DMZ International Documentary Film Festival ()

Festival Start: 09 September 2021      Festival Ende: 17 September 2021

DMZ International Documentary Film Festival (DMZ Docs) aims to promote ‘peace, life and communication,’ the values represented by the site of DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) in Korean Peninsula, through arts in documentary form. As one of the leading international documentary film festivals in Asia, DMZ Docs introduces a wide range of documentaries from Korea and abroad and provides a platform for the filmmakers and industry professionals to meet and find better opportunities.

DMZ Docs presents competitions including International/Asian/Korean/Short Competition as well as curated non-competition programs including Global Vision, Korean Docs Showcase, DMZ Vision, DMZ Open Cinema, Youth Docs Showcase, and special programs. DMZ Docs accepts submissions for both foreign documentaries and Korean documentaries, and the final selection is decided by the preliminary selection jury and the DMZ Docs.

International Competition
- Eligibility: Feature documentary films (over 60 mins) from all around the world including Korea and Asia. Should have its Korean Premiere at the 13th DMZ Docs.
- Awards: White Goose Award with a cash prize of KRW 20,000,000 and the Special Jury Award with a cash prize of KRW 10,000,000.

Asian Competition
- Eligibility: Feature documentary films (over 60 mins) made by Asian filmmaker(s) or produced by Asian(s). Should have its Korean Premiere at the 13th DMZ Docs.
- Awards: Asian Perspective Award with a cash prize of KRW 15,000,000.

Korean Competition
- Eligibility: Feature documentary films (over 60 mins) made by Korean filmmaker(s) or produced by Korean(s). Should have its Korean Premiere at the 13th DMZ Docs.
- Awards: Best Korean Documentary Award with a cash prize of KRW 15,000,000.

Shorts Competition
- Eligibility: Short documentary films (under 60 mins) made by Korean/Asian filmmaker(s) or produced by Korean/Asian(s). Should have its Korean Premiere at the 13th DMZ Docs.
- Awards: Best Short Documentary Award with a cash prize of KRW 10,000,000 and the Special Jury Award with a cash prize of KRW 7,000,000.

Special Awards
① Asia Development Foundation Award
- Korean feature documentaries (competition and non-competition) are eligible for this award for an excellent documentary about Korean values and multi-cultural society. A cash prize of KRW 10,000,000.

② Emerging Documentary Filmmaker Award
- Korean feature documentaries (competition and non-competition) are eligible for this award for an excellent first or second feature documentary by an emerging filmmaker. A cash prize of KRW 10,000,000.

③ Brave New Docs Award
- Korean feature documentaries (competition and non-competition) are eligible for this award for an excellent documentary that shows passionate engagements with social justice and critical perspectives on the society. A cash prize of KRW 7,000,000.

④ Beautiful New Docs Award
- Korean feature documentaries (competition and non-competition) are eligible for this award for an excellent documentary that displays aesthetic experiments and achievement on visual languages. A cash prize of KRW 7,000,000.

⑤ Arts Contribution Award
- A Korean artist who participated in Korean feature documentaries (competition and non-competition) are eligible for this award that honors the cinematographic, aesthetic, technical achievements inspiring the fellow filmmakers. A cash prize of KRW 5,000,000.

⑥ Audience Award
- All feature-length competition titles are eligible for this award that goes to the highest rated film by the audience voters. A cash prize of KRW 5,000,000.

Rules and Regulations


1. Organization
The 13th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival (hereafter: DMZ Docs) is presented by the DMZ International Documentary Film Festival Organizing Committee and hosted by the DMZ International Documentary Film Festival Executive Committee.


2. Purposes
DMZ International Documentary Film Festival aims to inform through the documentary films the meaning and value of DMZ: ‘peace,’ ‘life,’ and ‘communication.’ Furthermore, the DMZ Docs as one of the leading and most dynamic documentary film festivals and a key industry hub in Asia aims to showcase the best documentary films and support Korean and Asian filmmakers with funds and supporting programs at various different stages.


3. Festival Dates and Venue
The 13th DMZ Docs will take place from 9th to 17th of September, 2021 in Goyang City and Paju City, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.


4. Sections and Awards
DMZ Docs presents competitions including International/Asian/Korean/Short Competition as well as curated non-competition programs including Global Vision, Korean Docs Showcase, DMZ Vision, DMZ Open Cinema, Youth Docs Showcase, and special programs. DMZ Docs accepts submissions for both foreign documentaries and Korean documentaries, and the final selection is decided by the preliminary selection jury and the DMZ Docs.

