10th edtion CIFF – 10-14 April 2024

Film Submission Rules & Regulations 9th Curaçao International Film Festival Rotterdam

1. General

1.1 Objectives

Curaçao International Film Festival Rotterdam (CIFFR) aims to offer a quality selection of worldwide independent and innovative cinema and visual arts. Devoted to offering a platform to and supporting independent filmmaking from around the globe, Curaçao International Film Festival Rotterdam is the essential hub for discovering film talent and catching the highlights of the film festival circuit.

1.2 Dates

The 9th Curaçao International Film Festival Rotterdam, organized by Fundashon Bon Intenshon in cooperation with International Film Festival Rotterdam, will be held from 21 April to 26 April 2020. 

1.3 Eligibility

Submission to the Festival is open to feature films, creative documentaries, and short films that are made by filmmakers from the Caribbean and produced in the Caribbean region.

Films that have already been shown publicly on Curaçao are not admitted. Films previously submitted to the Festival and not selected will not be reconsidered for the 2020 Festival.

1.4 Entry fee

No entry fee is applicable.

1.5 Programs

The 2020 Curacao International Film Festival Rotterdam will include, but will not be limited to, the following program sections: Main Program, Music Calls, Classics, and Caribbean Highlights. Selected films will be placed in the appropriate section by the Festival Program Committee.

1.6 Participation

Participation in the 2020 Curaçao International Film Festival Rotterdam implies acceptance of the Rules and Regulations by filmmakers, producers, and their agents.

2. Competitions

2.1 Competition sections

As part of the official program the Festival includes the Yellow Robin Award Competition for feature length films and narrative documentary films to promote talented new filmmakers from the Caribbean basin and Latin America. For this competition the selection of competing films is made by the Festival Program Committee.

2.2 Yellow Robin Award Competition

Eligible for the Yellow Robin Award Competition are first, second or third time directors of a feature length film or narrative documentary, 60 minutes or longer, and made after 1 July 2019. The film may not have been screened publicly on Curacao or in the Netherlands.

A maximum of five (5) films will be selected to be nominated for the award. During the festival an international jury will select one (1) winner of the Yellow Robin Award. The prize of USD 10.000 is composed as follows: (1) USD 2.500 in cash, (2) USD 7.500 worth of training/education in the context of talent development at either BoostNL or Cinemart (participation in the training program must take place within two years after the end of the CIFFR 2020 edition and validity of this prize-component therefore ends on 31 March 2022), and (3) guaranteed screening of the winning film at the next edition of International Film Festival (IFFR) in the Netherlands (Bright Future program) and at Morelia International Film Festival (FICM) in Mexico. The Yellow Robin Award and associated prize is personal and non-transferable and, with the exception of prize-component (1), cannot be exchanged for cash. Yellow Robin General Info

2.3 Caribbean Shorts Competition for Short Films

Participation in the Caribbean Shorts Competition is subject to the specific competition terms. For competition terms and conditions and submission details reference is made to the Caribbean Shorts Competition page.

2.4 Committing to the competition

After accepting the invitation to participate in the Yellow Robin Award Competition, the film cannot be withdrawn. The Festival must be notified about screenings prior to the Curaçao International Film Festival Rotterdam 2020.

2.5 Promotional materials

Participants are urged to make available all requested publicity materials for promotion.

2.6 Mentioning participation

Producers and distributors of participating/winning films are requested to include in future promotional material the mention of participation in/winner Yellow Robin Award Competition of the 9th Curaçao International Film Festival Rotterdam. Logos will be made available via our Press department.

3.1 Entry Form

The film should be entered online through: Film submission form*

3.2 Submission Deadlines

The submission deadline for Caribbean short films (up to 25 min.) and Yellow Robin Award Competition feature length films (60+ min.),  is 4 January 2020. The Festival is not obliged to view late entries.

3.3 Preview Copy

To complete your submission the festival requires a preview copy. Please upload your preview copy to Vimeo and add the link to the online entry form. The Vimeo link should be downloadable and the password should be valid at least until 10 February 2020.

3.4 Additional materials

Additional materials will be requested immediately upon selection (see also regulation 4).

