MTPIFF – Montpellier Independent Film Festival (2)

Festival start: 04 September 2027      Festival end: 05 September 2027

MTPIFF – Montpellier Independent Film Festival returns for its second edition!

The MTPIFF is an international hybrid film festival based in Montpellier, France, dedicated to independent cinema and the discovery of new talent.

Following its first edition, which was organized around monthly selections, the festival is evolving for its second edition with a new structure built around three major selection seasons, inspired by the Three Graces, an iconic symbol of Montpellier and a central element of the official MTPIFF logo.

The Three MTPIFF Seasons

Aglaé Season – The Radiance of Cinema
September → November
Films may be submitted until November 30. Winners will be announced during the first week of December.

Euphrosyne Season – The Emotion of Cinema
December → February
Films may be submitted until the last day of February. Winners will be announced during the first week of March.

Thalie Season – Cinematic Creation
March → May
Films may be submitted until May 31. Winners will be announced during the first week of June.

At the end of the three seasons, the winning films will be pre-selected for the MTPIFF annual final. A final selection will then be made at the end of June to determine the works that will compete during the physical festival final in Montpellier, scheduled for early September 2027.

A second edition that continues to evolve

For this second edition, the MTPIFF is also expanding its program with a new category dedicated to animation, alongside independent fiction films.

New artistic and technical awards will also be introduced to further highlight the different talents involved in the creation of a film.

The annual final will bring together finalist films, filmmakers and film crews, the jury, cinema professionals, partners and the public for screenings, masterclasses, professional meetings, discussions and the official MTPIFF Awards ceremony.

Through this new structure, the MTPIFF aims to provide filmmakers with greater visibility throughout the year, while strengthening exchanges between creators, industry professionals and audiences.

The festival continues its mission: to discover, promote and celebrate regional, national and international independent cinema, while contributing to the cultural profile and international visibility of Montpellier

THREE SEASONS AWARDS

At the end of each season — Aglaé, Euphrosyne and Thalie — selected films are rewarded in various regional, national and international categories.

-REGIONAL AWARDS – Montpellier / Occitanie

Best Very Short Film
Best Short Film
Best Feature Film
Best Animated Short Film
Best Animated Feature Film

-NATIONAL AWARDS – France

Best Very Short Film
Best Short Film
Best Feature Film
Best Animated Short Film
Best Animated Feature Film

-INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

Best Very Short Film
Best Short Film
Best Feature Film
Best Animated Short Film
Best Animated Feature Film

-STUDENT FILM AWARDS

Best Student Very Short Film
Best Student Short Film

-ARTISTIC AWARDS

Best Director
Best Screenplay
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress

-TECHNICAL & CREATIVE AWARDS

Best Cinematography
Best Sound
Best Original Music
Best Costume Design
Best Makeup

-GRAND FINAL – MTPIFF AWARDS 2027

At the end of the three seasons, all seasonal winning films are automatically pre-selected for the annual grand final.

At the end of June, a final selection will be made to determine the films that will compete during the MTPIFF physical final in Montpellier, scheduled for early September 2027.

The finalist films will be screened in front of the public, jury members and film industry professionals before the official MTPIFF Awards Ceremony.

The main awards of the grand final will be:

MTPIFF Grand Prize – Very Short Film
MTPIFF Grand Prize – Short Film
MTPIFF Grand Prize – Feature Film
Jury Prize
Young Talent Award – Student Film

Audience Award – subject to the implementation of a public vote

This award may be presented at the end of the final screenings and will recognize the film receiving the most votes from the audience.

The second edition will conclude with the official MTPIFF Awards Ceremony, bringing together filmmakers, film crews, jury members, film industry professionals, partners and the public.

If selected for the final, transportation and accommodation costs remain the responsibility of the participants. However, a promotional code for our partner hotel will be provided to selected filmmakers and film crews, allowing them to benefit from a preferential rate.

FESTIVAL REGULATIONS MTPIFF – Montpellier Independent Film Festival

1. ELIGIBILITY

The MTPIFF – Montpellier Independent Film Festival is an international hybrid festival dedicated to independent cinema.

Films completed from 2024 onward are eligible, provided that they were not submitted to and/or selected for the first edition of the MTPIFF.

