The International Outdoor Documentary Film Festival of China ()

Festival start: 29 December 2023      Festival end: 31 December 2023

The International Outdoor Documentary Film Festival of China（OUTDOCS）adhered to its goal of recording and paying respect to magnificent natural landscape and indomitable spirit of human beings. With films as the carrier, OUTDOCS promotes a positive lifestyle for the public and inspires the creativity of life; with films as power, it shares and develops China's development of sportsmanship, adventure and exploration, outdoor culture and sports. To award excellent outdoor films and its artistic and cultural contributions, create a humanistic value highland for documentary films on outdoor adventures, sports, travel and humanities, environmental protection, as well as wildlife conservation. OUTDOCS Award Competition and Screening session start. We are calling for entries around the world.

Grand Prize (1)
Best Short Documentary Award (1)
Best Nature and Conservation Documentary Award (1)
Best Adventure Spirit Documentary Award (1)
Best Outdoor Culture and Lifestyle Documentary Award (1)
Best Visual Effects Award (1)
Media Special Recommendation Documentary Award (1)
Special Award: China Story (1)

Regulations for 2023 The International Outdoor Documentary Film Festival of China

I. Introduction to the 2023 The International Outdoor Documentary Film Festival of China（OUTDOCS）

The International Outdoor Documentary Film Festival of China（OUTDOCS）adhered to its goal of recording and paying respect to magnificent nature landscape and indomitable spirit of human beings. With films as the carrier, OUTDOCS promotes a positive lifestyle for the public and inspires the creativity of life; with films as power, it shares and develops China's development of sportsmanship, adventure and exploration, outdoor culture and sports. To award excellent outdoor films and their artistic and cultural contribution, create a humanistic value highland for documentary films on outdoor adventures, sports, travel and humanities, as well as environmental protection, OUTDOCS Award Competition and Screening session start. We are calling for entries around the world.

II. Date of Event
The 6th International Outdoor Documentary Film Festival of China will be held in December, 2023 in China.

III. Eligibility for OUTDOCS

1. The International Outdoor Documentary Film Festival of China Award Competition and screening session is open for the following 2 types of films:

Documentary Short: motion pictures with a running time of 30 minutes or less (including Opening Credits);

Documentary Feature: motion pictures with a running time of more than 30 minutes (including Opening Credits);

1. To be eligible for 2023 OUTDOCS, a film entering the award competition and screening session must be produced no earlier than January 1, 2020.

2. Completed films need to be uploaded at the time of entry. We do not accept rough cuts, trailers or unfinished projects. Films that, in any version (including the re-edited version), had participated or been screened in the previous OUTDOCS, will not be eligible for the Award Competition and screening session.

3. Films can be submitted by both professional and amateur filmmakers, and can include brand representation, although the submission of ‘adverts’ is discouraged.

IV. Submission Guidance
(i) Submission Deadline
Submissions for the 2023 OUTDOCS are open from July 1, 2023, (GMT+8) to September 15, 2023 (GMT+8). The submission must be completed and all the other required submission materials should be sent to the General Office of the Organizing Committee (OC) by the deadline. The application received after the deadline or the application with incomplete materials will not be accepted as qualified entries.

(ii) Application process and required materials
1. Please complete the 2023 OUTDOCS submission form.
2. Please provide the following submission materials:
(1) The preview version：Film in MP4/MOV format, 1080P and above.
(2) Trailer：Video less than 3 minutes, in MP4/MOV format, 1080P and above.
(3) For all films, a full-length English subtitle file (SRT or ASS format) or subtitle script (word file or txt file) is required.
(4) 1-3 poster in JPG format, pixel no less than 150 dpi.
(5) 3-5 Film stills in JPG format, pixel no less than 150 dpi.
(6) 1-2 photo of each director in JPG format, pixel no less than 150 dpi.


(iii) Registration fee
Free Entry

(iv) The use of information and application materials

1. Please fill in submission form correctly and completely. The information in the form will be used and published in the process of pre-selection, evaluation, and final announcement. If there is any information wrong or missing, the responsibility will be borne by the applicant.

2. The contact used in the submission form will be used as the contact of applicant by default. The follow-up notification related to preselection and evaluation will be delivered to this contact first. Please keep the call and the mailbox accessible.

3. After the film is submitted to OUTDOCS, the application information and materials will be presented on the official website, as well as online and offline media for publicity. The Organizing Committee has the right to edit and use the film information and materials submitted, including the film application information, posters, stills, trailers, or snippet less than 3 minutes, on OUTDOCS’s official channels.

(v) Update and supplement registration information and materials

1. If applicant wants to update information or material after submission, please send an email to film@outdocs.cn and explain the update in detail. After reviewed and approved by the Organizing Committee, the update will be completed.

2. If there are follow-up materials (such as posters, stills, promotional materials, awards, etc.), please send the materials to film@outdocs.cn and explain the updated materials.

3. If the preview version is the version in post-production, the applicant can submit the final screening version after being selected, but applicant cannot update the version during the evaluation process.

