ARTICLE 1
ARCTIC OPEN IFF – General
Based in the city of Arkhangelsk, the 8th International Film Festival ARCTIC OPEN (hereinafter referred to
as “the Festival”) forms part of the project “FilmArchipelago: The 8th ARCTIC OPEN IFF Sociocultural
Project. Featuring competitively selected films, it is a venue for promoting independent, locally made
films with focus on the Arctic areas and their ethnic identities.
The Festival itself as a multi-stage, inter-regional platform and cultural FILMCluster that brings together
creative individuals from different backgrounds to shape multidimensional, cross-cultural
communications. With a duration of 11 months, it delivers a variety of venues and awareness raising
activities in the field of modern audiovisual art, cinema, media education, and culture.
ARTICLE 2
Timeframe
The 8th International Film Festival ARCTIC OPEN will be held in the city of Arkhangelsk on December 5-8,
ARTICLE 3
Organizers
The Festival is organized by its initiator and founder Non-Profit Organization
“BEREGINYA Pomor Culture Foundation” in cooperation with M.V. Lomonosov Northern (Arctic) Federal
University and support from the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives, Arkhangelsk Region Ministry of
Culture, and Arkhangelsk Governor’s Center, among other partners and sponsors.
The body in charge of the Festival program and screenings is the Festival Board of Administrators.
ARTICLE 4
Program
ARCTIC OPEN IFF is a stage-wise event:
Stage 1 involves preparation and delivery of ARCTIC OPEN-2024, whose program features screening of
the official selection, non-competition films, meet-the-artist sessions and workshops in several
municipalities within Arkhangelsk Region, cultural immersion, and award ceremony.
Stage 2 echoes the Arctic Open selection by showing its films in other parts of Russia (ARCTIC OPEN Film
Marathon 2025).
Stage III features the activities of Film School “North” and a series of screenings and meet-the-artist
sessions “Arctic Open – At Short Range” to be held in Syktyvkar, Saint-Petersburg and Moscow.
The ARCTIC OPEN program features:
Official selection of feature length films;
Official selection of short live action films;
Official selection of documentary;
Official selection of children’s films;
Opening and closing ceremonies;
15 screening venues in 6 municipalities of Arkhangelsk Region;
Non-competition films from jury members and honored guests;
Special program:
VR CINEMA – Mini Web Series “Tolstoy & Turgenev”;
Special showings:
Big Cinema to Small Screens, ARCTIC OPEN Barrierless, Arctic Cinema, Festival Films Night, ARCTIC
OPEN-Children;
Training and awareness raising venues:
-FILMOptics: screenwriting workshop “FILMOptics – Arkhangelsk and Beyond” for beginner
screenwriters;
-FILMArt: motion designers and cartoonists lab “Neural Networks and Animation”;
-FILMQuest: public IT quest “Make Your Movie! Families of North”;
-FILMChance: Russian Arctic animated film idea pitching
Cultural immersion:
- FILMEthno: Alex Rostotsky’s Jazz Bass Theater project with workshops for performing art students;
- FILMExpo: “Mosfilm’s 100th Anniversary” talk on the history of costume;
- round tables, exhibitions, presentations, press conferences.
ARTICLE 5
To apply for participation, please fill out the Application Form
All Russian films submitted for preview must have English subtitles, and all international releases
Russian subtitles. Applying is free of charge.
Arctic Open welcomes full-length feature films (max. duration: 90 min), live-action shorts (max.
duration: 30 min) and documentaries made in 2023-2024. The films selected for screening should be
presented in DCP format.
The deadline for submitting the application for the 8th ARCTIC OPEN IFF Official Selection is October 1,
- Films submitting after October 1, 2024 will not be considered.
