Film Olympiad (13)

Festival start: 26 May 2025      Festival end: 07 June 2025

*AN OLYMPIAD FOR FILMMAKERS!*

We desire to see your film! We want to see your dreams, empathise with your heroes, laugh with your jokes, cry with your drama!

Over 900 films from 87 countries participated in a total of 11 Grand Prix competitions and 90 films have been screened in 7 different cinemas across Athens, including Oscar nominated or other highly acclaimed films.

We are one of the few festivals offering money prizes - over 1.500 euros per year - plus an estimated 20.000 euros on services.

oin an exciting Film Festival with unique features;

1) FEEDBACK FOR ALL FILMS, NO MATTER IF SELECTED OR NOT
You DESERVE feedback for your hard work. Film Olympiad is probably the first and only festival to give constructive feedback to everyone - free of any extra charge.

2) RADICAL HONESTY & TRANSPARENCY
You can see how exactly the Jury rated your film in 5 categories and how you compare to other films. We watch films with empathy and love. We believe that filmmakers want to know the truth about how their film was rated, and this will only make them better.

3) MONEY PRIZES & FILM OLYMPIAD MEDALS - EVERY MONTH
The only film festival to award Film Olympiad Medals. 30 categories, 6 nominees, 3 medals (Gold, Silver & Bronze). Every month, National and Individual Medal Tables are updated.

We also have cash prizes, which will be at least:

500 euros for the Best Film Short
100 euros for the Audience Award
100 euros for the Best Director
100 euros for the Best Screenplay
100 euros for the Best Leading Actor
100 euros for the Best Leading Actress
100 euros for the Best Greek Film

of the annual Film Olympiad 2024 Gold Medalists on the categories above

plus 100 euros on every Best Film Gold Medalist, of each Grand Prix

4) NETWORKING & RECOGNITION
With 100 films per month, you have an actual chance to get selected and win a medal. Moreover, you can make your participation viral to your audience, fans and community.

"Yeah, buddy, on Thursday we are up against a film from Japan, and if we win, we qualify to the quarterfinals against either a film from Russia or a film from Germany!".

5) EXCITING COMPETITION SYSTEM - ACTUAL CHANCE
A sports-like competition system. We want an exciting event for our audience and your fans. The Jury gives a new rating to films after every round.

Phase 1 - 100 films are selected every MONTH for the Film Olympiad Grand Prix. All of them are eligible for nominations and medals. We have 6 bi- monthly Film Olympiad Grand Prix every year and an annual Film Olympiad.

Phase 2 - The films are divided into 20 groups of 5. The best films from each group qualify for the knockouts. The audience can watch live the results of the rating in each group, through online live streams with online screenings of some films.

Phase 3 - 32 films get paired in knockouts. This means that if you win 5 matches (Rounds of 32, 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Final), you win the Best Short Gold Medal and the monthly cash prize.

Phase 4 - At least the best 8 films from each month are publicly screened in monthly screenings with a live audience and qualify for the annual Film Olympiad.

With these innovative features, we feel sure that Film Olympiad will soon become a prestigious and established Film Festival. Submit now to represent your country in the Film Olympiad with your film. We can't wait to see it!

Cash Prizes: 1,500€
Screening Fee Shorts: 20€

Medals & Prizes

1) Film Olympiad Medals in 30 categories. Gold, Silver & Bronze plus 3 Nominees per category.

2) Money Prizes ever month. The prizes for 2025 will be around 1.500 euros in 6 different categories and for up to 12 different films! Since we are only in the beginning we feel confident that this sum will increase even within this year.

a) Every month, 100 euros for each winner of the Film Olympiad Grand Prix Gold Medalist in the category of Best Film Short
b) 500 euros for the winner of the annual Film Olympiad Gold Medalist in the category of Best Film Short in 2025.
c) 100 euros for the winner of the annual Film Olympiad Gold Medalist in the category of Audience Award in 2025.
d) 100 euros for the winners of the annual Film Olympiad Gold Medalists in the categories of Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Leading Actor & Actress.
e) 100 euros for the best Greek film in the annual competition

3) Prizes in services –
a) All nominees or winners receive personalised certificates & graphics for their nominations.
b) Most importantly, Film Olympiad provides to ALL films is a feedback disclosure of the film’s ratings. With an estimated number of 100 submitted films per month this adds up to prizes in services at over 20.000 euros per year.

