Caminhos Film Festival Regulation

1. Definition

1.1. Caminhos Film Festival is a generalist film festival focused on Portuguese contemporary cinematography, being a singular event in Portugal for the way it promotes the exhibition, discussion, and cinematographic practices through the promotion of competitive and parallel sections, cinematographic retrospectives, and pedagogic and training courses in theoretical and practical basis.

1.2. The festival is idealized by lovers and professionals of the film industry and intends to give visibility to the different Portuguese productions, in its distinct technical and thematic areas.

1.3. On a conceptual level, Caminhos Film Festival is characterized by a range of categories that are a reliable source of the panorama of cinematographic production in Portugal every year, promoting itself as a gathering space of “all the Portuguese cinema”.

1.4. Caminhos Film Festival wants to be what its name conveys: a summary of the different paths of the Portuguese cinematography. There is not only one path, and we can acknowledge that when we enumerate them, namely: author cinema, commercial cinema, cinema for children, and video art. The Portuguese cinema fits in several age groups and stylistic categories that the history of cinema shows us.

1.5. The festival is an initiative co-organized by Caminhos do Cinema Português – Associação de Artes Cinematográficas de Coimbra and by Centro de Estudos Cinematográficos da Associação Académica de Coimbra.

1.6. Caminhos Film Festival considers that the duration of a short film is inferior to 60 minutes.

 

2. Objectives

2.1. Caminhos Film Festival has a general-purposeof reinforcing access to the cinematographic culture of Portugal, promoting its diffusion, and the elements to its comparison and comprehension.

2.2. In each edition, the project should reinforce community ties and local identity, promoting the inclusion in a national identity and community.

2.3. The festival intends to promote elements towards comparison and comprehension of Portuguese cinema in a global context, regarding the context of professional, academic and cinephile film production in general.

2.4. The festival promotes the training of audiences in film literacy through investigation, education and production practice.

 

3. Competitive Sections

Caminhos Film Festival presents three competitive sections, namely: Caminhos Selection (Seleção Caminhos), Essays Selection (Ensaios and Another Glance Selection (Seleção Outros Olhares

3.1. The Caminhos Selection (Selecção Caminhos) is dedicated to all national professional production and co-production, devoting to this section all film genres.

3.2. The Essays Selection (Selecção Ensaios) is dedicated to films produced in an academic context or in technical and professional training (Cinema, Audiovisual and Multimedia High schools, and Universities), and aims to give a space to all directors, who, in Portugal and internationally, seek to be the creators of tomorrow.

3.2.1 A “National Essay” is considered to be all the films whose school or training entity is Portuguese, regardless of the nationality of the director/student.

3.2.2 An “International Essay” is considered to be all the films whose school or training entity is foreign, regardless of the nationality of the director/student.

3.3. The Another Glance competitive section represents a space reserved towards different visions about film practice and exercise, promoting the overthrow of the canon and the search for new languages.

3.4. The works presented in each competitive sections will be the result of a pre-selection of the organization’s responsibility.

 

4. Admission

4.1. There will only be admitted to the competition films of national production or co-production, majority and minority, with the exceptions set forth in 4.4.1, and whose conclusion took place after the deadline for receiving of entries for films from the previous edition of the festival, that is, concluded after July 31 of the previous year to the realization of the festival.

4.2. One can apply the films that, even being produced in a previous date to the one mentioned before, were never exhibited in commercial or alternative circuits.

4.2.1. By alternative circuit should be understood that the film went through a circuit being distributed by film clubs, municipal auditoriums, universities, and other public spaces in a total superior to two exhibitions.

4.3. There won’t be accepted films that have been exhibited in television or available, by the will of the author or the producer, on Internet websites, streaming services (i.e., Netflix, NOS Play, Videoclube Meo) or edited on DVD or BluRay.

4.4. In the parallel sections there will be admitted films produced in the last three years.

4.4.1. International productions will be accepted in the Essays Selection and parallel exhibitions.

4.4.2. Films with dialogues in foreign languages must be subtitles in Portuguese.

4.4.3. International films can be subtitled in English or French.

4.4.4. International films proposed to Juniors will be exclusively in Portuguese or without dialogues and suitable for ages from 4 and 10 years old.

4.5. There is no limit regarding the number of films that each director/producer can submit to the festival, as long as they cover the rules of this regulation.