This year’s ARCTIC OPEN FF features
- Best Feature Length Film nominees;
- Best Short nominees;
- Best Documentary nominees;
- Best Children’s Film nominees;
- Opening and closing ceremonies;
- Official selection and non-competition showing at 10 cinemas in 5 cities of Arkhangelsk province;
- Non-competition showing of releases from jury and special guests;
- Festival Film Night;
- Special showings: VR sessions “Underwater World: Wild Whales” for children, “Big Cinema to Small Screens”, “ARCTIC OPEN Barrierless”, and outdoor Arctic Cinema.
- Training sessions for early-career filmmakers, cultural workers and teachers: ARCTIC HEAT, an experimental video anthology which will involve Tashkent-based student filmmakers of the Russian National Institute for Cinematography and local videographers;
- Arctic 2062, where the filmmakers will team up with Arctic-related media, scientists and business community to present their vision of the future of the Russian Arctic as a way to general ideas for new film projects and cultural policies;
- Retrospective of cartoon musicals timed to the 90th anniversary of Soyuzmultfilm animation director Inessa Kovalevskaya;
- Port City Music show and Russian Jazz sessions for music students;
- Round tables, exhibitions, presentations, press conferences;
- Entertainment and cultural immersion.
ARTICLE 6
Terms & Conditions
A submission can be nominated only in one category and may not appear in two or more categories. All
submissions will be viewed by ARCTIC OPEN Selection Panel – the body responsible for compiling the
ARCTIC OPEN Official Selection.
The Selection Panel reserves the right to withhold comments or explanations as to reasons of possible
rejection.
ARCTIC OPEN-2024 will announce the films shortlisted for its Official Selection on November 10, 2024.
The shortlist and participants list will be posted on: https://arctic-open.com/
ARTICLE 7
Documentation Package
The documentation package to go with each of the shortlisted films includes:
- materials for including into the ARCTIC OPEN catalog (synopsis in Russian and English; film director’s
bio and filmography; photo of film director; stills/film frames), preferably close-ups; - editorial script or dialog continuity in English and Russian;
- link to teaser/trailer/compilation;
- subtitled film (Russian films will have English subtitles and international ones Russian);
- texts for posting on the Festival’s webpage (press release, stills/film frames/photos/pictures of
characters, preferably close-ups).
It is a requirement that your application is filled out in accordance with these ARCTIC OPEN Regulations.
In the event you fail to provide a fully completed application or provide an application that contains
errors, or if your film is unsubtitled, ARCTIC OPEN will not be liable for any incorrect or incomplete
information that may appear on its info/promo materials.
Filmmakers whose films have been shortlisted for the ARCTIC OPEN Official Selection are requested to
send their participation confirmation to the Festival’s address below, duly enclosed with all materials
(documentation, info and promo materials) as specified in the Application Form, within the time period
to be advised by the Festival. All demo versions must be in original language and have English subtitles
(or Russian in case of international submissions).
ARTICLE 8
Documentation Package
Films selected for the Official Selection must not contain advertisements or promotional materials,
otherwise the Festival reserves the right to delete such ads or promos from the submitted copy.
The deadline for submitting the copies of the selected films is November 20, 2024. The transportation of
the copies to and from the screening venues is the responsibility of Arctic Open.
Film copies should be collected from Arctic Open not later than December 10, 2024. Arctic Open will not
be responsible for safekeeping of the copies after December 10, 2024.
In extraordinary circumstances, film owners are allowed to deliver the copies in person, in which case
the delivery and safekeeping of the copies are the sole responsibility of the owners. Film copies must be
provided at least two (2) days prior to the official screening date.
ARTICLE 9
Terms & Conditions
Films selected for the Festival’s Official Selection or any other program may be screened the maximum
of four (4) times without prior written consent from film producers or their authorized representatives.
Films selected for the ARCTIC OPEN Official Selection may be screened at any of the Festival’s venues,
including ARCTIC OPEN Film Marathon that runs until May 30, 2025, regardless of the owner of film
distribution rights.
ARTICLE 10
Jury
All films in the Festival’s Official Selection will be judged by four jury panels (Feature Film Jury, Short
Film Jury, Documentary Jury, Children’s Film Jury) consisting of minimum twelve (12) members who are
competent connoisseurs of filmmaking. The chair of each jury panel will have two (2) votes.
