Weihnachtsfilmfestival (Christmas Film Festival) ()

Festival start: 23 December 2020      Festival end: 27 December 2020

Christmas Film Festival Berlin presents the Christmas theme in all its wonderful and curious varieties. National and international feature films and short film programs bring a new light to the old-fashioned Christmas subject. Unconventional Christmas movies come to the foreground. Next to comedies also critical, tragic, satirical and scary movies are part of the program. Knowing that Christmas time polarizes many people, it is still worth to embrace the heartily ‘Spirit of Christmas’. In the dark season of the year the cinema turns into a magical place that makes you think, touches you and sometimes cast a smile on your face.

The Christmas Film Festivals festival is for those who want to escape the Christmas rush or do not have their loved ones around and of course passionate cinephiles. Let us take a fresh look at the usually rather traditional Christmas time.

The audience is voting for their most favorite movie of the Short Film Section. The winner will get a neat trophy.

1. Weihnachtsfilmfestival (Christmas Film Festival) is looking for movies from all over the world that deal with ‘Christmas’ in any thinkable ways. Unconventional Christmas movies are in focus. All genres and lengths are welcome. The film should be completed after the year 2000. The submission is open from 2/1/2020 to 9/15/2020.

2. Entry fees are declared on the Festhome festival website.

3. A submission via Festhome is necessary for a valid film entry. Alternatively to the preview link of the film it is possible to send a preview DVD via mail to:
Weihnachtsfilmfestival, c/o André Kirchner, Karl-Egon-Straße 24, 10318 Berlin, Germany

4. Weihnachtsfilmfestival shows films in these sections:
> Short Film (up to 30min)
> Medium Length Film (30min to 60min)
> Feature Film (from 60min)
> Horror Movie (Short Films, Medium Length Films or Feature Films)

5. In the Short Film section the audience is voting for their favorite movie. The winner will receive a trophy.

6. Those screening formats are allowed:
> File (H.264 MP4 or MOV)
> BluRay / DVD
> 35mm / 16mm
> DCP

7. The films will be shown in their original version. Movies in German language should provide English subtitles. International contributions should have English or German subtitles.

8. The participants declare that they have all the necessary rights to screen their submitted movie. They assure that no third parties are infringed by screening their movie. That includes copyrights and performance rights.

9. Weihnachtsfilmfestival will take place in Berlin from 12/23 to 12/27/2020. The festival reserves the right to change the date.

10. Selected films will be notified until 09/30/2020. If a film is selected for the program, it may not be withdrawn after 10/20/2020.

11. Selected films will be screened at Weihnachtsfilmfestival once. The winning short film of the audience voting will be shown at the end of the festival for a second time. Weihnachtsfilmfestival is not able to pay screening fees for selected films that have been submitted. Other presentations outside the main festival event require approval of the participants. In this case Weihnachtsfilmfestival will contact the participants.

12. Selected films will be archived by Weihnachtsfilmfestival. This can be revoked by the participants at any time.

13. The participants handle the cost for sending the screening copies to the festival. Weihnachtsfilmfestival covers the cost for returning the screening copies.

14. Free of charge Weihnachtsfilmfestival is allowed to publish basic movie information, film stills, links to trailer and film segments up to 20 seconds for print materials, website, social media channels, festival trailer, TV reports and other analog and digital media. Weihnachtsfilmfestival is allowed to pass on the materials to third parties only the context of public relations.

15. The festival director reserves the right to permit exceptions in special and justified cases.