Competition information

The competition is open to anyone regardless of their skill in film making. We want people to tell their story and will not be judging based on the quality of the film making.

RULES

  • There is a £500 prize fund for the top three entries. 1st place will receive £250 in vouchers, 2nd place will receive £150 in vouchers, and 3rd place will receive £100 in vouchers.

  • Films must be a maximum of 3 minutes long. The recommended length is 1-3 minutes.

  • Films should be linked to our 2024 theme in order to meet the judging standard

  • Films must be uploaded to YouTube and hidden from public view

  • Active e-mail addresses must be used for correspondence

  • All submissions must be submitted in English or supported by English subtitles.

  • All films must feature appropriate content and imagery.

  • No clear images of children (under 18) are to be used in any film without their parent’s written consent.

  • No clear or explicit images of drug or alcohol use are to be used in any film.

  • No abusive, explicit, or inappropriate language is to be used in any film.

  • All films must not breach copyright law. In particular, please be aware of the music you use, any in-game footage, any images and video footage.

  • Films received after the competition closing date cannot be considered for the competition but may still be featured on our website.

  • Entries submitted by anyone under 18 or featuring anyone under 18 not accompanied by a consent form signed by their parents/guardians will not qualify for the competition.

  • Films submitted to the Recovery Street Film Festival must meet all terms and conditions, guidelines and official rules to qualify for the competition.

JUDGING PROCESS:

Judges will select from all qualified submissions and will be considered in accordance with the competition’s selection criteria. These are: (a) an excellent creative idea, (b) an excellent craft or execution and (c) on theme.

A qualified submission is one which meets all the Terms & Conditions, Guidelines and Official Rules.

Official Selection Winner

  • After the conclusion of the submission window, the organising group will select a shortlist of 15 films from all films submitted.

  • The judges will then select 1st, 2nd and 3rd place from the 15-film shortlist and make the announcement at the beginning of the film festival.

  • The entrants who make up the 15-film shortlist will be contacted and informed before the festival launches online.

THE PRIZE

The lucky winners, who will be chosen by our panel of judges and announced in September, will receive a prize. More details of the prizes will be announced ahead of the launch.

GUIDELINES

  • This opportunity is only open to residents of the UK. If you are not from the UK, you understand and agree you are not eligible for prizing.

  • Submissions must be a maximum of 3 minutes in length (including titles and credits). A minimum length of 1 minute is recommended.

  • Participants must join using an active email address so if chosen they can easily be contacted.

  • All submissions must be submitted in the English language or be supported by English language subtitles.

  • Participants must submit their video to YouTube then paste the video URL and click 'Submit'.

  • Entries can be pre-existing material created by the participant.

  • All entrants are asked to provide credits for their entry in the description box when they upload their submission which must include:

    • Full Names of entrants

    • A brief description of your film

    • Telephone number (optional)

    • Email

  • Films that do not meet the brief will be removed and asked to resubmit.

  • Participants should retain the higher quality version of their video should the participant be chosen as the winner.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND MEDIA CONSENT

We know that stigma still exists around substance use (changing this is one of the driving factors behind the Recovery Street Film Festival) and this can make sharing your personal experiences with the public daunting.

All submissions to the Recovery Street Film Festival will be made available to the public either online or at one of the Recovery Street cinema screenings and we will be asking all individuals entering a film to sign a consent form permitting the Recovery Street Film Festival to use the film in this way.

Before submitting your film, please take the time to consider if you are comfortable sharing this publicly. Some things to consider, particularly if you are submitting a documentary or autobiographical film, are:

  • Do my friends, family and/or employer already know that I have lived experience of substance use?

  • Do I feel comfortable with members of the public viewing my submission?

Stories are a powerful way of changing people’s perceptions, and it can be a very positive experience to share your personal experience with others. Just make sure that it is the right thing for you.

If you are currently in treatment and would like some additional advice about this, please speak to your support worker or the press or communications team at the organisation who support you.

*HOW ARE THE IMAGES USED?

We use images in a range of materials to promote Recovery Street Film Festival as a whole and also to illustrate particular areas of our work. This includes (but is not limited to) publicity materials such as leaflets, brochures and posters, newspapers, magazine articles, television programmes, social media and publications for the internet.

RECOVERY STREET FILM FESTIVAL AGREES TO:

  • Only use images of entrants with their consent.

  • Store images and video footage securely.

  • Remove images or footage of entrants upon written request. Online photographs will be removed immediately, and printed or published footage will be removed for subsequent print runs and editions (we are unable to remove items already in circulation).

AS AN ENTRANT YOU AGREE TO:

  • Allow Recovery Street Film Festival to use photographs, images and video footage of me as outlined above*.

  • Allow Recovery Street Film Festival to securely store images and video footage of me for future use.

Download the Competition Terms and Conditions

Download the Confidentiality and Media Consent Policy

Download Consent form for Children - if you are submitting as an under 18 or if your film features anyone under the age of 18. Please send the completed consent form to us at rsfilmfest@gmail.com