REGULATIONS OF THE 16TH ODESA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

The edition is effective from January 22, 2025

The Odesa International Film Festival (hereinafter also referred to as the Film Festival) was established to support and develop cinematographic art and the film industry in Ukraine and present Ukrainian and international films of high artistic quality to audiences.

The founder and organizer of the Film Festival is the Limited Liability Company “Ukrainian Film Festival” (hereinafter referred to as the Organizer), a legal entity registered and operating in accordance with the current legislation of Ukraine.

The Film Festival takes place in Kyiv (Ukraine) based on these Regulations. The 16th Odesa International Film Festival is scheduled to be held from September 24, 2025, to October 4, 2025.

The Odesa International Film Festival is an annual event dedicated to the development of cinema in Ukraine. The Festival is a platform for showcasing new films, exchanging experiences among filmmakers, and establishing international connections.

The Film Festival program includes the following sections:

Competition Programs:

National Ukrainian Competition Program
International European Competition Program
Pitches by the Film Industry Office

and non-competitive special screening programs formed by the Organizer according to internal rules and regulations.

The following terms and definitions are applied in the Regulations:

Feature Film: An audiovisual work with over 50 minutes intended for theatrical release, screenings at film festivals, television broadcasting, or VoD platforms.
Ukrainian Film: An audiovisual work created in accordance with the current legislation of Ukraine, with most production processes (scriptwriting, filming, post-production) carried out on the territory of Ukraine or with the participation of Ukrainian filmmakers.
European Film: An audiovisual work created in accordance with the norms of the European Union, with most production processes conducted within EU member countries or associated countries or with the participation of European filmmakers.

Participation in the Competition Programs of the Film Festival

Both legal entities and individuals who own the copyright to the film or have appropriate authorisation from the rights holder can participate in the competition programs. To participate, an application and a screening copy of the film meeting the criteria established by the Regulations must be submitted.

Please note: Participants from countries under international sanctions are not eligible to participate.

1. National Competition Program

1.1 The National Ukrainian Competition Program is open to Ukrainian and co-produced feature films (fiction, documentary, animation, experimental) of all genres completed in 2024 or 2025.

1.2 Applications for participation in the National Ukrainian Competition Program open on January 22, 2025, and are free of charge.

1.3 To apply, you must complete the online form available on the official Film Festival website or the FilmFreeWay platform and provide all materials specified in the online form by 14:59:59 (Kyiv time) on June 1, 2025.

1.4 The number of films participating in the National Ukrainian Competition Program is not limited.

1.5 Films not selected for the National Ukrainian Competition Program may be invited to participate in other festival sections. Decisions on participation in non-competitive programs are made in agreement with the filmmakers. Filmmakers are required to provide all necessary materials for the screenings.

1.6 The selection of films for the competition program is conducted by an expert commission formed by the Festival organizers. Priority is given to films that will be presented to the Ukrainian audience for the first time.

1.7 Information about the films selected for the National Ukrainian Competition Program will be published on the Festival website and social media pages. Applicants are advised to follow the news on the Festival’s website.

1.8 The creative team of a participating film is invited to the film’s screening during the Festival (director, lead actors, cinematographer, producer), with up to 20 invitations provided. The organizers will accredit up to 5 representatives of the film, granting them access to all Festival events.

1.9 During the Film Festival, winners of the National Ukrainian Competition Program are determined in the following categories:

Best Ukrainian Feature Fiction Film
Best Ukrainian Feature Documentary Film

1.10 The winner in each category, "Best Ukrainian Feature Fiction Film" and "Best Ukrainian Feature Documentary Film," can only be one (1) participating film.

1.11 An independent jury of renowned figures from the film industry selects the National Ukrainian Competition Program winners. Jury members must have no conflicts of interest and make decisions solely based on the films' artistic value.

1.12 The director or producer of the winning film in the “Best Ukrainian Feature Fiction Film” category is awarded the “Golden Duke” statuette and a cash prize of 75,000 UAH. The prize distribution is subject to internal agreements.

