Rules & Submission guidelines
By submitting your work to CHFF - Copenhagen Headliner Film Festival, you agree to the following terms and conditions:
*Entry fee paid by credit card or PayPal. Entry fees are non-refundable.
*Copenhagen Headliner Film Festival reserves the right to disqualify any submission without refund of submission fees.
ELIGIBILITY
Open to global filmmakers. Language can be English without subtitles, or any other foreign language with subtitles.
Screenplays must be in English.
While premieres are not requirements for CHFF, premiere status is considered in final programming decisions.
Private online/FilmFreeway screener preferred. We do not accept physical DVD/blu-Ray, DCP etc. Digital versions via download link is accepted.
Should not promote extremist political or religious views, defame individuals or organizations.
You confirm your work is cleared for festival exhibition (all music, fonts, visuals, etc.) and the intellectual property is yours, or permission is acquired from the copyright owner.
Submitting multiple film projects by the same team of filmmakers within the same competition is allowed. However, films already submitted in one season cannot be submitted again.
Film submission does not guarantee 'Official Selection'.
Films submitted must not infringe any copyright or other intellectual property right of any third party.
Abusive or non-constructive feedback will not be entertained.
a. Copyright Confirmation: Filmmakers must provide express consent and confirm copyright ownership for any streaming of their audiovisual project, ensuring that all necessary rights are in place for public exhibition.
b. Use of Stills and/or Clip Fragments: You certify that your work is ready for festival exhibition (all music, fonts, visuals, etc. are cleared worldwide, in perpetuity, multi-platform), and that the intellectual property is yours. If you are acting as a distributor, you affirm you've secured permission from the copyright owner. You allow us to use stills and short clips from your audiovisual project on the festival's digital platforms, including our website and social media channels, exclusively for promotional, non-commercial, and educational purposes.
c. Downloading: You grant permission to the Festival Director and the adjudicators to download your audiovisual project(s) to assist with offline viewing and to fulfill the festival's programming needs.
Screening Information
All filmmakers that are selected will receive free admission for themselves + one.
All filmmakers must register in advance.
One film per filmmaker.
We prioritize films where a representative/crew member from your film are present at the screening. Though it's not mandatory the festival will benefit from having as many filmmakers attending as possible.
Your place at the screening event is not guaranteed until you have sent us a digital copy of the film, and we confirmed its addition to the screening queue.
Copenhagen Headliner Film Festival reserve the right to decide whether or not to screen any particular film.
Rules and Terms are subject to change.
Screening Formats
We accept all aspect ratios (16:9. 4:3, 21:9 etc.)
We accept .MOV formats (Ideally MP4.)
The Headliner Award procedure: Upon notification of being selected as recipient of The Headliner Award and a money prize recipient, the winning party must acknowledge receipt and accept the prize within fourteen (14) business days. Failure to do so will result in the forfeiture of The Headliner Award, which will then be awarded to the runner-up (2nd place) of the competition. It is the winner’s responsibility to ensure communication channels with Copenhagen Headliner Film Festival remain open and responsive to facilitate the timely delivery of the prize. This clause is intended to expedite the award process and maintain the momentum of the recipient’s success, ensuring that the celebration of excellence continues unabated.
IMDb: CHFF’s team can update your awards/nominations on your IMDb pages, but will not initiate the creation of project pages if they don't exist.
Code of Conduct: You pledge to maintain respect and courtesy toward all involved.
Feedback: While we don't provide feedback on every submission, we do offer a critical review + a personalized feedback on your rejection option.
No Refunds and Sportsmanship: Refunds will not be provided based on dissatisfaction with the festival's final decisions.
Accepted Submission Types: We accept a wide range of submission formats.
Submission Permissions: Filmmaker teams can enter multiple projects in the same festival season.
Submission Restrictions: Once an audiovisual project has been submitted to a particular season, it cannot be re-submitted to subsequent ones.
Film Reviews: To request a written critique, your audiovisual project must have been submitted to the competition.
Official Selection: A submission does not automatically confer "Official Selection" status.
Mailing List: By submitting to CHFF, you are automatically added to our newsletter.
Email Marketing & Official Selection: Although we use email marketing as a strategy to increase the reach and awareness of our festival, filmmakers must understand that receiving marketing communications does not equate to automatic official selection or nomination. Audiovisual projects undergo a rigorous selection process, and there is no guarantee of selection based solely on marketing efforts.
Free Waivers: We may extend the courtesy of giving selected filmmakers a free waiver or a discount. However, to maintain the integrity of the festival it will be given solely at the discretion of CHFF.
Respect for All Participants: Many filmmakers invest time and resources to participate in our festival. It is essential that every filmmaker feels their efforts and investments are respected and valued equally.
Maintaining Prize Integrity: Awarding the prestigious title of The Headliner Award, along with a grand cash prize, to someone who entered on a fee waiver could potentially undermine the perceived value and fairness of the competition. This approach could unintentionally devalue the efforts of those who followed the standard entry process - thus handing out free waivers to anyone is a luxury our festival cannot accommodate.
However, rare exceptions can be made to benefit the reach of the festival and to create a buzz surrounding the physical event. Films can also receive an invitation to be screened at the event outside of the festival contest. In any case these decisions will be made solely at the discretion of the Festival Director and the adjudicators.
Privacy Policy
Newsletter and Promotional Communications Opt-In: By submitting an entry to our festival, you consent to be added to our mailing list and receive marketing communications from partner film festivals and creative contests.
Opt-Out Rights: You may unsubscribe or withdraw consent for electronic communications at any time. The opt-out is available by emailing us with a request to unsubscribe.
Use of Personal Information: We respect your privacy and will handle your data according to relevant data protection regulations.
Changes to this Clause: We may update this Privacy Policy Clause as necessary.
Contact: Any queries regarding this Privacy Policy Clause can be directed to our team.
By agreeing to these terms, filmmakers understand that their content will be treated with the highest level of care and consideration, with safety and security as a priority. Copenhagen Headliner Film Festival is committed to promoting cinematic excellence while safeguarding the filmmakers' intellectual property.
By entering Copenhagen Headliner Film Festival, you confirm your understanding of - and compliance with the above terms and acknowledge having read and accepted our rules and regulations.