AsterFest

The editions of our International Film Festival ASTERFEST (established 2005) are dedicated to the professional short film culture and emphasise its affirmation, popularization and valorization towards the audience.

We present the festival programme in the categories: Global Fiction, AsterDocs, Animotion, Merry-Diones, and Tributes.

In previous years we have chosen around 1000 films from 50 countries in the competitive contest, together with a few special programs and several extra films.

AsterFest is an annual festival event with physical screenings in the city of Strumica.

We are the longest-running short film festival in RN Macedonia.

ASTERFEST REGULATIONS

1. OFFICIAL INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME
This international festival of the new millennium is aimed at promoting and presenting cultural knowledge and trends recorded through contemporary film & video technologies made by professional authors from Europe, the Balkans, the UK, the USA, Canada, Asia, Australia and the other part of the world. Screenings will be held in places of the City of Strumica, RN Macedonia. The festival has a tendency to exchange audiovisual ideas and messages between World/European/Macedonian filmmakers and the festival public.

2. SELECTION
In selecting films, organizers will concentrate equally on both artistic merits and actually expressing content. The Organizer will accept the selected applications for films on digital technique. The organizer will be free of all obligations whatsoever to enter such a film for the selection. Works praising racism or pornography are not accepted.

3. COMPETITION PROGRAMMES
The Artistic Director and the Selector will decide on the admission of any film to the Competition projections. English subtitles are recommended on the copies for preview.

4. GLOBAL FICTION, ASTERDOCS, ANIMOTION PROGRAMME
We have three main categories with selections of the best new short fiction, short docs and animation shorts by authors from all world regions, produced 2022 and 2023.

5. SPECIAL (NON-COMPETITION) PROGRAMMES
TRIBUTES (Films dedicated to authors and themes), MERRY-DIONS (Special themes) or some other programmes. For these categories, there is no limited length, but we prefer short and middle-length duration. The list of films accepted to the competition run and to the special programs will also be published on the Festival website and on the other propaganda materials.

6. PRIZES
The International Festival Jury will award the Grand Prix – GOLDEN Horseshoe, SILVER and BRONZE Horseshoe, ACO ALEKSOV Author Award, GJORGI ABADZIEV Screenplay Award. The Festival board awards the ASTER Honorary Award and other SPECIAL AWARDS for continual (or lifetime) achievement in European/World filmmaking and in the field of author’s film art. There are some Gratitudes and Recommendations, Jury Merity Mention, Publics choice etc.

7. PROJECTIONS
Films in the Competition may be additionally shown no more than three times during the Festival activities. Any other screenings require special permission from the producer or author. For the purposes of promotion, the Organizer may give television stations and internet database access to any notable promotion films made by any film’s producer or author, on the conditions defined in the annex.

8. GUESTS
The film author will be invited to present the film, as a special AsterFest guest.

9. FINAL REMARKS
The submission of a film for participation in the AsterFest will be taken to mean acceptance of the conditions of these rules. Decisions in all matters not covered by these Regulations shall be taken by the Organizers represented by the official Festival Direction but in accordance with additional AsterFest rules. When applied, the Production or Distribution Company and the Author - the lender of the base (film) declare to be empowered by the Production Company to lend the base (film). The person named in this point commits to refrain from withdrawing from the Festival. The base (film) is lent to the Festival on double condition that the Festival strictly abides by The AsterFest Regulations & Codex, organization activities of Revolution Production and the additional clauses agreed upon by this Film Entry Form. The applicant also gives permission to the Organizer for the use 10 (ten) seconds from the film for the festival trailer. The digital copy of the film will be kept in the Archive of the AsterFest and will be used for research and educational aims.

10. AFTER SELECTION
If the film is selected, applicants must send online (via e-mail, Vimeo, WeTransfer or a similar way) a clear HD format of the film: HD H264 encoded Quicktime movie, and other attached materials (srt. file with English subtitles, very short synopsis in English, film photos, poster, link to trailer).