About MulanIFF
The Mulan International Film Festival (hereinafter referred to as “MulanIFF”) is a federally incorporated not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to showcasing the best of Chinese-language films as well as films about China and the Chinese diaspora. The aim of the festival is to facilitate appreciation of Chinese and Chinese diaspora cinema across Canadian communities and inspire the audience to discuss contemporary conflicts, challenges and opportunities from a global perspective. For more info about the festival, please see mulanfestival.com.
About the Fountainhead Programme
The Fountainhead Programme celebrates and promotes emerging talents and their works with creative originality. This Programme runs on a submission basis with official selection. In the last edition, the Final Selection Committee included NAI An, LIU Miaomiao, WANG Hongwei, Shelly Kraicer and Bart Testa (mulanfestival.com/fountainhead-final-selection-committee-2019). The list for 2022 is still to be confirmed.
In the last edition, the final selection included several titles by talents from film schools in North America:
- Stray Cat Ah Q, by FU Mulan – New York University Tisch School of the Arts
- Where Dreams Rest, by Elaine WONG – MFA graduate in Film and Television Production at the University of Southern California
- The Little Shrimp, by CHEN Zhilin “Chilam” – MFA degree in Film & Media Art at Emerson College
The Fountainhead Programme accepts submissions of feature-length films and short films from all filmmakers, via FilmFreeway: filmfreeway.com/mulaniff.
This Programme recognizes filmmaking achievements through presentation of balloted Audience Awards, including one CAD$1,000 cash award for feature-length film, and one CAD$250 cash award for short film. The Audience Awards go directly to the director(s) of the film.
A standard screening fee of CAD$300 for a feature-length film and a standard screening fee of CAD$75 for a short film will be paid to the copyright owner of the film after the screening concludes. MulanIFF will discuss with the copyright owner to pay additional screening fees if more than one screening will need to be booked.
The film must meet the following requirements and conditions:
- A feature-length film, by MulanIFF's definition, has a running time of 60 minutes or more, including credits; a short film, by MulanIFF's definition, has a running time of 20 minutes or less, including credits.
- The film has been completed on or after January 1st, 2021.
- Narrative, documentary, experimental and animated films are accepted.
- Either the main language of the film (>50%) is a Chinese language, or the film focuses on Chinese culture or the lives of the people residing in China and/or the Chinese diaspora.
- Only one film per director is accepted, be it a feature-length film or a short film.
- For feature-length films, only the first or the second feature-length film of a director are eligible.
- Films must have at least Canadian premiere status. It has not been presented at any motion picture event in Canada; and it has not been released in Canada in any form, including but not limited to theatre, broadcast, home entertainment, online streaming and Video On Demand (VOD).
- An online screener of the film must be provided and made available for streaming. No DVD, Blu-ray or other physical screeners are accepted.
- A work-in-progress version of the film can be accepted and its status should be clearly indicated on the submission. However, any updated version(s) will not be viewed.
- The applicant represents and warrants that they hold all the copyrights within and related to the submitted film, and has authority to grant MulanIFF the rights to promote and screen the submitted film.
Submission Deadlines and Fees for the Fountainhead Programme
May 2: Submissions open
May 21: Early Bird deadline (CAD$10 for short film, CAD$20 for feature-length film)
June 10: Regular deadline (CAD$15 for short film, CAD$30 for feature-length film)
Submission fees are non-refundable under any circumstances.
Submission fees can be waived at the sole discretion of MulanIFF on a case-by-case basis. Before submitting a film, requests need to be made via email: [email protected].
Selection Process for the Fountainhead Programme
The Fountainhead Programme will present a maximum of five feature-length films and a maximum of eight short films.
The Artistic Director chairs on the preliminary selection committee consisting of programmers and assistant programmers.
The Artistic Director designates a Final Selection Committee consisting of members from film institutions and the film industry.
Final decisions will be made at the sole and absolute discretion of the Final Selection Committee.
Official Invitation
All official invitations will be sent out via FilmFreeway and/or email on or before July 1st, 2022. Each film invited to MulanIFF will receive a Certificate of Participation if a request is made at the time of confirming participation.
Language and Subtitles
All films must be presented in English, or their original language(s) with English subtitles. The costs of subtitling are to be borne by the filmmaker or a relevant body.
Screening Formats
Only Digital Cinema Package (DCP), QuickTime ProRes 422 HQ and 35mm print are accepted, unless special arrangement is made with the MulanIFF programming team.
Print Traffic
All screening materials must be received by MulanIFF at least by July 22nd, 2022. Shipping costs to MulanIFF are to be borne by the filmmaker or a relevant body. Otherwise, MulanIFF reserves the right not to accept the package.
MulanIFF pays for return shipping as requested by the filmmaker or a relevant body.
Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, MulanIFF prefers online transmission of screening materials. Special arrangement may be made with the MulanIFF programming team.
Copyrights
MulanIFF and its directors, members, officers and volunteers, will not be held responsible for unauthorized use of any copyrighted materials within or related to the selected film. MulanIFF reserves the right to disqualify any film with unauthorized copyrighted materials at any time.
General
Participation in MulanIFF implies acceptance of all the aforementioned rules and regulations. MulanIFF reserves the right to rule, at its sole and absolute discretion, on cases and situations not covered by these rules and regulations.
