Festival International du Film Ornithologique ()

Festival start: 29 October 2024      Festival end: 03 November 2024

The International Ornithological Bird Festival,
A natural meeting!

The menigoute festival (79) (France)
A natural meeting!

The Ménigoute International Ornithological Film Festival is one of the major world events in wildlife cinema. The first edition was held in 1985, the Menigoute Festival is carried by the association Mainate (Ménigoute animation international nature environment).

The Ménigoute festival offers the opportunity to present a new selection of films, mostly in French exclusivity. The jury is made up of film and environment professionals.

The event offers activities for the whole family over a period of 6 days.

●Le Lirou d’or – Best Prize

●Prize Paul Géroudet

●Prize Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine de la créativité

●Prize de Protection de la Nature

●Prize du Parc Naturel Régional du Marais Poitevin

●Prize des Clubs Connaître et Protéger la Nature

●Prize du Jury

●Prize Crédit Agricole

CONTEST RULES
Festival International du Film Ornithologique de Ménigoute 2024

1. GENERAL PRESENTATION
The International Ornithological Film Festival of Ménigoute (FIFO) has been one of the world renowned events of the wildlife filmmaking industry, since 1985. It is organized by a local nature and birdwatching organization called MAINATE (an acronym for Ménigoute Association Internationale Nature et Environnement).

The general objectives of the festival are : to promote wildlife documentary films, as the best way to raise awareness of biodiversity, environmental issues and the need to address these issues; to encourage the promotion and distribution of wildlife documentaries :

to promote as well as initiatives for a better understanding of nature and to encourage and allow dialogue and contributions to local or global environmental policies.

The Ménigoute Festival presents around forty original documentaries about wildlife and nature some being shown for the first time in France. They are all competing for different awards in this public competition.

2. DATE AND PLACE
The 40th International Ornithological Film Festival of Ménigoute will take place from 29th october to 3rd november 2024 in Ménigoute (Deux-Sèvres, France).

3. CONTEST ENTRIES : CONDITIONS
Any film up to 15 minutes and longer will be entered in the « long program » category and those shorter than 15 minutes in the « short program » category.

The rules and entry conditions are identical for these 2 categories.

The registration of the films in the competition is entirely free of charge. Registration of the film implies that owner of the film, gives their permission for the film to be shown in public without any claim on, copyright or remuneration of any kind.

● Theme of the films : The theme must be relevant to the objectives of the Festival. The theme does not have to be based on ornithology. The Organizing Committee will be in charge of assessing this matter.

● Genre: Films of all genres (documentary, fiction, animation, education, research, etc.) can be entered.

● Quality: To be accepted the films must be in their original version, unedited and without subtitles (see page 2, the particularities in the « short films » category).

● The format of French and foreign films :
PRE-SCREENING
A link for online viewing (vimeo) is the prefered option
Or
DVD (The DVDs of the films submitted to the competition, whether screened or not, will be kept in the Festival archives).

4. COMPETITION : LONG FILMS

Files should preferably be sent on a hard disk or USB key, or by a transfer link. The hard disk or the key will be returned after the festival to the address given on the registration form. They can also be handed in personally during the event when the director comes to introduce his film.
French language films :

If the film is selected for public screening, it must be sent in the following format: : Apple ProRes 422 1920x1080 25p, 50p ou 50i

Films in a foreign language :
If the film is selected for public screening, the copy of the film in its original version must be without subtitles to allow the dubbing of the commentaries into French. It should also be in the following format: : Apple ProRes 422 1920x1080 25p, 50p or 50i.

For films in foreign language, 3 audio will must be provided :
- Track 1 for the original version,
- Track 2 and 3 for international mixes in stereo.
If in doubt, do not hesitate to contact us, as a wrong format can lead to the elimination of the film from the competition.
If a different format is provided, the Festival organization may reserve the right to create a new copy of the film in the requested format. Any loss of quality or technical problem resulting from this will not lead to any claim from the participant.

Long foreign films :
For films in foreign languages (english, German, Spanish or Italian) selected for the competition and without any existing French version, the Festival will provide a recorded translation. In order to ensure the correct dubbing, be sure to send the full texts of the dialogues and commentaries, along with the timecodes (please specify on the scripts the number of male and female speakers) as well as the written authorization to proceed with the dubbing operation (see page 6 of the registration form).

Short foreign films :
The short films are presented in their original version with subtitles. If subtitles are not available, the Festival organization will produce them.

In order to ensure the correct subtitles, please send the full texts complying with the dialogues, and comment with the time code, as well as the written authorization to proceed with the subtitling operation.

5. OUT OF COMPETITION FILMS
The Festival organizers may choose some films that have not been selected for the competition to be presented outside the competition in public screenings. These films will be included in the official program.

Neither copyright nor any other type of remuneration may be claimed for the public programming and screening of the film(s) during the Festival, whether in the competition or not.

6. SHIPMENT OF DVDs OR HARD DRIVES
For the preselection :
online viewing links (Vimeo, YouTube…) or the pre-selection copies on DVD, with all the registration documents, must reach the office before 24 june 2024. The copies will be declared at the post office for an amount lower than 23€.