Neither jury panel may include members who have been engaged in making or commercial distribution
of any of the selected films. The jury panels will select winners in each of the nominated categories. The
members of each jury panel agree to refrain from making public statements concerning the selected
films prior to the Festival closing date.
The expenses relating to the stay of each of the jury panel members during the festival days will be
borne by the Festival.
ARTICLE 11
Guest Accreditation & Stay
All and any matters relating to invitation of guests and duration and conditions of their stay will be dealt
with by ARCTIC OPEN Board of Administrators.
It is a requirement that each film in the Official Selection has a representative present at the Festival.
The Festival undertakes to cover the cost of accommodation and stay of 1 representative of each
selected film during the festival days (official screenings, workshops, entertainment and business
programs).
The Festival reserves the right to update its program or change participation rules or film screening
conditions if such change in necessitated by an objective reason or results from a force majeure event.
The Festival reserves the right to invite guests, journalists or experts as it sees fit and regardless of
whether such guests, journalists or experts have or have not been directly involved in making any of the
competing films. The conditions of their stay are subject to individual agreements.
The Festival is free to invite distinguished workers of culture, filmmaking or performing arts, or political
or business community members as it deems fit.
ARCTIC OPEN Board of Administrators may, at any time and without giving reasons, withdraw
accreditation of any of its guests and thus limit their access to the Festival venues.
Participation requests from media will be considered within the timeframe to be advised by ARCTIC
OPEN Board of Administrators.
ARTICLE 12
Media Accreditation
Media outlets are requested to email their journalist accreditation requests to ARCTIC OPEN Press
Center: arctic.kinofest@gmail.com. Please be sure to submit your accreditation request between
November 1 and December 1, 2024.
All expenses relating to journalists’ stay at the Festival are the responsibility of their employers.
ARCTIC OPEN may, at its sole discretion, cover, fully or partially, the stay of few selected journalists. In
case of full coverage, invoices and payment documents will not be issued by ARCTIC OPEN to the
journalist.
The invited journalists undertake to attend all press conferences and film showings to cover the Festival
proceedings.
The Festival reserves the right to deny journalist accreditation without giving reasons.
ARCTIC OPEN Board of Administrators may, at any time and without giving reasons, withdraw
accreditation of a journalist and thus limit their access to the Festival venues.
ARTICLE 13
Awards
Awards to winning films include ARCTIC OPEN statuettes, special prizes, diplomas and valuable presents.
ARCTIC OPEN award nominations list includes:
Official Selection:
Best Feature Film
Best Short Live Action Film
Best Documentary
Best Children’s Film
Best Feature Film Director
Best Feature Film Script
Best Feature Film Camerawork
Best Short Film Director
Best Short Film Script
Best Short Film Camerawork
Best Documentary Director
Best Documentary Camerawork
Best Documentary Script
Best Children’s Film Director
Best Child Actor
Special prizes from sponsors;
Honorable Mention;
Award for Contribution to Russian Filmmaking Industry.
The Festival jury may resolve on extra nominations subject to approval from ARCTIC OPEN Board.
ARTICLE 14
Disputable Matters
By participating in the Festival, filmmakers agree with all provisions of these Regulations.
ARCTIC OPEN IFF reserves the right to modify its program. In the event a dispute arises with respect to
these Regulations, the version in Russian supersedes the English translation. ARCTIC OPEN will not be
liable for any claims relating to copyright or associated rights.
CONTACTS:
ARCTIC OPEN IFF is operated by BEREGINYA Pomor Culture Foundation.
Web: http://fbereginya.com/
E-mail: office@fbereginya.com
8th International Film Festival ARCTIC OPEN
Web: https://arctic-open.com/
E-mail: arctic.kinofest@gmail.com
Legal address:
5 Pomorskaya Str., office 405, 163000 Arkhangelsk
BEREGINYA Pomor Culture Foundation