ISTANBUL INTERNATIONAL SPORTS FILM FESTIVAL
SHORT FILM (FICTION) AND DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION REGULATIONS - 2024

The ISTANBUL INTERNATIONAL SPORTS FILM FESTIVAL will be organized by FilmDeney Production And Art in Istanbul from March 20-22, 2025. 

 The official English name of the festival is ISTANBUL SPORTS FILM FESTIVAL.

  1. PURPOSE AND NATURE

The Festival Management is organizing the ISTANBUL INTERNATIONAL SPORTS FILM FESTIVAL to achieve the following objectives:

  • To contribute to the development of sports and cinema culture in Turkey by providing a platform where individuals engaged in these fields can present their works to the audience. 
  • To encourage a more in-depth exploration of sports as a cultural phenomenon in Turkey. 

The festival is established with an international scope and aims to ensure its sustainability. 

  1. FESTIVAL MANAGEMENT

Decision-Making Authority

The decision-making authority for the festival is vested in the Festival Executive Committee. 

Organizational Units

  • Festival Director  
  • Festival Executive Committee
  • Festival Coordination

Festival Director 

  • The director and designer of the Istanbul International Sports Film Festival is Gökçe Kaan Demirkıran. The organization is planned and implemented by FilmDeney Production and Art. 

Festival Executive Committee

  • The Festival Executive Committee is established by the Festival Director. The Festival Director evaluates the implementation project, resolves disputes, and makes final decisions. The decisions are final. The Festival Director chairs the executive committee. 
  • The Festival Executive Committee consists of a chairperson and three members. If necessary, the Festival Director may decide to increase the number of members. The Festival Coordinator is appointed by the Festival Director. The Festival Director selects the units and individuals who will participate and informs the Festival Executive Committee. 
  • The Festival Director chairs the Festival Executive Committee. 
  • In the event of disagreements between the units of the Festival Coordination and the participants, the authority to resolve the issue and make final decisions rests with the Festival Executive Committee.
  • Matters not addressed in the competition regulations are also under the final authority of the Festival Executive Committee.

Festival Coordination

  • The Festival Coordination is responsible for managing all technical and administrative processes to ensure the flawless execution of the festival. 
  • The leader of the Festival Coordination is the Festival Coordinator, who is appointed by the Festival Director. 
  • The Festival Coordinator ensures the operation of the implementation project prepared under the supervision of the Festival Executive Committee through coordination offices, assistant coordinators, and service groups. 

Authority and Responsibility

  • The festival programs are implemented by the Festival Executive Committee, Festival Coordination, and its affiliated units within the framework of the prepared festival project. 
  • The authority to accept or reject applications, within the relevant regulations and guidelines, lies with the Festival Executive Committee and the Festival Coordinator.
  • The pre-selection jury and the main jury are composed of experts selected by the festival management.
  1. SCOPE

3.1. The Istanbul International Sports Film Festival, to be held from March 20-22, 2025, is a short film and documentary competition open to directors or producers aged 18 and above.

3.2. The director (if there are multiple directors, a written consent form must be obtained) or the producer of the film must apply to the competition.

  1. COMPETITION PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS

4.1. Films completed on or after January 1, 2020, are eligible to apply. Films participating in the festival will be evaluated on an international scale.

4.2. The competition will be held in two categories: ‘short film’ and ‘documentary film.’ The theme of the films must be sports. Films that do not have a sports theme will not be considered. Films entering the competition must be no longer than 20 minutes for short films (including credits) and no longer than 40 minutes for documentaries (including credits). A 10% tolerance in duration is allowed.

4.3. If the film submitted to the competition is in a language other than Turkish, it must have Turkish subtitles. If a language other than English is used, the film must have English subtitles. The festival is international in nature, and films submitted from Turkey will also be evaluated within this international context. 

4.4. Films in any format can apply to the competition.

4.5. Provided that at least 8 films apply in each category, a pre-selection jury will select 20 films from among the submissions to compete and be screened for the main jury and the audience during the festival.

4.6. Copies submitted for the competition must have adequate image and sound quality. Films with poor quality recordings will be disqualified without notifying the participant director. 

4.7. A participant can apply with no more than one work and in no more than one category (short film or documentary film). Having previously participated in national or international competitions or having won awards does not disqualify a film from entering.

4.7. Applicationswill be accepted through www.filmfreeway.com. In case of any issues,  info@isff.com.tr submissions can also be emailed. Applications sent by mail will not be accepted.

4.8. Applications for non-competition screenings will be  www.isff.com.tr accepted through

  1. Online viewing link of the film (must be active until at least the end of the festival).
  2. Synopsis of the film in Turkish (Word document, max. 250 words).
  3. Three photos from the film (300 dpi resolution / Short side of the photos must be 15 cm).
  4. Biography of the director (Word document, max. 250 words) and filmography.
  5. Photo of the director.
  6. Poster of the film.
  7. Online application form.

Screening of Competition Films

  • Films submitted to the competition will be reviewed by a pre-selection jury. 
  • Finalist films will be screened at venues announced by the festival executive committee in Istanbul from March 20-22, 2025. 

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications Applications must be completed by the end of business on  January 31, 2025. 

  1. EVALUATION

Evaluation will be conducted in two stages.

5.1. Pre-Selection

  • The pre-selection jury is appointed by the festival executive committee and consists of at least 3 members.
  • The festival executive committee reserves the right to disclose or withhold the identities of the pre-selection jury members.
  • Following the pre-selection process, the jury may nominate up to 8 films in each category.
  • Films deemed unsuitable for competition by the pre-selection jury may be disqualified or included in the non-competition screening program.
  • The pre-selection process will be completed by February 21, 2025, and the finalist films selected for competition and screening will be announced to the public via social media channels.

5.2. Final Evaluation

  • The final evaluation of films selected for competition in the short film and documentary film categories will be conducted by the main jury.
  • The main jury will carry out its work between January 30, 2025, and March 1, 2025.
  • The main jury will consist of at least 3 experts in each category selected by the festival management and will be announced to the public.
  • The decisions of the pre-selection jury and the main jury are final.
  • A festival representative without voting rights may participate in the viewing and evaluation activities of the pre-selection and main juries to assist in the process.

6.AWARDS

The following awards will be presented to the directors/producers of the winning films:

6.1 Short Film (Fiction) Category Awards

  • First Prize: Award Statuette
  • Second Prize: Award Statuette 
  • Third Prize: Award Statuette
  • Jury Special Prize: Award Statuette

6.2 Documentary Film Category Awards

  • First Prize: Award Statuette
  • Second Prize: Award Statuette
  • Third Prize: Award Statuette
  • Jury Special Prize: Award Statuette

 6.3 Monetary or in-kind awards, if any, will be announced by the Festival Executive Committee before the application deadline. 

  1. SCREENING RIGHTS

The festival management reserves the right to screen the competition films until the end of 2025. No additional payment will be made to the producer or director for these screenings.

  1. ENFORCEMENT
  1. The Festival Executive Committee has the authority to resolve all matters not covered in these regulations and any disputes that may arise.
  2. The festival management reserves the right to make changes to the regulations.
  3. Directors or producers who apply to the competition online are deemed to have accepted and agreed to all provisions of the Competition Regulations and the Application Form.

ISTANBUL INTERNATIONAL SPORTS FILM FESTIVAL

Email: info@isff.com.tr

Note: Applications will be accepted online only. In-person or postal applications will not be accepted.