Ann Arbor Film Festival

48th Ann Arbor Film Festival Submissions

The 2009 AAFF Call for Entries is now open!

Entry Fees and Deadlines

• Early: $30 ~ August 17, 2009
  (due in AAFF office by Aug. 24, 2009)
• Standard: $40 ~ October 5, 2009
  (due in AAFF office by Oct. 12, 2009)
• Late: $50 ~ November 2, 2009
  (due in AAFF office by Nov. 9, 2009)

Submissions must be postmarked by the specified deadline date and received at the AAFF office within a week. November 2nd is the latest an entry may be postmarked and still be considered for competition.

Please read the submission guidelines. We received over 2,500 submissions last year, so it's a big help to us if every submission is formatted the same way.

How to Submit

Entering the Festival

Bold visions. Adventurous Ideas. Skillfully crafted. Artistically inspired. These are the kinds of films sought for the 48th Ann Arbor Film Festival, the longest-running showcase of independent, experimental and art-driven films in North America.

All lengths and genres accepted and considered: experimental, animation, documentary, music video and narrative (for "hybrid genre" films, please select the category which most represents the essence of the work.)

• More than $20,000 awarded to films in competition
• Qualifying festival for Annual Academy Awards
• Select short films participate on International Traveling Tour

You must complete an entry form for each film submitted. Entry fees are per film entered, and must accompany the entry form or confirmation. Make checks and money orders payable to the Ann Arbor Film Festival. Films previously entered may not be resubmitted unless substantially changed.

AAFF Green Submissions Initiative

In an effort to reduce the environmental impact due to the high volume of submissions, the Ann Arbor Film Festival has a Green Submissions Initiative. We encourage filmmakers to help us reduce waste and shipping costs using the following guidelines.

• Package DVDs in a sleeve, not a hard plastic case
• Ship in a stiff cardboard or other recyclable mailer with no bubble wrap
• Print "Do Not Bend" on the front of envelope
• NO PRESS KITS of any kind, please

Please be sure to send DVDs protected in some type of packaging! They need a fitted paper slip case to prevent scratching.

Screening Rules

Entries are accepted in two formats: 16mm and DVD. As of 2009 we will no longer accept VHS.

Please note: We only accept Region 0 and/or 1 DVDs (NTSC preferred, PAL accepted). We do not accept Blu-Ray discs.

DVD Screening
DVDs must be labeled with film title, filmmaker name, phone & email. Please place DVDs in a paper slip case/envelope, no hard plastic cases of any kind please.

16mm Screening
If you would like the festival to screen a 16mm print of your film, please note that tungsten projectors are used during the pre-screening process; xenon projectors are used festival week at the Michigan Theater. It is your choice whether to send a tungsten or xenon print. All 16mm prints will be returned after the festival.

Each film submitted must: Be mounted on a reel (not a core) heads-out, be contained in a film can, be shipped in a standard shipping case or reusable mailing container, have beginning and ending leader, have labels on the shipping cases, cans, reels, and film leader with film title, filmmaker name and telephone number.

Shipping

Include
Do Not Include

• 16mm or DVD of film
• Entry Form/Confirmation and Payment
• Synopsis (no more than 125 words please)

• Plastic DVD cases (sleeves please!)
• Press kits of any kind*
• Packing popcorn

* Due to the volume of entries press kits are not viewed or kept during the screening process. If your film is accepted, you will be notified of how to submit your press material.

Shipping Addresses

Via USPS:

Ann Arbor Film Festival
P.O. Box 8232
Ann Arbor, MI 48107
United States

Via Courier Service:

Ann Arbor Film Festival
308 1/2 S. State St.
Suite 22
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
United States

Selected Films

The festival program will be announced in mid to late February, 2010. All submitting filmmakers will be notified at that time by the email provided at the time of submission. Please make sure to add "mail@aafilmfest.org" to your email address book to ensure receipt of notification.

If your film is selected for the festival program, you must provide an exhibition copy (16mm, 35mm, Digital File, Beta) by March 1, 2009 unless otherwise informed.

Terms & Conditions

The following will apply if my film/video is selected:

• My film/video will be screened during the Ann Arbor Film Festival and will be eligible to win a filmmaker award.
• My film/video will be shipped (at filmmaker's expense) in one of the exhibition formats specified above by March 1, 2009.
• My film/video may be utilized for promotional purposes of the festival, limited to private screenings and preview-only copies for press and supporters.
• A sample clip of my film/video (up to 30 seconds in length) may be promoted via the AAFF web site and AAFF YouTube Nonprofit channel, unless otherwise arranged with the AAFF.
• I will permit the AAFF to use my name and stills from my film/video (at least one print-quality version provided upon request) for promotional purposes.

The following will apply for all film/video submissions:
• The AAFF retains the right to archive the submitted DVD screener copy of my film/video (excluding 16mm prints) in physical and/or digital format solely for historical and research purposes, restricted to private viewings, and will not publicly screen it without my permission.
• The AAFF will not return any submitted DVD screeners.