Entry Regulations

27th Annual Chicago International Children’s Film Festival
October 22 – October 31, 2010

1.  ORGANIZATION  The Chicago International Children’s Film Festival is an annual, competitive film festival presented by Facets Multi-Media, Inc., a non-profit media arts organization dedicated to programming and distributing international film, video, and theatre. The Chicago International Children’s Film Festival is the largest festival of films for children in North America and the only children’s film event recognized as an Academy-qualifying festival. 

2.  MISSION  It is the mission of the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival to set an internationally recognized standard of excellence in film, video, and television production for children. It is further our mission to support the work of talented and dedicated filmmakers by awarding prizes, by showcasing international films of the highest quality, and by providing a professional forum through which quality children’s films may gain increased distribution and access to wider audiences. The Festival is also committed to engaging young viewers with positive media images and to using media as a tool to stimulate critical thinking.

3.  NOTIFICATION OF FESTIVAL STATUS  The Festival will inform all entrants no later than end of August 2010, whether their submissions have been accepted. At that time, the primary contact person for each accepted film or video will receive the 2010 Shipment Information Worksheet to be completed and returned.  Preview copies and support materials of all entries, accepted or rejected, cannot be returned.

4.  ENTRY  Submit an entry by sending the following materials to the Festival, to arrive by May 1 or May 31, 2010:

• Signed and completed 2010 Entry Form (one entry form per film, video, or episode)
• A full-length preview DVD (formatted for multi-zone or Zone 1 (North America) of the entry, clearly labeled with title of production. Each submission must contain only one production; putting multiple entries on a single DVD will cause delays and may result in your film being rejected.
• Entry fee in USD. U.S.-affiliated bank checks and international money orders should be made out to Facets Multi-Media and the title of the film/video(s) should be written on the check. To charge an entry fee to Visa, Master Card, American Express, or Discover, please include the card number, expiration date, and signature. See Entry Form for details.
• Two high-quality images from the production.  For marketing purposes, images MUST be at least 300 dpi.  These may be e-mailed to as .jpgs or .tifs or sent by regular mail.
• Director photo.  This may be e-mailed to as .jpgs or .tifs or sent by regular mail.
• Production information, including cast and credits.
• Director’s filmography, including years of production.
• Brief biographies of producers, director, and principle actors.
• Posters, press book, or other promotional materials if available.
• A statement of filmmaking philosophy from the director for inclusion in the program book.  This statement should address the reasons for which the filmmaker has chosen to make films for children, the impact the director feels film has on children’s lives, and why he or she chose to address the topics presented in the film.

5.  ENTRY FEE  The entry fee will be waived for submissions produced by children aged 6 to 14.  For all others, the entry fee is as follows:

For early entries received by May 1, 2010, the standard entry fees apply:

• Short film or video (under 60 minutes): $40.00 USD
• Feature-length film or video (60 minutes or longer): $80.00 USD

For late entries received after May 1 but before May 31, 2010, the late entry fees apply:

• Short film or video (under 60 minutes): $60.00 USD
• Feature-length film or video (60 minutes or longer): $100.00 USD

Methods of payment include: US-affiliated bank check, credit card (MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express), or international money order. All checks should be made out to Facets Multi-Media and should include the title of the production(s) being entered. If paying by credit card, please note that the entry fee will appear as a “FMI-Facets Multi-Media, Inc.” charge on your credit card bill. Please note that the entry fee is non-refundable. 

6.  ELIGIBLE FILMS

• The Festival accepts both live-action and animated submissions, on film and on DVD or Blu-ray.
• Productions must have a copyright date of 2008, 2009, or 2010 to be eligible.
• All entries submitted must be suitable for children ages 14 and under.
• Premieres are given priority.
• All films whose original language is not English must be subtitled or dubbed in English. Dialogue lists or scripts are not acceptable as a substitution for this rule.
• Screening fees will NOT be paid by CICFF for print usage.

Definition of programming categories: (Refer to this when filling out the “production information” portion of the 2010 entry form.)

FEATURES AND SHORTS: Productions of 60 minutes or longer are considered features.  Productions of less than 60 minutes are considered shorts.

LIVE-ACTION AND ANIMATED PRODUCTIONS:  In the event that a production includes both live-action cinematography and animation, please identify (on the entry form) the category in which it should compete.

TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS:  A submission is considered a television production if its intended distribution is television broadcast or direct-to-video release rather than a theatrical release.  The Festival reserves the right to place feature-length television productions in the feature film/video awards category. Multiple episodes of a television series must be submitted separately. 

Do not submit episodes and productions that have aired or will have aired on national network or cable television in the United States by the time of the festival.

DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTIONS:  If the CICFF receives a substantial number of documentary entries, there may be a separate competition category for documentaries.  Otherwise, a documentary submission will compete in the category selected on the Entry Form.  A production is considered a documentary if it takes as its subject actual people, places, and events and presents them in a non-fictional context.

CHILD-PRODUCED PRODUCTIONS:  Films that have been produced by children aged 6 to 14 are considered to be “child-produced.”  An adult supervisor is allowed; however, the entire film/video must be conceived and produced by children with minimal adult input. Child-produced films must match the Festival criteria outlined in item 9 below. There is no entry fee for child-produced films or videos.  No more than three films or videos may be submitted free of charge by a single child, team of children or producing organization.

