Irreverent Film Festival (1)

Festival Start: 14 Januar 2026      Festival Ende: 14 Januar 2026

What Is the Irreverent Film Festival?

Have you made something bold? Awkward? Hysterical? Emotionally scarring in the best possible way? Perfect. You exactly what we’re looking for!

This is the film festival for creators who color outside the lines.

We celebrate the absurd, the offbeat, the unhinged, and the unexpectedly brilliant. We enjoy the unapologetic, cinematic chaos, and filmmakers who bend the rules. So if your film makes people laugh, think, gasp, squirm—or call their therapist—send it in.

Winner laurels, livestream screening, prizes, and… mostly, bragging rights forever!

1. Eligibility

The Irreverent Movie Awards Film Festival is open to all filmmakers worldwide, age 18 or older.

Entrants under 18 must obtain and provide verifiable parental or legal guardian consent.

Films must be the original work of the Entrant or submitted with full legal authorization from all rights holders.

Film submissions in 2025 must be limited to films released to the public for the first time through streaming, physical distribution or other means at some point during the 2024 and 2025 calendar year.

We seek work not specific to opinion but to the festival’s tone of free speech, chance-taking and originality.

2. Code of Ethics

We adhere to the terms of the Short Film Conference Code of Ethics.

https://www.shortfilmconference.com/codeofethics/

In summary (including but not limited to),

We are committed to acting in the best interest of film makers and artists;

We will continue to notify submissions of key dates;

We respect film makers decisions when it comes to screenings as a personal decision and will take no action for films which decline to be screened;

Awards may consist of cash or services, all distributed within four weeks at the end of a festival (whether or not the submission was in attendence);

We screen work in the original version, format and technical requirements submitted (the best available version);

We receive only digital versions (no prints) but agree that any prints received will be covered by insurance;

All physical contributions will be returned at the conclusion of the festival;

All films and directors selected will be treated equally in terms of number, quality and conditions of screenings;

The jury shall consist of no less than 3 members, the majority of which are film professionals or artists and names shall be presented prior to the festival selection dates – along with their industry bios;

An online catalog shall be provided specifying contact info of the rights holders of the films, list of awards and winners notified within one day of the prize ceremony;

There are no out-of-competition film screenings, provided that should this change the festival will comply with all requirements of the Code of Ethics;

The amount and geographical scope of any online screening shall be limited by the festival to a single screening and in geo location to seek to prevent negative impacts on artists, filmmakers and rights-holders;

We may limit the size of the online and any off-line audience in order to best protect the artists, filmmakers and rights-holders and these decisions will be communicated to all participating screened films. The online viewing will require passwords or a pay wall to enhance the security of the films;

2. Submission Guidelines
All submissions must be made through the designated online platform or submission portal by the posted deadline.

Submissions must include a working screening copy, basic information (title, runtime, synopsis, contact details), and any required documentation.

Non-English language films must include English subtitles.

Submission fees (if applicable) are non-refundable.

3. Ownership and Intellectual Property
The Entrant affirms that they possess all necessary rights and permissions, including:

Full copyright to all visual, written, and audio content;

Synchronization and master use licenses for any third-party music;

Releases from all identifiable individuals, performers, or contributors featured in the Work.

The Entrant agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the IMA Film Festival, its organizers, partners, affiliates, and volunteers from any and all claims, liabilities, damages, costs, and legal fees arising from:

Copyright infringement
Defamation
Violation of publicity or privacy rights
Any other legal claim resulting from the submission or exhibition of the Work

4. License and Use of Submissions
By submitting a Work, you authorize us to:

Publicly screen the Work during the festival (in-person and/or virtual formats) in accordance with the above terms and conditions; and
Use film stills or ultra-short clips (up to 60 seconds), or specifically provided content by the rights-holder, for promotional purposes to celebrate your participation in the festival and awards as part of the festival.

We do not have any rights to distribute your work except as a part of this festival as indicated above.

5. Selection and Awards
All submissions are reviewed by the festival’s selection committee.

Selected films will receive official laurels, public recognition, and a right to be included in the Irreverent Movie Awards screening.

Categories and awards are subject to change and are determined at the festival’s discretion – all to be determined and distributed to the contributors in advance of the festival date.

Selection does not guarantee exhibition, award, or prize. All decisions are final.

6. Content Guidelines
We celebrate artistic freedom but do draw a line:

The mission of the IMA Film Festival is to inspire discussion, find humor which, while offensive, is otherwise harmless, promote thought and celebrate freedoms, and therefore works may stray into categories which relate to hate, racism, sexism, homophobia, real-world violence, and illegal activities, works may not be themselves illegal (e.g., improper depicting of minors), promoting real-world violence or other categories which cross from speech into illegal or other dangerous activities.

No non-consensual imagery or content that exploits minors or vulnerable groups.

Parody, satire, absurdity, and “what-did-I-just-watch?” content are welcome—malicious, illegal and non-consensual harm is not.

The festival reserves the right to reject or disqualify any submission that violates these terms or is otherwise deemed inappropriate for the festival’s audience.

7. Privacy and Data Usage
We value your privacy. Here’s how we use and protect your data:

Data Collected:
When you submit your Work, we collect your name, email, film title, synopsis, and any additional materials you provide (e.g., headshots, bios, stills).

Our submission platforms may also collect IP address, browser data, and technical submission metadata for security purposes.

How We Use It:
To communicate with you regarding your submission status, selection, and screening logistics;

To display your work and associated credits on the festival website, social media, or promotional materials if selected;

To generate non-commercial festival records and archives;

To notify you of future calls for entry or festival updates (you may opt out anytime).

Data Security:
Your data is stored securely through our submission platform and internal systems;

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties;

We will never share your full film publicly without your explicit permission, outside of approved screenings.

You may request to review or delete your data at any time by contacting us at info@imafilmfest.com.

8. Liability
We are not responsible for any loss or damage to submitted materials.

Entrants are responsible for ensuring all digital files are virus-free, accessible, and correctly formatted.

The Entrant releases the festival from any liability for lost revenues, costs, or reputational harm resulting from submission, screening, or rejection.

9. Jurisdiction
These terms are governed by the laws of the State of California.

Any disputes arising out of or relating to these Terms and Conditions, the festival, or its administration shall be resolved in the courts located in Los Angeles County, California.

10. Final Agreement
By submitting a Work to the Irreverent Movie Awards Film Festival, the Entrant acknowledges they have read, understood, and agree to all terms outlined above.