4.6. Submissions must take place on the FilmFreeway platform, through the website www.filmfreeway.com/Caminhos.

4.7. Films enrolled, selected in previous editions of the Festival will not be accepted.

4.8. It’s the responsibility of the proponents to indicate the category in which they are competing when enrolling.

4.9. It’s the responsibility of the Festival the selection of all the programmed films.

4.10. Any enrolled film can join other sessions or sections of the Festival, including non-competitive, as long as it is preserved the intention of the proponent when it comes to the genre (animation, documentary, fiction) and length.

 

5. Deadlines

5.1. The deadline of film enrolments and the dispatch of copies for the Festival’s pre-selection is July 31, every year. The selected films will be notified through the FilmFreeway platform or e-amil, up to October 15.

5.1.1. The Festival does not guarantee watching and analyzing the films received after the enrolment deadline.

5.2. The deadline for the dispatch of copies for exhibition is November 1st.

5.3. The Festival won’t make any payment for the rental of copies for the exhibition of films in competition.

5.4. Enrolment fees

5.4.1. National films:

5.4.1.1. Until May 31:

        • Free on all categories.

5.4.1.2. From May 31 to June 30:

        •  Motion Pictures – 10€
        • Short-Films – 5€

5.4.1.3. After June 30:

        • Motion Pictures – 20€
        • Short-Films – 10€

5.4.2. International films:

5.4.2.1. Until May 31:

        • Motion Pictures – 25€
        • Short-Films – 15€

5.4.2.2. From May 31 to June 30:

        • Motion Pictures – 35€
        • Short-Films – 20€

5.4.2.3. After June 30:

        • Motion Pictures – 50€
        • Short-Films – 25€

5.5. The enrolment fees for students of the year preceding the edition of the Festival, who present a student enrolment certificate are reduced by 50%. Such should contact the organization using the e-mail filmes@caminhos.info and sending the name(s) of the film(s) and the enrolment certificate.

 

6. Approval

6.1. The proponents will be informed of the approval of their works and will have to send through e-mail or post office the following elements:

6.1.1. Director’s bio filmography.

6.1.2. Projection copy in DCP.

6.1.3. Film’s complete production credits sheet.

6.1.4. Director, set and film’s photography/picture, and movie poster.

6.1.5. Film’s trailer or a 2 minutes scene.

6.2. The online submission of the materials should be sent to filmes@caminhos.info.

6.3. The e-mail subject should contain the name of the film(s) and the name of the director(s).

6.4. The exhibition copy for projection (DCP) have to be sent to:

Caminhos do Cinema Português
“NAME OF THE SECTION IN WHICH PARTICIPATES”
Rua Padre António Vieira, Edifício AAC– 1º Andar – Sala CEC
3000 – 315 Coimbra

 

7. Film Transportation and Insurance

7.1. Shipping Fees for the exhibition copies of the selected films will be covered by the Festival. Its return is of the proponent’s responsibility.

7.2. The proponent must, at the time the exhibition copies are sent, indicate how they wish for it to be sent back. In case of omission of this information, the copies will be returned by the Festival’s shipping company at the expense of the proponent.

7.3. All films to be exhibited in the competitive sections must be in the Festival until its end, only being returned after its conclusion.

7.4. The organization takes responsibility for the insurance of copies since its arrival until its return.

 

8. Jury

8.1. Each jury will be composed by a panel of national and international figures of recognized merit for their contribution for the development of Cinema, Culture or the society in general.

8.2. Each jury panel will be announced on the Festival’s website, in time.

8.3. The Jury can decide the Honorable Mentions attribution to a maximum of one for each award.

8.3.1. No Honorable Mentions will be given to Technical-Artistic Awards.

8.4. The Jury does not give ex aequo awards.

8.5. Of the juris decisions, meeting minutes justifying the choices made will be collected.

8.5.1. The jury holds the right not to give any award of the competition and shall provide justification in the meeting minute.

8.5.2. The jury can only give awards listed in the Festival’s regulation.

8.5.3. In the event of a conflict of interest, the jury member must exclude himself/herself from decisions on titles that have included his/her participation, and this must be recorded in the meeting minutes.

8.6. The films from the Caminhos Selection will be evaluated by the following teams:

8.6.1. Caminhos Jury

The Caminhos Jury gathers a panel of individualities, national and international, of recognized merit by their contribution for the development of cinema, culture, of the general society.

