regulations

Article 1

To promote cultural exchange and mutual understanding between nations and to develop further cooperation among filmmakers of the world, the 45th Moscow International Film Festival (MIFF) will be held in Moscow on April 20 – 27, 2023.

Article 2

The 45th Moscow International Film Festival is organized with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

Article 3

The Festival selection comprises

Films in Competition:

• The Main Competition;

The Main Competition will include no less than 12 full-length films* produced after May 1, 2022.

• The Documentary Film Competition;

The Documentary Film Competition will include no less than 7 full-length films (running time longer than 60 minutes), produced after May 1, 2022.

• The Short Film Competition;

The Short Film Competition will include no less than 12 short films** produced after May 1, 2022.

• The Russian Premiere Competition;

The Russian Premier Competition will include no less than 7 full-length films produced after May 1, 2022.

Films Out-of-Competition:

• Out-of-Competition Programs;

• Retrospectives;

• Russian programs.

MIFF Selection Committee and curators assemble Out-of-Competition programs.

MIFF Office determines the screening schedule. Each film can be screened no more than 5 times per festival, including press screenings.

* a full-length film needs a running time longer than 52 minutes:
** a short film running time should be no longer than 35 minutes.

Article 4

World and international premieres are preferred in the Main Competition, Documentary Competition and Short Film Competition programs.

Only world premieres are considered for the Russian Premiere competition.

For Out-of-Competition contemporary programs the festival considers films with the available Russian premiere.

World premiere means that the film has not been screened publicly before.
International premiere means that the film has been released or screened publicly only in the country(-ies) of production*.
European premiere means that the film has been screened outside of Europe.
Russian premiere means that the film has been screened outside of Russian Federation.

* Does not apply to Russian films. To participate in the MIFF Main Competition program a Russian film must be a world premiere.

Public screenings are any forms of displaying a film on screen, at a place open for entrance, or at a place with a considerable number of people not belonging to the usual family circle present.

Article 5

The submission period is from December 20, 2022 to February 17, 2023. Films should be submitted online (“Submit” section at https://www.moscowfilmfestival.ru/)

The submitter confirms that he or she possesses all rights and powers to submit a film for MIFF selection.

Both completed films and films in post production are accepted for selection. It is possible to submit a rough cut for selection.

Screeners submitted for selection must be subtitled in English (unless the original language of the film is Russian and/or English).

The film’s rights holder can update the submission form and/or provide a new version of the screener before the submission deadline. Submissions and/or screeners sent after the submission deadline cannot be considered.

Selection Process

1. Submissions are reviewed by MIFF Office.
MIFF Office can make enquiries or ask for additional information regarding the submission. If any unreliable information is revealed (for example the premiere status) the submission will be rejected.

2. After the initial review the submission is considered by MIFF Selection Committee. The Selection Committee led by the Selection Committee Chairperson views, discusses and confirms films to be invited to MIFF.

The Selection Committee Chairperson has the power to rule out situations not provided for by MIFF Regulations.

The Selection Committee decision is final.

The list of films selected for participation will be published at the MIFF website no later than April 10, 2023.

Article 6

After the film is selected the submitter will receive an entry form to be filled out by the rights holder and a screening agreement. Returning a signed screening agreement scan to MIFF Office confirms the film’s participation in the festival program.

A duly filled in and signed entry form and promotion materials (including stills and the director’s photo) should be sent to MIFF Office before March 15, 2023.

Other promotion materials, links for trailer and/or teaser download should be sent to MIFF Office before March 31, 2023.

If the original version of the film is in a language other than Russian, the participant must send the following items to MIFF Office:
- a dialog list or transcript in the film’s original language,
- a time-coded English subtitles file (unless the film is in English),
- a downloadable screener*.

*The screener must be identical to the DCP version. It can be watermarked or bear any other kind of visual content protection.

Article 7

Films in Competition and Out-of-Competition (except for Retrospectives) should be screened in the DCP format in the original version. If the original version is in a language other than English the DCP must have English subtitles. The preferred format is soft on-and-off subtitles (a DCP supplemental file). Hard subtitles are also acceptable.

Films in Retrospectives are screened in 35mm or DCP formats.

Film versions for screening at the festival must be delivered to MIFF Office before March 31, 2023. The preferred way of sending the DCP is digital delivery.

