MOONLIGHT ONLINE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (1)

Festival start: 10 September 2024      Festival end: 15 September 2024

Festival President and Artistic Director Gabriel Daniel Dorobantu and Festival Head Manager Irina Tolokolnikova welcome you to The Moonlight Online International Film Festival, which is organized and administered by the Swedish creation, production and distribution company Dorobantu Film & Television.

The Festival aims to promote original feature films and short films of high artistic quality and to support independent cinema worldwide.

In addition to the long lists of official diploma awards in the Feature Film Section and in the Short Film Section, The Moonlight Online International Film Festival is introducing the Trans-Section award Great Moonlight Award for Best Film in the Festival – which will be the festival’s Supreme Award (consisting of the festival’s Physical Trophy and Cash Prize) and will be awarded by the festival jury either to the winner of the Moonlight Online Award for Best Film in the Feature Film Competition or to the winner of the Moonlight Online Award for Best Film in the Short Film Competition.

Both among the films submitted to the festival and among the films selected for festival participation, feature films and short films with high market potential may also be selected for film sale / distribution deal proposals. (In such cases, the rights holders of the respective films will be contacted by the festival management office within three months after the festival.)

THE FESTIVAL’S SUPREME TRANS-SECTION AWARD:

GREAT MOONLIGHT AWARD FOR BEST FILM IN THE FESTIVAL (Feature or Short) – consisting of both a Physical Trophy (going to the director of the film) and a Cash Prize of 1500 SEK (going to the main producer of the film).

The Great Moonlight Award for Best Film in the Festival (Feature or Short – Fiction / Documentary / Animation / Experimental) will be awarded by the festival jury, which will decide between the winner of the Moonlight Online Award for Best Film in the Feature Film Competition and the Moonlight Online Award for Best Film in the Short Film Competition (please see the lists of awards in the feature film section and in the short film section here below).

FEATURE FILM SECTION AWARDS:

- Moonlight Online Award for Best Film in the Feature Film Competition (Fiction / Documentary / Animation / Experimental) – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of both an Official Diploma (going to the director of the film) and a Cash Prize of 1000 SEK (going to the main producer of the film);
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Feature Film Director – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Feature Film Screenplay – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Feature Film Actress – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Feature Film Actor – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Feature Film Photography – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Feature Film Editing – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Original Feature Film Music – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma which goes to the original music composer;
- Moonlight Online Award for Feature Film Debut – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma which goes to the film director;
- Moonlight Online Special Award for Outstanding Feature Film Creation – awarded by the Artistic Director of the festival, and consisting of Official Diploma which goes to the film director.

SHORT FILM SECTION AWARDS:

- Moonlight Online Award for Best Film in the Short Film Competition (Fiction / Documentary / Animation / Experimental) – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of both an Official Diploma (going to the director of the film) and a Cash Prize of 1000 SEK (going to the main producer of the film);
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Short Film Director – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Short Film Screenplay – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Short Film Actress – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Short Film Actor – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Short Film Photography – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Short Film Editing – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Original Short Film Music – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma which goes to the original music composer;
- Moonlight Online Award for Short Film Debut – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma which goes to the film director;
- Moonlight Online Special Award for Outstanding Short Film Creation – awarded by the Artistic Director of the festival, and consisting of Official Diploma which goes to the film director.

There is no restriction with regard to how many of the awards can go to one and the same feature film / short film.

Only one of the jury-decided awards can be awarded ex aequo to two feature films, or to two short films respectively.

The jury-decided trans-section Great Moonlight Award for Best Film in the Festival (Feature or Short) may not be awarded ex aequo.

The jury-decided Moonlight Award for Best Film in the Feature Film Competition / Short Film Competition may not be awarded ex aequo.

In case that the feature films / short films selected for competition do not have a significant original film music content, the Moonlight Award for Best Original Film Music may be excluded from the award list.

In case that the feature films / short films selected for competition do not include debut feature / short films, the Moonlight Award for Feature Film Debut / Short Film Debut may be excluded from the award list.

Cash prizes will be paid by bank transfer within a period of six months after the festival. Cash prize receivers are responsible for any and all potential taxes to be paid in connection with receiving the respective cash prize amounts.

The trophy award will be sent by physical mail within a period of six months after the festival, provided that the award receiver provides the festival with an accurate and complete postal address.

Diploma awards will be sent by electronic mail (in a printable format) within a period of six months after the festival.

The festival may change the lists of awards at its own discretion, at any time, without notification.

