Carnegie Mellon University, and each of their trustees, officers, employees and agents, from and against any and all claims, suits, actions, demands, liabilities, injuries, losses, costs, damages or arising from or connected with the filmmaker’s submission. CONTACT: Please email cmusfc@gmail.com for other payment methods, submission details, or any other questions concerning the Short Film Competition. Main Site: https://www.cmu.edu/faces/ Sponsors: The Humanities Center, Carngie Mellon University: Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh, Carlow University, Highmark, Armina Stone, Dr. Owen Cantor, Kara Bialecki, Moderna Relocation, Pittsburgh Humanities Festival, SCREENSHOT: Asia, Bosnian-Herzegovinian Film Festival in New York, WESA, WYEP, Harris Theater, The Colombian Spot, and Einhorn Media Group