REGULATIONS (GENERAL)
16. TRT INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY AWARDS RULES AND TERMS
1. SUBJECT AND PURPOSE
The TRT International Documentary Awards is an event organized to support amateur andprofessional documentary filmmakers, contribute to the development and dissemination of thedocumentary genre, ensure that diverse and high-quality documentaries from variouscountries reach audiences, and ultimately establish a platform where documentary filmmakersfrom around the world can meet and exchange ideas.
2. ORGANIZATION
The TRT International Documentary Awards are organized by the Turkish Radio TelevisionCorporation (“TRT” and/or “the Corporation”), Türkiye’s first and only public broadcastinginstitution.
3. CATEGORIES
3.1. The TRT International Documentary Awards are held in two main sections: National andInternational Categories. Participants/ Competitors/ Applicants complete and sign theirapplication forms according to the category in which they wish to compete. A work can compete in only one category.
3.1.1. National Category: The National Category consists of two subcategories: “NationalStudent Films” and “National Professional.” Participants must indicate in the application form which category they are applying for. The same participant may not compete in more thanone category and/or subcategory, even with different works. The competition language of theNational Category is Turkish. If documentaries submitted to the National Category containlanguages other than Turkish, a copy dubbed or subtitled in Turkish must be submitted toTRT.
a. National Student Films Category: Only those who were students (producer or director) at the time of the film’s production may participate in this category. Participants must documentthis status at the time of application (with a student or graduation certificate). Since the aim of this category is to support amateur documentary filmmakers still studying, only those bornafter January 1, 1995 may participate. Documentaries submitted in this category must be between 15 and 60 minutes in length.
b. National Professional Category: Documentaries submitted to this category must be at least 20 minutes in length.
3.1.2. International Category: Documentaries submitted to the International Category mustbe at least 25 minutes in length. The competition language of the International Category is English. If the documentaries submitted are in languages other than English, a copy dubbed orsubtitled in English must be submitted.
4. PARTICIPATION CONDITIONS
4.1. Only documentary productions may participate in the competition. TV programs, promotional films, etc., that are outside this genre, that lack artistic purpose, or cannot be evaluated within the scope of cinema art, will not be accepted.
4.2. Films that are entirely fictional, animated, etc., and that only include documentarysections to support the narrative cannot participate in the competition. However, films that areentirely documentaries but include fictional, experimental, animated, etc., sections to supportthe narrative—such as dramatic documentaries and documentary dramas—are eligible.
4.3. Documentaries shot in technical formats suitable for TV broadcast (mxf, mov, mpeg-2, mpeg-4 extensions, Full HD and 4K) can participate.
4.4. Only documentaries produced after January 1, 2024 may be submitted. Productions thathave previously applied to the TRT International Documentary Awards cannot participate.
4.5. Apart from the TRT International Documentary Awards, having participated in and/orreceived awards from national or international competitions is not a barrier to participation in this competition. However, such participation must not prevent the transfer of rights set forthin Article 10 of this Regulations. Finalists must sign the Participation Consent Form, whichwill be provided by TRT, and if the competitor is the distributor company, the director mustalso sign this form and deliver it to TRT. Award winners must sign and deliver to TRT theLicense Agreement and the Declaration of Transfer of Financial Rights, provided by TRT. Additionally, award winners must deliver the Authors’ Consent Form signed by allcontributors to the work and, if the competitor is a distributor company, the Declaration of Commitment.
4.6. Documentaries produced as a “series” may participate in the competition with only oneepisode that has internal integrity.
4.7. Candidates may submit more than one documentary in the same category.
4.8. For participation in the National Category, candidates must be citizens of the Republic of Türkiye. Citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) may also participate in this category.
4.9. Candidates are deemed to have accepted, declared, and undertaken that: their workscomply with the applicable laws and legal regulations of the Republic of Türkiye and theEuropean Convention on Transfrontier Television; that their works are original and free fromquotations or plagiarism from previously published or unpublished works; that their workscomply with the Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works, the Law on the Establishment andBroadcasting Services of Radio and Television, the legislation of the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology, principles concerning the protection of consumers and competition, the standards of the Advertising Board, and other legislation; and that their works do not contain covert advertising. Documentaries that violate mandatory legal provisions, insult orpropagate against any nation, country, political ideology, or religion, or promote/supportviolence, war, drug use, pornography, or glorify any form of fanaticism, or containadvertising elements, cannot participate in the competition and will not be evaluated ifsubmitted.
