German Short Film Award; submission of a proposal for a short film

Propose short films for the German Short Film Award.

Description

The Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) awards the German Short Film Award annually. The German Short Film Award is presented in 5 categories:

  • Feature film of up to 10 minutes running time
  • Feature film of more than 10 minutes up to 30 minutes running time
  • Animated film up to 30 minutes running time
  • Experimental film up to 30 minutes running time
  • Documentary film up to 30 minutes running time

In addition, the BKM will award a special prize for films with a running time of more than 30 minutes up to 78 minutes.
Short films selected by the juries will receive a (funding) award:

  • nominated short films: EUR 15,000
  • awarded short films: EUR 30,000
  • films awarded the Special Prize: EUR 20,000

The recipients of the (funding) awards must use them for the production or project preparation/development of a new film.
Please submit your proposal for the German Short Film Award to the Film Department K 35 at the Federal Government's Department for Culture and the Media (BKM).

Prerequisites

Proposals for an award can be submitted by

  • German film associations and institutions, for example (list not exhaustive):
    • German film schools
    • (short) film festivals of national importance
    • (short) film distributors
    • AG Short Film
    • AG Animation Film
    • AG DOK
    • Short Film Agency Hamburg
    • interfilm Berlin
    • State Sponsors
    • Association of Screenwriters

Further requirements:

  • the proposed film must have been completed in the year of the award or in the year prior to it
  • the proposed film must have a significant German cultural imprint:
    • the original language of the film is German or
    • the director is
      • German or has his/her permanent place of residence in Germany or
      • he/she is a national
        • an EU member state or
        • a state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or
        • Switzerland
    • and at least one is a producer
      • German or has his/her permanent residence in Germany or in one of the
      • he/she is a national
        • of an EU member state or
        • a State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, or
        • Switzerland
    • the financial share of the producers with their registered office or branch in Germany must be at least as large as the largest foreign producer's share, if any, added together
  • the film must be presented in a German language version or as a German subtitled version suitable for cinema screening
  • the film must not have participated in the selection procedure for the German Short Film Award in the past
  • certificate from the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) confirming the fulfilment of general film-related requirements in accordance with the regulations of the German Film Subsidies Act (FFG)FSK clearance (Voluntary Self-Regulation of the Film Industry)
  • the film must be made available as a download link
  • the film must be allowed to be shown to the jury
  • the download link of the film must be allowed to be stored at the Federal Archive for the duration of the selection procedure
  • the film must be allowed to be screened as part of the German Short Film Award ceremony
  • the film must be allowed to be broadcast in excerpts on television and for public relations purposes
  • the film must be allowed to be presented in excerpts and/or via film stills on the relevant BKM and German Short Film Award websites as well as on the associated social media sites
  • the film must be allowed to be screened on a cinema tour in selected German cities

Procedure

You must submit your proposal for the German Short Film Award in writing to the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) via an authorised agency.

  • Download the submission form and the producer's or rights holder's declaration from the German Short Film Award website. Fill out the forms electronically. Print them out and sign them.
  • Discuss the possibilities of proposing your film with the bodies of your choice entitled to make proposals.
  • In case of the intention to propose your film by an appropriate body, please send the forms to them for further use. From there, your documents will be sent by post to the Film Department K 35 at the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media and are thus deemed to have been proposed.
    • Note: You or the nominating body must submit 8 copies of the documents.
  • Email a download link to the proposed film. For example, use your Dropbox.
  • The submissions will be checked for formal admissibility by the BKM.
  • The juries of the German Short Film Award will deliberate on the eligible film proposals. The BKM decides on the awards based on the juries' proposals.
  • The nominees will be informed about the nomination by telephone as well as by e-mail and post and invited to the award ceremony.
  • During the award ceremony, the producer of the film receives the award.
  • The (sponsorship) award will be given to the producer of the film who is based or has a branch in Germany.

Deadlines

  • Submission of proposals by 15.05. of each year

Processing time

  • 6 months

Required documents

  • Required Documents

    You must submit with the proposal as the entity entitled to submit a proposal:

    • Declaration of producer or rights holder
    • Download link to the proposed film (for example via Dropbox) by e-mail
    • Certificate from the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) confirming the fulfilment of general film-related requirements in accordance with the regulations of the German Film Subsidies Act (FFG)
    • FSK release (Voluntary Self-Regulation of the Film Industry)

Forms

  • Form, Bavaria-wide: Deutscher Kurzfilmpreis 2023: Vorschlag für eine Auszeichnung
    Please note

    This form has to be signed and sent to the responsible authority. You can sign the form manually and send it by email/fax or sign the form electronically with your qualified electronic signature an send it by (secure) email. If the responsible authority has set up a De-Mail account, you can also send the form by De-Mail using an sender-confirmed message.

  • Form, Bavaria-wide: Hersteller- beziehungsweise Rechteinhabererklärung
    Please note

    This form has to be signed and sent to the responsible authority. You can sign the form manually and send it by email/fax or sign the form electronically with your qualified electronic signature an send it by (secure) email. If the responsible authority has set up a De-Mail account, you can also send the form by De-Mail using an sender-confirmed message.

Fees

  • none

Remedy

  • Contradiction

Status:27.08.2023

Responsible for editing:Die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien

  • Online transactions, Bavaria-wide
  • Online transactions, locally limited
  • Form, Bavaria-wide
  • Form, locally limited
  • Prefillable Form, Bavaria-wide
  • Legal bases, Bavaria-wide
  • Legal bases, locally limited
  • Fees, Bavaria-wide
  • Fees, locally limited
Information

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