1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1. These Regulations define the procedure for organizing and conducting the International Film Festival In Frame: Big City Lights (hereinafter referred to as the Film Festival or the Festival).

1.2. The full name of the Film Festival is the In Frame: Big City Lights International Film Festival.

1.3. The abbreviated name of the Film Festival is the In Frame: Big City Lights IFF.

1.4. The Film Festival is organized by the Lenfilm Production Center LLC (hereinafter referred to as the Organizing Committee) and the Saint-Petersburg Committee for Culture.

1.5. The Festival is managed by the Festival Directorate.

1.6. The Festival will be held in Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation.

1.7. The Festival will take place on August from 27 to 31, 2026.

2. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

2.1. The goal of the Film Festival is to explore and promote the image of the modern metropolis in world cinema, strengthening cultural ties between cities and countries.

2.2. Objectives of the Film Festival:

• To introduce audiences to the cultural, historical, and ethnic diversity of the largest cities in the world and Russia.
• Promotion of Saint Petersburg's image as a unique cultural capital and center of cinematic art.
• Popularization of Saint Petersburg's historical and cultural potential, development of inbound tourism, and maintenance of its image as a major international tourist destination.
• Support and development of the Saint Petersburg film schools.
• Creation of a platform for professional international dialogue among filmmakers.
• Broad introduction of the audience to the best examples of global and domestic cinema, united by the theme of the City.

3. FESTIVAL PROGRAMS

3.1. The Film Festival programs include:

• International contest of feature films.
• Competition of short feature films.
• Non-contest (special) thematic programs (feature, documentary and view films about cities of the world).
• Special program "Petersburg on the Screen", dedicated to the image of the city in cinema.
• Business and educational program: roundtables, master classes, creative meetings.
• Special events: exhibitions, presentations.

4. PARTICIPATION CONDITIONS AND SELECTION PROCEDURE

4.1. The Film Festival is a contest event. Films that correspond the Festival's theme and the following requirements are eligible for participation:

4.1.1. For the International Feature Film Contest:

• Production year: 2024, 2025, 2026.
• Running time of a film: more than 50 minutes.
• Release status of a film: the film must not have been commercially released in the Russian Federation before the Festival's date. Priority is given to Russian and international premieres.
• Film format: DCP.
• Language: films whose original language is not English must have English subtitles.

4.1.2. For the short film competition:

• Production year: 2024, 2025, 2026.
• Running time of a film: no more than 20 minutes.
• Film format: preferably DCP or high-quality digital formats.
• Language: films whose original language is not English must have English subtitles.

4.1.3. For non-contest programs:

The requirements for the year of production, duration, and format are advisory and are determined by the Directorate and the Selection Committee.

4.2. DEADLINES AND PROCEDURE FOR SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS:

Deadline for submitting applications: July 01, 2026.

Applications can be submitted through the official festival website or by sending a completed application form (Appendix 1) and a link to a preview of the film (with an access password) to the email address: pr@lenfilm.ru.

4.3. PROVISION OF FESTIVAL COPIES:

• All expenses for delivery and return of copies are defrayed by the copyright holders or the organizations presenting the film.
• Final copies of the films for screening (DCP or other agreed digital media), as well as all necessary materials (see clause 5), must be received by the Festival Directorate no later than August 15, 2026.
• Encryption keys (KDM) for DCP copies must be provided for the duration of the Festival, including time for technical checks.

5. REQUIRED MATERIALS

After the official confirmation of the film's inclusion in the Festival program, the copyright holder is required to provide the following materials in electronic form to the Festival Directorate:

• A completed and signed application form and/or permission to film screening.
• A subtitle file in English (.srt or .stl format).
• A synopsis of the film (no more than 500 symbols), and a director's concept.
• A press kit for the film containing the following information: biographies and filmographies of the director, producer, and screenwriter; high-resolution photos of the director and key actors (at least 150 DPI); high-resolution frames from the film and posters (at least 300 DPI); a link to download the film's trailer in mp4 format with a bitrate of at least 15 mbps.
• Any other materials requested by the Directorate for catalog creation and PR support.

6. JURY AND AWARDS

6.1. To evaluate the films of the competition programs, the Festival Organizing Committee forms an International Jury consisting of at least 4 (four) recognized figures of cinematography and culture for the jury of the feature film competition, where the chairman of the jury has two votes; at least 3 (three) people for the short film competition.

6.2. The jury members may not be associated with the production or commercial distribution of the films selected for the contest programs.

6.3. The jury awards the following prizes:

• In the International Feature Film Contest: the prize for the best film.
• In the Short Film Contest: the prize for the best short film.

6.4. The Organizing Committee and the Festival Directorate may establish special prizes and diplomas.

6.5. The personal presence of the laureates at the award ceremony is a prerequisite for receiving the material equivalent of the prize (if any provided).

7. DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF THE ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE AND DIRECTORATE 

7.1. The Festival Directorate undertakes to:

• Ensure the organization and conduct of the Film Festival at a high professional level.
• Ensure the proper storage and insurance of the received film copies during their stay at the Festival.
• Provide information about the time and place of the film's screening no later than 14 days before the start of the Festival.

7.2. The Festival Directorate has the right to:

• To use the provided photo and video materials (up to 3 minutes), as well as information about the film, for advertising the Festival in the media, printed materials, and on the Internet, without any compensation.
• To determine the procedure for accreditation of journalists and guests of the Festival.
• To make changes to the screening program and the time of events for technical or organizational reasons.
• To reject an application or remove a film from the program at any stage if it does not comply with the Regulations, violates Russian legislation, or contains false information. 

8. FINANCIAL CONDITIONS

8.1. Participation in the Film Festival is free. There is no fee for reviewing the application.

8.2. All financial conditions related to participation in the Festival (fees, distribution fees) must be specified in a separate agreement between the Festival Directorate and the copyright holder.

9. FINAL PROVISIONS

9.1. Submitting an application for participation in the Film Festival means the full and unconditional consent of the copyright holder to all the provisions of this Regulations.

9.2. All disputes and disagreements arising in connection with the Film Festival shall be settled in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation.

9.3. This Regulations shall come into force from the date of its approval by the Organizing Committee and shall be published on the official resources of the Festival.

9.4. The Organizing Committee reserves the right to make changes and additions to this Regulations.