BAFF | Rules & Regulations
British Animation Film Festival
Rules for Participation
1. Dates and Venue
Please refer to the individual film festival dates as dictated on FilmFreeway, FilmFestivalLife or CreativeFox. The venue for the 2022 British Animation Film Festival will be in London, United Kingdom.
2. Contact Assurance
You are responsible for updating us directly regarding any change to your contact information and ensuring that emails from communications(at)filmfestivalguild.com are not blocked by spam filters.
3. Categories
Animated Feature Film
Animated Short Film
Animated TV Episode (Under 15 Minutes)
Animated TV Episode (Over 15 Minutes)
Animated Games Trailer
Student Animation
Animated Music Video
Retro Review - Feature Animation
Retro Review - Short Animation
Phone Film
Unproduced Screenplay
*Please note that if we do not receive enough acceptable submissions for each category, we will merge them e.g. Student Animation will be merged into the Animated Short Film or Animated Feature Film category*
4. Awards
Best Animated Feature
Best Animated Short
Best Animation
Best Student Animation
Best Music Video
Best Sound Design
Best Music
The Lotte Reiniger Award
The Rising Star Award
Best Screenplay
Best Screenplay Runner Up x 4
5. Film Competition
Film entries are open for both UK based and international filmmakers. Each title must be submitted separately, this includes individual episodes of a TV series. The festival organisers reserve the right to place entries into alternate categories if they feel it is to the benefit of the title. Film entries will be assessed and successful submissions will enter the festival competition i.e. the “Official Selection” and be programmed for screening. If your film is chosen for the Official Selection we reserve the right to screen your film at a date and time of our choosing. Failure to submit a locked screener copy through FilmFreeway, FilmFestivalLife or CreativeFox 7 days prior to the festival’s Notification Date will rule out eligibility for an award and may lead to the cancellation of your screening even if your film is chosen for the Official Selection.
6. Screenplay Competition
Screenplay entries are open for both UK based and international writers. Each title must be submitted separately. Screenplay entries will be assessed and successful submissions will enter the festival competition i.e. the “Official Selection”. Failure to submit a .pdf of the final draft of your script through FilmFreeway, FilmFestivalLife or CreativeFox 7 days prior to the festival’s Notification Date will rule out eligibility for an award even if your screenplay is chosen for the Official Selection.
7. Subtitles
Any foreign language films must have English subtitles for both the submission screener and exhibition screener. All screenplays must be in English.
8. Completion Date & Premiere Status
Films of any completion date are eligible for submission and we do not require a UK premiere.
9. Formats
We accept films with any aspect ratio. For the film selection process a digital screener must be submitted via FilmFreeway. For our judges' protection, this screener must be hosted with either Vimeo or Youtube. We will not assess films submitted with other private video hosting formats such as Google Drive etc. Successful submissions that are granted a screening MUST submit a Digital Cinema Package (DCP) to be screened at the event.
Screenplays must be submitted as a digital .PDF via FilmFreeway, FilmFestivalLife or CreativeFox with a title page including the name of the Author and the title of the piece. Contact information may be included on this title page if desired, though these details will not affect the outcome of your submission.
10. Notification of Acceptance or Rejection
Notifications are made on the Notification Date listed on FilmFreeway, FilmFestivalLife and CreativeFox, this date is subject to extenuating circumstances and will be updated on the event listing if necessary.
11. Submission Feedback
Due to the volume of entries received we cannot offer individual feedback on all submissions.
12. Entry Fees
Only completed entries with paid submission fees will be processed and considered for the Official Selection. Entry fees are not refundable. Should the 2021 British Animation Film Festival be canceled or postponed due to a natural disaster, epidemic, or for any other reason beyond our control, submission fees cannot be refunded.
13. Entry Returns
DCPs on hard drives supplied with self-addressed and pre-stamped envelopes will be returned via post. Any DCPs remaining with the Film Festival Guild 6 weeks after the event will be destroyed.
14. Shipping Costs
All shipping and postage costs for all DCPs and additional materials sent to and returned from the British Animation Film Festival must be covered by the submitting party. The festival will not accept cash-on-delivery shipments and will not absorb any fees incurred in British customs. All charges must be prepaid.
15. Selection & Awards
This festival is organised by the Film Festival Guild. The festival Directors reserve the right to invite films for the competition and programme. The screening schedule will be announced after the festival’s Notification Date.
Award winning films from the Official Selection will be chosen by a panel of festival judges. Award winners will be notified within 7 days following the event date.
18. Publicity
We reserve the right to use extracts from submissions in the Official Selection for festival publicity and marketing purposes.
16. Screenings
It is the responsibility of the entrant to ensure that films for screening are deposited with the festival organisers at least 7 days before any scheduled screening. Failure to do so may lead to cancellation of your screening. We do not offer screening fees.
17. COVID-19
Due to the unprecedented and ongoing problems presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, we reserve the right to change the festival to a virtual online festival if it is not possible or unsafe to host the event in a physical venue.
---
The festival Administrators' decision is final in all the above matters.