8.6.2. Jury of the International Federation of Film Societies/IFFS

The IFFS Jury gathers a panel of cinephiles of the any country in the world, selected amongst the several enrolments of several national federations of film societies. It is the responsibility of the IFFS to set up this panel.

8.6.2.1. There are only electable for the IFFS D. Quijote Award the films with no dialogue, spoken or with English or French subtitles, present in Caminhos Selection.

8.6.2.2. The awarded films by a IFFS Jury of another festival won’t be considered to this award.

8.6.3. Press Jury

The Press Jury will be composed by a panel of national and international figures of recognized merit who take part in different media outlets.

8.7. The films present in the Essays Selection will be evaluated by the following team:

8.7.1. Essays Jury

8.7.1.1. The films present in the Essays Selection will be evaluated by a panel composed of personalities of recognized merit for their contribution to the development of Cinema and Culture, who will assess the national competition and the international competition.

8.8. The films present in the Another Glance Selection will be evaluated by the following team:

8.8.1. Another Glance Jury

8.8.1.1. The films present in the Another Glance Selection will be evaluated by a panel composed by investigation, education, practice and art dissemination individuals.

 

9. Awards

The films present in the festival’s competitive sections compete for the following awards:

9.1. Public Award

This award, valid to all competitive selections, will be given through scrutiny and calculation of the arithmetic weighted average expressed by the spectators in their own voting report at the end of each session.

9.2 Caminhos Selection:

9.2.1. Official Awards

9.2.1.1 Festival’s Grand Prize

9.2.1.2. Best Fiction Award

9.2.1.3. Best Short Film Award

9.2.1.3.1. The Best Short Film Award is attributable to any competitive genre in the Festival.

9.2.1.4. Best Documentary Award

9.2.1.5. Best Animation Award

9.2.1.6. Revelation Award

The Revelation Award must reward the work of new participants in the national cinematographic panorama that highlight themselves by their quality in any artistic area, having participated in a maximum of two feature films over their career time.

9.2.2. Technical-Artistic Awards

The Jury will also be responsible for awarding the following prizes, from among the works being exhibited in the Paths Selection, regardless of the duration of the work:

9.2.2.1. Best Actor.

9.2.2.2 Best Supporting Actor.

9.2.2.3 Best Actress.

9.2.2.4 Best Supporting Actress.

9.2.2.5 Best Adapted Screenplay.

9.2.2.6 Best Original Screenplay.

9.2.2.7. Best Original Soundtrack.

9.2.2.8. Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

9.2.2.9. Best Poster.

9.2.2.10. Best Artistic Direction.

9.2.2.11. Best Cinematography.

9.2.2.12. Best Costume Design.

9.2.2.13. Best Editing.

9.2.2.14. Best Directing.

9.2.2.15. Best Sound.

9.2.3 Don Quijote Award / IFFS Jury – International Federation of Film Societies

The Don Quijote Award is a prize of the IFFS – International Federation of Film Societies, attributed in selected Film Festivals, promoting the winner film worldwide through the network of film societies. The basis for the selection is the film society movement philosophy, as based on the Chart of Tabor of the Rights of Public and the Quijote utopia. The winning film of this award has admission to the film festival promoted by the International Federation of Film Societies.

9.2.4. Press Jury Award

This award aims to distinguish a Portuguese cinematographic work of any genre and footage, present in the Caminhos Selection, promoting the winning film among the written, radio and television press, at the university, regional and national levels.

The following evaluation criteria will be considered in the artistic valorization of each film work:

9.2.4.1. The cinematographic quality of the film in its entirety.

9.2.4.2. The editing rhythm and consistency presented by the film.

9.2.4.3. The expression and quality of the photography and sound.

9.2.4.4. The aesthetical coherence of the film its structural scheme.

9.2.4.5. The harmonization of the images in the relation with sound and/or original soundtrack of the film.

In the interest of greater visibility and public recognition of Portuguese cinematography, the Press Award aims to reward rigor and aesthetic daring, in the narrative, as well as the cinematographic image. Therefore, the Festival aims to value the Portuguese production in an artistic perspective, one of its most expressive characteristics.