Duration categories:

Very Short Films: under 5 minutes;
Short Films: from 5 to under 30 minutes;
Feature Films: over 40 minutes.

Accepted genres:

Fiction, all genres;
Animation, starting from this second edition.

Documentaries and experimental films are not accepted.

Films may be made in any country and may compete in the geographical categories corresponding to the conditions defined in Article 2.

Films must be available with French and/or English subtitles.

To be eligible for a potential theatrical screening in Montpellier, non-French-language films must have French subtitles.

Films selected for the official final screenings must be provided in DCP (Digital Cinema Package) format. No other format can be guaranteed for theatrical screening.

2. GEOGRAPHICAL CATEGORIES

REGIONAL CATEGORY – Montpellier / Occitanie

To be eligible for the regional category, the film must meet the following criteria:

the film must have been shot in Occitanie;
the film must have been produced and made in Occitanie.

NATIONAL CATEGORY – France

The national category includes mainland France, Corsica and the French overseas territories.

To be eligible:

the film must have been shot in France;
the film must have been produced and made in France.

INTERNATIONAL CATEGORY

There are no geographical restrictions.

Films from all other countries are welcome.

3. THE THREE MTPIFF SEASONS

Starting with its second edition, the MTPIFF is moving away from its monthly selection system in favor of three major selection seasons, inspired by the statue of the Three Graces on Place de la Comédie in Montpellier, which is also featured in the MTPIFF logo.

AGLAÉ SEASON – THE RADIANCE OF CINEMA
September → November

Submissions for this season are accepted until November 30.

Results will be announced during the first week of December.

EUPHROSYNE SEASON – THE EMOTION OF CINEMA
December → February

Submissions for this season are accepted until the last day of February.

Results will be announced during the first week of March.

THALIE SEASON – CINEMATIC CREATION
March → May

Submissions for this season are accepted until May 31.

Results will be announced during the first week of June.

At the end of each season, winning films are automatically pre-selected for the annual MTPIFF final.

A final selection is made at the end of June to determine the films that will compete during the physical final in Montpellier, scheduled for early September 2027 (instead of July).

4. CATEGORIES AND AWARDS

-REGIONAL AWARDS – Montpellier / Occitanie

Best Very Short Film
Best Short Film
Best Feature Film
Best Animated Short Film
Best Animated Feature Film

-NATIONAL AWARDS – France

Best Very Short Film
Best Short Film
Best Feature Film
Best Animated Short Film
Best Animated Feature Film

-INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

Best Very Short Film
Best Short Film
Best Feature Film
Best Animated Short Film
Best Animated Feature Film

-STUDENT FILM AWARDS

Best Student Very Short Film
Best Student Short Film

-ARTISTIC AWARDS

Best Director
Best Screenplay
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress

-TECHNICAL & CREATIVE AWARDS

Best Cinematography
Best Sound
Best Original Music
Best Costume Design
Best Makeup

The categories and awards presented may be adjusted by the festival organization depending on the programming and the number of eligible films.

5. SUBMISSION

Submissions are made exclusively through Festhome.

Only final versions of films are accepted.

A private or unlisted viewing link is required when requested during the submission process, particularly via Vimeo or YouTube on Festhome.

The submission date determines the season in which the film will be reviewed.

Submissions must be made no later than the final day of the closing month of the relevant season.

Any film submitted after the final day of the current season will automatically be carried over to the following season, provided that it meets the festival's eligibility requirements.

Example: a film submitted on November 30 will compete in the Aglaé Season. A film submitted on December 1 will automatically be considered for the Euphrosyne Season.

6. SCREENINGS

Online screenings are organized on the secure Festhome platform, with access restricted exclusively to the jury/selection committee according to the procedures defined by the festival organization.

Films selected for physical screenings during the final must be provided in a format compatible with the technical requirements of the screening venue, including DCP.

Only films selected for the final selection (competition and out-of-competition) may be scheduled for physical screenings.

7. RIGHTS

The applicant must hold all rights and authorizations necessary for the submission and screening of the film.

By submitting their film to the MTPIFF, the applicant authorizes the organization to use the film as part of the festival's non-commercial activities, including screenings, selection, communication and promotion of the festival.