List of Film Olympiad Medals categories:

Best Film Main Categories:

1. Best Film Short
2. Best Documentary Short
3. Best Animation Short
4. Best Experimental Short
5. Best Music Video Short
6. Best Student Short
7. People's Choice (Audience) Award

Best Directing Categories:

8. Best Director
9. Best Promising Director
(Student or Debut Director or under 30 years old)

Best Screenplay Categories:

10. Best Screenplay
11. Best Idea
12. Best Message

Best Acting Categories:

13. Best Leading Actress
14. Best Leading Actor
15. Best Supporting Actress
16. Best Supporting Actor

Best Technical Categories:

17. Best Cinematography
18. Best Editing
19. Best Original Music
20. Best Sound
21. Best Production Design
22. Best Make up & Hairstyle
23. Best Costumes
24. Best Visual Effects
25. Best Poster (voted by the Audience)

Best Film Genre Categories:

26. Best under 5 minutes Short
27. Best low budget (under 5K)
28. Best Comedy Short
29. Best Human Rights Short
30. Best Fantasy/Thiller Short

MAIN RULES AND TERMS OF FILM OLYMPIAD & FILM OLYMPIAD GRAND PRIX

1) Film Olympiad accepts all films that have been completed within the was the past 4 years, meaning after January 1st, 2021 for the 2025 edition.

2) All Films non-English films will be required to provide content with English subtitles. English films are also preferred to have English subtitles.

3) Film Olympiad has no premiere requirements.

4) All selected films will be required to have or send their film available to be downloaded via Festhome, Vimeo or any other platform or send an online downloadable link to their film, in order to be presented in the live screenings with audience. If the film is not available for download Film Olympiad has the right to disqualify a film from the competition.

5) Submissions fees are non-refundable.

DETAILED RULES & TERMS OF FILM OLYMPIAD & FILM OLYMPIAD GRAND PRIX

I. APPLICATION OF THESE TERMS & CONDITIONS

The following terms and conditions (the “Terms”) govern the submission of a film (the “Film”) to the Film Olympiad (“Film Olympiad”), both for the monthly Grand Prix and the annual Super-final events, through festhome.com , for consideration for the 2025 Film Olympiad. To the extent that this document is inconsistent with any other document prepared by Film Olympiad or anyone else, this document will take precedence. Any questions about these Terms should be directed to submissions@filmolympiad.com .

II. FILM OLYMPIAD, FILM OLYMPIAD GRAND PRIX, FILM OLYMPIAD MEDALS & PRIZES

1. Film Olympiad is organised into

a) monthly Film Olympiad Grand Prix, 11 months every year and
b) the annual Film Olympiad Super-final, the contestants of which derive and qualify through all the monthly Film Olympiad Grand Prix which take place the previous months. All terms are valid for both categories of events.

2. Film Olympiad is the only film festival or/and competition awarding Film Olympiad medals.

a) For the monthly events, selected films are eligible for Film Olympiad Grand Prix medals in 30 categories. There is a total of six nominees, three of which are awarded medals (Gold, Silver and Bronze).

b) For the annual super-final event, selected films are eligible for Film Olympiad medals in 30 categories. There is a total of six nominees, three of which are awarded medals (Gold, Silver and Bronze).

c) Additionally to the international Film Olympiad medals, Film Olympiad awards medals in a continental and national level, provided that at least 50 films have submitted from the respective continent or/and country.

d) The organising committee or the chairman of the festival can decide to adjust at any time the barrier of 50 films, by increasing or decreasing it.

e) The organising committee or the chairman of the festival can decide to adjust at any time the number of categories, or nominees per category, especially in cases where the Jury considers that there are not enough candidates for a specific category.

f) Film Olympiad has also a category of an Audience Award for Best Film. In order to avoid any possible online anti-fair play issues, only the votes of a live audience with physical presence in public screenings is going to be taken into account for the Audience Award.

3. Film Olympiad provides cash prizes to encourage and assist filmmakers with future projects.

a) Each month, in each Film Olympiad Grand Prix, a prize of 100 euros or more will be awarded at least to the winner of the Best Short Film category. All films are eligible for this prize, including documentaries, animation films, etc.

b) Each year, in each annual Film Olympiad, a prize of 500 euros or more will be awarded at least to the winner of the Best Short Film category. All films are eligible for this prize, including documentaries, animation films, etc.

c) Each year, in each annual Film Olympiad, a prize of 500 euros or more will be awarded at least to the winner of the Audience Award category. All films are eligible for this prize, including documentaries, animation films, etc.

