Awards & Prizes
We will appreciate each monthly winner and officially selected film with our Laurel & Customized Certificate.
Over and above the Winner Award, we also cherish our most prestigious awards, Outstanding Achievement, and Critics’ Choice in different categories.
In our Annual gala Event, we will select a winner for our most prestigious “Silver Wings Awards” amongst all the monthly winners.
The awards are given in the following categories:
Best Director
Best Young Filmmaker (under 18)
Best Debut Filmmaker
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Best Sound Designing
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Narrative Feature
Best Documentary Film
Best Experimental Film
Best Short Film
Best Student Film
Best VR/AR and 360º Film
Best Drone Film
Best Web and New Media Film
Best Mobile Film
Best Horror/Science Fiction Feature Film
Best Women’s Film
Best Film on Women
Best LGBT Film
Best Animated Film
Best Family/Children Film
Best Educational Film
Best Film on Disability Issue
Best Film on Religion
Best Film on Nature/Environment/Wildlife
Best Travel Film
Best Silent Film
Best One-Minute Film
Best Postmodern Film
Best Free Speech Film
Best Television/Pilot Program or Series
Best Commercial/Advertisement
Best Music Video
Best Film Score/Soundtrack
Best Trailer/Teaser
Best Film/Video Poster
Best Photography
Best Treatment/ Synopsis
Best Short Script
Best Feature Script
Rules & Regulations
Please make sure that your project follows all the mentioned criteria before submitting it:
Our festival is open to any film completed after January 1, 2013, regardless of content, subject, or origin. Submitting your film to this festival does not guarantee a selection. All officially selected candidates and the winners will be listed on our website permanently. All Award winners will receive a certificate and laurel. Annual winners have the opportunity to win the Silver Wings Award.
1. Films made in languages other than English must have English subtitles, otherwise they will automatically be rejected.
2. The film submitted to the SWIFF for a particular month can be re-submitted in a different category, at any time for a second chance.
3. A submitter can submit more than one film in a single category or a single film in more than one category, simultaneously.
4. SWIFF will be granted the rights to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted, for promotional purposes of the festival within India only. The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening, and understands and accepts these requirements, rules, and regulations.
5. SWIFF reserves the right to refuse entries, if a violation of any of the above rules is found.
6. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the SWIFF, from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney’s fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, and publicity.
7. The SWIFF will not refund any fees if the filmmaker fails to submit the film in the correct category. Films submitted without the correct fees or proper submission media may be deemed ineligible at the discretion of the SWIFF programming director or executive director. The festival does not cover any of the expenses incurred by the filmmaker.
8. After a film has been official selection, the filmmaker will be notified, and eventually the film will be listed on the festival website under Official Selections. The Official Selection status doesn’t mean that your film will be screened at the festival. It means that your film has been appreciated by our judges of the panel and you can use the festival logo on your poster.
9. A nominee will be privately screened for the SWIFF judging panel, and will not be screened initially to the public.
10. “Best” films of each category will receive a laurel & certificate.
11. A filmmaker’s submission fee will not be reimbursed if they decide to withdraw their submission. All entry fees are non-refundable.
12. We require an official trailer or poster, a synopsis, and a link to your film. Please select the correct category while submitting to avoid disqualification. We reserve the right to re-assign films to the appropriate category.
13. SWIFF may without advance notice amend these Rules & Terms from time to time. Each and every such amendment shall become effective immediately.
You are responsible for periodically checking for updates on these Rules & Terms.
DISCLAIMER:
All filmmakers understand and accept that if their film is accepted for presentation and screening at the film festival, they grant full and unrestricted permission for SWIFF to screen the film/video at times of the festival’s choice and to charge an admission fee for the presentation of the digital video program. All the presented films/videos do win a Silver Wing Award from the festival, SWIFF only screens winners.
The Filmmaker understands and accepts that they do not participate in receiving any funds from the Box-office proceeds which are fully retained by the festival to help cover the overall cost of the festival presentation. It should be noted for the record that box-office proceeds never cover the cost of the presentation of the Features and Short Film Programs. The festival (SWIFF) is a non-profit, Cultural Organization with Federal, State, Country & City Tax-Exemptions.
Required Legal Stuff: The filmmaker releases the festival (SWIFF) from any and all liability for damages or destruction of the entered DCP. The Filmmaker understands that the entered DCP will be retained in a secure facility by the festival, and every effort will be taken to protect and control the viewing of this production. The festival assumes no liability whatsoever for theft, copyright violations, or piracy of the entry.
Thank you.