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How UNICA Patronage works
for authors and festivals


Authors (film makers)

There are thousands of international film festivals. How can you know which ones will treat you and your films fairly?

If you take part in a festival under UNICA Patronage, you can be sure of a fair deal. If your film wins the festival's UNICA Medal you get extra publicity on the UNICA website.

UNICA

  • usually sends a representative to the event
  • checks that the competition is open to all nationalities
  • insists that the festival is fair to all nationalities
  • requires that films are not copied, televised or exploited by the festival
  • receives and records a list of jurors, films and awards
  • provides a medal for the best film to promote solidarity between nations / or uses new forms of expression
  • obliges all approved festivals to state on forms and publicity "under the patronage of UNICA"

We await the appointment of a new Patronage Officer at the end of November.

Festivals

  • Make sure people can trust your festival.
  • Get extra publicity through UNICA and its member federations.
  • Have an extra prize to offer. (see rule 8)

UNICA PATRONAGE RULES

UNICA may grant patronage to an international film and video festival that conforms with the following rules:
  1. The application for patronage is addressed to the Secretariat of UNICA, accompanied by the festival rules and a copy of the entry form.The organiser informs his national federation by means of a copy of the letter of application.

    (Organisers not being a member of a national federation or in a country not being affiliated to UNICA, address the application to the Secretariat of UNICA only.)

  2. All documents of the festival must include the formulation "under the patronage of UNICA" and the logo of UNICA. Copies should be sent to the Secretariat of UNICA.

  3. A list of jury members, a film catalogue and a list of the prize-winners have to be sent to the Secretariat of UNICA .

  4. The festival must be accessible to all non-commercial films.

  5. A classification per nation is not allowed.

  6. No copies -partial or total- of a film or video work, nor the diffusion of a production on TV, may be made without written authorisation of the author.

  7. The organiser should invite, if possible, a delegate of UNICA to the jury. In any case UNICA is entitled to send a representative.

  8. UNICA bestows a special prize for each festival under the patronage of UNICA to the film or video production promoting solidarity between the nations, or using new forms of expression.

  9. For each festival a patronage fee of EUR 70 is imposed. The amount has to be transferred to the account of UNICA.

  10. The patronage may be renewed upon written request.