9th International Education-Themed Short Film Competition – Terms of Reference

1. Theme and Purpose

1.1. The competition aims to raise awareness of the individual, societal, and universal significance of education—and the relationship between education and labor—through the powerful medium of cinema. It seeks to foster intercultural artistic perceptions and broaden the artistic outlook of educators and the public.
1.2. It also provides an international platform—through collaboration with global education unions—to present diverse perspectives on education and work-life issues, while encouraging emerging filmmakers to embark on a career in cinema.

2. Organization

2.1. Organized by the Education Workers’ Union of Turkey (Eğitim-Bir-Sen), in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey and Law No. 4688.
2.2. Competition headquarters: Ankara.

3. Eligibility

3.1. Open to fiction short films on an education theme. Documentary, experimental, animated, and similar genres will not be accepted, though brief supporting segments within a fiction narrative are permitted.
3.2. Participation is free of charge. Members, staff, and first-degree relatives of Eğitim-Bir-Sen headquarters and branch bodies are ineligible.
3.3. Entrants must be individuals aged 18 or older, whether amateur or professional.
3.4. To apply, complete the entry form at www.ebskisafilm.org or www.ebsshortfilm.org and upload your film according to the instructions.
3.5. Film files must be titled in no more than 5 words (up to 50 characters).
3.6. Only the person named on the form may receive any award; they must be the legal owner or an authorized representative of the work.
3.7. Entries that fail to meet these terms or that cannot be played for technical reasons may be disqualified without notice.
3.8. Late submissions will not be considered.

4. Submission Period

• Deadline: 12 January 2026, 23:59 (local time)

5. Technical Requirements

5.1. Maximum running time: 15 minutes.
5.2. All films must be submitted with English subtitles (Arial, 38 pt; max 40 characters per line; max two lines). A time-coded transcript of dialogue is required.
5.3. Optional dual subtitles (Turkish in white, English in yellow) may be provided.
5.4. Minimum resolution: 1920 × 1080 (Full HD); accepted formats include MXF, MOV, MP4, etc.
5.5. Films must be in broadcast-quality format and contain no commercial breaks.

6. Jury Process

6.1. Two rounds: Pre-Selection and Final Jury.
6.2. The Pre-Selection committee will shortlist up to 20 films that fulfill all requirements.
6.3. The Final Jury selects the winners and special awards from those shortlisted.
6.4. Jurors include filmmakers, academics, critics, festival organizers, and union representatives—none of whom may have submitted an entry.
6.5. Decisions are made by simple majority and are final.

7. Awards

Category	Prize (TRY)
🥇 First Prize	80 000
🥈 Second Prize	60 000
🥉 Third Prize	40 000
🎖 Mehmet Akif İnan Special Award	30 000
🎥 Erol Battal Union Frame Award	20 000

All prizes are paid upon signing the Rights Assignment Agreement and delivery of required materials.

8. Rights and Obligations

8.1. Entrants warrant they hold all necessary rights to their films and may grant those rights to Eğitim-Bir-Sen.
8.2. Winning films’ exhibition, distribution, and reproduction rights (print and digital) are exclusively assigned to Eğitim-Bir-Sen.
8.3. Any violation of these terms or copyright infringement leads to disqualification and forfeiture of awards.
8.4. Turkish law and the courts of Ankara shall have jurisdiction over any disputes.

9. Competition Schedule

Stage	Date
Submission Deadline	12 January 2026 (Monday)
Pre-Selection	13–19 January 2026
Final Jury Meetings	20–27 January 2026 (tentative)
Results Announcement	30 January 2026 (Friday)
Awards Ceremony & Screening	14 February 2026 (Saturday)

For full details and registration, please visit www.ebskisafilm.org or www.ebsshortfilm.org.