ENTRIES TO THE BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS 2021 will open on 1 june
HERE ARE the KEY CHANGES AND UPDATES TO OUR RULES AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA THAT ENTRANTS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT
BIFA and COVID-19
We are committed to ensuring that we continue to support the British independent film community in a helpful and meaningful way during this incredibly challenging time. Given the continued uncertainty around industry activity, the flexibility added to our rules in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic will be retained for 2021.
If a film was programmed to play at a festival or to screen on general release but did not do so due to the impact of the pandemic, it will remain eligible for BIFA regardless of how its release strategy changed to accommodate the circumstances. Emails from festival programmers and distributors confirming screenings, as well as public listings of film screenings on festival websites and the FDA website, will be used as proof that a film was scheduled for screenings.
If considerably fewer films are released this year and therefore eligible for the awards, the Nomination Committee may decide to reduce the number of nominations in each category (usually five in each category, except for Effects, which is three) to reflect a lower number of entries. We’ll confirm this later in the process.
Entry fees
Entries for short films and feature films with production budgets of under £1,000,000 will remain free until Friday 6 August. Thereafter, each film will incur an entry fee at the following rates*:
| Dates | Entry fee – shorts | Entry fee – features with production budget < £1m | Entry fee – features with production budget > £1m | |
| Entry deadline 1 | Friday 6 August | Free | Free | £50 |
| Entry deadline 2 | Friday 13 August | £15 | £50 | £100 |
| Entry deadline 3 | Friday 27 August | £30 | £100 | £200 |
| Entry deadline 4 | Friday 3 September | – | £250 | £500 |
*These prices exclude VAT
In the event that an entry cannot be completed before the entry fees are applicable (e.g. if confirmation of a qualifying festival screening comes after 6 August), entrants are advised to submit an entry before 6 August with the qualifying festival / release field left blank to avoid the entry fees. An update on any qualifying screenings can then be sent to BIFA to confirm the film’s eligibility.
If an entrant cannot afford the entry fee, they are encouraged to contact BIFA on hello@bifa.film to discuss the possibility of a fee reduction or waiver.
other rule changes
independent budget cap – major studios
For BIFA 2021, where there is any major studio substantially funding the production of a film, the total budget must not exceed $22.5 million (gross). This is an increase on the $20 million (gross) of previous years and reflects inflation. Any major studio involvement in the financing or production of a film will be assessed by BIFA. Films are not defined as ‘independent’ strictly on the terms of financing. The origination of a film (i.e. whether it was initially conceived inside or outside of a studio system) will also be taken into account when assessing the independence of studio-backed films.
BIFA considers the following nine companies to be ‘major studios’:
| 20th Century Fox | Paramount |
| Amazon | Sony |
| Apple | Universal |
| Disney | Warner Bros |
| Netflix |
BFI DIVERSITY STANDARDS
Over the past three years we have been working to incorporate the BFI Diversity Standards into our entry criteria. Since 2018, BIFA has required British feature and short films to be assessed against the Standards in order to be accepted.
British feature films must meet the BFI Diversity Standards in order to be accepted.
From this year, meeting the Standards requires passing two of the four Standards, one of which must be Standard C. Films that have already been assessed against the Standards do not need to be re-assessed. If your film has not already been assessed against the standards, the deadline for completing the form is 3 September. We will send this form to you after your entry has been submitted.
Short films do not need to meet the Standards but must be assessed against them in order to be accepted.
You can find out more about the BFI Diversity Standards here.
Breakthrough performance (formerly most promising newcomer)
In 2021 the Most Promising Newcomer category will become Breakthrough Performance.
This award is given to a British actor for a stand-out performance in their first significant role in a BIFA eligible and entered British feature film. The award recognises promise and potential as well as outstanding achievement. As an industry-focused awards body, BIFA is looking at an industry breakthrough and not necessarily a public one, although they may cross over. Previous theatre or television roles are not taken into consideration.
Who is eligible?
British performers in their first significant role in a BIFA eligible British feature film that has been entered for the Awards.
