2023 Regulations

The deadline for short and feature films registration is March 17th 2023.

The dates for the 2023 Semaine de la Critique could be subject to amendments following the development of the health situation

These regulations are only valid for La Semaine de la Critique’s selection.

Selections of Cannes Film Festival (Competition, Out of competition, Un Certain Regard) and Directors’ Fortnight are managed by distinct entities.

Article 1 - Dates

The 62nd edition of La Semaine de la Critique, organised by the French Union of Film Critics, will be held in Cannes, from May 17 to 25, 2023 during Cannes Film Festival.

Article 2 - Eligibility

To be eligible for La Semaine de la Critique, the film must comply with the following requirements:

For feature films only:

  • Must be the director’s first or second feature film.
    • By "first feature film", we mean it must be a first cinematic film (fiction, documentary or animation) with a duration over 59' from a director who has never directed a full-length film before (over 59'), theatrically released, released on a platform or selected in an international Class A festival.
    • By "second  feature film", we mean it must be a cinematic film (fiction, documentary or animation) with a duration over 59' from a director who has previously only directed one full-length film (over 59'), theatrically released, released on a platform or selected in an international Class A festival.

For all films, short and feature films:

  • Must have been completed within the 12 months prior to the date of the Festival (between May 2022 and Cannes 2023).  
  • For foreign short and feature films: must not have participated in any festival outside its country of origin (whether it is in competition or out of competition).
  • Must not have been shown on the Internet or broadcasted on TV, or commercially released outside its country of origin.

Article 3 - Selection committees

Films will be chosen by two selection committees: a Short Film Committee supervised by a short film Coordinator, and a committee for Feature Films. Both committees are under the responsibility of the Artistic Director. The Artistic Director and the committees’ members are all journalists and film critics from the French Union of Film Critics, which has appointed them. 

Article 4 - Entry fee

An entry fee applies for Short Films and Feature Films submissions. The films won’t be screened until the entry fee has been paid. Entry fees are not refundable. The payment is made through secured online payment upon registration (with cards such as Visa, Mastercard or any debit cards). American Express is not accepted.

Article 5 - Submission confirmation

Film registrations will be considered as confirmed when the online submission is done on our website (www.semainedelacritique.com) and the entry fee is paid. La Semaine de la Critique reserves the right to refuse any registration that hasn’t followed all the submission steps. Films or links sent without any registration will be refused.

Article 6 - Submission deadlines

Short Films submissions:
The deadline for the submission and uploading of short films is March 17 2023. Please note that the uploading will have to be proceeded during the submission process.

Feature Films submissions: 
The deadline for the submission and reception of feature films is March 17 2023.

Article 7 - Screening material for previews

SHORT FILMS

Short films are uploaded on the Semaine de la Critique website during the registration process. Any short film sent in another format will not be considered by the selection committee.
To submit a short film, please check our submission and upload requirements here.

FEATURE FILMS

Feature films can now be uploaded to the Semaine de la Critique website during the registration process.

The following other formats are also accepted: online link (example: Vimeo), BLU-RAY, DCP.
To submit a feature film, please check our submission requirements here.

Article 8 - Prints insurance / preview and selection

Shipping and insurance costs as well as customs taxes and customs broker’s fees (to and from Paris and/or Cannes) including "temporary admission" rights are at the expense of the producers. La Semaine de la Critique won’t cover any transportation costs. The responsibility of La Semaine covers the cost of storage and insurance in our screening rooms. The right-holders must make sure they’ll be able to cover every shipping expense that a selection in Cannes implies.

Article 9 - Prints specifications / Selection in Cannes

Films selected at La Semaine de la Critique will be screened in Cannes on Digital DCP (2 physical identical copies). Foreign films are to be screened in their original version with French subtitles and English electronic subtitles (under the image). Subtitling is at the right holders’ expense.

Article 10 - Programming

Dates, times and screening venues of selected films will be communicated to the right-holders early May 2023
During the festival, selected films cannot be screened anywhere in Cannes before La Semaine de la Critique’s official presentation.

Article 11 - Jury and Awards

La Semaine de la Critique’s Jury will give awards to both feature and short films amongst the competition. First feature films are also competing for the Caméra d’Or prize, awarded during the Official Award Ceremony of Cannes Film Festival.

Article 12 - Next Step

The Short Film Directors selected at la Semaine de la Critique and who haven’t made their first feature yet can participate in the Next Step programme. Held in December, Next Step is a week-long training workshop that gives the filmmakers the opportunity to benefit from the advice of international consultants on their feature film project.  

Article 13 - Reruns

Following Cannes Film Festival, the selected films will be screened in France (Cinémathèque Régionale de Corse - Corsica, Cinémathèque Française – Paris), Cinemas Les Variétés and La Baleine - Marseille), Mexico (Morelia Film Festival). For short films only, Czech Republic (Prague - Cinema Ponrepo) and Martinique (Festival Cinémartinique Atrium). 

The list of reruns is subject to change and will be confirmed in the invitation
Right-holders of the film must provide prints for each rerun, until the end of all the reruns. The producer must inform their sales agent, their French distributor and the distributor of the rerun country of these obligatory reruns.

Article 14 - Promotional materials

Selected films must use La Semaine de la Critique’s logotype on all their promotional material (posters, press kits, teasers, film prints). If a film is awarded during La Semaine de la Critique, it is mandatory that the awarded films replace La Semaine de la Critique's generic logo by the corresponding Prize logo after the festival. 

Article 15

La Semaine de la Critique reserves the right to make unilateral decisions about situations not mentioned herein and/or make exceptions to the rules.

Article 16 - Responsibilities of the organizers

La Semaine de la Critique reserves the right to use all data from registration forms as provided for by the law nº78.17 of 6 January 1978 (in accordance with the data processing, files and freedoms act, any participant has the right to access and correct only data concerning him. This right is exercised by the French Union of Film Critics (SFCC).

La Semaine de la Critique declines any responsibility for registration applications not received. The board of the French Union of Film Critics (SFCC) has the right to settle all cases not provided for, by the present regulations. It reserves the right to suspend, cancel, or postpone the event or to modify the regulations, at any time, according to the requirements of its exploitation. No compensation of any kind can be made to the participants.

Article 17

Participation in La Semaine de la Critique implies acceptance of the foregoing rules and regulations.


For any information concerning the submissions, please contact the Film Department
Head of Film Department: Rémi Bigot
In charge of short films | film department : Juliette Canon
Tel. +33 1 45 08 81 56

Short film regulations

Feature film regulations