For the public screeening on competition :
The screening copy of the selected film must be at the disposal of the Festival organization by 1st september 2024.

7. TRANSPORT AND INSURANCE
Shipping expenses and insurance of the films are to be borne by the submitter, as well as all related charges, customs forwarding on import and export.

The Festival Association will bear the cost of storage and insurance of the films as well as their reshipment. In case of loss or damage, the Festival Association will only be responsable for the value of replacement of the copy indicated on the registration form.

8. INSCRIPTION ET COMITÉ DE PRÉSÉLECTION DES FILMS POUR LA COMPÉTITION
The Pre-Selection Committee will view all the films submitted for screening; the selection will determine which films will be shown in competition during the Festival. The decisions of the Selection Committee will be final (any written complaints received after the selection will be forwarded to the Pre-selection Committee).

The official selection will be available at the beginning of September on the festival website.

9. PROMOTION AND ADVERTISING
By registering to the Festival, the film’s owner gives the Festival Organization the authorization to present free-of-right photos and extracts of the film (2 minutes maximum) on any supports or media without paying any rights. The film extracts may be broadcast or multi-broadcast under the Hertzian system, cable, satellite and web.

Prize winning films at the Ménigoute Festival may be screened in a decentralized location.

Films selected for the Ménigoute Festival competition may be selected for screening during other events planned at a later date by one or more of the Ménigoute Festival's partner organizations. For this purpose, the films may be viewed by the partner organizer. Such potential broadcasting will of course be subject to prior authorization from the production compagny. The authorization or not of the rights holders must be explicitly stated on the Communication and Commitment form.

10. VIDEO LIBRARY
A copy of all films selected for the competition will be kept in the Festival's video library. These films may be viewed for educational purposes.

11. THE COMPETITION
The competition takes place during the public screenings of the Festival. It is the sole responsibility of the Organizing Committee to determine and modify the program and location of the competition screenings. The film director is invited by the Festival organization team to come and present his film during the public screening. The Festival Organization will will provide the accommodation and meals for a maximum of two people per film for two nights (this provision is adaptable, especially for based outside France filmmakers, in which case the organization of the stay will be agreed with the Festival Services). A room with a double bed or twin beds can be booked. The rooms and/or nights booked in addition must be paid for by the applicant upon arrival in Ménigoute. At that time, you will be given a bag with your entry badge, documentation and the key to your accommodation at the Festival reception.

12. JURY - AWARD
The Jury is made up by the Organizing Committee. It brings together personalities chosen according to their skills in the fields of audiovisual industry, information, education or their scientific knowledge. The Jury is full control and discretion on the awarding at prizes The Jury is full control and discretion on the awarding at prizes. He may decide to award one or more additional prizes or only part of the announced prizes. Its decisions is final. In the case of the jury being inable to agree, the President of the jury will have the decisive vote.

The winners are allowed to indicate the awards obtained in the credits of the winning film for any subsequent use.
A director can present several films. However, he will only be able to win one prize.

In the event of a tie, the prize will be shared between the winners.

A trophy may be awarded to the director of an award-winning film or his designated representative. Under no circumstances can it be sent by post. A copy of the award-winning films will be made into a DVD, at the Festival's expense, to be offered to the partners, in gratitude for their financial support. This DVD may be subject to non-commercial internal distribution.
Prize list for the Ménigoute Festival 2024 :

The Best Prize Festival de Ménigoute
Given by the Department Council of Les Deux-Sèvres. It awarded for the best film. A trophy «Le Lirou d'or " is offered by the Ornithological Group of les Deux-Sèvres (GODS).

Prize Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine de la Créativité
Given by the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region. It rewards the best cinematography, chosen for its originality, its innovative and creative aspects.

Prize Paul Géroudet
Given by the Birdwatching Society "Nos oiseaux" and by its group of young people, in partnership with "Aster" Conservatory of natural spaces of Haute-Savoie, the association "Vautours en Baronnies" and the Zoological Society of Geneva. It rewards the best ornithology film.

Prize des Clubs Connaître et Protéger la Nature
Given by the CPN clubs. It rewards the best educational documentary.

Prize du Parc Naturel Régional du Marais Poitevin
It rewards the film that best showcases the natural resources of wetlands.

Prize Protection de la nature
Given by the LPO (League for the Protection of Birds). Appreciates the commitment to the protection of nature.

Prize du Jury
Given by the local store owners and craftsmen of the district of Ménigoute (Menigoute’s Community). It rewards the "coup de coeur" of the jury. It is accompanied by the Leica trophy.

Prize Crédit Agricole
Given by the Crédit Agricole Bank. It rewards the best film in the short program category.

The Leica trophy will go with one of the prizes.


13. COMMITMENT & WAIVERS
The director and/or producer of the film fill out the registration form under the condition that he/she has full powers and authority to authorize the free screening of the film and the free use of the texts and photographs attached to the film within the framework of the Festival.

By signing this registration form, the director and/or the producer accepts the conditions of the present rules and all new provisions which may be imposed by the circumstances and adopted in the interest of the Festival de Ménigoute.