(vi) Copyright Statement
Applicant (and applying company) shall own the copyrights or distribution rights of the film submitted by him/her; shall ensure that there is no dispute over copyright of the film; guarantee it has acquired the copyrights/authorizations from the copyright owners for the music, video, image and text contained and used in the films; ensure the original contents in the film do not violate the copyrights or legal rights of any other third parties. Any disputes, damages or compensations arising out of or in relation to the copyright infringement of the film shall be borne by its applicant (and applying company). The International Outdoor Documentary Film Festival of China reserves the right to disqualify any film with unauthorized copyrighted materials.

V. Awards
Grand Prize(1)
Best Documentary Short Award(1)
Best Nature and Conservation Documentary Award (1)
Best Adventure Spirit Documentary Award(1)
Best Outdoor Culture and Lifestyle Documentary Award (1)
Best Visual Effects Award(1)
Media Special Recommendation Documentary Award (1)
Special Award:China Story (1)

VI. Evaluation process
The entries will be screened for the initial evaluation, semi-final evaluation and final evaluation. They will be reviewed and selected by the Selection Committee and Jury Committee. The OC is responsible for inviting professionals and setting up the Selection Committee and the Jury Committee.

1. The initial Selection committee is responsible for presenting the semi-finalist from all the applicants. The applicant who is selected for semi-finalist will be notified by email in October, and the list will be released on the official website.

2. The Semi-final Jury committee is responsible for presenting the finalist from the semi-finalists. The finalist will be notified by e-mail in early November and released on the official website.

3. The winners will be selected from finalists by Jury Committee and will be announced at The International Outdoor Documentary Film Festival of China Ceremony.

VII. The Notice for Finalists

1. Finalist confirmation
Confirmation of Award Competition
The applicant shall confirm the participation in the final evaluation with the OC within three working days after receiving the notification (email) from the OC. Once the applicant confirms the participation, the finalist film cannot be withdrawn for any reason.

Confirmation of Screening Session
The applicant shall reply to the email and confirm whether to participate in the screening within three working days after receiving the notification (email) from the OC. Once the applicant confirms their participation in the screening, the applicant shall not withdraw for any reason.

2. The screening version
After the film is selected for finalist, the official screening version must be submitted to the OC. Apart from the technical adjustments such as mixing, grading, and subtitle translation, the screening version must be in consistent with the preview version. OC Films cannot be updated during the evaluation process.

3. Use of information and materials of films selected
Once the film is selected, the application information and material submitted online and offline will be presented on the festival brochure, official website, or for online and offline media promotion events. The OC is entitled to edit and publicly use the materials, including film entry information, posters, stills, trailers and clips of no more than 3 minutes and on OUTDOCS’s official channels. If there is any information or material missing during the application phase, all materials must be completed at the finalist stage.

4. Classification of Premiere
(1) Worldwide Premiere - Films that have been internationally broadcast, screened at film festivals, are available online, or have been released via streaming, home video, or any other public platform are not eligible.
(2) International Premiere – Films that have been broadcast, screened at film festivals, are available online, or have been released via streaming, home video, or any other public platform outside the production countries are not eligible.
(3) Asia Premiere - Films that have been broadcast, screened at film festivals, are available online, or have been released via streaming, home video, or any other public platform in Asia are not eligible.
(4) China Premiere - Films that have been broadcast, screened at film festivals, are available online, or have been released via streaming, home video, or any other public platform in China are not eligible. (This category is mainly for domestic work).

5. Premiere Screening Term
The evaluation process will not be affected by a film’s premiere status. Once a film, that is qualified for the premiere screening, also get selected into the finalist competition, it’s agreed that Organizing Committee has the right to premiere the film during documentary festival. Any third party shall not premiere the film or conduct any activity that will breach the premiere screening term between the film owner and the OC.

6. Screening schedule
The finalist films will be publicly screened once or twice from October to December, 2023. The screening schedule and venue will be decided by the Organizing Committee. The winning films will be screened at least once before September 30, 2022. The screening times would not exceed the number of awards the film will obtain.

7. Publicity requirements
After the film is selected, the OC will provide the OUTDOCS logos for Finalist or Winner. The film selected must include the OUTDOCS logos in all its subsequent promotional materials, and it’s strictly forbidden to modify the logo.

VIII. Statement

1. Any changes against the regulations will be posted on the " Submission " page of the official website. The applicant can withdraw from the event if he/she thinks the modified clauses are unacceptable by notifying the Organizing Committee within 10 working days after the announcement is posted. Otherwise, it will be deemed that the applicant accepts all the modified clauses.

2. If there were any situations that are not specified above, the OC reserves all rights for the final explanation of the regulations.

3. The applicant signing up for The International Outdoor Documentary Film Festival of China should accept all the above terms and conditions. If there is any dispute, it shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of PRC.

General Office of the Organizing Committee of
The International Outdoor Documentary Film Festival of China
30 June, 2023

The Contacts of The International Outdoor Documentary Film Festival of China

Email: film@outdocs.cn
Official Website: www.outdocs.cn