Hello! We are LISBIFF • Lisboa Indie Film Festival, an international film festival with screening events in charming Lisbon, Portugal, and a member of IBERIFF • Iberia Indie Film Festivals. IBERIFF celebrates independent artists and showcases new productions from across the globe in Lisbon (LISBIFF), Madrid (MADRIFF), Barcelona (BARCIFF), València (VALÈIFF), Seville (SEVIFF) and Montpellier (MONTIFF). LISBIFF shares the mission of its associate festivals in supporting emerging talents, encouraging artistic exploration, fostering networking, promoting cultural exchange, engaging with the local community, and providing a platform to celebrate and showcase the work of independent filmmakers. Fiction, animation, documentary, and experimental films of any genre or subject are welcome!
Below are the rules and terms that you agree to when submitting films, videos, and other materials to our festival.
Submission
1.1 LISBIFF accepts both Portuguese and foreign films with Portuguese or English subtitles, or without subtitles if the language of the film is Portuguese or English.
1.2 Registration fees must be paid through our submission platforms at the time of submission, and they are non-refundable (Portuguese-speaking directors are offered a discount on the entry fee via the «Realizadores Lusófonos» category).
1.3 Multiple entries from the same submitter are accepted. An entry fee (available on the platforms) must accompany each film submission.
1.4 Films can be entered more than once, provided they have not been selected previously.
1.5 A film submitted to LISBIFF only competes in LISBIFF. If you wish to compete in MADRIFF, BARCIFF, VALÈIFF, SEVIFF, or MONTIFF, you must visit their respective pages on the submission platforms and submit an entry there, as the festivals have independent selection processes and do not share the same jury.
1.6 Films must be submitted through our registration platforms and made available for viewing through these platforms. Postal submissions are not accepted.
1.7 We accept works from any country in the world, produced on or after 1 January 2023.
1.8 LISBIFF does not provide exemptions, waiver codes, or free registrations.
Categories:
2.1 All films must be submitted in digital format under the correct category, respecting the following length guidelines:
• Supershort (documentary, fiction, experimental): up to 5 minutes
• Short Film (documentary, fiction, experimental): up to 30 minutes
• Short Documentary: up to 30 minutes
• Short Animation: up to 30 minutes
• Featurette (animation, documentary, fiction): 30 to 60 minutes
• Feature Film: over 60 minutes
• Feature Documentary: over 60 minutes
• Music Video: up to 15 minutes
Official Selection • Awards
3.1 Every three months, a number of films from each category will be selected for the competition.
3.2 The films selected for the competition will be announced on LISBIFF‘s social media platforms.
3.3 Our team will, at their discretion, choose works from the selected Supershorts, Short Films, Short Animations, Short Documentaries, and Music Videos to be screened at the quarterly events; this selection is unrelated to the determination of the winners in December. Featurettes, Feature Films, and Feature Documentaries compete in the contest but are not screened at the quarterly events.
3.4 All selected films compete in the extra categories of BEST DIRECTION, BEST ACTRESS, and BEST ACTOR with no additional fee.
3.5 In the first week of December, the jury will announce the winners from each category to take part in the awards event in Lisbon, Portugal, later that month.
3.6 All winning films will receive the LISBIFF trophy; any honourable mentions will receive the LISBIFF-IBERIFF certificate.
3.7 Submitting does not guarantee your film as an official selection of LISBIFF, a selection does not guarantee your film to be screened and a selection does not guarantee your film as a prize winner.
3.8 The decisions of the LISBIFF selection committee and jury are final. The results of submissions will be disclosed through our registration platforms. The winners will be announced on LISBIFF‘s Instagram account, and it is the sender’s responsibility to monitor the status of their submission.
3.9 LISBIFF does not provide feedback on the submitted films or the jury’s decisions.
Liability
4.1 LISBIFF does not publish films on its website or social media platforms.
4.2 LISBIFF does not cover fees, travel expenses, or screening rights.
4.3 LISBIFF may use images from your film, trailers, and press kit material for promotional purposes on its website, at screening events, or on social media, and may adapt these materials to fit its visual identity.
4.4 The filmmaker is responsible for obtaining releases for all content, including but not limited to music and talent.
4.5 LISBIFF is not responsible for any copyright infringement or unauthorised use.
4.6 By submitting a film, you agree to indemnify and hold LISBIFF harmless from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to legal fees and court costs) that may arise from any claim related to copyrights, trademarks, credits, publicity, or the loss or damage of the projection videos submitted.
4.7 LISBIFF reserves the right to make changes to the festival’s settings without prior notice if necessary.
Disqualification
5.1 Failure to meet the eligibility requirements or provide the materials requested by the organisation will result in disqualification at any stage of the competition (submission, selection, or awards).
5.2 LISBIFF reserves the right to disqualify a selected film and remove its content from the website and social media platforms if the registered film becomes involved in legal disputes or any situation that undermines the credibility of the festival or any IBERIFF festivals.
5.3 Disqualification does not entitle the sender to a refund of the registration fee.
5.4 LISBIFF does not refund the entry fee if a filmmaker decides to withdraw their film from the festival.
Acceptance of the Terms
6.1 Participation in LISBIFF • Lisboa Indie Film Festival implies acceptance of these rules.