III. SUBMISSION AGREEMENT

1. By submitting a Film to Film Olympiad, the submitter (the “Applicant”) represents that they have (i) read, understood and agreed to the Terms, and (ii) obtained consent from any and all owners, creators, writers, producers, and/or other authorised representatives or rights holders of the Film whose consent is required to submit the Film to Film Olympiad (the “Film Owners”).

2. Submissions fees are non-refundable.

3. Film Olympiad may disqualify or reject, but is not required to do so, any submission that it determines, in its sole and absolute discretion would not be in Film Olympiad’s best interest to include in the Festival, including, but not limited to, any Film that is not in compliance, in whole or in part, with these Terms, and may do so without refunding any submission or other fees paid by the Registrant or returning any materials submitted by the Registrant. Disqualified films for any reason whatsoever, have no right to for a review/ feedback of their films. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if any person connected to the Film is involved in, or alleged to be involved in, any situation or occurrence which subjects such person to public scandal, disrepute, widespread contempt, or public ridicule, that violates Film Olympiad’s code of conduct, or that will tend to shock, insult or offend the community or public morals or decency or prejudice Film Olympiad in general, then Film Olympiad shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to take any action it deems appropriate, including but not limited to excluding such person from attendance at the Festival and/or disqualifying the Film from participation in the Festival.

IV. SUBMISSION CATEGORIES AND ELIGIBILITY

1. Films submitted to Film Olympiad for consideration under these Terms must be submitted in one of the categories set out below.

2. Films that do not meet the eligibility requirements for any of the below categories should not be submitted and will not be considered by Film Olympiad.

3. Submission categories:

Category/Eligibility Requirements:

International Short Fiction – International fiction films with run times of 50 minutes or less.

International Short Documentary – International documentary films with run times of 50 minutes or less.

International Short Animation – International animation films with run times of 50 minutes or less.

International Short Experimental – International experimental films with run times of 50 minutes or less.

International Short Music Video/Ads – International music video or ads with run times of 50 minutes or less.

(More categories, including but not limited to International Feature Film, may be added at any point)

4. Film Olympiad accepts all films that have been completed within the was the past 4 years, meaning after January 1st, 2021 for the 2025 edition.

5. All Films must be submitted as online screeners via Festhome.

6. All Films (English and non-English films) will be required to provide content with English subtitles.

7. All selected films will be required to have their film available to be downloaded via Festhome, Vimeo or any other platform or send an online downloadable link to their film, in order to be presented in the online & live public screenings with audience. If the film is not available for download Film Olympiad has the right to disqualify a film from the competition.

8. All Film Olympiad and Film Olympiad Grand Prix semifinalists, plus some additional films per month, will be shown in public screenings with audience – except if emergency reasons forbid such a screening due to the Covid-19 pandemic or any other unexpected crisis. In case of any revenues from admission tickets for any of the Film Olympiad or Film Olympiad Grand Prix screenings, these revenues are directed to cover costs of Film Olympiad.

9. All Film Olympiad and Film Olympiad Grand Prix selected films may be additionally screened online via a secure platform. Applicants have the right to request that their film should not be presented online, and if they request so at least 5 days before any scheduled online screening, only a trailer or a cut scene of their film will be shown instead.

10. Film Olympiad has no premiere requirements. However, the Film’s premiere status may be taken into consideration when final programming decisions are made, in cases where two or more films are rated equally by the judging and programming committee.

11. Film Olympiad has the right to use footage or pictures from any submitted films in order to promote any Film Olympiad events and any additional Film Olympiad activities. The footage used can be no longer than three minutes or 10% of the Film, whichever is longer.

V. COMPETITION FORMAT

1. The Festival is organised into monthly Film Olympiad Grand Prix and the annual Film Olympiad Super-final.

a) The films are first selected for one of the Film Olympiad Grand Prix and the selected films divided into groups of five films, based on their primary rating according to the judging and programming team.

b) The films are divided according to their rating in five seeding pools. In the case of 100 selected films, films rated 1st to 20th will be seeded at the A’ Pool, films rated 21st to 40th at the B’ Pool, films rated 41st to 60th at the C’ Pool, films rated 61st to 80th at the D’ Pool and films rated 81st to 100th at the E’ Pool.

c) One film is drawn from each pool to form groups of relatively equal strength based on the primary rating of the films. Extra programming reasons such as scheduling according to time zones, multiple submissions by the same filmmaker, etc., may be taken into consideration, as long as each group has one film from each strength pool.

