Submit Your Film

To submit your film to be considered for the DESIblitz Film Fusion festival you are required to adhere to the following guidelines and rules.

SUBMISSION DATES & FEES

Feature Films and Documentaries

Earlybird Deadline – Saturday, February 5, 2022

Fee – £10

Final Deadline – Saturday, March 12, 2022

Fee – £15

Short Films

Earlybird Deadline – Saturday, February 5, 2022

Fee – £5

Final Deadline – Saturday, March 12, 2022

Fee – £10

Notification For all festival films – Saturday, March 19, 2022.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND GUIDELINES FOR 2022 SUBMISSIONS

The following criteria define the eligibility of film submissions to the first edition of the DESIblitz Film Fusion festival, which will be held in Birmingham, United Kingdom, between June 3 and June 12, 2022:

a) Films, Venues, and Awards
The entrant (filmmaker, producer, rightsholder, or distributor, etc) is agreeing for their Punjabi, Pakistani, or Sports film to be screened at any of the selected festival venues in Birmingham, following their film submission and upon receiving notification of selection and signing a festival agreement. All decisions relating to award and prize winners are considered final and incontestable.

Filmmakers are allowed to submit more than one film for the festival under the different categories, providing each film is submitted separately and meets the festival guidelines.

b) Strands, Categories and Genres
The festival will only respectfully consider films that adhere to the strands, categories and genres stipulated for the festival.

c) Film Competition
To enter the DESIblitz Film Fusion festival competition you need to follow the guidelines as stated on the Film Competition page.

d) Formats and Entry Fee
The film submission fee for each feature, documentary, short film is non-refundable. All films should be sent via Vimeo link for the selection process.

Final film selections will need to be supplied in DCP Format by April 22, 2022. In addition, we may require the film in the following formats – DVD, Bluray, Hi-Res Prores and MP4, for the same date, which falls six weeks before the festival opening date

The entrant is responsible for the film freight to the location as confirmed by the festival organisers. The entrant or talent has the responsibility to take back the film if attending the festival. Alternatively, the festival team will post the film back to them (at the entrant’s cost) within an adequate time frame after the festival finishes.

Please test your Vimeo links prior to submission, making sure the film works properly and is not damaged. Please notify us promptly if the screener links and passwords are changed/updated.

Similarly, the final formats should be kindly tested for quality and accuracy.

The festival cannot be held responsible or liable for any film and materials that are damaged or lost.

e) Selection

Notification will only be given to those films selected for the festival, if you do not hear back from us after the notification date, Friday, March 11, 2022, then your film has not been selected.

Preference will be given to independent films, which are World, UK, Midlands, and Birmingham premiers, which are no older than 2019. However, heritage and classic/evergreen films, with renowned cast members will also be considered.

Irrespective of any film being in a South Asian language, it must have English subtitles.

Unfortunately, a film available or going to be available (prior to festival dates) on streaming sites, YouTube, satellite/cable television, which is free or available via a monthly/annual subscription service in the UK will not be considered.

The festival reserves the right to omit a film from the festival if there is a clear breach of the final agreement by the entrant.

We will strongly factor in and welcome filmmakers and talent wishing to attend the festival. Those in the UK and attending the festival are kindly expected to participate in post-screening Q&As.

The audience will appreciate guests for inspiring Q&As.

Filmmakers and talent in attendance are responsible for their own visa, travel and accommodation costs unless otherwise communicated via email. However, we can provide a supporting letter for visa purposes.

The films should have a South Asian connection, which broadly means nations like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Afghanistan.

Films with an indirect/South Asian and Desi link (UK, North America, East Africa, Southern Africa, Australasia Middle East, Singapore, Malaysia, and the world) will also be considered.

f) The Programme Schedule
The festival team will announce the schedule for the final programme, following the last submission deadline. We require permission to screen the film up to two times, once during the festival and secondly if there is a huge demand for a second screening. Please note we will not pay any licensing or screening fee to the entrant or anyone else. The festival will have an opening and closing night.

g) Clearance and Copyrights
All entries must obtain the appropriate copyright clearances (e.g. music, images, and so forth). Failure to do so will result in the entry being disqualified from the competition. In other words, the entrant (s) submitting the film must hold all legal rights for the submission, as well as all necessary clearances for public exhibition.

For any film submissions without a BBFC, classification, it is imperative that the entrant suggests the film classification (U, PG, 12, 12A, 15, 18). We will need this information to convey to the relevant licensing authority.

h) Data Protection and Confidentiality
All entries shall be in compliance with all applicable personal data protection regulations and laws. All personal contact information is to remain confidential and not to be shared with any third parties. Please read our privacy policy for further information.

i) Marketing and Publicity
By submitting your film, the entrant is giving us full rights to use clips/artwork from and relating to the film for marketing and publicity pre, during, and post the DESIblitz Film Fusion festival, in any format or manner.

As part of your submission, please also submit a synopsis between 250-300 words as preferred to appear in the final programme. Please note if required the festival team will make any necessary amendments to the copy submitted.

Additionally, we will kindly require press assets, including film artwork, posters, trailers (4K or HD) and a short director bio.

These assets will be useful for DESIblitz.com to produce stellar coverage on our website. Filmmakers and talent will have the benefit of gaining exposure worldwide, courtesy of DESIblitz.com (Winner of 2021 Best Publication and Website: Asian Media Awards), with access all over the world digitally.

Naturally, other media outlets and sites will also cover the festival.

We kindly expect filmmakers and stars from the films selected to work closely with the festival team to promote the festival (screenings/Q&As) with strategic shout-outs, along with tweets and posts on social media.

Entries selected will be provided with the festival logo and other materials, to be used by entrants for their own marketing and publicity with regards to the festival.

j) Governing Law and Jurisdiction
The above rules are terms shall be governed by the laws of United Kingdom nations, under specific jurisdiction of England courts.