Malta Short Film Festival (13)

Festival start: 04 July 2021      Festival end: 26 September 2021

The Malta Short Film Festival is now in its 13th year, and it is judicated by a panel of judges. This enables the filmmaker and the viewer to understand the production value of each entry and its ability to communicate with its audience

The final program consists of an award presentations.

Festival has a wide audience, 30,000 +

Trophies awarded

Each year the committee decides which categories to award, depending on the type and quality of submissions received. The following are the categories for 2021.

Best script
Best animation
Best comedy
Best documentary
Best cinematography
Best use of sound
Foreign jury award
Most original concept
Best editing
Best director
Best production design
Best screenplay
Best actor
Best actress

The Malta Short Film Festival 2021

The 13th edition of the Malta Short Film Festival will be held between July and September 2021.

Genre
The festival is open to all short films including animation, fiction, war, drama, thriller and documentaries. All genres of film are considered.

Applicant/s
The primary contact completing the submission process must be authorized to submit the film for consideration including permission from a distributor or sales agent representing the film and must have obtained necessary permissions for the inclusion of copyrighted music, names and/or images within the film. In certain cases, there might be more than one person who would like to submit their work and in this case, they must submit a joint application. Any legal matter arising from copyright infringement or related to PRS rights, lies solely with the applicant.

It is essential that the application is submitted with the correct spelling in english. The producers cannot be held responsible if there are errors on the application or if they do not match the spelling used in the titles of the film. Certificates and all PR will be issued with the spelling submitted in the application.

Those applying through Festhome mean that the applicant has read the regulations and agrees to abide by them.

Applicants may not impose restrictions on the organisers on the showing of their film if chosen for the official selection. The official selection will be published prior to the festival.

Applicants who are under 18 years of age may participate but must supply a letter from their legal guardian/s stating that they approve of the applicant participating in the festival.

duration
The maximum duration of the films is 15 minutes including the credits or opening/closing logos. There is no minimum duration.

Country of origin
The films can originate from any country in the world.

language
If the original language of any dialogue or text featured in the film is not english, the preview and screening copy must be subtitled or dubbed in english. The title of the film can be kept in the original language, however this has to be subtitled in english. This also applies to entries from Malta.

Synopsis
A synopsis of the film, including the genre/s the applicant feels it falls into must be clearly stated.

Repeat entries
Submissions can also include films which have already participated in other festivals, however this will not be mentioned when the film is screened or streamed. Filmmakers who have participated previously in the festival can participate with new projects, but cannot submit the same film twice.

Publicity
In addition to the reproduction of stills and clips of selected films and/or trailer/s for all publicity material, both print, television and the web, excerpts of films may be used for all promotional material. The producers may use stills, synopsis and/or trailer of each submission on social network sites to create interest in the festival.

Festival screenings
The festival will hold an audience screening and reserve the right to air the selected films on:
– Television via TVM, Malta’s national television public broadcaster

Film should be shot at 25fps.

Selection and notification
Successful entrants will be notified in writing first via electronic mail. The complete list will also be posted on the website www.maltashortfilmfest.com. The festival cannot enter into individual correspondence regarding films that have not been selected.

Entry fees
Fees per application are as follows:
Fee per film €15 or USD equivalent

The film, promotional stills and application fee can be submitted via the following platforms:

www.festhome.com

A minimum of 6 stills should accompany each submission. Trailers of the film are most welcome.

Closing date
The closing date of submissions is 31st May 2021.

Trophies awarded
Each year the committee decides which categories to award, depending on the type and quality of submissions received. The following are the categories for 2021.

Best script
Best local animation
Best international animation
Best comedy
Best documentary
Best cinematography
Best use of sound
Best local young director
Foreign jury award
Most original concept
Best editing
Best director
Best production design
Best Picture


Any queries should be sent via e-mail to
maltashortfilmfestival@gmail.com