Film Submission Form

Third edition. Please make sure all details are correct before sending the form, and upload the film and the required materials in the specified formats.

Submission deadline 31 December 2026
01 Terms and Conditions of Participation
Terms and conditions — third edition

The Iraq International Youth Film Festival welcomes directors, producers and young filmmakers from around the world to take part in its third edition, believing in the role of cinema in fostering cultural dialogue, discovering new talent and supporting young creative voices.

1. Eligibility

  • Films produced after 1 January 2025 are accepted.
  • A film that has already taken part in a previous edition of the festival may not be submitted.
  • Fiction, documentary, animation, experimental and student films are accepted.
  • Television programmes and single episodes of series or programmes are not accepted.

2. Registration and submission

  • Registration is through the festival’s official entry form.
  • The deadline for receiving entries is 31 December 2026.
  • The entrant must provide a complete, final screener of the film.
  • Please state the film’s premiere status (world, international, regional, Iraqi), if any.
  • All applicants will be notified of the selection results by the email address given in the form.

3. Screening and selection

  • The festival welcomes films screening for the first time, and also gives careful consideration to films that have screened at other festivals, in line with its programming policy.
  • Once a film’s selection has been officially announced, it cannot be withdrawn without the approval of the festival management.
  • The festival management reserves the right to decide the most suitable section for the film, whether the official competition, parallel programmes, student sections or special screenings.
  • The festival pays special attention to directors’ first works and to films that offer new artistic visions and outstanding youth perspectives.

4. Technical requirements

Film categories

  • Short film: up to 30 minutes.
  • Feature film: 61 minutes or longer.

Screener files

  • Provide a working, secure viewing link to the final version.
  • HD quality or higher is preferred.
  • Maximum screener file size: 15 GB.

Subtitles

  • Arabic-language films must include English subtitles.
  • Non-Arabic-language films must include Arabic subtitles.
  • The entrant is responsible for the accuracy and quality of the subtitles.

5. Screening copies of selected films

If the film is selected for the official programme, the rights holder agrees to provide:

  • A high-quality screening copy: MOV, ProRes or high-quality MP4.
  • A DCP for films nominated for cinema screening, whenever the festival management requests it.
  • Playback keys (KDM) for encrypted films within the set deadlines.
  • Any additional technical materials needed to ensure screening quality.

The festival reserves the right to request a replacement copy if a technical problem affecting the screening is found.

6. Publicity materials

For publication and promotion, please provide the festival with:

  • The film poster.
  • Three film stills.
  • A recent photo of the director.
  • The trailer, if available.
  • The press kit, if available.

7. Rights and responsibilities

  • The entrant confirms that they hold all legal rights needed to submit and screen the film.
  • The entrant bears full responsibility for the rights to music, archive material, images and any other content used in the film.
  • The entrant confirms that they have the consent of all producers, partners and rights holders concerned.
  • The entrant bears legal responsibility for any claims relating to intellectual property or third-party rights.

8. Festival rights

  • The festival may use excerpts of the film of up to 90 seconds, as well as stills, posters and trailers, for promotional purposes.
  • The festival may archive a copy of selected films for documentation, study and non-commercial research, with the rights holder’s consent.
  • The festival may reject any entry that does not meet the technical or legal requirements.
  • The festival management reserves the right to interpret these regulations and to decide on any cases they do not cover.

9. Priority criteria

The festival gives special attention to:

  • First or second films by young directors.
  • Films produced or co-produced by Iraqi parties.
  • Films having their premiere.
  • Works that offer innovative visions and human stories of artistic and cultural value.

10. General provisions

  • Selected films must mention their participation in, or award from, the Iraq International Youth Film Festival in their future promotional materials.
  • Jury members may not enter films in the competition they are judging.
  • The festival management reserves the right to change screening times, programmes or venues when necessary.
  • Sending the entry form constitutes full acceptance of all the terms and conditions in these regulations.

Please accept the terms and conditions to continue filling in the form.