SUBMISSIONS FOR THE 2021 FESTIVAL ARE NOW CLOSED.

Thank you to all the filmmakers who have submitted their films for consideration in the 2021 Water Docs Film Festival. We will be notifying everyone of our decisions by late December.

Thank you for choosing to submit your water-themed film to the 2021 Water Docs Film Festival and our 10th Anniversary celebration.

Please read all rules and terms before submitting your film.

Awards & Prizes

This year we are running a competition for Best Feature Film with a $2,000 CAD prize as well as Best Short - Mid-Length Film with a $1,000 CAD prize. So get your cameras ready and enter your films today.

PLEASE NOTE: If you do not wish to submit your film for competition at this time but prefer to simply submit it for screening consideration, please enter it into the General Festival Entry category.

Categories & Fees:

Best Feature Film (60 - 120 min) - any genre - Prize $2,000 CAD

Earlybird Deadline:
Standard: $25 / Student $15
Regular Deadline:
Standard $35 / Student $20
Late Deadline:
Standard $45 / Student $25

Best Short - Mid-Length Film (1 - 59 min) - any genre - Prize $1,000 CAD

Earlybird Deadline:
Standard $25 / Student $15
Regular Deadline:
Standard $35 / Student $20
Late Deadline:
Standard $45 / Student $25

General Festival Entry (1-120 min) - any genre

Earlybird Deadline: Standard $25 / Student $15
Regular Deadline: Standard: $35 / Student $20
Late Deadline: Standard $45 / Student $25

Rules

PLEASE NOTE: Your film submission MUST have a central water issue or theme to be eligible for screening. Please read the submission criteria carefully before submitting your film.

At this time, we request only online submissions. All materials must be viewable online as we want to remain as green (blue) as possible. The easiest way to submit your film is through FilmFreeway. Alternatively, and with pre-approval, you can email us a link to your film online with the preview screening password and proof of submission fee payment. Online payments for this method of submission can be made via PayPal. Our preferred streaming services are Vimeo or YouTube.

CRITERIA:
1. Your film MUST have a central water issue or theme.
2. Your film must be in English or subtitled in English.
3. Your film should not have been completed more than 3 years ago (2018, 2019, 2020 - some exceptions for retrospectives may apply - please enquire).
4. Your film should not have previously screened widely in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada market or online.
5. As we are trying to become a more accessible festival, open captioning of your film is encouraged and appreciated but not mandatory at this point. If your film is Open Captioned, please let us know.

By submitting to the festival, you agree to allow us to screen your film (or other artistic work) anytime during the entire festival run for which you are submitting, at no charge to the festival and for any additional screenings via our Water Docs Where-You-Live Community Screenings program beyond the current festival.

All media selected by the festival will be asked to provide promotional materials, but we ask that no promotional materials be sent until we notify you of selection.

By submitting to the festival you are admitting copyright ownership of everything submitted.

Because we prefer online screener links, please only send DVD preview copies (NTSC, Region 0 or 1) under certain pre-approved circumstances. (Please send an email explaining the particular situation before mailing a DVD.)

If approved, any mailings must be received postmarked by the deadline (October 30, 2020) to be considered for the 2021 festival. Do not send masters or irreplaceable material. Submitted DVDs must be able to play on standalone DVD players. Please label in ink each item clearly with the film title, director’s name, running time, year, and contact information. Preview screeners WILL NOT be returned. Do not send unnecessary printed material.

For international packages: The customs declaration should clearly state that the preview video has no commercial value, is for temporary consideration and for cultural use only. Water Docs will not cover any resulting customs and duties charges and will refuse the package if there are any supplemental charges. Do not send entries in a fibre-filled envelope.

Submissions received by the Earlybird deadline (August 21, 2020) must include an entry fee of CAD $25.00, submissions received by the Regular deadline (September 25, 2020) must include an entry fee of CAD $35.00 and finally, submissions received by the Late deadline (October 30, 2020) must include an entry fee of CAD $45.00. Please include the receipt for online payment in the package. For other methods of payment please contact the festival directly. There are absolutely no refunds of submission fees. Thanks for your understanding.

The Water Docs Film Festival proudly accepts entries exclusively via FilmFreeway.com, the world’s best online submissions platform. FilmFreeway offers free HD online screeners, Vimeo and YouTube integration, and more.

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

Upon selection, the entrant grants the Water Docs Film Festival the right to utilize publicity materials related to the production (i.e. press kits, posters, stills, preview tapes, etc.) for promotional purposes in all mediums, including broadcast, print and internet.

The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening, and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations.

The undersigned shall indemnify and hold harmless Water Docs Film Festival and the Ecologos Environmental Organization from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.

The film has been submitted for consideration with the knowledge and consent of the Producer(s) listed in this form.

Participation in the Water Docs Film Festival implies an understanding and acceptance of these regulations. The Festival reserves the right to rule on cases not foreseen by these regulations.

SUBMITTER RELEASE:
By participating in the Water Docs Film Festival (WDFF), I certify that I/we are the sole owner(s) of the work submitted and that I/we have obtained all necessary releases and clearances necessary for public screening. By submitting this entry, I agree that the Water Docs Film Festival (WDFF) & the Ecologos Environmental Organization (EEO), its affiliates and assigns may publicly screen the work, as part of WDFF, and may use all or part of the work and any stills and descriptive material, including the title of the work in any publicity efforts for the festival, including any broadcast or internet and website use. I/we also agree to allow this submission to be included in repeat screenings of WDFF or the Water Docs Where-You-Live Community Screenings program which may occur outside of the original context, and which may include being part of a WDFF sponsored screening at other film festivals both within and outside of Canada. I understand that my screening copy will not be returned.

THIRD-PARTY RIGHTS & CLEARANCES:
All films must be the original work of the entrant and must not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity. If the film contains any material or elements that are not owned by the entrant and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties, the entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to the submission of the film, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the use of the film by the Water Docs Film Festival (WDFF). WDFF reserves the right, in its sole and unfettered discretion, to verify at any time during the Competition that all necessary clearances relating to any film have been obtained. At any time during the Festival, WDFF reserves the right, in its sole and unfettered discretion, to disqualify and remove any film that potentially or actually infringes any third party's copyright(s).

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY:
By entering into this Contest, entrants hereby release and discharge the Water Docs Film Festival (WDFF) and its respective affiliates, subsidiaries, assigns, agents, representatives, independent contractors, officers, employees and directors from and against any and all claims, liabilities, costs, damages and expenses of any kind arising out of or relating to their participation in this Festival, their use or acceptance of any prize, the use by WDFF of any films submitted by entrants and/or any actions or decisions of WDFF in connection with the conduct and administration of this Festival. Entrants hereby waive any right to seek injunctive or other equitable relief in connection with any claim against WDFF, any of the Sponsors or Co-Sponsors, or any of their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, assigns, agents, representatives, independent contractors, officers, employees and directors.

WDFF is not responsible for technical failures of any kind or any problems or delays arising from any technical, software or equipment malfunctions, computer viruses, or any other technical, equipment or human errors of any kind, or any damage or alteration to your film that may occur in connection with the uploading or display of the film. If WDFF determines in its sole discretion that there is any suspected or actual evidence of electronic or non-electronic tampering or fraud relating to any portion of the Festival, or if technical difficulties compromise the integrity of the Festival, WDFF reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest, in whole or in part, at any time without notice. WDFF is not liable for any failure to screen any submitted films if that failure is due to circumstances beyond its control.