POETRY BASED PRODUCTIONS: (See below)

7.  FILMS ELIGIBLE FOR THE POETRY FOUNDATION PRIZE ($10,000)  Excellence in the arts of poetry and film will be honored through the presentation of a cash prize for the best film based on a poem.  The Poetry Foundation Prize will be awarded to a filmmaker whose use of verse in film opens new artistic vistas and inspires children to a lifelong engagement with and appreciation for poetry.  In order to compete for the Poetry Foundation prize, any film submitted must be based on a poem that is written by a poet other than the filmmaker.  This unique competition was created to encourage filmmakers around the world to incorporate poetry into their productions in artistically compelling ways. In successful submissions, the artistry of the filmmaking process will be in service to the poem.  Both animated and live action films are eligible to compete for the Poetry Foundation prize with a special jury to determine the winner. The prize will be awarded to the film that truly captures, reflects and expresses the spirit of poetry in film for young audiences.

Additional required materials for eligibility:

• A copy of the poem(s), in English, on which film is based.
• Author and date of publication of poem. If the poem has been translated, the CICFF needs to know the name of the author and the date of the translation.
• Confirmation that the filmmaker has the right to make a film based on the poem.
• A statement of filmmaking philosophy from the director.  This statement should address the reasons for which the filmmaker has chosen to make a film based on poetry, the impact the director feels poetry and film have on children’s lives, and why he or she chose to address the topic presented in the film.

8.  SELECTION COMMITTEE  A selection committee comprised of filmmakers, educators, and children screens entries received by the Festival.  The Selection Committee approves films for Festival participation and for competition. The CICFF’s Adult and Children’s Juries then judge competition films.

9.  CRITERIA

Criteria for selection:

• The action of the film should be child-driven and the stories should be culturally authentic, timely, and of       universal appeal.
• Films submitted to CICFF should be made for, rather than about, children.
• Film content should be creative, highly original, and demonstrate artistic and technical mastery.
• Content should speak positively to children of diverse backgrounds and cultures and should provide strong role models for both boys and girls.

Criteria for non-acceptance of films into the festival include:

• Any submission not subtitled or dubbed into the English language. (This is enforced for both submission and Festival screening purposes. Scripts or dialogue lists may not be sent as a substitution for this rule.)
• Films that are purely educational or instructional in nature.
• Films that are intended primarily for an adult audience.

10.  FESTIVAL FORMAT OF FILMS SELECTED

For Festival screening, all films must be 35mm with an optical or Dolby soundtrack; a Blue-ray DVD (All-region or Region A); or an exhibition-quality DVD.  Do not submit a production if you cannot provide the Festival with one of these three formats.  The festival format that you indicate on the entry form must be the format that you provide for screening. However, to allow for multiple screenings the festival may request you to provide an additional format.

11.  SCHOOL SCREENINGS  Post-festival school screenings are an especially valued tradition at the CICFF.  Consistent with festival policy, screening fees will not be paid by CICFF for print usage for these screenings.

12.  PRIZES

Adult Jury Prizes are awarded in these categories:

• Live-action Feature
• Animated Feature
• Live-action Short
• Animated Short
• Documentary
• Live-action Television Production
• Animated Television Production

Children’s Jury Prizes are awarded in these categories:

• Live-action Feature
• Animated Feature
• Live-action Short
• Animated Short
• Live-action Television Production
• Animated Television Production
• Child-produced (directed by children aged 6 to 14)

Special Prizes awarded by the CICFF:

• Poetry Foundation Prize ($10,000)
• Best of the Fest Prize (selected by audience vote)
• The Kenneth and Harle Montgomery Emerging Director Award ($2,500)
• The Kenneth and Harle Montgomery Child-produced Prize ($2,500)
• The Liv Ullmann Peace Prize

13.  JURIES  Awards are determined by several juries, including an Adult Jury and a Children’s Jury. The Adult Jury, comprised of filmmakers, critics, and educators, is separated into the following sub-juries: Animated Shorts & Features, Live-action Features, and Live-action Shorts. Television productions selected for competition will be judged by the Live-action Shorts Adult Jury and the Animated Shorts & Features Adult Jury. The Festival’s 70-member Children’s Jury, led by a team of media educators, meets separately from the Adult Jury and awards its own prizes. The Adult and Children’s Juries meet during the summer preceding the Festival. For special prizes, separate juries determine awards. Prizes may not be awarded in all categories if the juries feel that the entries do not meet the high standards of the Festival.

14.  ACADEMY QUALIFICATION  Films that win first prize from the Adult Jury in the category of Live-action Short or Animated Short may become eligible to enter the Academy Awards® competition.

15.  CORRESPONDENCE  All correspondence to the Festival management, including entry forms and support materials, must be in the English language. We apologize for any inconvenience.

16.  TRANSPORTATION OF FILMS SELECTED  The Festival formats of films selected for festival inclusion must arrive at the Festival offices no later than September 10, 2010. Films are to be sent to the following address: The Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, Facets Multi-Media, 1517 W. Fullerton Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60614 USA. All transportation costs of Festival formats to Chicago must be borne by the participant, including charges for customs clearance.

The Festival will pay the cost of shipping all films back to the participant, excluding charges for customs clearance. The Festival will not be responsible for expedited or overnight shipping charges to other organizations without two weeks’ notice in advance of the date the film is due at another venue. The primary contact person for each film that is accepted into the Festival’s program will be required to complete and return the Shipment Information Worksheet upon receipt.  This worksheet will provide further details regarding shipping procedures for Festival formats.

17.  DEADLINES

May 1, 2010:  Early deadline for entry form, support materials, and preview copy for Jury Selection.  Early entry discount 20%.

May 31, 2010:  Deadline for entry form, support materials, and preview copy for Jury Selection. The Festival is not obligated to consider any submissions that arrive later than May 31, 2010. 

September 10, 2010:  Festival format due for all films and videos selected for the Festival.

18.  RULINGS  The Festival Committee and Facets Multi-Media, Inc.  Board of Directors reserve the right to rule on cases not covered by these regulations.

19.  PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT  The Participation Agreement contained on the official Festival Entry Form must be signed, or “checked” if using the online version. Please note that signing or checking the participation agreement is legally binding.