Another year means another wonderful film festival, and 2020 is promising to be a great one! The annual Arpa International Film Festival (Arpa IFF) is at the epicenter of
Hollywood film industry, and garners the attention of executives, industry professionals, and film consumers alike.The Arpa IFF was founded on the vision of creating a platform for a diverse presentation of films from around the globe. A hub of global connection for over two-decades, Arpa IFF has cultivated a space of discovery, imagination & inspiration; by showcasing local and international cinema that explores all facets of the human condition. The Festival prides itself on championing a dynamic and international collection of filmmakers, joining in the celebration of unapologetic storytelling. Arpa IFF is a beautiful collaboration of talented, passionate individuals who come together in the pursuit of change; to move an audience, and to help tell stories that touch all.
Submission Deadlines and Instructions
Our programming team looks forward to watching all the films we will be receiving this year! Soon our programmers will be at work in the selection process, trying to create a program that best fits with the standard and quality Arpa IFF has set. Check back in for updates with programming and ticketing.
We are extremely eager to see all the new films that will come our way, and we urge you to submit your film soon and benefit from the early deadline. Before submitting your film to the Arpa IFF, please read carefully our General Festival Rules, Eligibility Requirements and Terms & Conditions below.
- EARLY DEADLINE May 15, 2020
- REGULAR DEADLINE June 4, 2020
- LATE DEADLINE June 24, 2020
- EXTENDED DEADLINE July 14, 2020
- Notification Date August 3, 2020
- Online Festival Dates November 12-22, 2020
How to Submit
Our Festival proudly accepts entries on FilmFreeway only, the world’s #1 way to enter film festivals and creative contests.
Please read our General Festival Rules, Eligibility Requirements and Terms & Conditions, and Submit Your Film Online via FilmFreeway Now!
General Festival Rules
· The Arpa International Film Festival (“Festival”, “Arpa IFF”) accepts films from all countries and in all languages worldwide that have been produced within the past 2 years.
· All films submitted must be free from any legal disputes and the filmmaker must have cleared all rights for music and exhibition.
· It is preferred that your film has not been through formal and online distribution channels.
· Entry fee is per category and is non-refundable, and submission does not guarantee screening at Festival.
· Once a film submission gets accepted, submitter receives a congratulatory email with Festival’s 2020 Official Selection laurel, and will be asked to provide the following:
– Basic info (film title, country and year of production, names for director, screenwriter, producer, cast, short synopsis, and list of important screenings/awards),
– Film poster and film stills (high-res JPG images),
– Vimeo or YouTube download link to official film trailer in HD 1920×1080 MOV or MP4 format,
– Web link to official film trailer open to public on YouTube or Vimeo,
– Film print (using festival’s official Simple DCP Submission Portal).
· Once a film submission gets a Nominee status, submitter receives a congratulatory email with Festival’s 2020 Nominee laurel, and will be asked to provide the following:
– Web link to official film screener we can share with our jury members,
– Confirm filmmaker’s festival attendance (we won’t see each other this year, sorry).
· All film entries selected for the festival grant Arpa IFF the rights to use footage, stills and/or titles and information from the film for promotional purposes.
· Film Supplier is responsible for the cost of film print shipment to the Festival’s digital cinema provider, Simple DCP company, and the Festival will cover the cost of outbound shipment back to the Film Supplier.
· Festival reserves the right to change any of this information (including festival dates, venues, events, awards and eligibility requirements) without further notice.
Festival Eligibility Requirements
· Screening Fees or Rental Fees: Festival does NOT CONSIDER films that require any screening/rental fees.
· Promotional, instructional, industrial, corporate films, and raw documentary footage of any kind are not eligible either.
· Film Categories: Festival accepts submissions of Feature Narrative, Feature Documentary, Short Documentary, Short Narrative and Animated Films, and Music Videos.
· Language: All submitted films must be in English or with English subtitles (we are trying to avoid films dubbed in English because they seem very strange to American audience but if that is your only option we are naturally open to accommodate).
· Duration/Running Time (including your film credits):
– Feature Narrative Film: No Less than 60 minutes, no more than 150 minutes
– Short Narrative Film: Less than 40 minutes
– Feature Documentary: No Less than 40 minutes
– Short Documentary: Less than 40 minutes
– Animation: no limit
· Festival accepts and screens film prints in DCP format only – but this year is an exemption because we are going online due to Covid-19 pandemic. Acceptable formats in 2020 are MOV and MP4 video files accompanied with CC files, but you will hear more on that subject from our Technical Director once your film is selected.
· Our digital cinema provider is Simple DCP company from Culver City. Simple DCP accepts all Festival prints through their own Submission Portal, including your MOV and MP4 video files this year or your download links.
Festival Terms and Conditions
1. You have read, understood and fully complied with all General Festival Rules, Eligibility Requirements and Terms and Conditions stated here.
2. The film you are submitting is not the subject of any litigation or threatened litigation, and you have cleared all rights for music and exhibition.
3. You are duly authorized to submit this film to the competition.
4. You hold the Festival harmless and indemnify it from any damage to the print(s) en route or otherwise during the course of the festival’s possession of the film print. In addition, you agree to hold the Festival harmless and indemnify it from cost and/or damages incurred as a result from any litigation and or threatened litigation as a result of the screenings of the film.
5. The number(s), date(s), time(s), and location(s) of the screenings of films are at the discretion of the Festival.
6. The Festival reserves the right to change or adjust any and all festival rules, awards and guidelines without notice.
7. The Festival accepts and screens films in DCP format only, and retains all prints in its film library unless requested otherwise (this year, 2020 is an exemption to this rule due to Online Festival Streaming).
8. Film Supplier is responsible for the cost of film print shipment to Simple DCP company, and the Festival can cover the cost of outbound shipment back to the Film Supplier, if requested.
9. The Festival reserves the right to complete any information not supplied by the Filmmaker or Film Supplier from whatever source available and will not be responsible for any incorrect information.
10. Films may not be withdrawn after acceptance into the Festival.
11. No hidden fees during the submission process whatsoever. In addition, no requests for screening fees or any other kind of reimbursement are allowed after acceptance into the Festival.
12. Unclaimed film prints will be discarded one year after the last day of the present Festival.
13. By submitting your film to Arpa IFF via FilmFreeway, you hereby grant the Festival all necessary rights to screen this film and use reasonable parts of the film for purposes of advertising and promotion.
14. To the best of your knowledge, all of the statements in this document are true.
Contact us anytime if you have any questions in regards to submitting your film.