The members of the jury will be announced on the festival website before the festival start date.

Persons in any way related to the feature films / short films in competition may not be part of the jury.

All award decisions are final and cannot be contested.

Within a period of six months after the festival, each film participating in the festival and not receiving any award will receive by e-mail an Official Participation Certificate in a printable format.

COMPLETE RULES AND REGULATIONS

IMPORTANT INTRODUCTORY NOTE:

We really want to make a difference in the landscape of international film festivals – in terms of film quality.

Consequently, since we have not yet received a sufficient number of high-quality films in order to have a solid line-up in the official selection, the first edition of the festival has been moved to 2024 – and submissions are now once again open from the 1st of November 2023 until the 19th of May 2024 on FESTHOME only, for a second selection round (with the hope that we will receive submissions of further high-quality films to complete the festival line-up, in addition to those high-quality films which have already been preselected in the first selection round).

Important: If you have already submitted your film during the first selection round, please do NOT submit it again in the second selection round which opens on the 1st of November 2023 – but kindly wait for the selection result, about which you will be notified as soon as a decision is taken regarding your submitted film. Thank you very much!

FESTIVAL PERIOD

The first edition of the Moonlight Online International Film Festival will take place from the 10th of September 2024 until the 15th of September 2024.

FESTIVAL ORGANIZER

The Moonlight Online International Film Festival, along with Ars Gratia Artis World Film Festival, is organized and administered by the Swedish creation, production and distribution company Dorobantu Film & Television.

FESTIVAL MISSION

The Moonlight Online International Film Festival aims to promote original feature and short films of high artistic quality and to support independent cinema worldwide.

All selected films participating in the Moonlight Online International Film Festival are entirely free of charge both for film submitters (no submission fees required) and for film spectators (no tickets needed) – so that everyone, everywhere in the world, can enter films and view films without any cost concerns whatsoever.

Both among the films submitted to the festival and among the films selected for festival participation, feature films and short films with high market potential may also be selected for film sale / distribution deal proposals. (In such cases, the rights holders of the respective films will be contacted by the festival management office within three months after the festival.)


FILM ELIGIBILITY

Eligible are feature films (with a length between 61 minutes and 300 minutes) and short films (with a length up to 60 minutes) – regardless of the respective feature / short films’ production year and premiere status – belonging to the following categories: fiction, documentary, animation, experimental.

All film genres are accepted (action, adventure, comedy, crime, detective, drama, fantasy, film noir, horror, science-fiction, thriller, western, and so on).

Not eligible are television series (or episodes of such), educational / instructional films, advertising films, promotional films, music videos.


FILM SUBMISSION

For the second selection round, both feature films and short films can be submitted through FESTHOME, starting with the 1st of November 2023 and ending with the 19th of May 2024.

Please submit your film ONLY ONCE, through the above-named platform only.
No film submitted twice within one and the same festival edition will be viewed or considered.

All film entrants – regardless of whether they have submitted their films in the first selection round (before the 1st of November 2023) or in the second selection round (after the 1st of November 2023) – will be notified about the respective selection results on the 19th of August 2024 at the latest.

Reminder: If you have already submitted your film during the first selection round, please do NOT submit it again in the second selection round which is open from the 1st of November 2023 until the 19th of May 2024 – but kindly wait for the selection result, about which you will be notified as soon as a decision is taken regarding your submitted film. Thank you very much!

If you have already submitted your film in the first selection round and it has not been selected, please do NOT submit it again in the second selection, as it will not be re-considered.

Submitted films in other language than English must have burnt-in English subtitles.

THERE ARE NO SUBMISSION FEES.

One and the same film entrant may submit several films, by filling the entry form for each submitted film.

By submitting their films to the festival, film entrants confirm that they possess all legal rights necessary for the submission of their films to the festival and for the screening of their films in the festival (in case that their films are selected).

The festival has no legal responsibility related to any third-party’s legal complaint or legal action regarding the presentation of the submitters’ films in the festival (for example, related to – but not limited to – copyright issues and / or other legal matters, aspects, or issues connected to the films’ content, such as music, picture, sound and sound effects, and so on). The film submitters alone will meet such third-party legal complaints and / or legal actions (if any), and the same film submitters undertake to keep the festival, its organizers, and all its representatives, as well as any physical or juridical person or entity in any way connected or related to the festival, totally free from any implication of any nature in any legal cases, disputes, consultations, or anything similar – in a court of law or in any other circumstances.