9.3. Essays Selection

9.3.1. Best National Essay Award.

9.3.2. Best National Animation Essay Award.

9.3.2.1. Within the scope of this award, the jury will give preference to the work done by children’s authors.

9.3.3 Best International Essay Award

9.4. Another Glance Selection

9.4.1. Another Glance – Best Film

9.5. Ethos

Award given every five editions, with the purpose of recognizing and praising one merit figure of the Portuguese cinematographic universe. Attributed by the Festival’s organization, this prize aims to publicly recognize personalities who have opened new cinematographic paths and that have created new values and opportunities. The next attribution will take place in the XXX edition of the festival.

9.6 The awards may include a monetary component or in kind, depending on the Festival’s sponsors.

 

10. Parallel Sections

As a way to reinforce the cinematography offered to specific audiences, the festival promotes parallel sections, namely:

10.1. Juniors

The gathering of young audience to the Portuguese cinema is extremely important. Therefore, the Juniors aim to maintain a space reserved to the participation of schools in the festival. This section presents itself as and educative service, having as basis the minutes of pure joy that the children will experience making possible the creation of consumerism habits of Portuguese cinema.

10.2. Juveniles

Cinema has an important role in the cultural education of its audience. There are films that, due to its thematic and technical softness, serve only to entertain the viewer, making them forget, not think, and not know. The Festival’s proposition is to use this section to take to the juvenile audience a relevant filmography, so that the audience can construct a critical judgement and have knowledge of the contemporary Portuguese cinematography, that can later be a part of the National Program of Cinema.

10.3. Seniors

The Caminhos Film Festival is aware that nowadays it is increasingly harder to find incentives in which the seniors can participate. Our goal is to offer a filmography that, besides having a cultural component also have an important social role and a role of integration in the society.

10.4. Films From The World

This section offers to the public a heterogeneous program crossing fiction, documentary, and animation in the format of short-film or motion picture, along a predominant theme.

10.5. Films From The Lusophony

Sharing the general objectives of the “Films From The World”, the aim is to strengthen community links with Portuguese-speaking cinema and establish the Festival as a meeting point for diaspora communities from Portuguese-speaking countries with their culture.

10.6. Retrospective

The retrospectives aim to critically look at the history and the people involved in Portuguese Cinema. promoting the most important moments of the language and the technical and artistic innovation.

10.7. Reposition

The repositions offer a second exhibition of the titles of unique quality registered in the competitive sections of the festival, giving the audience and the jury the opportunity to review and re-analyze some of the most remarkable films in competition at the festival. They can take place at a movie theatre or on an online platform.

10.8. Night Shift

Current independent productions with a marginal and explicit connotation. From erotic to horror, from sex to blood, from pleasure to fear, passing by the fantastic.

The Festival might create new special thematic sections according to the proposals that it receive.

 

11. Priority List of Festivals and Awards

The films selected to the Caminhos Film Festival can apply to the sub-program Aid to the Divulgation and International Promotion of National Works, requesting financial aid meant to support the expenses with the promotion and participation, once this festival is part of the List of Festivals with Priority of the ICA- I.P.

 

12. Publicity

The film’s producer or exhibition rights owner that receive award(s) in the Caminhos Film Festival commits to mention the festival and to use its brand in all promotion and press material that is created after the attribution of the award.

 

13. Extensions

Selected films will be able to join the festival’s Extension program within six month after the event. They can take place with screenings or on an online platform. If you DO NOT authorize this, you must send an e-mail to filmes@caminhos.info by October 31.

 

14. Other Provisions

14.1. The films enrolled in the festival will be included in the Festival’s film library. The organization has, therefore, the authorization the use them in their activities, before and after the festival, in brochures, publicity, in the Internet, and also to other promotional and educational purposes, except if the is an explicit indication that expresses to contrary of the disposed in the moment of the application.

14.2. All selected films can be consulted during the festival by accredited professionals, as long as authorized by the organization.

14.3. For any other use of the work besides what is regulated, will always be asked the of the author’s written authorization.

14.4. The films produce or co-produce with African countries of Portuguese language have direct admission to the Loja Neves Award, organized by the FICC – Federação Portuguesa de Cineclubes.

 

15. Omission Cases

15.1. To the Festival’s Organizational Commission is reserved the right to decide on the cases not planned in this Regulation, as well as proceed to the necessary alterations, giving a in time notice to the interested people.

15.2. Decide the exceptional conditions that allow the selection of a film that does not completely respect the terms of this Regulation.

 

16. Final Disposal

The application for the pre-selection and participation in the different competitive and parallel sections of the Caminhos Film Festival implies the reading and acceptance of this Regulation.

 

Coimbra, December 1, 2021.