Black Star International film festival (5)

Festival start: 18 August 2021      Festival end: 22 August 2021

BSIFF is a not-for-profit festival that seeks to create global connections through film and to help bridge the gap between African cinema and the world.

Focused on the business of film and industry advocacy, the festival is committed to giving you the best development experience and networking opportunities. BSIFF provides the occasion to meet with fellow filmmakers, talents, and distributors, and attend daily workshops and panels designed to broaden your understanding of all aspects of the film industry.

BSIFF’s home is Accra, the capital of Ghana. BSIFF offers cultural experiences to all our festival participants to showcase the wonders of Ghana.

Accra your August!

Award Categories for BSIFF include:

- Best Documentary film: A nonfiction film about real events and people, often avoiding traditional narrative structures. Documentary [is] the creative treatment of actuality.

- Best Feature film: Should be a minimum of 60 min.

- Best Short Film: The film should be less than 60 min.

- Best Student Film: This category is set to award student filmmakers thus, the film must be made entirely by students and without financial or technical support from broadcasters. Evidence of a student card and an email confirmation from the Head of the department is a must.

- Best Women in Film: Film must have a predominantly female crew. Any three of the Producer, directors, cinematographers, and/or Writers must be women.

- Best Animation: An animated film from any part of the world.

- Africa Rising: Film that connects to the special story of Africa and stories that highlight special issues peculiar to the continent of Africa.

- The ‘Odehye3’: To award the next generation of Ghanaian filmmakers. Films must have a predominantly Ghanaian crew. Any three of the Producer, directors, cinematographers, and/or Writers must be Ghanaian.

- Best Music Video (New): To award music videos worldwide, that have strong story-telling, conceptualization, and film production. We accept music video submissions from all over the world. Music Videos must be under 10 minutes and from any year regardless of budget, popularity, or language.

In 2017 we offered the YaaAsantewa-UNDP awards valued at $3000 each given to 6 winning filmmakers. In 2020, we offered the YaaAsantewa-GOETHE award valued at $1500 to winners of the Odehye3 award.

BSIFF conducts a dual-prong selection process. Kindly note that should your film enter the second selection phase, you may be requested to send in a hard-copy. This does not indicate the final selection of your film. The process enables a smooth viewing of your film to ensure the best of chances for your film. Your refusal to send in a hard copy may not affect the chances of your film entering the final selection phase.

To submit your film, kindly send us a URL link - and one DVD copy (optional). The Festival requires that all films in addition to sending a hard-copy, be submitted via a password-protected streaming URL link. Links must remain active and accessible through September 2021. A downloadable version of the film must be available on the same streaming link (this is important in the event that there is difficulty in streaming your film).

Please prepare this link in advance of beginning your online film entry form. (If you are unable or unwilling to submit your film by URL link, contact the Festival programming team to discuss an alternate method of entry). You may send an email to bsiffsubmissions@gmail.com

All films must have been completed after January 1, 2018. If your film is selected, you will be required to send in an MP4 copy.

Note: Submissions may be work-in-progress form; however, films that are not final cuts must be clearly marked Work in Progress (“WIP”) or'Rough Cut' with an indication of what will change or what is missing (e.g., temp sound, Avid output, missing animation, etc.) either indicated in the film cut itself or within the copy display in the streaming link. As long as the streaming link remains the same and password does not change you may update the link with newer cuts as they are available up until the last applicable entry deadline noted above.

In the unlikely event of a password change or link change, you must email the Festival immediately with that change so we may update your records. If the Festival is not notified of the change and the link is found to be inactive or the password to be incorrect the Festival will send an email to the submitter’s address on file to follow up. If a response with the correct information is not received within forty-eight (48) hours, the submission may be deemed ineligible. If you have submitted a WIP or rough cut of your film by DVD, the Festival will work with you to facilitate the submission of any updated version(s) up until the last applicable entry deadline noted above.

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for consideration:

You must fully comply with Entry Rules & Regulations, including all deadlines, film length, entry material, and other requirements.

Non-English language works must have English subtitles at the time submitted. Dialogue lists will not be accepted.

ENTRY FEES

We are happy to announce a subsidized entry fee for this year. Entry fees for projects submitted from now until February 28th is $20 (US dollars). Projects submitted in the month of March will have a submission fee of $25 dollars.

Students and people submitting into the Music Video category (NEW) will pay a submission fee of $10 dollars for early submission and $15 dollars for a late submission.

