Choreoscope - Barcelona Dance Film Festival (12)

Inicio Festival: 17 octubre 2024      Fin Festival: 31 diciembre 2024

If there is something we all have in common, it is movement. As Akram Khan put it: “Movement is the essential ingredient of how the world continues, or survives.”

When our body’s movement fuses with the cinematographical movement, one of the most original film genres is born: dance film. While words can mislead, the body language does not lie.

Choreoscope is the International Dance Film Festival of Barcelona. A unique event dedicated not only to those passionate about dance, but also to those who enjoy quality cinema. Born in 2013, with three full-house celebrated events, our goal is to promote the strong ties with art in general and with film and dance in particular.

Movies do not know any boundaries. Dance does not either. There is a common language joining them. The universal language of movement. Choreoscope ́s mission is to connect this fascinating language with an audience eager to experience something new, different, something special. Choreoscope Barcelona is the dance film festival of those who go one step further.

- Best International Short Dance Film (includes productions made in Spain)

- Audience award

- Portrait of a Generation Award

- Outstanding Achievement in Dance Film Award

- Honorary Award

- Faux Pas Award

General rules and regulations 2024

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY! Submission of a dance film constitutes acceptance of the Entry Rules & Regulations.

The person submitting the film (the applicant) acknowledges that he or she has obtained consent from any and all owners, creators, writers, producers and/or other authorized representatives of the film.

This consent is required to submit the film to Choreoscope - Barcelona Dance Film Festival.

The 2024 edition of Choreoscope will be held offline (live screenings in cinemas), online (thru the Spanish streaming platform Filmin) and in television (thru the local broadcasting system reaching the Catalan territory).

1. What is Choreoscope
Choreoscope is the International Dance Film Festival of Barcelona.

We define dance films as those cinematographic works, where the movie narrative (and image movement) merges with the body narrative (dance, movement) in order to tell a story. Dance Films have selection priority over Videodance works.
All cinematographic and dance genres are welcome.
Choreoscope belongs to the Mediterranean Screendance Network. You can find more information on the website http://screendancenetwork.com/.

2. Mission
Dance films should be available not only for the more specialised audience, but also to a broader audience, those who prefer non-commercial movies, the experimental movies, those who are eager to experience different types of movie narratives.
The festival wants to demonstrate; that dance films are a captivating and interesting movie genre and that an audience can be created for it.

Barcelona aims to be the Mediterranean capital of dance films and of the cinematographic and body movement.

3. Objectives

3.1. To encourage the development, research, promotion and dissemination of dance, body movement, film (motion and cinematic narrative), non-verbal language and the resulting synergies.

3.2. To revitalize the participation and involvement of an eclectic audience, not just a dance loving one, but also a film loving one, eager to discover new, different cinematographic narrative, approaching culture thru an attractive proposal.

3.3. To embolden young professionals (both audiovisual and dancers) based in Barcelona, but also Catalonia and Spain, to carry out new and innovative projects around the dance film (short dance film contest for film/audiovisual schools in collaboration with dance schools).

3.4. To contribute to the academic research of the body movement and audiovisual (cinematographic) movement (by organizing conferences).

3.5. To establish Barcelona as the capital of dance films and moving pictures of the Mediterranean, placing the city within the panorama of the best specialized festivals worldwide.

3.6. To create "embassies" of Choreoscope throughout Spain, Europe, or on an International level, where dance film can be a minority, or inexistent. This also includes collaborations with other festivals.

4. Dates and screenings
Submissions open January 2024 and close April 2024 (Official Selection Category). The festival can however make certain exceptions to this rule.
The selected films/artists for the official competition will be notified August 2024 latest.

4.1. The Festival will be held October 2024 (date changes may apply).

4.2. Following the main event Choreoscope Barcelona - special screenings can be programmed in order to promote the artist’s work and share it with a wider audience (Choreoscope embassies - read Article 3.6 and Article 11). By submitting a film the artist agrees to these special screenings.

5. Submission form
Submissions must be made thru the festival’s official online submission platform Festhome.

5.1. Entry fee. Film rights fee
Choreoscope does not charge entry fee. This also means, that for the films entered into competition, Choreoscope does not pay film right fees.

6. Eligibility criteria
Only films that meet the following conditions may be selected

- films, where dance and cinema coexist to create a unique language. Before submitting, please make sure, your film is actually a dance film (example: a party scene, where certain characters dance, and this dance has no relevance to the plot - is not a dance film!)

- films, where body and camera movement are fundamental for the plot are also eligible.

- all cinematographic and dance genres are welcome (including figure skating, acrobatics, traditional dance, ballroom etc.)

- short films with a running time preferably under 15 minutes. The festival can however make certain exceptions to this rule. Films up to 30 minutes running time are eligible.

- there is no production year limit

- films previously not premiered in Spain are preferred, but this is not a selection criteria

- films previously premiered in Barcelona will not be considered for official selection

- films that are not openly published online (youtube, vimeo) are preferred, but this is not a selection criteria. If you have a great movie, we want to screen it, even if it is available online

7. Members of the Jury
Choreoscope´s board of directors designate the members of the Jury for the official selection process. The jury members will come from two professional backgrounds: dance and cinema/audiovisuals.

