To submit your film to The Smovies, you have to accept all the terms detailed here.
- Submitting your film to The Smovies in no way implies any ownership rights by The Smovies to the submitted film. You own your project. However in some competition categories the top films will be shared with the Creative Commons to encourage wider distribution and promotion with the objective to achieve impact.
- The only exception is the VOX Cinemas category, which will transfer ownership rights to VOX Cinemas. To be eligible to screen, your film does not have to be a premiere, it can be original or adapted works. However, ALL non-original portions of your film MUST be cleared and it is incumbent upon you to secure all permissions before using someone else’s work. In the event that you submit a film with copyrighted or trademarked materials included and you do not have written permission to use them, you will not be eligible to screen at The Smovies. You must be legally authorized to represent the entire work, in writing. We recommend you copyright your film with the proper AGENCY (in the USA, its the Library of Congress). This is not a requirement for screening at The Smovies, but it is smart to protect your work.
- All production formats are eligible. Your film can be in any language, provided it should have English subtitles. As the jury have decided upon: while subtitles are acceptable, words that appear on screen during the film are deemed inappropriate for films. Whether or not your film has already been distributed or not, has no bearing on our selection process. Film selections and award nominees will be posted on The Smovies website for review and judging.
- Submit your film under the current competition running. For your convenience, The Smovies does not change your film submission category. If entering more than one movie, you must submit each separately. Each project is judged solely on its merits.
- Please clearly label ALL submitted materials with AT LEAST the title of the work. The Smovies does not return submitted materials, so please do not send us your master copies. Also, The Smovies cannot make exceptions for fees or deadlines. The Smovies does not screen anything that we feel is culturally, socially or politically inappropriate. We will not accept anything that is sexually explicit or in any way promotes violence and hatred towards nationalities and religions.
- By submitting your film you are granting The Smovies the right to screen your film on VOX Cinemas. You are also granting The Smovies the right to utilize any excerpt from your submitted film for promotional purposes. The individual or company submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening, and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations. By submitting your film to this competition you agree that, if your film is selected by The Smovies, you grant to The Smovies a NON-exclusive license to use, display, exploit and exhibit Your name,TRADE names, trademarks, service marks, copyrights, still images, moving images, audio sounds, your submitted film, material, information, and/or any other things received by The Smovies, whether by physical or electronic delivery (including material and/or material(s) here, and above and below herein), publicly, at The Smovies’s sole discretion to promote, market and advertise the competition. The Smovies may also use excerpts from trailers of submitted films for promotion, to promote, market and advertise the competition. You also authorize The Smovies to place your images and synopsis on our website, and films are reviewed by The Smovies with the intention of selecting screeners for the competition and the work will not be divulged to any persons not affiliated with The Smovies unless first permitted in writing by a legally authorized representative of the work.
- If you are submitting your film for the VOX Cinema categories you will be granting VOX Cinemas the full and absolute right to your film in perpetuity. VOX Cinema will be able to use the film for any promotional campaign, and will also have the right to edit and excerpt the material as it sees fit.
- The individual or company submitting the film shall indemnify and hold harmless The Smovies from and against any and all claims,LIABILITIES , losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney’s fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening items entered. The individual or company submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening, and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations.
- Neither party shall owe any LIABILITY to the other party arising under this agreement for any indirect, special, punitive or consequential damages, including, without limitation, loss of profit or business opportunities, except as expressly set forth herein. Neither party makes (and each party hereby specifically disclaims) any, representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the services contemplated by this agreement, including any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, implied warranties arising from a course of dealing or course of performance or any warranties relating to title or non-infringement of intellectual property. Neither party makes any representation, warranty or assurance concerning any minimum or maximum number of viewers or screenings or celebrities or special guests or events. In any situation, if anything negative or unwanted happens involving the Smovies, the Smovies will not be expected by You to be liable or responsible for the damage in anyway whatsoever, regardless of how severe the damage. Further, the Smovies will not be expected by You to be liable or responsible in anyway whatsoever should the Smovies or the the Smovies website not be accessible. Furthermore, the Smovies will not be expected by You to be liable or responsible in anyway whatsoever for any items that are stolen while either in, or not in, the possession of the Smovies, in perpetuity. All the Smovies rules and policies are governed by and shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the United Arab Emirates.
- All information by the Smovies, whether publicly posted or not, is subject to change without prior notice. All competition and screening decisions will be made by The Smovies are final.