Master of Art | Film Festival

SUBMISSION
IS NOW
CLOSED!

The festival program will be
announced in March 2020

Master of Art Film Festival is unique cultural event and the only in Eastern Europe international film festival for Documentaries on Art. It takes place in Bulgaria – Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna.

The festival focuses on different artistic approaches on Art.

Its program is dedicated to Documentary cinema that represents the artistic vision both on history of Art, Contemporary Art forms and to celebrate the multicultural diversity in our time.

Our goal is to show documentaries that manifest the talents and the creative process in the following categories: Architecture and Design, Art and Children, Art and Power, Contemporary art, Culinary Art, Fine Art and Photography, Literature, Music and Dance, Theatre and Cinema.

Documentaries produced and released after January 1, 2018 are eligible to the competition of Master of Art Film Festival. The festival pays attention also on modern tendencies in Video Art and Advertising and in The Art in video Games.

The mission of Master of Art Film Festival is to create an alternative platform to the mass culture. We want to create an opportunity and to contribute a dialogue and cooperation between artists. The festival is the biggest forum in Eastern Europe for young documentary filmmakers, tempted to tell inspiring stories about the Art.

Master of Art Film Festival is organized by Spotlight Production Company, The National Palace of Culture and ‘Master of Art’ Foundation and with the financial support of Program “Culture” of Municipality of Sofia, America for Bulgaria Foundation, AURUBIS BULGARIA and etc.

The festival funds are raised by participation fees, financial subsidies, donations, sponsorship and advertising.

The fifth edition of the festival will take place from 9 to 30 April 2020 in Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna.

The OFFICIAL SELECTION laurel is given to all films selected in the following categories:

“OFFICIAL SELECTION – COMPETITION” laurel

COMPETITION CATEGORIES – DOCUMENTARIES

ARCHITECTURE and DESIGN – documentaries for architects, past and present architectural achievements, historic buildings, designers and their work;
ART and CHILDREN – documentaries on the connection between art and children;
ART and POWER – documentaries about the relationship between the artists and totalitarian regimes and politic;
CONTEMPORARY ART, INSTALLATION ART, PROTEST ART – documentaries about contemporary art, art installations and protest art;
CULINARY ART – documentaries on the art of preparation, cooking and serving food;
FINE ART and PHOTOGRAPHY – documentaries about the Fine Art and The Photography from different eras, galleries and exhibitions;
LITERATURE – documentaries about writers, poets, and/ or their works;
MUSIC and DANCE – documentaries about music, composers and musicians – opera, classics, folk, jazz, pop and rock; dancers and choreographers – ballet, folk, traditional and contemporary dance, theater and documentary theater, acting challenges on stage;
THEATRE and CINEMA – documentaries about theatre, acting challenges on stage; notable filmmakers and actors.

COMPETITION CATEGORY – VIDEO ART and ART ADVERTISING

(This category has a separate Award and the submitted videos are not competing with the documentaries and video games in the other categories.)

VIDEO ART and ART ADVERTISING – video art, experimental videos, art advertisings and Advertisement.

COMPETITION CATEGORY – ART in VR

(This category has a separate Award and the submitted games are not competing with the documentaries and videos games in the other categories.)

ART in VR – ART films for VR.

COMPETITION CATEGORY – MORE THAN ART

MORE THAN ART – competition for Best Art Film in development.

In addition to all fantastic documentaries for art that are submitted to festival every year filmmakers will have a new opportunity in 2020 edition. We are creating The Master of Art Lab and a special category “More Than Art” for projects in development. Our intention is to support the process of birth of new documentaries dedicated to art in very beginning. Authors are invited to submit their project for Lab competition categories where they compete for the Best Art Film in Development with a special financial prize. The application written in English has to contain synopsis and visual explication not less than five pages and authors filmography. Additional materials like photos or teaser could be attached. Applications must be received until January 20, 2020. If you have an idea for a new amazing art documentary and need initial support – apply and start your achievement in documentary filmmaking! If you win our “More Than Art” competition your world premiere could be at Master of Art Film Festival.

“OFFICIAL SELECTION – OUT of COMPETITION” laurel

OUT of COMETITION CATEGORIES

PANORAMA – this category includes exceptional documentaries on art regardless of their date of production;
ART HORIZONS – Documentaries that are highly appreciated by the preselecting committee

TERMS & CONDITIONS

The festival is open to creators of television and independent documentaries, video games, video art and art advertising from all over the world.
Only films produced/ released after January 1, 2018 could be selected for the competition.
All films submitting to the festival should not be presented in cinemas or broadcast on Bulgarian television and/ or distributed on DVD on the territory of Bulgaria. No restrictions for screenings in other countries.
Bulgarian documentaries submitting the festival must have not been submitted to any previous edition of “Master of Art” Film Festival. No restrictions for screening/ broadcasting in Bulgaria or other countries.
The Festival sets an international jury.
The Festival jury will select the winners.
Films in other languages rather than English (incl. those in Bulgarian) must be subtitled in English.

