The conditions of participation for film submissions to the 57th Hof International Film Festival from 24 until 29 October 2023 plus7streamdays: What conditions must a film meet for submission to the festival? How and where can a film be submitted? How does the film selection process work?

Below you will find Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), and answers.

Submission

When, where and how can a film be submitted?

Films can be submitted here until August 27, 2023 at the latest:
https://hofer-filmtage.filmchief.com

For your information, the platform we use for managing submissions is FilmChief.

Are there any content or formal requirements for submission?

We do not have any content or formal requirements for films. All lengths and genres are accepted. Films up to 49 minutes are classified as short films.

What are the requirements for submission?

The German premiere of a film at the Hof International Film Festival is the minimum requirement. It may not be screened in public in Germany, for example at a festival, online (On Demand), on TV, etc., until the end of the respective festival edition.

Submitted films will be screened both on location in Hof (October 24-29, 2023) and on our VOD platform (from the premiere on-site in Hof until November 5, 2023) to the extent that there no legal restrictions.

When is the submission deadline?

Films can be submitted until August 27, 2023 at the latest.

Is there a submission fee?

No, we do not charge a submission fee.

If a film was rejected the previous year, can it be resubmitted?

We can only accept resubmissions of films that have already been rejected in absolutely exceptional cases. Please contact us by email at info@hofer-filmtage.com before resubmitting your film.

Who can be contacted if something changes in a submission?

If something has changed in your submission information or if an error has crept in, you can contact us by email at info@hofer-filmtage.com. We will be happy to adjust, correct or change the data of your film.

Requirements

What kind of viewing file is to be submitted with the submission?

In our submission form you have the option to include a password protected viewing link (e.g. vimeo or similar). Please do not include a download link of a submitted film. The viewing link must remain active/available until the beginning of the festival.

What language version must a submitted film have?

We are happy to screen films of all languages. However, if the original language is not German or English, we require subtitles in German or English so that we can screen and evaluate the film for the program.

If your film is selected, we would be very happy if you could provide English subtitles even for original German versions.

Can a rough cut be submitted?

In principle yes! However, please keep in mind that we rarely have enough time to view films in different versions. Therefore, we recommend that if you want to send us a rough or fine cut version, please be sure that this version represents your vision of the film. In the submission form, you can let us know what changes will be made for the final version.

Can additional material be submitted?

The film itself is the deciding factor for the selection of a film. However, you can also provide us with additional material such as links to trailers, stills, dialogue lists, biographies and filmographies of the directors. Please email us this material after submission along with the film ID assigned by the submission portal to info@hofer-filmtage.com.

Can I also submit a series?

In exceptional cases, we have shown series formats in the official program. Feel free to contact our film selection team for any proposal.

Selection

What happens after the submission has been sent?

After you have sent the submission form, you will receive an automatic confirmation email for the data received. After that, the intensive decision-making phase by our film selection team begins, which can take several weeks. Once the selection is complete, our programming team will contact you to inform you of the selection decision.

Who decides on the film selection?

The screening and selection of films is done by our team of experienced film experts: Thorsten Schaumann (Artistic Director); full length films: Inge Hagedorn, Rudy Tijo as well as Stefanie von Bock; short films: Noni Lickleder and Michael Seidel.

How many films will be selected?

We will select approximately 120 - 125 films.

How will I be notified if a film is selected?

The decision is usually sent via email to the person who was listed as the primary contact on the submission form.

What should be done if your film has an invitation to another festival?

If your film has been invited to another German festival that takes place before our festival date, please contact us. We will try to speed up the decision process.

What happens to the film data of a submitted film if it is rejected?

If your film is rejected, the basic film information will remain in our database for archival and research purposes. Viewing links will be deleted.

Festival

What screening format does a film need once it is selected?

We require a DCP for the screening of your film. You do not need to have this screening format at the time of submission – this only becomes relevant once your film is selected.

How will the 56th Hof International Film Festival take place?

For the 57th Hof International Film Festival there will be on-site screenings from October 24-29, 2023 in the cinemas in Hof. After the first screening in theaters, the films are available as transactional video-on-demand exclusively in Germany and for accredited professionals on our HoF On Demand platform until November 5, 2023 as far as there are no legal restrictions. This may be the case for German productions supported by the FFA and or BKM, for which the rights holder applies for a clearance in coordination with the festival.

Any questions?

Your question is not included here? – Feel free to send us an email.