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Rules and Eligibility

 

ENTRY TO BIFA 2023 IS NOW CLOSED
Updated RULES & ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION for BIFA 2024 will be published in April 

The British Independent Film Awards are for theatrical feature films and short films. The majority of categories are only open to British independent films. There are separate eligibility criteria for international independent films.

RULES & ELIGIBILITY 2023

There have been a number of updates to the rules and eligibility requirements for the 2023 awards. You can see these here. 

You can find further information on entering your film for the 2023 awards below.
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Timeline

Early June Entries open for short films only
Early July Entries open for feature films
4 August Entry deadline 1
11 August Entry deadline 2
25 August Entry deadline 3 (final deadline for shorts, including BFI Diversity Standards application for shorts)
1 September Entry deadline 4 (features only)
Final deadline for BFI Diversity Standards application – features
9 September Deadline for receipt of online screeners – SHORTS
15 September* Deadline for receipt of online screeners – FEATURES*
12 – 19 September Shorts Preliminary voting
From 18 September Round 1 opens for feature entries
27 September – 10 October Shorts Round 1 voting
From 18 October Longlist announcements
18 October – 30 October Round 2 voting
2 November Nominations announcement
3 – 15 November Round 3 voting (Craft categories)
3 – 27 November Round 3 voting (Best British Independent Film, Best International Independent Film, Best Feature Documentary, Best British Short Film, Raindance Maverick Award)
20 November Craft winners announced
3 December Ceremony

*International feature film entries may, under exceptional circumstances, provide screeners after this date but before Friday 6 October. All extensions must be approved in advance by BIFA. Please email entry@bifa.film to discuss before making your entry. Please note, this extension may be approved for International feature entries only.

ENTRY DEADLINES & FEES

Entries for short films and feature films with production budgets of under £1,000,000 will remain free until Friday 4 August. Thereafter, each film entry will incur an entry fee at the following rates*:

Dates
Entry fee – short films
Entry fee – feature films with production budgets under £1m
Entry fee – feature films with production budgets over £1m
Entry deadline 1 4 August Free Free £150
Entry deadline 2 11 August £20 £125 £200
Entry deadline 3 25 August £40 £175 £350
Entry deadline 4 1 September £350 £700

*These prices exclude VAT

FREE ENTRY DEADLINE

In the event that an entry cannot be completed before the entry fees are applicable (e.g. if confirmation of a qualifying festival screening comes after 4 August), entrants are advised to submit an entry at the earliest possible point without this information to avoid the entry fees. If you select ‘no’ when prompted to select qualifying festivals, you will be able to tell us which festivals you are waiting to hear from.  An update on any qualifying screenings can then be sent to BIFA to confirm the film’s eligibility. This must be received by the final entry deadline.

If an entrant cannot afford the entry fee, they are encouraged to contact BIFA on entry@bifa.film to discuss the possibility of a fee reduction or waiver.

VOTING & ADJUDICATION PROCESS

More details about the BIFA voting and adjudication process can be found here.

QUALIFYING FESTIVALS

More details about the BIFA qualifying festivals lists can be found here.

ENTERING YOUR FILM

YOU can view the full bifa 2023 rules and eligibility criteria for feature films here

YOU can view the full BIFA 2023 rules and eligibility criteria AND ENTER YOUR SHORT FILM HERE