International Competition
- Eligibility: Feature documentary films (over 60 mins) from all around the world including Korea and Asia. Should have its Korean Premiere at the 13th DMZ Docs.
- Awards: White Goose Award with a cash prize of KRW 20,000,000 and the Special Jury Award with a cash prize of KRW 10,000,000.

Asian Competition
- Eligibility: Feature documentary films (over 60 mins) made by Asian filmmaker(s) or produced by Asian(s). Should have its Korean Premiere at the 13th DMZ Docs.
- Awards: Asian Perspective Award with a cash prize of KRW 15,000,000.

Korean Competition
- Eligibility: Feature documentary films (over 60 mins) made by Korean filmmaker(s) or produced by Korean(s). Should have its Korean Premiere at the 13th DMZ Docs.
- Awards: Best Korean Documentary Award with a cash prize of KRW 15,000,000.

Shorts Competition
- Eligibility: Short documentary films (under 60 mins) made by Korean/Asian filmmaker(s) or produced by Korean/Asian(s). Should have its Korean Premiere at the 13th DMZ Docs.
- Awards: Best Short Documentary Award with a cash prize of KRW 10,000,000 and the Special Jury Award with a cash prize of KRW 7,000,000.

Special Awards
① Asia Development Foundation Award
- Korean feature documentaries (competition and non-competition) are eligible for this award for an excellent documentary about Korean values and multi-cultural society. A cash prize of KRW 10,000,000.

② Emerging Documentary Filmmaker Award
- Korean feature documentaries (competition and non-competition) are eligible for this award for an excellent first or second feature documentary by an emerging filmmaker. A cash prize of KRW 10,000,000.

③ Brave New Docs Award
- Korean feature documentaries (competition and non-competition) are eligible for this award for an excellent documentary that shows passionate engagements with social justice and critical perspectives on the society. A cash prize of KRW 7,000,000.

④ Beautiful New Docs Award
- Korean feature documentaries (competition and non-competition) are eligible for this award for an excellent documentary that displays aesthetic experiments and achievement on visual languages. A cash prize of KRW 7,000,000.

⑤ Arts Contribution Award
- A Korean artist who participated in Korean feature documentaries (competition and non-competition) are eligible for this award that honors the cinematographic, aesthetic, technical achievements inspiring the fellow filmmakers. A cash prize of KRW 5,000,000.

⑥ Audience Award
- All feature-length competition titles are eligible for this award that goes to the highest rated film by the audience voters. A cash prize of KRW 5,000,000.


5. Entry Requirements
(1) Submission is free of charge.
(2) Deadline for Submission (Postmarked)
- Non-Korean Feature Documentaries: May 17, 2021
- Non-Korean Short Documentaries: June 18, 2021
- Korean Feature and Short Documentaries: June 18, 2021
- Youth Documentaries: June 24, 2021
(3) Eligibility
- Documentaries completed after January 1, 2020, meeting the requirements for each section.
- Documentaries for any competition should have its Korean premiere at the 13th DMZ Docs.
- The final decision on the section to which a selected title belongs is made by DMZ Docs and the selection jury.
(4) Formats
- DMZ Docs accepts the following screening formats: DCP, MOV ProRes 422 HQ, Mpeg4, Blu-ray, HDCAM(HDV).
- DMZ Docs does not afford to have 16mm, 35mm due to our festival theater surroundings.
- All non-English language films must be subtitled in English (burnt-in preferred).
(5) Submission
- Every entry must be made on the official festival website: entry.dmzdocs.com.
- For preview screeners, an online preview link is recommended for the better image quality, but 2 copies of DVD is possible to be sent to the festival office. (Please see below 7 for the festival’s address.)
- Please note that the submission will be considered complete only when both entry form and preview link(or DVD) are received.
- DMZ Docs will not return submitted materials to the entrants including preview DVDs.


