OBJECTIVES

• To ensure that our country is recognized among prestigious festivals in the field of culture and arts.
• To promote the World Heritage city on national and international platforms and contribute to the development of "Cultural Tourism" by processing our country’s existing cultural richness.
• To lead the creation of an archive of information, documents, and records through documentary films and ensure their transfer from generation to generation.
• To bring documentary films together with audiences and ensure that the genre receives the value it deserves.

ORGANIZATION

The organization of the Safranbolu 26th International Golden Saffron Documentary Film Festival Documentary Film Competition is carried out by the Cultural and Social Affairs Directorate of Safranbolu Municipality, which runs the Festival Secretariat.

CATEGORIES

The competition is organized in two (2) main categories.

1.INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION
The International Documentary Film Competition consists of two (2) subcategories:

FEATURE DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION
There are no thematic limitations in this competition category.

SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION
There are no thematic limitations in this competition category.


2.NATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION
The National Documentary Film Competition consists of four (4) subcategories:

FEATURE DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION
There are no thematic limitations in this competition category.

SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION
There are no thematic limitations in this competition category.

NATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION WITH A CULTURAL HERITAGE AND CONSERVATION THEME
Only documentaries focusing on Cultural Heritage and Conservation can apply to this category.

STUDENT DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION
There are no thematic limitations in this competition category.

PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS

1-    Documentaries produced after January 1, 2024, are eligible to participate. Films that have previously participated in the International Golden Saffron Documentary Film Competition are not eligible. Apart from the Golden Saffron Awards, participation in previous national or international competitions and/or winning awards does not prevent entry into this competition.
2-    The competition is open to amateur and professional documentary filmmakers aged 18 and over, excluding the Festival Committee, Jury Members, Festival Secretariat, and Safranbolu Municipality personnel.
3-    Participation in the competition is free of charge.
4-    Contestants must specify the category and subcategory they are applying for.
5-    Contestants may compete with multiple works in different or the same categories.
6-    Applicants for the National Category must be citizens of the Republic of Turkey. Citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) can also participate in this category.
7-    Applicants for the National Student Documentary Film Competition must be Turkish or TRNC citizens and currently enrolled in an associate or undergraduate program at a university in Turkey or the TRNC. Finalists must submit proof of enrollment, or they will be disqualified.
8-    Applications must be made by the director or producer of the work. If a film has multiple directors, the applicant must obtain written consent from the others and submit it with the application. In such cases, the award will be given to the applicant, and any disputes regarding award sharing are the responsibility of the applicants, not the Festival Committee, Secretariat, or Jury.
9-    Films must be submitted in a TV broadcast-compatible technical format (e.g., mxf, mov, mp4, in Full HD or higher resolution). If a film is selected as a finalist, the director or producer must provide a DCP copy of the film to the Festival Secretariat within 10 business days after the finalists are announced.
10-    Submitted films must not have been previously broadcast on TV or digital platforms (satellite, website, IPTV, digital platforms, etc.). However, private or unlisted uploads for competition submissions are permitted.
11-    The duration of the films participating in the competition, including the opening and closing credits, should be as follows:

1.INTERNATIONAL FEATURE DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION
Minimum 30 minutes, maximum 90 minutes.

2.INTERNATIONAL SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION
Maximum 30 minutes.

3.NATIONAL FEATURE DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION
Minimum 30 minutes, maximum 90 minutes.

4.NATIONAL SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION
Maximum 30 minutes.

5.NATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION ON CULTURAL HERITAGE AND PRESERVATION
Maximum 90 minutes.

6.NATIONAL STUDENT DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION
Maximum 30 minutes.

APPLICATIONS

Applications can be made directly through www.filmfreeway.com.

More information is available at www.altinsafran.org.

• Required documents:

• Director’s biography (in Turkish and English)

• Short synopsis of the film (in Turkish and English)

• At least five high-resolution stills from the film

• A trailer no longer than one minute

• Films in languages other than Turkish and English must include Turkish and English subtitles. Turkish films must have English subtitles.

• Finalists must submit a DCP copy of their films.

• Finalists in the National Student Documentary Film Competition are required to submit proof of enrollment.

• Finalists whose films are in a language other than Turkish must provide an English (.srt) subtitle file.

• If deemed necessary, the Competition Secretariat may request documents/information about the director and the film.

• Films that pass the pre-selection and become finalists cannot be withdrawn from the competition under any circumstances.

• Documents submitted during the application process will not be returned to their owners and will be kept in the festival archive.

• Promotional films shot for commercial or touristic purposes will not be considered as documentaries.

*Films that do not meet the criteria will not be considered for evaluation by the pre-selection committee.

EVALUATION

1-    The Pre-Selection and Jury Members are determined by the Festival Executive Committee and Secretariat.
2-    The Pre-Selection and Final Jury comprise professionals such as directors, industry professionals, critics, producers, actors, artists, academics, and members of film-related organizations.
3-    The Pre-Selection Committee will evaluate all submissions for compliance with regulations, technical quality, creativity, and category appropriateness, selecting up to seven (7) documentaries per category for the final jury.
4-    The Final Jury will determine the winners based on creativity and artistic merit.
5-    The Selection Committees submit their decisions in written, justified, and signed form to the Secretariat before the announcement date. The decisions of the Pre-Selection and Selection Committees are final. Participants do not have the right to appeal the results.
6-    If there are not enough applications of sufficient quality in any competition category, the category may be canceled by the decision of the festival executive committee.
7-    The pre-selection results will be published on www.altinsafran.org and www.safranbolu.bel.tr websites. The results will also be directly communicated via email and phone to the owners of the films that pass the pre-selection.
8-    The Selection Committees cannot grant any awards other than those specified in the regulations.
9-    The Selection Committees must comply with the film screening schedule determined by the festival management. According to this schedule, the festival management decides the date and time of the jury's decision meeting and the submission of results to the festival secretariat.
10-    The Selection Committees cannot divide an award among multiple films.
11-    The Selection Committees cannot decide not to grant an award in the award categories.

RESULTS ANNOUNCEMENT

•    Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on May 10, 2025 (Saturday).
•    Finalists must attend the awards ceremony or send a representative from their production team.

AWARDS

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION
Best Feature Documentary Film Award: 60,000 TL + Golden Saffron Award Statue

INTERNATIONAL SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION
Best Short Documentary Film Award: 30,000 TL + Golden Saffron Award Statue

NATIONAL FEATURE DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION
Best Film Award: 100,000 TL + Golden Saffron Award Statue
Jury Special Award: 50,000 TL + Golden Saffron Award Statue

NATIONAL SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION
Best Film Award: 50,000 TL + Golden Saffron Award Statue
Jury Special Award: 25,000 TL + Golden Saffron Award Statue

NATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION WITH THE THEME OF CULTURAL HERITAGE AND CONSERVATION
Suha Arın Best Documentary Award: 50,000 TL + Golden Saffron Award Statue

NATIONAL STUDENT DOCUMENTARY FILM COMPETITION
Best Film Award: 30,000 TL + Golden Saffron Award Statue
Jury Special Award: 15,000 TL + Golden Saffron Award Statue

    Special awards may be given upon request by institutions and organizations that contribute to the festival.
    The Selection Committee may grant special awards without monetary prizes, in addition to the designated awards.
    Monetary prizes will be paid by Safranbolu Municipality within three (3) months from the festival date, after the required documents are completed and legal deductions are applied.