Merit of Distinction in Cinema Nominee Guidelines

Submission guidelines and eligibility for nomination are as follows:

To be eligible for the Merit of Distinction in Cinema award, filmmakers must meet the following criteria:

1. Film Eligibility:

   • The nominated film must be original work of the filmmaker.
   • Nominee must own the copyright to nominated film.
   • The nominated film must be a short film no more than 15-20 minutes.
   • The nominated film must not have been previously submitted to this award.
   • The nominated film must be created solely by human effort and may not utilize AI or non-human AI creations.
   • Accepted genres: Drama, Comedy, romance, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Documentary. Horror or Thriller (Gratuitous or excessive violence and gore is not eligible). Categories may also be considered under the General Cinema category.

2. Submission Process:

   • Film Submission: Submit your film via an unlisted YouTube link.
   • Submission Deadline: May 31, 2025
   • Submission Materials:
     • Unlisted YouTube link to the film: submission must be unlisted and not available to the public for the duration of the nomination period.
     • A brief synopsis of the film (maximum 250 words)
     • A filmmaker’s statement (maximum 250 words)
     • A high-resolution quality.
     • Short film must be submitted by filmmaker, producer, or director.

Important Note: All rights to the submitted films remain with the filmmaker.