FILM SELECTION

All film entrants – regardless of whether they have submitted their films in the first selection round (before the 1st of November 2023) or in the second selection round (after the 1st of November 2023) – will be notified about the respective selection results on the 19th of August 2024 at the latest.

A number of feature films and short films at the discretion of the festival will be selected and invited to participate in the Official Competition by the Festival President and Artistic Director.

The selection decisions are final and cannot be contested.


INVITED FILMS

Film submitters / legal rights holders, who accept the festival participation invitations for and on behalf of the selected films, will sign a Festival Participation Guarantee and Commitment which they will send to the festival (as a legally binding document) both by e-mail (as a scanned document) and by registered physical post (as an original document) – at the date required by the festival, and in accordance with the precise instructions received from the festival.

Film submitters / legal rights holders, who accept the festival participation invitations for and on behalf of the selected films, will also send to the festival by e-mail a clear, scanned copy of their valid Identification Document – at the date required by the festival, and in accordance with the precise instructions received from the festival. (The respective ID copy will remain confidential and will only be used for the legal identification of the film submitters / copyright holders, who are legally responsible for the films’ festival participation.)

Once the above-mentioned formalities are completed, the selected films may no longer be withdrawn from the festival under any circumstances.

For all invited feature films and short films, the following materials must be received by the festival within a time frame which the festival will specify in its communication with the legal representatives (submitters / legal rights holders) of the selected films:

1) a high-quality, progressive (non-interlaced) festival screening copy of the selected feature film or short film as a H264/.mp4-file not bigger than 10 GB (with burnt-in English subtitles, if the respective film’s language is other than English), having the film’s original aspect ratio and frame rate (or down-scaled frame rate, only if required from the perspective of the maximum accepted file size – but still preserving a high quality); the recommended sound settings are AAC, 48 KHz, 320 kbps (only stereo or mono format);

2) a high-quality JP(E)G-file containing the film poster (if possible, preferably not bigger than 2 MB);

3) a PDF-document (not bigger than 2 MB) containing both the film logline (what the film is about, in one or two lines) and the film synopsis (a summary of the film content), as well as the basic film data [film title both in English and in the film’s original language (Latin alphabet only), film genre, film length in minutes, production year, country / countries of production, dialogue language(s) / no dialogues, debut film or not];

4) a PDF-document (not bigger than 2 MB) containing the main crew list [including film director(s), producer(s), screenplay writer(s), director(s) of photography, film editor(s), original music composer(s)] and the main cast list (only if the film has a cast).

The festival screening copy of the selected film – as specified at 1) here above – must be sent

either

as a downloadable (password-protected or unlisted) Vimeo or YouTube link to selection@moonlight-filmfest.net in an e-mail marked with the selected film’s title

or

through https://wetransfer.com by using the e-mail address selection@moonlight-filmfest.net and marking the file transfer with the selected film’s title.

Alternatively, if a downloadable film file (which meets the above-listed technical requirements) is available on Festhome, the film’s legal representative may advise the festival to download the respective film file directly from Festhome. (The festival will afterwards inform the film’s legal representative by e-mail if it happens that the technical quality of the downloaded film file is not good enough for a festival screening and therefore needs to be replaced with a higher-quality film file.)

The materials specified at 2) – 4) here above must be sent (zipped, if necessary) in an e-mail marked with the selected film’s title to selection@moonlight-filmfest.net

The festival will cancel any selected film’s participation in the festival, if the festival does not receive all of the above-required materials in time, or if the festival receives materials of unsatisfactory technical quality.

The legal representatives of the films participating in the festival undertake to display the festival’s “Official Selection” laurel logotype – and, if applicable, the festival’s “Award” laurel logotype – in the opening credits of their respective films, as well as on all film-related publicity and promotional materials. The festival’s above-mentioned laurel logotypes – together with the related usage guidelines – will be made available on the festival’s official website. Any unauthorized download and / or use of the respective festival laurel logotypes is strictly prohibited.

Each participating film’s screening copy [as specified at 1) here above] as well as informational and promotional materials [as specified at 2) – 4) here above] will remain in the festival archive for documentation and promotional purposes.


FESTIVAL SCREENINGS

The festival does NOT pay screening fees.

All selected and invited feature films and short films participating in the festival will be available online, in the festival’s screening rooms, during the entire festival period – totally free of charge – for everyone worldwide.

The festival is NOT responsible and shall NOT be held responsible for any damages, losses, or other inconveniences possibly suffered by the films or by the films’ submitters and / or legal rights holder(s) as a result of the online availability / screenings of the films in the festival, or as a result of any technical disorders, malfunctions, or security breaches of any website or internet platform used by the festival.

