Club Montagne Film Festival

Rules of the “Club Montagne Film Festival” Contest

Categories and Video Format

  • There are two categories:
    • Short films: between 30 seconds and 5 minutes
    • Feature films: between 5 minutes and 20 minutes
  • Mandatory landscape format, minimum resolution 1920×1080p, 24–30 fps, MP4 format.
  • Films that do not meet the technical requirements (resolution, format, size) will be excluded.

Eligibility and Participation Conditions

  • Open only to members of the Club Montagne EPFL.
  • Films must be related to mountains, adventure, or alpine sports.
  • One submission per person per category.
  • The same film may not be submitted in both categories.
  • A short film must not simply be a quickly chopped-down version of a long film, but an independent work with its own editing and narrative. In case of doubt, the jury will decide the appropriate category.
  • Films must be original creations, not generated by artificial intelligence, and must respect all copyright rules (music, images, etc.).
  • Films must be in English or French. French dialogue must include English subtitles. Films with minimal dialogue may subtitle only the spoken lines.
  • A thumbnail image is recommended for each film.
  • No illegal, obscene, or offensive content will be accepted.

Legal Notices

  • Copyright
    • Participants guarantee that they are the sole authors of the film and that they hold all necessary rights (image, music, sound, video excerpts) for public screening.
    • Participants agree to indemnify and hold harmless Club Montagne EPFL and AGEPoly from any judgment or cost (including attorney fees) arising from third-party claims regarding copyright or image rights violations.
    • The use of royalty-free music is strongly recommended.
    • Participants certify that they have obtained express permission from all recognizable individuals appearing in their film for the screening of their image as part of the festival.
  • Usage Rights
    • By submitting a film, participants authorize the club to screen their film only during events related to the “Club Montagne Film Festival” contest and in the two following editions of the same contest.
    • The club may also use excerpts of up to 3 minutes for promotional purposes for this contest, always crediting the author.
  • Film Production
    • The making of the films is under the sole and full responsibility of the participants. Club Montagne EPFL, and by extension AGEPoly, acts only as a distributor, not as a producer.
    • The association declines any responsibility in case of accidents, material damage, or bodily harm occurring during filming. Participants agree to comply with basic mountain safety rules and applicable laws (including drone regulations).
    • Filming sessions carried out by participants for their film production are not officially supervised associative activities under AGEPoly.
    • AGEPoly’s liability insurance does not cover participants during the making of their film.
  • Data Protection
    • Personal data collected (names, emails) is processed in accordance with AGEPoly’s data protection guidelines and will be used solely for the organization of the contest.

Right to Non-Screening and Prizes

  • The organizing committee and jury reserve the right not to screen certain films, particularly in cases of non-compliance or ethical concerns, without any obligation to justify their decision.
  • The program and prize announcement schedule will be decided by the organizing committee.
  • If a prize cannot be divided (e.g., gear voucher, single ticket), the team must designate the recipient in advance. The distribution of the prize is the responsibility of the team members.

Jury and Voting

  • Prizes are awarded by a jury composed of organizers and special guests.
  • An audience award will be given during the screening evening.
  • In case of disputes regarding participation, jury decisions, or results, the final decision rests with the organizing committee.
  • If the committee’s decision is contested, the participant may file a written appeal to the AGEPoly Executive Committee within 5 days. AGEPoly’s decision is final and binding for all parties within the association.
  • Club Montagne and AGEPoly promote respect for the mountains. Any film showing disrespectful behavior toward the environment or wildlife (disturbing animals, off-piste skiing in protected areas, etc.) may be penalized or excluded by the jury.
  • The organizing committee reserves the right to exceptionally accept a film that does not strictly meet duration or format criteria if its artistic quality justifies it, either out of competition or with a penalty, at their sole discretion.

Schedule

  • Film submission deadline: mid-April (exact date to be confirmed).
  • Screening night and award ceremony: mid-May (exact date to be confirmed).
  • Any late submission will be rejected without exception.
  • Organizers reserve the right to cancel the contest, modify categories, or change dates in case of force majeure or circumstances beyond their control, without any compensation owed to participants.
  • Organizers may shorten, extend, modify, or cancel the contest if circumstances require it (force majeure, technical issues, EPFL decision).
  • Any change to the rules will be communicated to participants (by email or on the website). No compensation may be claimed as a result.

 

(Note: In the event of a dispute, the French version shall be authoritative.)