Submission guidelines
Application Guidelines
・Video works no longer than 8 minutes and 19 seconds (including title and credit screens).
・Standalone video works (works that can be viewed on a single screen). *Screenings at the event are generally planned to be shown on a 16:9 aspect ratio screen.
・Videos in languages other than Japanese must include Japanese subtitles.
・Works produced on or after January 1, 2024.
・Works that have already been released, as well as those that have been selected or nominated, are eligible for submission. However, works that have already received an award (as of October 31, 2026) are not eligible for submission.
・Expressions that do not violate public order and morals, or that are not deemed inappropriate according to generally accepted social norms.
Eligibility
・ Open only to residents of Japan
・ Open to individuals, groups, communities, and all age groups; professionals and amateurs alike
・ Each individual or group may submit up to one entry
・ Applicants under the age of 18 at the time of submission must obtain consent from a parent or guardian before applying
How to Apply
・ Video files in .mov or .mp4 format
Submit your entry using either Method 1 or Method 2 below
[Submission Method 1: By Mail] Save the completed application form (available on the Ibaraki Film and Video Art Festival website) and the video file onto a USB flash drive or SD card, and mail them together.
<Fee> Free (Applicants are responsible for any costs associated with submission)
<Submission Period> November 1, 2026 (Sun) – January 11, 2027 (Mon) (Postmarked by the deadline)
<Submission Address> 8-13 Ekimae 3-chome, Ibaraki City, Osaka 567-8505
Ibaraki City, Co-Creation Culture Department, Cultural Promotion Division, Promotion Section, Ibaraki Film and Art Festival Executive Committee Secretariat
【Entry method 2: Entry website “Film Freeway 】
<Entry fee> US$5
＜Application period＞November 1 (Friday) - December 31 (Tuesday), 2024
<Film Freeway URL> https://filmfreeway.com/819ifaf
Click here to apply for Film Freeway
Handling of works and precautions
・Submitted works will not be returned.
・We cannot accommodate requests to revise or return works after submission.
・We cannot respond to inquiries regarding the judging process.
・This art festival will not reimburse applicants for screening fees or other expenses.
・This art festival will not cover travel or accommodation expenses for selected entrants.
・Winners will be notified separately regarding procedures related to their awards.
・Please ensure that you have obtained permission from the respective rights holders regarding copyrights, portrait rights, and other rights pertaining to any artwork, video footage, photographs, music, or other materials used in your work before submitting it. In the event that a third party makes a claim regarding rights infringement or seeks damages, the entrant shall handle the matter at their own risk and responsibility; the organizers shall bear no liability whatsoever
・Submitted works will be stored by the Ibaraki Film and Art Festival Secretariat.
・By submitting a work, the entrant is deemed to have agreed to the terms set forth in these guidelines.
・Copyright for submitted works remains with the entrant; however, selected and award-winning works will be used for publicizing and promoting the city’s projects and related events as described in items ① and ② below.
① Award-winning and selected works may be used free of charge during the festival period (2026–2027) for screening at events, reproduction, public transmission (broadcasting), automated public transmission (publication on the official website, video streaming services, etc.), printing, and exhibition (limited to events organized or co-organized by Ibaraki City).
② Even after the 4th Ibaraki Film and Video Art Festival concludes, award-winning works will be broadcast, screened, or published on the official website and other platforms at Ibaraki City’s public facilities and venues for the purpose of promotion and archiving for future editions.
About Handling of Personal Information
The Ibaraki Film and Video Art Festival Executive Committee Secretariat has established the following guidelines regarding the handling of personal information to ensure its proper management.
<Purpose of Use> Applicants’ personal information will be used solely for the following purposes:
・Notification of screening results
・Communications regarding confirmation of submitted works and matters related to the operations of the Ibaraki Film and Video Art Festival Executive Committee
・Publication of selected and award-winning entries on the official website and in the mass media (including works and names); (In such cases, the content to be published will be confirmed with the individual in advance.)
<Disclosure to Third Parties> Personal information provided by applicants will not be disclosed or provided to third parties except in the following cases:
・When the individual has given consent, and we outsource part or all of our operations to the extent necessary to achieve the purposes of use stated above
・When disclosure or provision is required by laws, regulations, or other legal provisions
・When disclosure is necessary to protect human life, physical safety, or property, and it is difficult to obtain the individual’s consent
<Security Measures>
・We will strive to maintain the accuracy of applicants’ personal information and prevent leaks, loss, or tampering
・If we outsource part or all of the art festival’s operations, we will enter into a contract with the contractor specifying the handling of personal information and will supervise the contractor’s management of such information
・Personal information that is no longer needed after the retention period has expired will be promptly destroyed
・By submitting an entry, you are deemed to have agreed to the terms outlined above in “Handling of Personal Information.”