Ghanaian films can submit their films in the “Odehye3” category at no cost.

Regardless of your method of entry, the Festival MUST receive all entry materials no later than the applicable deadlines referenced. The Festival reserves the right to disqualify any submission, without refund of any kind, if it is not completed in accordance with these Entry Rules and Regulations.

Note: It is your sole responsibility to ensure that your entry is properly submitted

*All physical entry materials received by the Festival WILL NOT be returned and will be DESTROYED or discarded by the Festival. The festival may consider a post back at the filmmaker's cost.

Entry fees for projects submitted from now until February 28th is $25 dollars. Projects submitted in the month of March will pay a submission fee of $30 dollars on Festhome.

Students and people submitting into the Music Video category (new) will pay a submission fee of $10 dollars for early submission and $15 dollars for a late submission.

Ghanaian films can submit their films in the “Odehye3” category at no cost.

Regardless of your method of entry, the Festival MUST receive all entry materials no later than the applicable deadlines referenced. The Festival reserves the right to disqualify any submission, without refund of any kind, if it is not completed in accordance with these Entry Rules and Regulations.

Note: It is your sole responsibility to ensure that your entry is properly submitted

*All physical entry materials received by the Festival WILL NOT be returned and will be DESTROYED or discarded by the Festival. The festival may consider a post back at the filmmaker's cost.*

MULTIPLE ENTRIES

Each film must be individually submitted and accompanied by its own completed online entry form; please do not send links to multiple film entries in your online entry form or compilation DVDs composed of works for separate entries, as any or all of them may be disqualified.

Festival programmers select and invite all films to be presented at BSIFF, with preference given to Premiere Status films. Premiere Status films are those films that have not had the first screening of any kind on TV, in theatres, or any other film festival in Ghana). Invited filmmakers will be notified by email or phone via the information provided on the submitted entry form. Make sure to update the Festival with new contact information. the Festival reserves the right to rescind the invitation at any time without prior notice or obligation to the filmmaker.

If your work is selected, you must fulfill the following requirements by the date(s) designated by the Festival:

By submitting your film, you:
(i) accept responsibility for obtaining any and all clearances necessary to exhibit your film at BSIFF
(ii) warrant that you have the rights necessary to exhibit your film at BSIFF
(iii) indemnify and hold harmless the Black Star
International festival, its parent company, its affiliates, and subsidiaries, and any of their respective directors, officers, employees, and representatives against any claim arising out of the exhibition of your film.

You must deliver to the address(es) designated by the Festival:
(i) one (1) exhibition copy (technical specifications must be confirmed by the Festival in advance of the invited work;
(ii) a second exhibition copy, if your film is in the competition (to accommodate juror screenings);
(iii) additional exhibition copies, if requested by the Festival (to allow for multiple screenings at more than one venue). We recommend you ship all exhibition copies via courier in order to permit the tracking of your film once it leaves your hands.

The required exhibition formats and delivery date deadlines will be confirmed by the Festival after invitations have been extended and confirmed. Please check in with the Festival staff before creating your Festival exhibition copy or copies to ensure the format and technical specifications are correct.

You must provide a properly completed and signed official BSIFF "Film Information Form” including all press and publication assets as specified in the “Materials Checklist” (the “Film Information Form” and “Materials Checklist” will be provided by the Festival).

You must provide at least one (1) DVD copy or downloadable link of the final, completed film for Festival archives and internal purposes.

Films invited to participate in the BSIFF will be shown in the section determined most appropriate by Festival programmers, at their sole discretion.

AWARDS

Unless otherwise agreed by the Festival in writing, awards will be given to the winning film director (as identified in the Film Information Form) on behalf of the film (except for Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Editing) and will be fulfilled approximately 12-30 weeks after the closing date of the BSIFF.

Award eligibility is subject to any restrictions or conditions imposed by applicable laws and regulations (international, federal, state, or otherwise), and the award recipient is responsible for all applicable taxes, customs, tariffs, insurance, and similar charges or costs (if any).

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
A number of our partners include TV stations, distributors, and platforms. Please indicate if you would like for your film to be considered for any of the above opportunities and also indicate the rights available

All Press kits, links, and MP4s (when required) must be sent to:
www.bsiffsubmissions.com
All DVDs (when required) must be sent to:
The BSIFF submissions team
CT9488, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana
WhatsApp or call +233 506481853 for further inquiries