1. GRANT OF RIGHTS AND LICENCE

1.1. General Licence

By submitting the Project, the Participant hereby grants to the Organiser, its affiliates, successors, licensees, and assigns, a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, and irrevocable licence to use, exhibit, broadcast, display, reproduce, and distribute the Project (in whole or in part) for the purposes of the Festival, including but not limited to:

• Screening the Project during the Festival dates.
• Screening the Project at Festival-related events, including "Best Of" showcases, market screenings, and educational workshops.
• Archiving the Project in the Festival’s secure library for internal, research, or academic reference.

1.2. Promotional Use

The Participant grants the Organiser the right to use, without compensation, notification, or further consent, excerpts of the Project (including video clips, trailers, still images, and audio), the Project’s title, posters, and the names, likenesses, and biographies of the director, producer, cast, and crew for:

• Promotional materials (online, print, broadcast, social media).
• Festival trailers, sizzle reels, and advertisements.
• Press kits and media distribution.

1.3. RIGHT TO EDIT AND MODIFY

The Participant expressly acknowledges and agrees that the Organiser requires full flexibility to ensure the smooth operation of live events and screenings. Therefore, the Participant grants the Organiser the unqualified and absolute right to:

• Edit, cut, rearrange, shorten, dub, or subtitle the Project as the Organiser deems necessary for technical reasons, formatting requirements, or time constraints.
• Create "Festival Cuts" for Award Ceremonies: The Participant specifically acknowledges that during the Award Ceremony and other gala screenings, time is strictly limited. The Organiser reserves the exclusive right to edit the Project down to a shorter duration (e.g., a "highlight" reel or a condensed version) to fit within the scheduled programming slots.
• Extract segments: The Organiser may isolate specific scenes or clips from the Project to be screened independently as part of a compilation or presentation.

The Participant hereby waives any "moral rights" or similar rights of integrity or attribution regarding these specific edits made for the functional or promotional necessities of the Festival.

2. WARRANTIES AND REPRESENTATIONS

The Participant represents and warrants that:

• They have the full legal right and authority to submit the Project and grant the rights outlined in these Terms.
• The Project is original and does not infringe upon the intellectual property rights, privacy rights, publicity rights, or any other rights of any third party.
• Clearances: All content included in the Project; including but not limited to music, stock footage, artwork, trademarks, and third-party performances; has been fully cleared and licensed for use. The Participant assumes full responsibility for any copyright violations.
• There is no pending litigation, claim, or dispute regarding the Project.

3. INDEMNIFICATION

The Participant agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Organiser, the British Film Festival Group, their sponsors, partners, officers, directors, employees, volunteers, and agents from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, expenses, and legal fees (including solicitor's fees) arising out of or in connection with:

• Any breach or alleged breach of these Terms or the warranties made by the Participant.
• Any claim by a third party that the Project infringes upon their rights (copyright, trademark, defamation, privacy, etc.).
• Any damage caused to the Festival’s reputation resulting from the Participant's conduct or the content of the Project.

4. SUBMISSION, WITHDRAWAL, AND DISQUALIFICATION

• No Withdrawals: Once a Project is submitted, it may not be withdrawn from the Festival for any reason. The Participant understands that the Festival relies on confirmed submissions for scheduling and marketing.
• Disqualification: The Organiser reserves the right to disqualify any Project at any time, without refund, if the Project is found to be in violation of these Terms, contains hate speech or illegal content, or if the Participant engages in abusive or unprofessional behaviour toward Festival staff or other participants.
• No Refunds: Submission fees are non-refundable under any circumstances, including disqualification, non-selection, or festival cancellation due to Force Majeure.

5. SELECTION AND SCHEDULING

• Final Decision: All selection decisions are at the sole and absolute discretion of the Festival programming team. Decisions are final and cannot be appealed. The Festival is under no obligation to provide feedback on non-selected films.
• Scheduling: The Organiser reserves the sole right to determine the date, time, and venue of all screenings. The Organiser may change the schedule at any time without prior notice.

6. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

• Damage to Materials: The Organiser shall not be liable for any loss, corruption, or damage to digital files, hard drives, DCPs, posters, or other materials submitted to the Festival. Participants are solely responsible for maintaining backups of their Project.
• Festival Operations: The Organiser is not liable for any claims, damages, or losses resulting from technical failures, projection errors, venue issues, or the cancellation/postponement of the Festival due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control (Force Majeure), including but not limited to pandemics, government restrictions, strikes, or natural disasters.
• Maximum Liability: In no event shall the Organiser's total liability to the Participant exceed the amount of the submission fee paid by the Participant.

7. GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. The Participant irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of London, United Kingdom, for any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Festival.