KURDISH SHORT FILM REGULATIONS

 

AMED INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL – KURDISH SHORT FILM REGULATIONS

 

PURPOSE

Amed International Film Festival aims to:

  • Preserve and promote cultural and artistic values, primarily of Kurdish culture and art, as well as those of the peoples of the Middle East and the world;
  • Contribute to the development and visibility of cinematic productions by Kurds and other peoples of the Middle East;
  • Bring together Kurdish filmmakers and audiences;
  • Create an alternative platform where works of art –commodified in today’s world– can meet the public through a democratic, communal, gender-equal, and ecological framework;
  • Provide a space for artists to come together, beyond relationships shaped by industrialism;
  • Bring together films produced in the Middle East in a multicultural environment.

FESTIVAL DATES

The 3rd Amed International Film Festival will take place between November 9-16, 2025. Applications will be open between Jun 1 and July 1, 2025.

FESTIVAL MANAGEMENT

The Amed International Film Festival is managed and organized by the Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Department of Culture and Tourism and the Middle Eastern Cinema Academy Association. The authority for all decisions rests with the Festival Executive Board.

FESTIVAL CATEGORIES

A – Kurdish Feature Film Category
B – Kurdish Documentary Film Category
C – Kurdish Short Film Category
D – Feature Film Category
E – Documentary Film Category
F – Short Film Category

KURDISH SHORT FILM CATEGORY

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

Copies of the films that will be kept in the festival archive after the event may be submitted for screening at non-competitive sections of national or international festivals or at other suitable cultural events.

In such cases, the producer or director whose signature appears on the application form will be notified –if reachable. If any income is generated from these screenings, the remaining amount after deducting necessary expenses will be paid to the legal rights holder of the film.

If television channels request to broadcast the films after the festival, the Festival Management will facilitate contact between the producer and the broadcaster.

For any matters not specified in this regulations, the authority to make decisions lies with the Festival Executive Board.

REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION

  1. The Kurdish Short Film Category is open to fictional and experimental short films produced in any of Kurdish dialects.
  2. Submitted films must not exceed 20 minutes in length.
  3. Only fictional short films completed after January 1, 2016, are eligible to apply.
  4. Films submitted must not have been broadcast on any TV channel, either nationally or internationally.
  5. Applications must be submitted by the legal owner of the film. If the film has multiple owners, all owners must sign the application form.
  6. Submitted films must be technically sound and free of any issues that may affect screening quality. The Festival Executive Board holds the authority to make the final decision on this matter.
  7. Legal owners of the films wishing to participate must complete their application via https://en.amedfilmfest.org.tr by July 1, 2025, at the latest.
  8. The results of the preliminary jury evaluation will be announced on October 5, 2025.
  9. Films accepted into the festival must submit a screening-ready and technically flawless copy by October 10, 2025, to the Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Department of Culture and Tourism, Cinema Unit / Sînebîr, for pre-check, translation, and press screenings.
  10. Films to be evaluated by the main jury will be selected by the preliminary jury.
  11. Filmmakers and their teams will be invited by the festival management in limited numbers and hosted during the festival.
  12. Films that participate in the festival and receive an award must use the festival logo in all future promotions.
  13. Submitted films may be included in the screening program by the preliminary jury. The film owner must state their opinion on this matter in the application form.
  14. Film owners must submit the following documents completely along with the signed application form.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR APPLICATION

  1. The application form must be signed by hand, scanned, and sent via email in PDF format to the festival’s contact address.
  2. All information and documents in the application form are the responsibility of the signatory. Any legal consequences arising from these details fall on the applicant. The festival administration reserves the right to make necessary changes to submitted texts.
  3. A password-protected online screening link valid from the application date until the preliminary results announcement.
  4. Technical details of the film (credits)
  5. Film synopsis in Kurdish and English (maximum 250 words)
  6. Film poster (vertical design, in jpg, pdf, png, or tiff format)
  7. At least 5 still images from the film
  8. Director’s biography (approx. 150 words in Kurdish and English), filmography, and a photo
  9. Film trailer (online link – must not contain logos, subtitles, timecode, etc.) for TV promotions and festival use
  10. Subtitle file (.srt in English) must be submitted along with the film’s original language
  11. Accepted film formats: mp4 (all variations), mov, QuickTime, DCP
  12. Submitted materials will not be returned.
  13. Once selected, a film cannot be withdrawn from the festival after its official announcement.

JURY

Films to be screened at the festival will be evaluated by a jury appointed by the Amed International Film Festival Advisory Board. The jury, consisting of five members, will be selected from professionals in the fields of cinema, literature, and the arts. Films submitted to the festival will first be selected by a preliminary jury also designated by the Advisory Board. The decision of the preliminary jury will be announced to the public no later than October 5, 2025.

FESTIVAL RIGHTS

If the required documents are not delivered to the festival office on time, the film may be excluded from the program even if it passes the preliminary selection.

The festival may use up to 3 minutes of the film for promotional purposes.

The Festival Management reserves the right to exclude films that do not meet the required technical standards for screening.

Participation in the 3rd Amed International Film Festival constitutes acceptance of all these terms and conditions.