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 2022 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 1920x1080 MOV or MP4 format
  • Web link to official film trailer open to public on YouTube or Vimeo
  • Once a film submission gets a Nominee status, submitter receives a congratulatory email with Festival's 2022 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.
  • 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.
  • Festival reserves the right to change any of this information (including festival dates, venues, events, awards and eligibility requirements) without further notice. 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.

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
  • Acceptable formats in 2022 are ProRes 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.

Festival Terms & 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 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.

  8. Films may not be withdrawn after acceptance into the Festival.

  9. 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.

  10. Unclaimed film prints will be discarded one year after the last day of the present Festival.

  11. 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.

  12. To the best of your knowledge, all of the statements in this document are true.