3.5 Selection

Festival programmers select and invite all films presented at the festival. Films selected for Curaçao International Film Festival Rotterdam will be announced on our website two weeks prior to the opening date of the festival. Filmmakers selected to participate will be notified prior to this date.

4. Selected films

4.1 Participants’ obligation Participation in the festival requires the unconditional adherence to its regulations as set out here.

4.2 Catalogue materials

All contact persons of selected films will receive a request for catalogue materials upon confirming participation in the festival.

4.2.1 Required catalogue materials

In order to compile the Festival Catalogue, for each selected film the Festival must receive a duly completed entry form and requested materials: hi-res .MOV file, synopsis of the film, biography and filmography of the director and a full list of artistic and catalogue credits. The requested materials should be sent/submitted as soon as possible upon acceptance of the invitation, but no later than 1 February 2020. The Festival accepts no liability in the event that its publications reproduce inaccuracies in submitted materials.

4.2.2 Credits

In principle the (printed and/or online) catalogue will include the following technical and artistic credits: original title, international title, country(ies) of production, year of production, premiere status, format, length, director, production company, producer, sales company, print source, screenplay, cinematography, editing, production design, sound, music, principal cast.

4.2.3 Catalogue writings

Catalogue writings are entirely at the discretion of the Festival.

4.3 Publicity Materials

The publicity contacts of the films participating in the Festival will receive a request from the Press office to send publicity materials. These materials will be used in Festival publications and for distribution to the press and Festival guests.

4.3.1 Promotion

For promotion of the entire selection and of each selected film, the Festival website is allowed to use any photo or digital film clip (less than 3′ duration).

4.4 Programming

General scheduling and the timetabling of public screenings are entirely at the discretion of the Festival Management.

4.5 Subtitling

Selected films will be screened in their original version. In principle, if not with English dialogues, films must be subtitled in English.

4.6 Formats

Film formats and video systems that can be presented during the Festival are: 35mm and DCP (dci /smpte compliant). Please note: A DCP (Digital Cinema Package) should be delivered on a EXT2/3 formatted CRU dataport Sata drive. If the package is encrypted, a DKDM should be provided. Sending in separate KDM’s is not accepted. Presentation of other formats and video systems or delivery through any other type of disk, formatting or licenses requires the authorization of the Festival.

5. Shipping of Prints and Videos of Selected Films

5.1 Shipping instructions

Detailed print/video/DCP shipment information will follow upon acceptance of the film.

5.1.1 Availability of screening copy

Unless authorized by the Festival, prints/videos must be made available for the whole festival period. A DCP can be returned upon request right after ingesting and testing. In case you send a DCP, take into account that the Festival needs time for testing and ingesting, and must therefore be available. In case an encrypted DCP will be delivered, the DKDM time-window should be valid from 10 April 2020 till 27 April 2020. Prints/videos must arrive on Curaçao before 1 April 2020.

5.1.2 Shipment

The sender is requested to inform the Festival on the means of dispatch, date of shipment and Airway bill number. No collect shipments are accepted unless authorized by the Festival.

5.1.3 Pro forma

An invoice must accompany the print/video stating the name of the sender, the title of the film, format, length, number of reels (if applicable). The Festival will provide an invoice template.

5.2 Print return

All prints will be returned within four weeks after the Festival. DCPs can be returned upon request right after ingesting and testing. It is the responsibility of each participant to inform the Festival in due time on (any change in) the details of the return address as well as the desired date of arrival at the return address. In case there is no confirmation of the address within two weeks after the Festival, the screening copy will be returned to the contact person of the film (as listed on the entry form). The Festival is not liable for any inconvenience this may cause.

5.3 Insurance

The insurance of the copies comes into effect the moment the film has arrived at the Festival office or has been received by the shipping agent at Amsterdam Airport. The insurance remains in effect until the film is reshipped. In case of damage to or loss of a film during the Festival, the Festival is only responsible for the costs involved in making a new print or replacing the damaged reel(s) based on the current laboratory rates for ordering a standard print. 

5.4 Damage claims

Damage to the film print must be reported to the Festival in writing within a month after return and prior to any following screening. Any claims will be judged by the reported state of the print. The insurance does not cover any damage during normal screening use.

6. Conclusion

Entry and participation of films implies unconditional acceptance of the regulations. In unspecified cases, the Festival Management will make a final decision.