Participation in the MTPIFF implies authorization for the film to be screened free of charge as part of the festival's non-commercial activities.

No screening fee, rental fee or other compensation may be claimed after submission or official selection of the film, unless otherwise agreed in writing with the festival organization.

The applicant also authorizes the festival to use promotional materials provided during registration (poster, trailer, photographs, synopsis, excerpts and information relating to the film) for MTPIFF communication and promotional purposes.

8. SUBMISSION FEES

Submission fees are those indicated on the Festhome platform at the time of submission.

Any promotional rates, discounts or submission codes are determined by the festival organization and may be modified or withdrawn at any time.

9. AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Award-winning films and talents may receive:

official MTPIFF laurels;
digital certificates;
promotion on the official festival website;
promotion on the official MTPIFF social media platforms;
visibility through the festival's official communications;
a trophy during the awards ceremony (final).

The terms and any prizes associated with the awards may vary depending on the categories and partnerships established for each edition, only for the final.

10. SUBMISSION FEES – NON-REFUNDABLE

Submission fees are non-refundable, regardless of the selection result.

Submitting a film implies full acceptance of these festival regulations.

No refund may be requested in the event of non-selection, withdrawal of the film or a change in the applicant's availability.

11. ANNUAL FINAL

The winning films from the three seasons are pre-selected for the annual final.

At the end of June, a final selection is made to determine the works that will compete for the MTPIFF Awards during the physical final in Montpellier.

The main awards of the final are:

-MTPIFF Grand Prize – Very Short Film
-MTPIFF Grand Prize – Short Film
-MTPIFF Grand Prize – Feature Film
-Jury Prize
-Young Talent Award – Student Film

Audience Award – subject to the implementation of a public vote

The Audience Award may be presented following the final screenings, according to the voting procedures determined by the organization.

The final may also include out-of-competition screenings, masterclasses, professional meetings, a screenplay competition, Q&A sessions and networking events.

12. SUBMISSION COMMITMENT AND IRREVOCABILITY

Any submission to the MTPIFF – Montpellier Independent Film Festival implies full and unconditional acceptance of these festival regulations.

All submissions are final.

Once a film has been officially selected, the selection is considered final and cannot be cancelled at the applicant's request, except with exceptional written authorization from the festival organization.

Submission fees are strictly non-refundable under any circumstances, including requests to withdraw after official selection.

The festival reserves the right to retain any previously published communication relating to an official selection.

It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure, before submitting, that participation in the MTPIFF is compatible with their current or future contractual obligations (distributor, sales agent, broadcaster, exclusivity agreement, premiere requirements, etc.).

The festival cannot be held responsible for any contractual conflict arising after submission of the application or official selection.

Any condition relating to a premiere (world, international, national or regional) must be clearly indicated at the time of submission.

Otherwise, the film will be considered free of any premiere restrictions.

A selection at the MTPIFF, when it does not involve a public screening, shall not be considered a commercial release or public exhibition.

13. SCREENPLAY COMPETITION

As part of its second edition, the MTPIFF is organizing a National Screenplay Competition for Fiction Short Films, aimed at supporting screenwriting and the emergence of new film projects.

The competition will open during the third season – Thalie Season, according to the dates and procedures that will be communicated by the festival organization.

The competition is exclusively open to French fiction short film screenplays.

Following the call for submissions, 5 projects will be selected by a reading committee composed of film professionals.

The authors of the five selected projects will be invited to present and pitch their screenplay in person in Montpellier, during a dedicated session held as part of the MTPIFF final, in front of the public and the jury.

Following the presentations, one winning project will be selected.

The detailed terms of the competition, including submission dates, eligibility requirements, required materials, selection procedures, pitch duration, as well as any potential awards or development support for the winning project, will be specified in the official call for submissions.

Participation in the competition implies acceptance of its specific rules, which may supplement these festival regulations.

14. ACCEPTANCE OF THE REGULATIONS

Submitting a film to the MTPIFF implies that the applicant acknowledges their right to enter the work and accepts these festival regulations without reservation.

The MTPIFF organization reserves the right to interpret these regulations, make decisions necessary for the proper running of the festival and adapt certain organizational or technical elements when circumstances require.

In the event of a significant change to the festival's operation, the organization may inform participants through the official MTPIFF communication channels.