SUBMISSION

The submission should be made only through the following festival platforms: FilmFreeway

SUBMISSION DEADLINES and FEES – Documentaries

CALL FOR ENTRIES – May 13, 2019;
EARLYBIRD DEADLINE – June 30, 2019 – 20$;
REGULAR DEADLINE – October 31, 2019 – 25$;
LATE DEADLINE – December 31, 2019 – 30$;
EXTENDED DEADLINE – January 20, 2020 – 35$;

SUBMISSION DEADLINES and FEES – VIDEO ART and ART ADVERTISING and ART in VIDEO GAMES

CALL FOR ENTRIES – May 13, 2019;
EARLYBIRD DEADLINE – June 30, 2019 – 10$;
REGULAR DEADLINE – October 31, 2019 – 15$;
LATE DEADLINE – December 31, 2019 – 20$;
EXTENDED DEADLINE – January 20, 2020 – 25$;

SUBMISSION DEADLINES and FEES – Pithing session MORE THAN ART – for the Best Art Film in Development

EARLYBIRD DEADLINE – June 30, 2019 – 30$;
REGULAR DEADLINE – October 31, 2019 – 50$;
LATE DEADLINE – December 31, 2019 – 70$;
EXTENDED DEADLINE – January 20, 2020 – 90$;

NOTIFICATION

The selected documentaries, art videos, video games, VR and projects in development will be notified on February 3, 2020.

OFFICIAL SELECTION and SCREENINGS

The Applicant/ Producer/ Distributor of the selected film must provide a file with a time coded dialogue list/ transcript of the English text/ subtitles. The subtitled in English films must provide as well, in separate file the text subtitles and the transcript/ dialogue list of the film in the original language.
The Applicant/ Producer/ Distributor of the selected film must provide a short synopsis, 2-3 still photos and a .pdf file with the artwork/ poster (if any).
The Applicant/ Producer/ Distributor of the selected film must provide a file of the film trailer and a dialogue list of the trailer.
The selected films will be translated and subtitled in Bulgarian by the festival.
The screening copies of the selected films must be provided in one of the following formats: BluRay/ DCP/ H264/ APPLE PRORES FILE/ .mp4.
The screening copies must be delivered to the festival before March 1, 2020.
All postal expenses (if using mail to send BlueRay Disc or Hard drive with the screening copy) are paid by Applicant/ Producer/ Distributor.
MofA shall assume no responsibility for loss or damage to any original copy of the film.
Organizers are obliged to show the films as a part of 2020 “Master of Art” Film Festival screenings.
Applicants attest and guarantee that they possess all the necessary rights and authorizations.
Following the consent of all copyrights MofA reserves the right to broadcast parts of the films (1 to 3 min) on TV shows with non-commercial purpose.
The festival will pay the accommodation of 2 (two) nights of one representative (Director/Cameraman/ Producer) of a selected film. All travel expenses are at the expense of the participant.
By submitting through FilmFreeway, the Applicant agrees to the Terms and Conditions of the festival.

ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

Documentaries for architects, past and present architectural achievements, historic buildings, designers and their work.

ART AND CHILDREN

Documentaries on the connection between art and children.

CONTEMPORARY ART, INSTALLATION ART, PROTEST ART

Documentaries about contemporary art, art installations and protest art.

CULINARY ART

Documentaries on the art of preparation, cooking and serving food.

FINE ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Documentaries about the Fine Art and The Photography from different eras, galleries and exhibitions.

LITERATURE

Documentaries about writers, poets, and/ or their works.

MUSIC AND DANCE

Documentaries about music, composers and musicians — opera, classics, folk, jazz, pop and rock; dancers and choreographers — ballet, folk, traditional and contemporary dance, theater and documentary theater, acting challenges on stage.

THEATRE AND CINEMA

Documentaries about theatre, acting challenges on stage; notable filmmakers and actors.

VIDEO ART AND ART ADVERTISING

Video art, experimental videos, art advertisings and Advertisement.

ART IN VR

There is a separate Award for this category.

ART and POWER

Documentaries about the relationship between the artists and totalitarian regimes and politic.

HORIZONS

Documentaries that are highly appreciated by the preselecting committee.

SUBMISSION
IS NOW
CLOSED!

The festival program will be
announced in March 2020

“Master of Art” Award – Best Documentary of the festival – 5000 EURO cash prize bestow by AURUBIS BULGARIA;
“Master of Bulgarian Art Doc” / “America for Bulgaria Award” – Best Bulgarian Documentary on Art 1000 EURO cash prize bestow by Foundation “America for Bulgaria”;
“Master of Art Debut” – Award for best Debut Feature Documentary on Art;
“Master of Short Art” – Award for Best Short Documentary on Art Documentary.