1.13 The director or producer of the winning film in the “Best Ukrainian Feature Documentary Film” category is awarded the “Golden Duke” statuette and a cash prize of 75,000 UAH. The prize distribution is subject to internal agreements.

1.14 The National Jury has the right to award no more than two Special Diplomas to films or members of their creative teams participating in the National Ukrainian Competition Program.

2. International European Competition Program

2.1 The International European Competition Program is open to European feature films (fiction, documentary, animation, experimental) of all genres completed in 2024 or 2025.

2.2 Applications for participation in the International European Competition Program open on January 22, 2025, and are free of charge. The International Competition Program is open to participants from all EU member states and associated members. To apply, you must complete the online form available on the official Film Festival website or the FilmFreeWay platform and provide all materials specified in the online form by 14:59:59 (Kyiv time) on June 1, 2025.

2.3 The number of films participating in the International Competition Program is unlimited.

2.4 Films not selected for the International European Competition Program may be invited to participate in other festival sections. Decisions on participation in non-competitive programs are made in agreement with the filmmakers. Filmmakers are required to provide all necessary materials for the screenings.

2.5 The selection of films for the International European Competition Program is conducted by a selection commission, which chooses the best works among the submitted applications. Priority is given to films that will have their Ukrainian premiere at the Odesa International Film Festival.

2.6 Information about the final list of participating films in the International European Competition Program is published on the official website of the Odesa International Film Festival.

2.7 During the Film Festival, the winners of the International European Competition Program are determined in the following category: "Best European Feature Film"

2.8 The winner in the "Best European Feature Film" category can only be one (1) participating film.

2.9 The winner of the International European Competition Program is determined by an international jury consisting of authoritative filmmakers from various countries.

2.10 The director of the winning film in the “Best European Feature Film” category is awarded the “Golden Duke” statuette.

2.11 The International Jury has the right to award no more than two Special Diplomas to participating films or members of their creative teams.

3. Film Industry Office Pitches

Presentation of feature fiction, documentary, and animation film projects at the Development and Work-in-Progress stages.

3.1 Participation is open to feature fiction, documentary, and animation filmmakers in the Development or Work-in-Progress stages.

3.2 Submitted projects must be of Ukrainian or co-produced origin. Presentations are conducted in English, with materials provided in both Ukrainian and English.

3.3 Applications are accepted without restrictions regarding age, physical abilities, race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation.

3.4 Selection Criteria:

Projects submitted for participation in Development and Work-in-Progress presentations at the Film Festival must meet the following criteria:

The project must be a feature fiction, animation, or documentary film (runtime of at least 50 minutes);
For Development: At the time of submission, the project must have a completed first draft of the script and confirmed 30% funding;
For Work in Progress: At the time of submission, the project must have completed footage or be in the editing/post-production stage.

3.5 Document and Material Requirements for Development Projects:

A script fragment (up to 10 pages), a synopsis, and an extended synopsis of the project;
The director’s vision for the project (1 page);
A photo of the director (.jpeg);
A photo of the producer (.jpeg);
A project presentation (in .pdf or .ppt format);
If available: video materials for the presentation, submitted as a link to a cloud storage service, VIMEO, or YouTube with English subtitles.

3.6 Document and Material Requirements for Work-in-Progress Projects:

High-quality stills from the film (JPG or PNG format, minimum 3 images);
A photo of the director (.jpeg);
A photo of the producer (.jpeg);
A link to a trailer or edited fragments of the film with English subtitles (and Ukrainian if the language of the film is foreign), with a runtime of 3 to 5 minutes. Video materials should be submitted as a link to a cloud storage service, VIMEO, or YouTube;
Optionally: A project presentation (.ppt or .pdf format).

3.7 After the selection results are announced, official project representatives must complete Industry accreditation forms for each project representative (up to two people) on the Film Festival’s website.

3.8 Project representatives will receive emails with instructions on preparing materials sent to the specified email addresses.

