GENERAL RULES
The Lancaster International Short Film Festival presents an annual Open-Call Short Film Competition with Cash Prizes. The outcome of the competition will be determined by a Selection Committee composed of faculty, filmmakers, actors, media professionals and other community representatives from Lancaster County (and beyond.)
Prizes are awarded to films based on the personal opinions of the Selection Committee, and not subject to any guarantees. The Home Grown Award is selected by the Executive Board of the festival, and is awarded to a regional filmmaker that shows promise in the field, a film that represents the Central Pennsylvania area in a spectacular or unique way, demonstrates the heart of the geographic area, or shows other qualities that our Board feels fit the category. It is not necessarily awarded to the "best" or "highest quality" local/regional film. To be considered for the Home Grown Award, a filmmaker must "opt-in" by letting us know, once selected, that they would like to be considered for this award and what their, or the film's, connection is to Lancaster.
Basic Submission Info.
The submission/entry may not exceed 30 minutes. You may choose one of 7 categories: Comedy, Drama, Animation, Horror, Music Video, Documentary & Sci-fi. The Selection Committee will consider your Entry from the category’s general perspective. Entries may be in more than one category; however, an entirely new submission is required for each category. Upon notification and discussion with the filmmaker, the festival committee reserves the right to reassign a submission to a different category if the need arises.
Submissions should not exceed a traditional R-rating. The film festival will be presented in clusters of age-appropriate ratings. Thus, the higher the rating (G, PG, R – applied by LISFF) the more restricted the audience may be. The LISFF rating system bears a common sense resemblance to the MPAA system. (Horror entries may approach NC-17.)
The Lancaster International Short Film Festival (LISFF) will include all Official Selections from each category. Awards will be announced at the closing of the Festival on 13 June 2020. Winners who are unable to attend will receive their award via UPS/US Mail shortly thereafter.
Submissions designated as Official Selections for the 2020 Film Festival will receive up to 2 VIP Passes, if they are able to attend.
New This Year >>> All submissions (even if not chosen as an Official Selection) receive 1 VIP Pass.
By default, the awards will be given/delivered to the individual who completed the submission (or Best Actor). In most cases this is the director, writer, and/or producer; however, this should all be clear between all involved; the submitter, the director/producer(s), and Best Actor.
Review of Important Stuff and More Info.
* Complete all sections of the Entry Forms and read/endorse the Release/Agreement. (If you are under 18, you will need your parents to read/endorse as well.)
* For 2020 there are 7 categories: Drama, Comedy, Animation, Horror, Music Video, Documentary & Sci-fi. While a single film could be entered in more than one category, a separate entry form and fee is required for each submission. Also, a film can only win in one category—the one in which it places the highest.
* No member of the Selection Committee or anyone directly affiliated with the 2020 Lancaster International Short Film Festival executive team may enter the competition. Films with close ties to committee members may be screened as a special selection but will not compete for any prizes. Said films will be evaluated on a case by case basis, please contact the festival directly to be considered.
* Submitted materials will not be returned unless otherwise arranged.
* Foreign language submissions MUST have English subtitles.
* Entries may be excerpted or played in full for TV, website, and/or other promotional purposes as connected to the Lancaster International Short Film Festival for 2020 and the future. Please notify (in writing) any press restrictions within your entry package.
* LISFF accepts no responsibility for loss or damage of entries during shipment via snail mail. Please inquire if you have not received a confirmation of receipt within seven (7) days of sending the film.
* LISFF accepts no responsibility for the use of copyrighted or appropriated image/sound in submitted works. The filmmaker(s) accept(s) full responsibility in securing permission and/or properly crediting copyrighted images and sound. If a submission does not demonstrate proper permissions, LISFF will contact the filmmaker and it will need to be fixed promptly or the entry may be disqualified (without refund).
* A category must have more than two entries to win the Best of Category designation. If, following the close of the submission process, there are two or fewer entries in any category, LISFF will contact the filmmakers/directors and discuss options with the possibility of a refund. (This has never happened, thus far, but has been in these rules since the beginning.)
* Filmmakers/directors/entrants must use FilmFreeway's Secure Online Screener. Please make sure you add/upload a few eye-catching stills in your Submission. If this is an impossible inconvenience, please contact us.
>>>VERY IMPORTANT: We will announce the 2020 Official Selections on/around 9 May 2020. If your submission is selected for presentation as an Official Selection in the film festival, a High Definition copy in an acceptable file format will need to be delivered online or via the post within 14 days. (One popular method includes transfer via Vimeo download.) This is crucial. If we do not have a quality copy before the day we send the program guide to the printers, your film may not be presented in the film festival (unless we are reasonably assured by you that it will arrive in time).
* The availability of Entry Fee Waivers will be announced following the Regular Deadline. Terms of the Waivers will be identified if/when they are granted. Apply for an Entry Fee Waiver by contacting the email address provided.
* Entering a film/video indicates acceptance of The Lancaster International Short Film Festival submission General Rules & Terms And Conditions.