Clause 1

Carthage Film Festival (Journées Cinématographiques de Carthage) is a biennial international cultural event involving public screenings of films and meetings between their authors, directors, producers, distributors, cast, crew and others.

Its aim is to contribute to the promotion of national cinematography in each African and Arab country.

Clause 2

Carthage Film Festival is placed under the high patronage of the Ministry of Culture and a board of Directors is in charge of its organisation.

Clause 3

Films taking part in Carthage Film Festival, with the exception of Tributes and special screenings, must have been produced during the 24 months preceding the festival.

Each film selected and entered in the festival programme:

• May not withdrawn by the director or producer (before or after screening) during the festival.
• May be screened throughout the country subject to a prior agreement with the concerned party.

Clause 4

Carthage Film Festival is open to fictions, animation film and documentaries whether they be shot on film or video.

The official programme of the festival includes the following events:

Cinema:

• An "OFFICIAL COMPETITION" section open to African and Arab short and feature fiction or animation films.
• An "INTERNATIONAL" section open to feature films of all origins and all types (fiction, animation, documentaries).
• A "TRIBUTE” to a national cinema, or film-maker, or artist... section.
• "SPECIAL SCREENINGS”..

Video:

• An "OFFICIAL COMPETITION" open to African and Arab short and feature fiction or animation films.
• An "INFORMATION" section open on the one hand to films not entered in the competition section and on the other hand, to films whatever their origins, type or footage.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

• A "PROJECTS' WORKSHOP" aimed at developing film projects by Arab and African authors by awarding grants to selected scripts.
• Meetings, lectures and conferences on art and the film industry in African and Arab countries.

Clause 5

Selection of films for the different sections will be the exclusive responsibility of the managing committee. The committee, after viewing the DVD of the films, is the sole body empowered to determine the number of short and feature films which may participate in either one of the above mentioned sections.
In order to be selected, films must answer the following requirements:

• Be requested by the Festival managing committee from its directors, producers or rightful owners who accept to have them entered in one of the above mentioned sections.
• Be proposed to the managing committee by their directors, producers or rightful owners to be entered in one of the festival sections and accepted by the committee.

Clause 6

In order to be entered in the Official Competition (cinema or video), films must:

• Have been directed by an African or Arab director or a Director of African or Arab origin.
• Not have been subject to commercial or cultural exploitation in Tunisia (Festival, foreign film weeks ...), except for Tunisian films which are not submitted to this rule.

The Official Competition (Cinema) is open to a maximum of two (2) feature films and two (2) short films per country. These films should preferably have been made by different directors.

Clause 7

Films participating in Carthage Film Festival only represent their directors and/ or their producers to whom distinctions, awards or other advantages are explicitly intended.

These films are shown to the public by the managing committee under its exclusive responsibility according to these regulations. They may, in no way officially involve or represent the states or governments of their directors or producers.

Clause 8

• The official prize list for the Official Competition (Cinema) is established and proclaimed by an international jury of seven (7) members appointed by the Festival managing committee.
• The official prize list for the Competition section (video) is established and proclaimed by an international jury of five (5) members appointed by the Festival managing committee.

Clause 9

The official award list for the Official Competition (Cinema) includes the following prizes:

I - TANITS

A) Gold Tanit (first prizes)

• A gold Tanit for the best feature film
• A gold Tanit for the best short film

B) Silver Tanit (second prizes)

• A silver Tanit for a feature film
• A silver Tanit for a short film

C) Bronze Tanit (third prizes)

• A bronze Tanit for a feature film
• A bronze Tanit for a short film

II - OTHER AWARDS

The Jury's Special Prize awarded to a feature film entered in the Official Competition and which does not figure in the above mentioned award list.

A Prize for Best Script awarded to a feature film

A Best First Picture Award to the director of a first feature film entered in the Official Competition and which does not figure in the above mentioned list

A Leading Actor's Award to the best actress and the best actor of one of the feature films entered in the competition.

