What’s new this year?

1. The submission window. The Call for Entries is closing later this year to allow filmmakers to submit for a window of two months. Join or renew as an IDA Member (Doc Maker and up, corporate, institutional or organizational) to get the best pricing, including our Special *MEMBERS ONLY* Early deadline discount. As a member, you also receive the exclusive opportunity to screen and vote on the Best Feature and Best Short categories. You can find the detailed deadline and fee schedule in the Rules and Regulations section 4.4. See submission key dates below:

• CFE Opens: June 12, 2023
• Special *MEMBERS ONLY* Early Deadline: June 23, 2023, 12 PM PDT
• NON-MEMBER Early Deadline: June 30, 2023, 12 PM PDT
• MEMBER & NON-MEMBER Regular Deadline: July 7, 2023, 12 PM PDT
• MEMBER & NON-MEMBER Late Deadline: July 20, 2023, 12 PM PDT

• Final Deadline: Tuesday, August 18, 2023, 11:59 PM PDT

2. The eligibility period. Projects can submit to the awards competition if they were completed or scheduled to premiere between September 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023. Documentary series entries are eligible for the awards if the majority of their episodes were broadcast or uploaded/premiered in this new eligibility period.

3. Best TV Feature Documentary or Mini-Series. Submissions in this category may be a feature documentary or mini-series that was produced with the intent to broadcast or stream on a distributor/platform and was not intended to be released in theaters. This category is distinct from our Multi-Part Documentary category, which represents a series with four or more episodes of over 30 minutes in length. You can find full details on this change in the Rules and Regulations section 3.4.

4. Required supplemental material. You can find full details on this change in the Rules and Regulations section 6.

• There will be a required statement for the Best Curated Series category. Entries in this category are required to provide a brief statement (up to 500 words) in which the credited producers explain the curatorial process.

5. Episode eligibility for series categories. You can find full details on this change in the Rules and Regulations section 3.3.

• For the Best Curated Series, episodes must be 40 minutes or more in length.
• For the Best Short-Form Series, a documentary series must comprise 4 or more episodes of 30 minutes or less in length.
• For the Best Multi-Part Documentary, a documentary series must comprise 4 or more episodes, of 30 minutes or more in length.

6. Closed captions and transcripts are required. You can find full details on screener submission guidelines in the Rules and Regulations section 5.

• All English language entries in categories other than the David L. Wolper Student Documentary Award must include closed captions for the deaf and hard of hearing. Audio documentaries must provide a transcript or link to a closed captioned video file. All non-English language entries must be subtitled AND closed captioned in English. 

7. Fee for application updates. An additional $100 fee will be added to applications with links or materials that have to be updated more than twice. You can find the detailed deadline and fee schedule in the Rules and Regulations section 4.4.

8. We are launching a collaboration with The Podcasting, Seriously Awards Fund. The Fund supports independent BIPOC, Queer and Trans audio professionals in submitting their work to media/journalism awards. The Fund accepts reimbursement applications on a rolling basis year-round and is committed to supporting 200+ independent producer award submissions each year.

HELP

Please contact awards@documentary.org with any questions not addressed on this page.

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