All persons visiting the festival website will have full, free access to all participating feature films’ and short films’ informational and promotional materials, including the respective films’ posters, synopses, main crew list, main cast (if any) list, and basic data – which all may be published and displayed on the festival’s official website before, during, and after the festival period.


FESTIVAL AWARDS

THE FESTIVAL’S SUPREME TRANS-SECTION AWARD:

GREAT MOONLIGHT AWARD FOR BEST FILM IN THE FESTIVAL (Feature or Short) – consisting of both a Physical Trophy (going to the director of the film) and a Cash Prize of 1500 SEK (going to the main producer of the film).

The Great Moonlight Award for Best Film in the Festival (Feature or Short – Fiction / Documentary / Animation / Experimental) will be awarded by the festival jury, which will decide between the winner of the Moonlight Online Award for Best Film in the Feature Film Competition and the Moonlight Online Award for Best Film in the Short Film Competition (please see the lists of awards in the feature film section and in the short film section here below).

FEATURE FILM SECTION AWARDS:

- Moonlight Online Award for Best Film in the Feature Film Competition (Fiction / Documentary / Animation / Experimental) – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of both an Official Diploma (going to the director of the film) and a Cash Prize of 1000 SEK (going to the main producer of the film);
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Feature Film Director – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Feature Film Screenplay – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Feature Film Actress – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Feature Film Actor – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Feature Film Photography – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Feature Film Editing – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Original Feature Film Music – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma which goes to the original music composer;
- Moonlight Online Award for Feature Film Debut – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma which goes to the film director;
- Moonlight Online Special Award for Outstanding Feature Film Creation – awarded by the Artistic Director of the festival, and consisting of Official Diploma which goes to the film director.

SHORT FILM SECTION AWARDS:

- Moonlight Online Award for Best Film in the Short Film Competition (Fiction / Documentary / Animation / Experimental) – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of both an Official Diploma (going to the director of the film) and a Cash Prize of 1000 SEK (going to the main producer of the film);
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Short Film Director – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Short Film Screenplay – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Short Film Actress – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Short Film Actor – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Short Film Photography – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Short Film Editing – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma;
- Moonlight Online Award for Best Original Short Film Music – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma which goes to the original music composer;
- Moonlight Online Award for Short Film Debut – awarded by the festival jury, and consisting of Official Diploma which goes to the film director;
- Moonlight Online Special Award for Outstanding Short Film Creation – awarded by the Artistic Director of the festival, and consisting of Official Diploma which goes to the film director.

There is no restriction with regard to how many of the awards can go to one and the same feature film / short film.

Only one of the jury-decided awards can be awarded ex aequo to two feature films, or to two short films respectively.

The jury-decided trans-section Great Moonlight Award for Best Film in the Festival (Feature or Short) may not be awarded ex aequo.

The jury-decided Moonlight Award for Best Film in the Feature Film Competition / Short Film Competition may not be awarded ex aequo.

In case that the feature films / short films selected for competition do not have a significant original film music content, the Moonlight Award for Best Original Film Music may be excluded from the award list.

In case that the feature films / short films selected for competition do not include debut feature / short films, the Moonlight Award for Feature Film Debut / Short Film Debut may be excluded from the award list.

Cash prizes will be paid by bank transfer within a period of six months after the festival. Cash prize receivers are responsible for any and all potential taxes to be paid in connection with receiving the respective cash prize amounts.

The trophy award will be sent by physical mail within a period of six months after the festival, provided that the award receiver provides the festival with an accurate and complete postal address.

Diploma awards will be sent by electronic mail (in a printable format) within a period of six months after the festival.

The festival may change the lists of awards at its own discretion, at any time, without notification.

The members of the jury will be announced on the festival website before the festival start date.

Persons in any way related to the feature films / short films in competition may not be part of the jury.

All award decisions are final and cannot be contested.

Within a period of six months after the festival, each film participating in the festival and not receiving any award will receive by e-mail an Official Participation Certificate in a printable format.


ACCEPTANCE OF RULES AND REGULATIONS

Submission of films to the Moonlight Online International Film Festival legally implies an automatic, full and unconditional acceptance of the festival’s Rules and Regulations.

The festival has the right to change its Rules and Regulations at its own discretion and at any time, without notification. Please follow this site, in order to stay updated.

The Festival President has the power to settle all cases which are not covered by the festival’s Rules and Regulations. His decisions are final and may not be contested.