1. When and where is the 2012 CIMMfest? The 2012 Festival will be held in April in Chicago, Illinois.

2. What type of films are you looking for? We’re looking for movies about music, movies for music, movies of music, and movies capturing music as it is made. We look for a fresh point of view in the narrative and/or subject matter that is presented in a creative way, regardless of budget, as long as it’s focused on music.

3. What are the submission deadlines? We have three deadlines. Earlybird Deadline: October 7, 2011, Regular Deadline: November 18, 2011, and Late Deadline: December 23, 2011 The earlier you get your submission in, the lower the fee. Note that these are postmarked deadlines. We suggest applying early, as the majority of films arrive near the deadline and programmers like to start looking at entries as early as possible.

If you submit your film through Withoutabox.com, you are eligible for a Withoutabox Extended Deadline. See Withoutabox.com for details.

4. What is Withoutabox.com? Withoutabox.com is CIMMfest’s preferred method for receiving film submissions. Withoutabox is a free online submission service that lets you submit to CIMMfest and hundreds of other festivals online quickly and easily, as well as allowing you to upload online press kits, photos and more. Visit withoutabox.com for complete details.

5. What if I want to submit but my film will not be completed by the final deadline? We do not accept works in progress.

6. Will you confirm receipt of my entry? All entries submitted through Withoutabox will be confirmed when we receive them. For other submissions, if you send us a self-addressed, stamped postcard with your submission, we will acknowledge receipt.

7. Do you grant fee waivers? Out of fairness to other filmmakers, we do not grant fee waivers or reductions.

8. What if my film has played other festivals or been broadcast on TV? We require a Chicago premiere of films. We do not accept films that have screened in Chicago or that have been broadcast on TV in Chicago.

9. How recently does my film have to have been produced? Your film must have been completed after January 1, 2010. Note that this is a completion date: if you began the film before that date but finished it after, we will still consider it.

10. Do I need to send a press kit with my entry? No. We do ask for a short synopsis, but copious amounts of marketing material and expensive press kits are not needed. If we accept your film, we will ask for the specific material we need. You may email us with any updates about the film (what festivals have accepted it, new awards won, etc.), but note that we do not choose films by how many festivals it has played, awards it has won, or celebrities it involves.

11. Do you have a category for students? We do not have a specific category for students, but students are eligible for awards in all categories.

12. Does CIMMfest show films for children?  Even though many of the films will be suitable for the entire family, we do not have a special section for children only.

13. How do you distinguish shorts from features? We define a short film as under 45 minutes and a feature-length film as 45 minutes and over. Music Videos over 15 minutes should submit in the short film category.

14. What is the preferred submission format? We prefer region 1 or 0 DVDs in either NTSC or PAL. (Region 1 is used in the US and Canada, while Region 0 is "all-region"). We also accept DV tapes (PAL or NTSC). Be sure to send at least two copies.

Be sure to send your DVDs in a 5 1/4" by 7 1/2" case. (Smaller, thinner cases can cause your DVD to get lost in the shuffle.) If you are burning a consumer disc, write your Project Title, Film ID# (if Withoutabox entry) and Contact phone number on the disc with a permanent marker. PLEASE WRITE CLEARLY. PLEASE test your consumer-burned DVD on several makes and models of players BEFORE sending it to our offices. If there are technical difficulties with the submitted DVD or tape, we will not request another copy from the filmmaker.

We accept screener DVDs in both PAL and NTSC, but if we accept your film, we CANNOT accept PAL versions of either Digibeta, or Beta as a festival screening format. (And we don't accept VHS as a Festival screening format.) Transfers are able to be made from one format to another, but you may want to check on the cost of such transfers in your area.

15. What if I have not obtained rights to some of the music in my film? You are responsible for the music rights to your film. We assume that you have taken care of this when you submit your entry. If we are contacted by any record company or music publisher about the music rights in a film we are showing, we will refer that company to the filmmaker.

16. How many films can I submit? There is no limit to the number of films you can submit. Just be sure to fill out a separate entry form and pay an entry fee for each entry.

17. Can I speak with someone about feedback of my film? Due to the high volume of films submitted, we cannot give feedback or explain why we did not accept a particular film.

18. When will I find out if my film has been selected? We will notify selectedfilms by email no later than March 31, 2012. Please be sure to keep us updated regarding any changes to your contact info.

19. Will my submission be returned? We will not return any submissions. Please do not send original prints or tapes. We do not return any other submission materials such as press kits and stills. Entry fees are also nonrefundable. Also, please note that we do not keep rejected films. If we accept your film, we ask to keep your submission for our archives.

20. Is there a market component to CIMMfest? There is no official market but we are in touch with many distributors who are very interested in what Festival films receive awards or are well received.

21. What makes the Chicago International Movies and Music Fest different from other festivals? CIMMfest’s focus on the intersection between movies and music makes it unique. Note that this is not limited to popular music; we encourage filmmakers with valuable things to say about any kind of music or the people who make it to submit their films. Take a look at past films that have screened at CIMMfest.

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