Open Call: Sharjah Film Platform 2020

Overview

Sharjah Art Foundation is pleased to invite filmmakers to submit entries for this year’s Sharjah Film Platform (SFP), running from 14 to 21 November 2020. Organised by the Foundation to support the flourishing art scene in the UAE and MENA region, SFP provides a critical platform for emerging and established filmmakers, producers, critics and students alike. The platform has three main components: the curated film programme and awards; the public programme of talks, workshops and other events, including the Pitching Forum; and the SFP Short Film Production Grant, which funds films that premiere at SFP. Screenings take place in Sharjah at the Foundation’s Mirage City Cinema, Al Mureijah Square, and other cinemas in and around the city.

All films accepted for Sharjah Film Platform will automatically be considered for a juried award.

Application

This opportunity is now closed.

Terms and Conditions

General
• Only one film submission per director is considered; multiple submissions are not accepted.
• All films must be original.
• Only Vimeo and YouTube screeners are considered.
• Submission is free and open to the public worldwide.
• Without exception, all submissions must be received by the deadline of midnight (GMT+4) on 10 May 2020.
• Film submissions will be rejected if they do not follow the technical specifications mentioned below.
• DCP film submissions are accepted if they have dual subtitles (English/Arabic) embedded.

Rights Granted to Sharjah Film Platform

With the submission of their film, applicants grant Sharjah Film Platform the right to do the following:
• Screen the film publicly in the SFP festival programme.
• Use segments of the film for marketing purposes such as publicising and promoting the film in any media, without time or territorial restrictions.
• Use names, photographs, screenshots and/or biographies for marketing purposes such as publicising and promoting the film in any media, without time or territorial restrictions.

Film Rights and Copyright

• All rights for the screening license for the submitted film must be obtained by the applicant.
• All copyright permissions, including those for stock music and stock footage, must be cleared by the applicant prior to submitting the film for consideration.

Technical Specifications for Sharjah Film Platform Submissions

• The file name must be in the following format:
SFP2020_Firstname_Lastname_Filmtitle

• Video specifications:
o Encoding: H.264/AVC High Profile:
o Aspect ratio: 16:9 Full Frame
o Resolution: 1080p (1920×1080 pixels)
o Bitrate: 15.0 Mbps CBR
o Colour sampling: 4:2:0

• Audio specifications:
o Stereo audio: LC-AAC 2.0 @ 192 kbps
o Surround: Dolby Digital AC-3 @ 384 kbps
o Audio Channel: Assignment 2.0 + 5.1
o Sampling rate: 48 kHz
o Audio levels: Reference -18 dBFS; Peak <-10 dBFS (EBU R68)

• Subtitles must be provided separately.
o If your film is in English, please provide the Arabic subtitles, and vice versa.
o If your film is in another language, please provide both English and Arabic subtitle files.


The accepted formats are SRT, SBV, Script File, and UserTC.