6. Selection
(1) Preliminary Selection
- Preliminary selection will be done by Korean professional preliminary jury members and the festival programmers. Selected films for the competition will be informed by the end of July 2021 individually. The 13th DMZ Docs will announce its program list officially to the public in the mid-August.
(2) The following items must be sent to the festival once you receive the official invitation from the program department.
- Completed registration form for the selected film(s).
- Subtitles and dialogue transcription of the film in both the original language(s) and English to facilitate translating and electronic subtitling in the Korean language. The transcription must be identical to the screening copy.
- Preview DVD or downloadable format of the film for subtitling/translation purpose.
- At least 3 high-resolution digital film stills. Minimum requirements: 300 dpi, 2000 pixels wide, 600kb.
- A digital photo of the director(s).
- A trailer and movie clips and other promotional materials: press kit, poster, etc, if applicable.
(3) The festival has the rights in its sole discretion to schedule any number of screenings.
(4) The selected films should not withdraw the submission for the DMZ Docs after the public announcement.
(5) The submitted films can be shown in competition or non-competition section with the agreement of entrants.
(6) Jury members will be appointed by DMZ Docs. Jury members from the various countries will deliberate to discuss and select the winners for each award while audience voting will determine the winner of the Audience Award during the festival.
(7) Every content of the entry form must be free of falsehood. If any content of the entry form is proved to be false, the entry will be excluded from the selection and the screening could be canceled even after selected.


7. Transportation of Screening Copy
(1) DMZ Docs must receive the screening copy of the film NO LATER THAN August 9, 2021.
(2) When the film ships from abroad, a pro-forma invoice must be attached to the print or video, stating the name of the sender, the title and format, frame rate, running time, and color information. After the shipment, the sender should notify the shipping date and the courier to the festival office.
(3) DMZ Docs covers the shipping cost in cases where the shipment has been made through the official courier service designated by the festival and the return is to the origin of the print. The only exception is for shipments to/from other festivals, for which the standard practice of cost sharing with the festivals will be applied.
(5) Please note that the customs delay of up to two weeks may occur.
(6) All screening copies will be returned to the address stated in the entry form within a month of the closing day of the festival.
(7) Festival Office Address:
DMZ Docs Program Department
4F, 1036 Jungang-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, 10450, South KOREA
(Tel. +82-31-936-7382 / E-mail. print@dmzdocs.com)


8. Insurance
(1) Official courier service designated by DMZ Docs gets liability insurance for the transportation of screening copy.
(2) All screening copies will be insured by DMZ Docs for the replacement costs of a screening print or tape of the same type and quality from the moment they are received by the festival until they are handed over to the first forwarding agent for the return shipment.


9. Use of Submitted Materials for Publicity
(1) DMZ Docs can use up to 10% of the film for the publicity. If the selected part is more than 3 minutes it should get approval from the copyright holder in advance.
(2) DMZ Docs can use the trailer and all publicity materials for publishing catalogues and other promotional purposes.
(3) The industry professionals and invited badge holders can access the video library to view the selected titles during the festival. Only the films which agreed to be included in the video library service will be provided.


10. DMZ Docs Archive
(1) DMZ Docs Archive can keep the preview DVDs and copies in for non-circulating/non-profit use and educational purposes after the festival. The DVDs and copies will be disposed of after festival if the copyright holder wants it to.
(2) DMZ Docs can make a digital copy and/or DCP of the film with Korean subtitles for the festival screening. It will not cause any loss of image quality and the copy will be strictly maintained in the festival office for the original purpose.
(3) DMZ Docs will be responsible for damages of spilled film cause by festival office’s carelessness.
(4) The films can be chosen for encore screenings or for DMZ Docs Archive screening on the non-profit, educational purposes after the festival. In case of special screenings, an agreement should be obtained from the copyright holder in advance.
(5) The donation of any materials related to selected films is welcomed. Donated materials will be preserved permanently in DMZ Docs Archive and can be used for non-profit, educational and academic purposes.


11. General Regulation
(1) In the event that any claims, disputes, actions or proceedings shall be brought or asserted by any person or entity that alleges that the selected film(s) makes unauthorized or unlawful use of any copyrighted contents or materials, the entrant/applicant should fully indemnify and defend DMZ Docs. It is the sole responsibility of the entrant/applicant to secure authorization and permission from the copyright owner(s) of any and all copyrighted contents or materials included within the submitted film. DMZ Docs expressly disavows any responsibility for and will not be held responsible for any unauthorized inclusion of any copyrighted content or materials within or relating to the submitted film, including any contents or materials that are or may become the basis for any claims for copyright infringement.
(2) As a copyright holder or an official delegate submits the signed entry form, DMZ Docs consider that they fully understand and agree with the festival’s rules and regulation.