8. Official selection
Once a film has been selected it cannot be withdrawn from the Festival program. All selected films receive the "Choreoscope Official Selection" laurel. Complete documentation for each selected film is to be made available when required.

8.1. Required materials
If selected, following materials need to be provided to the festival:

· film file:
Full HD 
Codec: H264
Format: MP4
Aspect: 16:9 o 4/3 depending on the source
Height: 1080px
AVG Bitrate: 10MBPS or more
Sound: 5.1 AAC 48Hz 320 or stereo. (Only 1 audio layer mixed)
Framerate: 24 or 25fps

Also accepted: Master ProRes HD 422  5.1 and/or 2.0 at 25fps or 24 fps

· subtitles: films with dialogue require Spanish subtitles. We can help you with the translation if needed, but you will have to provide the subtitle file (.srt file)

· film trailer (if available)

· film poster 

· film stills

· synopsis (short)

· title

· year, production country, duration

· director

· choreographer ( please specify if not available on Festhome)

· social media ( please specify if not available on Festhome): Tw, Fb, Ig

8.2. Choreoscope Online
Thanks to an agreement with Filmin, the 2024 edition of Choreoscope will also be celebrated online. Filmin is an on-demand Internet streaming media platform based in Spain. Choreoscope @Filmin might start the same day as the offline festival, but the contents will be available to watch for a determined period of time, which may vary. Within this collaboration, Filmin commits to using products and services of the highest quality and companies of recognized prestige for the masters and digital compression processes, among others, in addition to ensuring the use of the safest and most up-to-date security and anti-piracy systems and technology. Filmin will respect the integrity of the films as well as the titles of the original credits, respecting continuity and impeding the introduction of cuts or any alterations in the footage. The films selected can be featured in our festival's online version.

8.3. Choreoscope in Television
The Xarxa de Comunicació Local (laxarxa.cat) is a support platform for local audiovisuals whose objectives are to respond to the needs of the sector and contribute to its revitalization, created in October 2012 by the Barcelona Provincial Council. For 2024 Choreoscope will feature a special program during the festival in the catalan television network so we can reach a broader audience. Some of the selected films might be featured in this special program.

8.4 Choreoscope Online Special in March with Dansa Metropolitana
Due the high number of submitted films and the impossibility to program them all in the Regular Edition of the festival, Choreoscope organizes a special online edition thru Filmin in collaboration with Dansa Metropolitana each March. The submitter will be notified if the film gets selected for this March Special, it is the submitter's decision to accept or decline this opportunity.

8.5. New award category: Faux Pas Award (optional)
Each year during the submission process Choreoscope receives hundreds of films. Some of them however do not respect our rules & regulations, are not even dance films, or they are just not there yet, from a cinematographical, technical, choreographical or dance perspective. However the festival would like to acknowledge the illusion, work, effort and invested time of these artists as well, and, inspired by the "worst film director of all times", Ed Wood, introduces the Faux Pas category for "worst film submitted to the festival". This category is meant as Choreoscope´s version of the Razzie Awards. By no means is the festival’s intention to disrespect the artist, but rather to highlight and screen their work as well, connect it to an audience and create constructive dialogue. By submitting, the artist acknowledges the possibility to participate in this category and the film´s eligibility to win the award.

9. Official competition
- Best International Short Dance Film (includes productions made in Spain)
- Audience award
- Portrait of a Generation Award
- Outstanding Achievement in Dance Film Award
- Honorary Award
- Faux Pas Award (optional)
- Other categories might be added in order to support and recognise the artistic works

9.1 There can be joint awards, or special mentions. Jury can also decide not to give award in a category. Winning films will receive the Official Choreoscope Laurel.

9.2. The jury for the International Short Dance Film category will be formed by dance and cinema professionals. Artists who have taken part in the production or exploitation of a film from the official selection can not be on the Jury.

9.3. Film rights: Choreoscope does not own the rights for the submitted and selected films. However the artist agrees to allow the festival the use of images, frames, or short parts of the film and/or it's soundtrack for promotional purposes in the festival's communication, advertising and marketing campaigns.

10. Attending the festival
Film selection is not based in the artist’s availability to attend the festival. We invite and encourage all artists to attend Choreoscope, Travel and accommodation expenses for the 2024 edition may be covered in determined situations, however it can not be assured for all selected artists.

11. Embassies
Choreoscope is based in Barcelona, however, as stated, our mission is to connect with a broad audience. The festival tries to create "embassies" in order to promote dance films and the artist’s work. Besides the official festival screening, the selected films can be screened in other locations, cities and countries. Artists might not always be notified about these screenings. The artists and its films will always be treated with the maximum respect they deserve.

12. Liability
The President of the "Asociación Choreoscope" has the power to settle all cases not covered by the present rules and regulations.

13. Participation in Choreoscope - International Dance Film Festival Barcelona implies acceptance of all the aforementioned rules, regulations and preselection conditions.

Best of luck!