d) The best film from each group, (20 films in total) plus a remaining number of best films according to their rating which did not finished first in their group (12 films in total), are qualified to the knock-out stage.

e) The knock-out stage has a round of 32, round of 16, quarterfinals, semi-finals, bronze medal final and gold medal final.

f) The films are seeded to the knock-out stage in according manner. The winner film of the Group 1’ is matched with the 12th best rated film of the non-group winners films and the winner is matched with the winner of the match up between the winners of the Group 16’ and Group 17’. At the exact opposite side of the knock-out stage tree, the winner film of Group 2’ is matched with the 11th best rated film of the non-group winners films and the winner is matched with the winner of the match up between the winners of the Group 15’ and Group 18’. A similar procedure is followed for all the knock-out match ups.

g) In the event that fewer or more films are selected, the programming team will adjust the number of seeded films per pool or/and pools and the number of films qualified to the knock-out stage, accordingly.

h) The 8 quarterfinalists of each monthly Film Olympiad Grand Prix qualify to the annual Film Olympiad super-final. In the event that a film participates in more than one monthly Film Olympiad Grand Prix quarterfinals, it can only hold one spot to the annual Film Olympiad super-final.

i) The remaining number of films that qualify for the annual Film Olympiad super-final is primarily chosen according to the rating and number Film Olympiad Grand Prix medals that each film has received. A limited number of wildcards (10% or less) may be awarded to several films in order to ensure a satisfying number of films competing in special categories (such as documentary, animation, etc), a more diverse representation in the annual Film Olympiad and the possible participation of few highly acclaimed films that may have no.

VI. PROCESS FOR SUBMISSION

Submission Procedure

1. All Films submitted under these Terms must be submitted in accordance with the procedure outlined herein. Film Olympiad may, but is not required to, disqualify or reject any Film that is not submitted in this way.

2. To submit a Film for Festival consideration, an Applicant must: (a) complete the registration process at Festhome and pay the required fee and (b) provide to Film Olympiad an online screener via Festhome for review by Film Olympiad programming staff and jury. Film Olympiad does not accept submissions in any other manner or format, including: DVDs, content burned to Read/Write (RW) discs, Blu-ray discs, external online links, downloadable files such wetransfer links etc, or trailers.

3. Applicants should test their online screeners thoroughly before submitting them, and ensure their online screener remains active on Festhome until the end of 2021. The Applicant has sole responsibility for ensuring that the submitted online screener plays in its entirety. The screener must contain English subtitles regardless if the original language is English or not. If Film Olympiad is unable to view the online screener, Film Olympiad may attempt, but is under no obligation, to contact the Applicant in order to obtain a replacement online screener.

4. Film Olympiad will not review multiple versions of a submitted Film. Only one version of the Film may be submitted. If multiple versions are submitted, Film Olympiad can not guarantee the newest version will be reviewed and may only view the version that was received first.

5. Film Olympiad is under no obligation to contact the Submitting Party should the Applicant not have adhered to the rules which have been set out. Submission fees are non-refundable.

VII. SUBMISSION DEADLINES AND FEES

1. In order to be eligible for consideration, submission screeners must be submitted online via Festhome, with a Festhome registration completed and all fees paid, by the deadlines outlined in the platform.

2. Films that are submitted after the late deadline, may be chosen not for the upcoming Grand Prix, but for the Grand Prix after that, depending on the date that the film was submitted and the number of late submissions.

3. Film Olympiad may accept late submissions in its sole and absolute discretion, but an additional submission fee may apply.

4. Film Olympiad may revise submission deadlines and fees in its sole and absolute discretion at any time.

5. Submissions fees are non-refundable.

VIII. SELECTION

1. All submitted films, whether selected or not, will have available a review/feedback and the ratings of their film, at the completion of each Grand Prix. No film may request to have earlier this material. No film may request changes to this material. These reviews and ratings will be published and can be found each month on the Film Olympiad website () and for transparency and radical honesty reasons are public to everyone.

2. Film Olympiad will consider for inclusion in the Festival all eligible films that have been submitted by the required deadlines and in accordance with its terms. Film Olympiad reserves the right to consider for inclusion in the Festival, and include in the Festival, films received at any time and through any means, channel, or process, including means, channels, or processes other than those outlined in these Terms. Nothing in these Terms or otherwise requires Film Olympiad to select for Festival inclusion any of the Films submitted through the process outlined in these Terms.