3.9 Applications for Development and Work-in-Progress presentations open on July 1, 2025, and must be submitted by August 1, 2025, at 23:59 (Kyiv time).

3.10 The list of participating projects will be announced on the official Film Festival website - oiff.com.ua.

3.11 Presentations for Development and Work-in-Progress will take place as part of the Film Industry Office events of the Film Festival.

3.12 Information about the projects, authors, and project representatives specified in the Development and Work-in-Progress presentation applications will be published on oiff.com.ua.

3.13 Projects undergo a two-stage selection process: initially, compliance with formal requirements is checked, followed by the expert commission’s evaluation of artistic value and potential.

3.14 A jury of experienced film professionals chooses the Development and Work-in-Progress presentations winners.

3.15 Presentation Rules:

The project presentation involves a pitch by the creative team (in English, up to 5 minutes) as well as a demonstration of materials for Work-in-Progress projects (up to 10 minutes).
Any number of team members may participate in the presentation; however, the presence of at least the producer or director of the project is mandatory.
Authors may use additional video, photo, and audio materials during the verbal presentation to better convey the project’s concept. All required files must be submitted by September 1, 2025.
The presentation concludes with a Q&A session, allowing participants to elaborate on their project and receive expert feedback.

3.16 The project that wins the Development presentation, as determined by the jury based on quality, artistic value, and potential (national or international), receives a cash prize of 50,000 UAH (fifty thousand hryvnias).

3.17 The project that wins the Work-in-Progress presentation, as determined by the jury based on quality, artistic value, and potential (national or international), receives a cash prize of 50,000 UAH (fifty thousand hryvnias).

3.18 Prizes are awarded within three months of announcing the competition results, subject to tax legislation requirements. The prize recipient is responsible for taking the necessary measures to receive the prize.

3.19 The winner must include information in the credits of the future film indicating participation and victory in the Odesa International Film Festival Pitching.

4. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AND GUARANTEES

4.1 By applying to participate in any of the Film Festival programs, the participant assumes full responsibility for the accuracy and reliability of the information provided and confirms that it does not violate the rights of third parties. The participant also grants the Festival organizers all necessary rights to screen the film or present the project.

4.2 By applying, the participant confirms that they own all necessary rights to the film and do not infringe on the copyrights of third parties. The participant assumes responsibility for any consequences related to copyright infringement. The Organizer reserves the right to exclude the film or project from the Festival program in case of such violations. If third parties make claims, the participant must resolve them independently and bear any related expenses.

4.3 Participants grant the Organizer the right to use information about the Project, including a brief description (synopsis), stills/posters, teaser/trailer, list of the creative team, their biographies, as well as team photos and quotes from any team members, in public spaces (news resources, websites, social networks, etc.) if the project is selected for screening at the Festival.

4.4 The Organizer undertakes to use the materials provided by the participants only for purposes related to the Festival and not to distribute them without the authors' consent for other purposes.

4.5 The Organizer is obligated to ensure the technical accuracy of film and project screenings and to take all necessary measures to prevent their unauthorized copying and distribution.

4.6 The submission of an application by the participant confirms their consent to the transfer, collection, processing, and storage of their personal data. Participant's personal data is used exclusively by the Organizer or persons authorized by them, in compliance with the necessary confidentiality measures and exclusively for purposes related to the Film Festival. Such data will not be provided to third parties for purposes unrelated to the Film Festival. The Organizer or persons authorized by them will take measures to ensure the security of personal data by the Law of Ukraine "On Personal Data Protection."

5. FINAL PROVISIONS

5.1 The Organizer is not obligated to explain the reasons for rejection of participation.

5.2 Disputes related to these Regulations are resolved through negotiations.

5.3 The Organizer may make additional decisions not contradicting these Regulations.

5.4 These Regulations may be amended or supplemented. The latest version is always available on the Film Festival's official website.

5.5 For inquiries, contact: info@oiff.com.ua.

FIO regulations