Where a performer features in two or more films in an eligibility year then BIFA will use the order of shooting (rather than release) as a guide to which is their ‘first’ role.
Who is not eligible?
- An entrant who has previously been considered for a performance award by BIFA
- An entrant who has previously had a ‘significant role’ in a feature film that was eligible and entered for BIFA
- An entrant who has previously had a ‘significant role’ in a feature film that was either not eligible or not entered for BIFA but which could be considered a ‘breakthrough’ for that performer
An entrant who has previously had a significant role in a film that was either not eligible or not entered for BIFA and which could not be considered a ‘breakthrough’ role for that performer may still be eligible for the category at the discretion of the Nomination Committee.
Music
This category is for both composition of original music for a film and supervision of sourced music. Documentaries about music, where the majority of the music featured is that of the subject of the documentary, are not eligible unless the music has been composed specifically for the film. The nominees accepted should reflect the proportion of original and source music: where over 70% of the music is either original or source, we would expect only the composer or supervisor to be listed accordingly.
documentary
Filmmakers must be able to show the appropriate release forms, if requested. If they are not able to do so, BIFA’s Nomination Committee will determine whether the film is eligible for BIFA.
raindance discovery award
This award highlights innovation, uniqueness of vision, maverick filmmaking and risk-taking, generally in fiction films with a budget under £500k and no, or very limited, theatrical distribution deals in place.
We have updated the eligibility criteria for this award to allow films that have had, or will have, theatrical distribution through a recognised distributor (see below) to enter if the film has received, will receive, or was scheduled to receive a limited theatrical release at under 25 sites.
Films that confirm a distribution deal with a recognised distributor after entry to the awards and before the announcement of the Raindance Discovery Award longlist in mid-October will need to demonstrate that the entry still meets or will still meet the Raindance Discovery Award eligibility criteria in relation to size of release as above. Failure to do so will result in the film being removed from the running. Final eligibility will be determined by BIFA and the Nomination Committee.
Films that confirm a distribution deal with a recognised distributor after the announcement of the longlist will remain in contention.
The list of ‘recognised distributors’ is as follows:
| 20th Century Fox | 606 Distribution | Altitude |
| Amazon Studios | Apple | Arrow |
| Axiom | BFI Distribution | Bulldog |
| Curzon AE | Dartmouth Films | Disney |
| Dogwoof | Entertainment Film Distributors | eOne |
| Icon | Lionsgate | Modern Films |
| MUBI | Netflix | New Wave |
| Paramount | Park Circus | Parkland Pictures |
| Pathé | Peccadillo | Picturehouse |
| Pinewood Pictures | Republic Film Distribution | Signature Entertainment |
| Sony | Studiocanal | STX |
| Thunderbird | Trafalgar | Universal |
| Vertigo | Verve | Warner Brothers |
best british independent film and best international independent film nominees
The eligible nominees for these categories are:
- Fully credited writers, producers and directors
Other producer credits, such as Associate, Executive, etc. are not eligible for this award. Co-directors and co-writers are only eligible where there are no lead directors or writers credited. From 2021, where PGA determination has been made about eligible producers, only those credited p.g.a will be listed.
Breakthrough producer statement
All entries must submit a statement from the film’s producer(s). Entrants may also be required to submit additional references from other individuals who worked on the film (e.g.: sales agent, distributor, HoD) and BIFA may independently verify any statements submitted.
Qualifying festivals
New festivals and awards bodies have been added to the list of qualifying festivals, awards bodies and online channels.
You can see the full 2021 list of qualifying festivals, awards bodies and online channels here.
please get in touch
We believe that the above changes improve how we celebrate the people and films of our industry, making BIFA a fairer ceremony for all. However, we also believe that our ethos this year should be about feedback and flexibility. If you have objections or think that you or your work would be disadvantaged in any way due to the changes we’re making, please do get in touch with us on hello@bifa.film.
Read our full rules & eligibility requirements, and get started with entering your film, here.
