Deadline: Tuesday 27th October 2020, 5 PM.
Call for Kenya Entries – Best International Feature Film Award at the 2021 Academy Award
The Kenya Film Commission is officially recognized by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences to set up an OSCARs Selection Committee from Industry Associations & Guilds to make submissions for the Best International Feature Film Award on behalf of Kenyan filmmakers.
Following the Opening Call for Entries for SUBMISSION to the Annual Academy Awards, Best International Feature Film Award – formerly Best Foreign Language Film Award -,The OSCARS Selection Committee Kenya is inviting Kenyan filmmakers to submit their feature films for consideration for the 93rd Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Awards in the Best International Feature Film Category. The Award Ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, 25th April 2021.
The Oscars Selection Committee Kenya will select a Kenyan film to be submitted
for consideration for the Best International Feature Film Category Award. Only
ONE FILM PER COUNTRY can qualify. A country needs not to submit a film every
year. If successful at the Academy stage, the film will be considered as nominated.
Nominees will then be eligible to compete for The Oscar. Submission from Kenya
is NOT equal to a Nomination.
ELIGIBILITY
Films MUST have been released for THEATRE screening in Kenya for a period of at least SEVEN CONSECUTIVE days no earlier than 1st October 2019, and no later than 26th October 2020. However, the unprecedented coronavirus/Covid-19 global pandemic mandated the closure of commercial motion picture theatres worldwide. Until further notice and for the 93rd Awards only, films that had a previously planned theatrical release but are initially made available through a reputable commercial streaming distribution service or Video on Demand may qualify for awards consideration under this provision;
1) Provide to The Academy previously planned theatrical release and streaming distribution or video on demand agreements.
2) The producer can also release their film in another country outside Kenya except for the United States and its territories for consideration to the Awards category.
3) Film festivals have also been impacted by the coronavirus/COVID 19 pandemic. Participation in an impacted festival’s online/virtual platform will not affect a films’ eligibility for awards consideration provided the festival has a transactional pay wall or password –protected entry.
NB:
When theatres reopen in accordance with the national and local specified guidelines and criteria, the rules exemption will no longer apply. All films released thereafter will be expected to comply with the standard International Feature Film category theatrical qualifying requirements.
• Films must be ADVERTISED and exploited during their eligibility run in a manner considered normal and customary to the industry, and need not HAVE been released in the United States.
• No type of TELEVISION or Internet transmission or DVD distribution may HAVE occurred at any time prior to the film’s theatrical release
• The recording of the dialogue track as well as the completed film must be predominantly (more than 50%) in a language or languages OTHER than English. Accurate English SUBTITLES are required.
• Must meet the technical requirements as stipulated in the Academy Special
Rules and Regulations.
In addition, the Academy uses the following guidelines to determine a film’s
eligibility in the Best International Film Award category:
1. Citizens or permanent residents of the submitting country should be
represented in at least two of these categories:
a) Producer(s)
b) Director(s)
c) Writer(s)
2. Citizens or permanent residents of the submitting country should be
represented in the majority in these categories:
a) Cinematographer
b) Editor
c) Art Director or Production Designer (whichever title designates the senior designer)
d) Costume Designer
e) Music Composer
f) Sound Mixer
3. Citizens or permanent residents of the submitting country should be
significantly represented among the major roles in the cast.
HOW TO ENTER
Entries should be HAND DELIVERED to the Kenya Film Commission offices by,
Tuesday 27th October 2020 by 5 PM.
The entry package should include a signed introductory cover letter, a printed and
completed checklist with supporting documents and the film in DVD and DCP formats. The entry package should be addressed as follows:
FOR THE OSCARS SELECTION COMMITTEE KENYA Review Only
ATTN: Alex Mulwa
Ag. Director Technical Services
KENYA FILM COMMISSION
Jumuia Place
Block B, 2nd floor
Lenana Road
Nairobi
Office Tel: 020 2714073/4, 0729 407497, 0733 650068
NB: The successful entry shall be communicated onWednesday, 4th November 2020. All
other Entrants can thereafter collect their materials from KFC Offices within seven (7)
working days from the announcement.
TECHNICAL CHECKLIST FOR SUBMISSION FOR THE 93RD ACADEMY AWARDS
As you consider submitting your film, kindly do keep in mind the following details:
TECHNICAL CHECKLIST FOR SUBMISSION OF INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM AWARD
Video
- Film should be submitted in 35mm or 70mm format or Digital Cinema format progressive frame rate of 24 or 48(FPS)
- Minimum projector resolution of 2048 by 1080 pixels, source image format conforming to ST 428- 1:2006 D-Cinema Distribution Master – Image Characteristics.
- Image compression (if used) conforming to ISO/IEC 15444-1
(JPEG 2000) - Image and sound file formats suitable for exhibition in
commercial Digital Cinema sites.
Audio
- The recording of the original dialogue track as well as the completed picture must be predominantly in a language or languages other than English.
- Digital Cinema Package (DCP) typically 5.1 or 7.1 channels of
discrete audio. - The minimum for a non-mono configuration of the audio shall
be three channels as Left, Center, Right (a Left/Right
configuration is not acceptable in a theatrical environment). - The audio data shall be formatted in conformance with:
ST 428-2:2006 D-Cinema Distribution Master – Audio Characteristics - ST 428-3:2006 D-Cinema Distribution Master – Audio Channel Mapping and Channel Labeling
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