A Supporting Actor's Award to the best supporting actor and best supporting actress.

D’autres prix facultatifs peuvent être décernés à l’image, au montage, à la musique, etc... des films participant à la compétition officielle.

Other optional prizes may be awarded to cinematography, editing, music, etc. of films entered in the Official Competition.

The awarding or non awarding of prizes mentioned in section II (Other Awards) is entirely at the jury's discretion.

There is no possibility of first prize divided for the Tanits and for the other awards.

Organisations wishing to grant other prizes or rewards should apply to the Festival's managing committee before the beginning of the session.

The financial donation is fixed to a minimum of $ 2000 U.S dollars.

Clause 10

Tanits include the following prizes:

a) Gold Tanit

Feature film

A specific trophy and a reward of 15. 000 T.D

Short film

A specific trophy and a reward of 5 .000 T.D

b) Silver Tanit

Feature film

A specific trophy and a reward of 10 .000 T.D

Short film

A specific trophy and a reward of 3 .000 T.D

c) Bronze Tanit

Feature film

A specific trophy and a reward of 7. 000 T.D

Short film

A specific trophy and a reward of 2.000 T.D

All above mentioned sums are payable in Tunisian dinars or any convertible currency.

The sums awarded to Tanit winners are divided equally between the director and the producer of the concerned film.

Clause 11

The Official prize list of the Competition section (Video) includes the following awards:

• Best Feature film award with a 7000 TD grant
• Best short film award with a 3000TD grant.

There is no possibility of first prize divided for these awards. All these sums are payable in Tunisian Dinars or any convertible currency and are awarded entirely to the Directors of the films.

OTHER PRIZES:

• A Jury’s Special Award to a feature film
• A Jury’s Special Award to a short film
• Special distinctions can be awarded to feature films or short films.

Clause 12

In order to be entered in the Festival programme, all prints should be 35mm with optical sound or BETA SP, DIGITAL BETA or DVD.

Clause 13

Each film presented within the framework of the Carthage Film Festival Competition and which is not in Arabic, French, or English must be subtitled in one of the three languages.

If it is in Arabic, it should preferably be subtitled in French or English.

If it is in French, it should preferably be subtitled in Arabic or in English If it is in English, it should preferably b subtitled in Arabic or in French.

Clause 14

The deadline for entries of films and videos BETA is August 15th 2008.

Clause 15

Prints and BETA tapes must be sent to the managing committee head office no later than October 1st 2008.

Prints, tapes, documents (synopsis, photos, posters etc) as well as all correspondence should be sent to the following address:

CARTHAGE FILM FESTIVAL MANAGING COMMITTEE
Ministère de la Culture et de la Sauvegarde du Patrimoine
La Kasbah TUNIS 1006 - TUNISIE
Tél.: (216) 71 562963 -71 563006 -Fax: (216) 71 564954

Clause 16

Insurance and shipping to Tunis of prints and tapes are to be paid by the sender. The Carthage Film Festival managing committee will be responsible for prints and tapes between the dates of their reception and expedition.

Prints arriving in Tunisia through direct intermediaries such as diplomatic representatives will be sent back via the same means and at the expense of senders.

In case of loss of prints or tapes, the festival's responsibility will not exceed the amount mentioned on the entry form ie: 3000 US Dollars and 1000 US dollars for a feature film and a short film respectively and 300 US dollars for a Beta.

In case of damage to a print or a Beta tape, the owners should send a certified invoice from a laboratory not later than fifteen days after reception of the film or Beta. After this delay, no complaint will be accepted by the festival.

Clause 17

Request to participate in any one of the festival sections implies unconditional acceptance of the present rules and regulations by directors and producers.

Clause 18

Carthage Film Festival managing committee is the only body entitled to take any decision concerning points which have not been mentioned in these rules and regulations and their interpretation.