The DCP technical requirements checklist and delivery instructions will be sent to the rights holder after the film’s participation is confirmed.

If digital delivery is impossible MIFF Office will cover the cost of films in competition transportation to Moscow and back (airport of sender - Moscow - airport of recipient).

MIFF Office will cover shipping costs of films in other programs from Moscow to the airport of the recipient.

MIFF Office covers all film storage and insurance expenses during the Festival.

If the DCP is encrypted, the rights holder must provide a contact of a lab to generate a KDM. The KDM must be valid both for the DCP check-up at a festival’s appointed lab and screening at the festival venues.

Article 8

MIFF participants are expected to provide promo materials (including, but not limited to stills, photos from the film set, texts about the film, trailers, teasers, compilations) to be used by MIFF accredited journalists, TV (broadcast, cable, satellite), online and printed media.

Film material can also be used by MIFF Office in official printed and online publications and in other circumstances.

Article 9

After confirming the film’s participation the participant will receive MIFF official logo, to be used on all promotion materials.

Article 10

MIFF Office determines the terms and conditions of guests’ invitations and accreditation.

It is expected that films in competition will be presented at the festival in person by one member of the crew (director).

MIFF Office covers the following expenses:

• round-trip tickets and hotel accommodation up to 4 days for 1 representative of every Main Competition films (director);
• round-trip tickets and hotel accommodation up to 4 days for 1 representative of every Documentary Competition films (director);
• hotel accommodation up to 3 days for 1 representative of every film in Short Films Competition (director).
• hotel accommodation up to 3 days for 1 representative of every film in the Russian Premiere competition (director).

Hospitality for other guests of the Festival will be indicated in their personal invitations.

Article 11


The International Jury of the Main Competition, the International Jury of the Documentary Competition, the International Jury of the Short Films Competition and the national Jury of the Russian premieres Competition will be assembled to judge the films in the Competition programs.

The festival invites as jury members only persons selected for their knowledge of film.
Participation of a producer in each Jury is obligatory.

Persons involved in the production or commercial distribution of a film in competition are not allowed to serve in the corresponding Jury.

MIFF Office will cover round-trip tickets and hotel accommodation for each member of the International Jury of the Main Competition and an accompanying person.

MIFF Office will cover round-trip tickets and hotel accommodation for each member of the International Jury of the Documentary Competition.

MIFF Office will cover round-trip tickets and hotel accommodation for each member of the International Jury of the Short Films Competition.

Persons involved in the production or commercial distribution of a film in competition are not allowed to serve in the corresponding Jury.

Article 12


The International Jury of the Main Competition will confer the following awards (in the form of St George figurines):

• The Main Award for the Best Film (to the producer);
• Special Award of the Jury (to a crew member in accordance with the Jury's decision);
• Best Director Award;
• Best Actor Award;
• Best Actress Award.

The International Jury of the Documentary Competition will confer:

• the Best Documentary Film Award.

The International Jury of the Short Films Competition will confer:

• the Best Short Film Award.

The national Jury of the Russian Premiere Competition will confer:

• the Best Russian Premiere Award.

MIFF Organizing Committee and MIFF General Management confer the following awards:

• Award for an outstanding contribution to cinema;
• Special Award «I Believe. Konstantin Stanislavsky» for an outstanding actor’s achievement and devotion to the principles of Stanislavsky's method.

Other awards of the Festival:

• Award of the Russian film critics for the Best Film in the Main Competition (to the director);
• The Audience Choice Award for the best film in the Main Competition according to the audience polls (to the director);
• Award of the Russian Film Clubs Federation for the best film in the Main Competition (to the director).

It is expected that all winners will attend the Award Ceremonies in person.

Article 13

Observing all conditions and deadlines is obligatory; otherwise, MIFF Office has the right to exclude the film from the Festival program.

Participation in the festival implies observation of all articles of the present Regulations. In the event of any disputes which may arise pertaining to the present Regulations, the Russian variant of the present Regulations is considered authoritative. MIFF Office has the power to settle all cases and issues not covered by these Regulations.

Article 14

Shipping and Mailing Address:
General management of Moscow International Film Festival:
11 Maly Kozikhinsky lane, 123001, Moscow, Russia

www.moscowfilmfestival.ru
E-mail: info@moscowfilmfestival.ru