SMR13 FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DU CINEMA INDEPENDANT (11)

Festival start: 10 June 2027      Festival end: 13 June 2027

SMR13 International Independent Film Festival

The SMR13 International Independent Film Festival is an international film event dedicated to discovering and promoting independent cinema in all its forms.

Organized by the Association Française du Cinéma Indépendant (AFCI), the festival takes place in Saint-Mitre-les-Remparts, in the South of France, and brings together filmmakers, producers, actors, composers, technicians, and film enthusiasts who share a common goal: defending creative freedom.

Narrative films, documentaries, animated films, music videos, experimental works, and student productions make up a rich and eclectic selection open to all genres, cultures, and artistic sensibilities.

SMR13 celebrates bold, creative, and independent filmmaking, regardless of budget, nationality, or experience. Every selected film benefits from a theatrical screening and a genuine opportunity to engage with audiences and industry professionals.

Beyond the competition itself, the festival is a place for exchange, networking, and discovery, where filmmakers can showcase their work under professional screening conditions and connect with the international independent film community.

Selected films compete for the prestigious "Moulin d'Or" Awards, the festival's emblematic trophies recognizing excellence in directing, screenwriting, acting, cinematography, editing, original score, and overall filmmaking achievement. An Audience Award is also presented by festival attendees.

Over the years, the festival has received the support and encouragement of numerous personalities from the French and international film industry, including John Carpenter, Francis Ford Coppola, Sean S. Cunningham, Patrice Leconte, Olivier Marchal, Gérard Krawczyk, Virginie Lemoine, and many other respected industry professionals.

**Captivating. Inspiring. Audacious.**

Welcome to the SMR13 International Independent Film Festival.

The jury may award several emblematic prizes bearing the effigy of the Saint-Mitre-Les-Remparts mill, the "Moulin d'Or", for each of the short and feature-length film, documentary film, video clip, animation film and student film categories, including:

Best Film
Best Director
Best Screenplay
Best Music
Best Photography
Best Editing
Best Actress
Best Actor
Special Jury Prize

The Audience Prize will be awarded to a single film. It is awarded by spectators attending the festival. Each spectator will receive a single voting slip with his or her admission ticket.

The Best Documentary and Best Animated Film prizes will be awarded to a single film only, between shorts and features.

RULES

Please read these rules carefully before submitting your film.

These rules are also available in PDF format on the festival website.


FESTIVAL ORGANIZATION

Article 1
The purpose of the festival is to promote independent cinema, a form of filmmaking developed outside traditional commercial production models.

Article 2
The Selection Committee, whose members are appointed by the Association Française du Cinéma Indépendant (AFCI), the organizer of the festival, reviews all submitted films during the official submission period.

Each film must be viewed by at least two-thirds (2/3) of the committee members and must obtain a minimum average score of ten (10) to be eligible for the Official Selection.

At the end of the submission period, the committee meets to determine the Official Selection.

The decisions of the Selection Committee are final and cannot be appealed.

Article 3
The Festival Selection Committee may, at its sole discretion, create an Out-of-Competition Selection.

Article 4
All films are treated equally, regardless of their country of origin, the nationality of their creators or crew members, or the ideas and opinions they express.
No form of censorship is applied.

However, films containing racist, xenophobic, homophobic, pornographic, hateful or violent content, or otherwise violating French law, may be disqualified.

Article 5
The festival reserves the right to modify any information relating to its organization, including dates, venues, events, submission fees, awards, eligibility criteria, or these rules, without prior notice.


OFFICIAL COMPETITION

Article 6
All selected films are screened in their entirety on a cinema screen under the best possible technical conditions.

Article 7
To participate in a festival edition, a film submission must be completed and validated during the official submission period established for the corresponding edition.

Article 8
The festival hosts two juries composed of professionals and representatives of independent cinema, including actors, directors, producers, screenwriters, composers, technicians, and other film industry professionals.

The composition of the juries varies from one edition to another. While they are primarily composed of French professionals, members from all over the world may be invited to participate.

The festival may also invite filmmakers and industry professionals from previous editions to serve on the jury.

Article 9
The winners are announced during the festival's awards ceremony.

The decisions of the jury are final and cannot be appealed.

The results are communicated by email and published on the festival website.
Article 10
The jury may award several emblematic prizes bearing the image of the Moulin de Saint-Mitre-les-Remparts, known as the "Moulin d'Or", across the Short Film, Feature Film, Documentary, Music Video, Animation Film, and Student Film categories, including:

Best Film
Best Director
Best Screenplay
Best Original Score
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Best Actress
Best Actor
Special Jury Prize

Article 11
The Audience Award is granted to a single film.

It is awarded by festival attendees. Each spectator receives one voting ballot with their admission ticket.

Article 12
The Best Documentary Award and the Best Animated Film Award are each granted to a single work, whether a short film or a feature film.


SUBMISSION PROCEDURE

Article 13
The festival does not impose any specific theme.

All film genres are accepted.
There are no age restrictions or professional status requirements for cast or crew members.

All countries are eligible.

There are no production date limitations or premiere requirements.

Article 14
The following categories are defined as:

Short Films: films with a running time of up to 30 minutes;

Feature Films: films with a running time of 80 minutes or more;

Music Videos: works with a running time of up to 4 minutes.

Article 15
All non-French-language films must include French subtitles.

Any film without French subtitles may be disqualified.

Article 16
Submissions must be made exclusively through the festival's partner platform, Festhome.

Article 17
If selected, participants must provide a downloadable screening copy of their film meeting the following specifications:

Apple ProRes 422 preferred;
Alternatively, MP4 or MOV format using the H.264 codec;
Minimum resolution: 1920 × 1080 pixels.
A DCP file may be requested depending on the screening venue and technical requirements.

Failure to provide the requested file within the specified timeframe may result in disqualification.

Article 18
A submission is considered valid only after payment of the applicable submission fee has been received.

Article 19
Submission fees are non-refundable, including in cases of withdrawal, disqualification, or non-selection.

Article 20
By submitting a film through the festival's partner platforms, the participant agrees to maintain their submission and acknowledges having read and accepted these rules in full.

Any withdrawal after the announcement of the Official Selection must be justified and may result in exclusion from future editions of the festival.

RIGHTS AND USE OF WORKS

Article 21
The submitted film must be an original work.
The participant declares that they own or have obtained all rights necessary for the use and exhibition of the work.

The participant assumes full responsibility for any infringement of intellectual property rights, copyright, image rights, or any applicable French or international laws.

Article 22
The participant grants the Association Française du Cinéma Indépendant (AFCI) a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to screen the film as part of the festival.

The participant also authorizes the use of excerpts, trailers, posters, photographs, synopses, titles, and related information about the film exclusively for festival promotion purposes, including through:
Partner platforms, including Festhome;
The festival website;
Social media channels;
Printed and digital communication materials;

Advertising and promotional campaigns related to the festival.

This authorization is strictly limited to the communication, promotion, and organization of the festival and does not constitute a transfer of intellectual property rights.


LIABILITY

Article 23
The festival organization shall not be held liable for any technical failure, service interruption, data loss, screening incident, cancellation, postponement, or force majeure event that may affect the proper conduct of the festival.

Article 24
Participation in the festival implies full acceptance of these rules.

Any situation not covered by these rules shall be resolved solely at the discretion of the festival organization.