Nominate short films for the German Short Film Award

The Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) awards the German Short Film Prize annually. The German Short Film Prize is awarded in 5 categories:

• Feature film up to 10 minutes running time
• Feature film with a running time of more than 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes
• Animated film up to 30 minutes running time
• Experimental film up to 30 minutes running time
• Documentary film up to 30 minutes running time

In addition, the BKM awards a prize for medium-length films with a running time of more than 30 minutes and up to 78 minutes.

Short films selected by the juries will receive a (funding) award:

• nominated short films: EUR 15,000
• Award-winning short films: EUR 30,000
• films awarded the special prize: EUR 20,000

Those who receive the award must use the (funding) premiums for the production or project preparation/project development of a new film.

Please submit your proposal for the German Short Film Award to the Film Division K 35 at the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM).

Requirements

Proposals for an award may be submitted by

• German film associations and institutions, for example (non-exhaustive list):
  
  • German film schools
  • (Short) film festivals of supra-regional importance
  • (Short) film distributors
  • AG Kurzfilm
  • AG Animated Film
  • AG DOK
  • Short Film Agency Hamburg e.V.
  • interfilm Berlin
  • State sponsors
  • Association of German Screenwriters e.V.

Further requirements:

• the proposed film must have been completed in the year of the award ceremony or the year before
• the proposed film must have a significant German cultural influence:
  
  • the original language of the film is German or
  • the film must have been directed by one person
    
    • with German citizenship or residence in Germany with citizenship of an EU member state or
    • a state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) or
    • Switzerland
  • and at least one producer
    
    • has German citizenship or resides in Germany and is a citizen of an EU Member State or
    • a state party to the Agreement on the EEA or
    • Switzerland
  • the financial share of the manufacturers based or established in Germany must be at least as large as the largest foreign manufacturer's share, if any, added together
• the film must be presented in a German language version or as a German subtitled version suitable for theatrical screening
• the film must not have participated in the selection process for the German Short Film Award in the past
• a certificate from the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) confirming the fulfillment of general film-related requirements in accordance with the provisions of the German Film Funding Act (FFG) has been submitted
• FSK approval (Voluntary Self-Regulation of the Film Industry) is available
• the film may be shown to the jury
• the film may be screened as part of the German Short Film Award ceremony
• excerpts of the film may be shown on television and for public relations purposes
• the film may be presented in excerpts and/or via film stills on the relevant BKM and German Short Film Award websites and the associated social media sites
• the film may be shown on a cinema tour in selected German cities

What documents do I need?

• You must submit the proposal as the body authorized to make proposals:
  
  • Declaration of rights by the producer or the person holding the rights
  • Proposed film uploaded to the platform assigned by BKM
  • Certificate from the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) on the fulfillment of general film-related requirements in accordance with the provisions of the German Film Funding Act (FFG)
  • FSK approval (Voluntary Self-Regulation of the Film Industry)