3. All selection decisions are at the sole and absolute discretion of Film Olympiad, and are final and unreviewable. Film Olympiad is not required to provide any additional feedback, comments, or reasons, or any other information, regarding the selection or non-selection of any submitted Film or the process by which Films are or have been selected. Film Olympiad is not responsible or liable for its selection decisions; for the contents of any internal comments or feedback regarding the Film that are or may be obtained from the Applicant or anyone else; for any communications by any representative of Film Olympiad relating to the Film or the Festival selection process; for the manner in which the Film shall be, is, or was considered and reviewed; or for any failure on the part of the Festival to provide the Applicant or anyone else with information concerning Film Olympiad’s consideration and/or review of the Film.

4. Film Olympiad will notify 10 days before the beginning of each Grand Prix, all Applicants who have been selected to participate in the Festival. Film Olympiad will contact Applicants using the contact information provided in the Festhome registration form. Applicants are responsible for providing correct and functional contact information. Film Olympiad is not responsible for any failed attempts to contact Applicants using the contact information provided.

IX. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, LEGAL CLAIMS, AND INDEMNITIES

1. By submitting the film to Film Olympiad, the Applicant and Film Owners (the “Submitting Parties”) hereby warrant and represent that: (i) the Film is wholly original and is not copied from and does not include any other work that is the subject of copyright or other protection, unless such work is in the public domain or the Submitting Parties have obtained any and all consents, releases, licenses, and other authorisations or waivers of any kind necessary for the inclusion or reproduction of any person, character, location, thing, trademark, sound recording, musical composition, or other work in the Film; (ii) the Film does not defame any person or violate the common law or statutory rights, including, without limitation, the rights of privacy and publicity or any other right of any person; (iii) the Film is not the subject of litigation or any dispute that may give rise to litigation; (iv) there are no agreements, nor will there be any agreements made subsequent to the date of this Film submission, that would or could have the effect of impairing the Submitting Parties’ ability to provide the Film as contemplated herein, or otherwise conflict with any provision of these Terms; and (v) the Submitting Parties have the full right, power, and authority to submit the Film to Film Olympiad for Festival consideration, and to grant all of the rights granted hereunder and in the Festhome registration form, including, without limitation, the right to screen the Film in Festival venues and/or digitally on Film Olympiad’s online screening platform, and there is no prior obligation or impediment which would in any way impair or restrict the Submitting Parties from fully performing all obligations pursuant to the submission and these Terms.

2. The Submitting Parties agree to indemnify and hold harmless Film Olympiad, its licensees, successors, and assigns, and its and their members, officers, directors, employees, agents, representatives, associates, volunteers, and affiliates (each, a “Releasee”), from any claim, suit, action, or other proceeding brought against a Releasee and from any losses, costs, or damages, including the Releasee’s full legal fees and costs, which it may have suffered or incurred or may suffer or incur, directly or indirectly based on, in connection with, or arising from the use and exhibition of the Film submitted by the Applicant, including, without limitation, the decision to exhibit or not exhibit the Film, which decision shall be in Film Olympiad’s sole and absolute discretion, or the breach or alleged breach of any representation, warranty, or other agreement made by the Applicant in these Terms, or in the Applicant’s Festhome registration form.

3. Film Olympiad takes reasonable anti-piracy and security precautions. While in Film Olympiad’s possession, all Films are securely stored. Access to Films is limited to Film Olympiad staff and volunteers who require access in order to screen and consider submissions. No duplication and loaning of Films is permitted. By submitting a Film to Film Olympiad, the Submitting Parties hereby release Film Olympiad from any and all liability in the event of theft, unauthorized access or copying, or any breach of copyright of the Film while it is in Film Olympiad’s possession or on Film Olympiads’s online screening platform.

X. SAFETY AND RESPECT

A cornerstone of Film Olympiad’s belief system is that everyone has the right to respect, as well as fair and equitable treatment from others. Film Olympiad does not tolerate violence, mistreatment, or harassment — verbal, physical, sexual, or otherwise — towards staff, Volunteers, delegates, audience members, attendees at any of our festivals, conferences, or events or in any correspondence with staff, including during the submission process. Our staff and Volunteers are committed to ensuring the best possible experience for all of our attendees. If the safety of our guests is in question, we will take immediate steps to ensure the matter is addressed.
XI. OTHER

Film Olympiad reserves the right to rule, in its sole and absolute discretion, on cases and situations not foreseen by these Terms.