4.10. Participants are deemed to have declared and undertaken that their documentary projectfiles are free of copyright claims, and in cases where the documentary is based on a biography, adaptation, or any other issue that may involve third-party rights, this must be clearly indicated on the cover page of the submitted project file. The applicant undertakes toobtain all necessary permissions, licenses, and other legal documentation and accepts fullresponsibility for providing them. If requested by TRT, the participants must immediatelypresent such documentation.
Members of RTÜK; the Chairman and Members of the Board of Directors of the TurkishRadio Television Corporation, the Director General and Deputy Director Generals, individuals serving as full or alternate members of the Selection Committee, all TRT personnel related or unrelated to the competition, as well as their spouses, companies undertheir control, and first-degree relatives(as long as they continue to serve in the Corporation), cannot participate in the competition or contribute to any work submitted. Individuals whohave left these positions cannot apply to the competition within five years of their resignation. If such cases are detected, the work will be disqualified. If an award has been granted, it willbe revoked.
4.11. Documentaries produced or co-produced by TRT, or commissioned by TRT to externalproducers, cannot participate.
5. APPLICATIONS
5.1. The TRT International Documentary Awards is open to all documentaries that meet theparticipation conditions. Participation is free of charge.
5.2. Application and Pre-selection Process: Those wishing to participate may apply startingfrom August 20, 2025, until the deadline of October 3, 2025, at 18:00, viawww.trtbelgesel.com or filmfreeway.com. To complete the application, applicants must fullycomplete the forms, read and approve the Privacy Policy and Clarification Text, and uploadtheir documentary films to the designated area or share downloadable links (with passwords ifapplicable).
5.3. Works to be uploaded must be: in Turkish audio or subtitled for the National Category; in English audio or subtitled for the International Category. For films in other languages withoutEnglish subtitles, English .srt subtitle files must be attached to the application form. Works must be saved in TV broadcast-compatible formats: mxf, mov, mpeg-2, mpeg-4.
5.4. Those who fully complete and submit the application form are deemed to have acceptedthe participation conditions, Competition Regulations, and Privacy Policy and ClarificationText.
5.5. Finalist works, if delivered in person or by cargo, must be sent to Turkish RadioTelevision Corporation, (Inhouse Productions Department, TRT International DocumentaryAwards, H Block 105) Turan Güneş Boulevard, 06550 OR-AN ANKARA / Türkiye. Applications made after October 3, 2025, or posted after that date, will not be considered. TRT is not responsible for postal delays. The official email addresses of the Festival are: doc@trt.net.tr for the International Category, and belgesel@trt.net.tr for National Categories.
5.6. Pre-selection results will be announced on October 10, 2025.
5.7. Competition Process: Documentaries that qualify as finalists must deliver the followingby October 17, 2025.
5.7.1. For the National Category:
– One (1) Full HD copy in mov/mxf format, recorded on a portable drive or HD Cam cassette, with Turkish audio (or Turkish subtitles if not dubbed into Turkish).
– For the National Professional Category, an additional Full HD copy with English subtitles.
– Turkish dialogue list.
– Short synopsis of the film.
– Promotional trailer of the work (preferably 30–60 seconds in length).
– At least two (2) still photographs from the film (JPEG or TIFF format, minimum 300 dpiresolution).
– A recent photograph of the participant (JPEG or TIFF format, minimum 300 dpi resolution).
– A short biography/filmography of the participant.
– Promotional materials (poster, brochure, etc.).
– The original signed Participation Consent Form, and if the competitor is a distributorcompany, the additional Participation Consent Form signed by the director.
5.7.2. For the International Category:
– One (1) Full HD copy in mov/mxf format, recorded on a portable drive or HD Cam cassette, with English audio or English subtitles.
– English dialogue list.
– Short synopsis of the film.
– Promotional trailer of the work (preferably 30–60 seconds in length).
– At least two (2) still photographs from the film (JPEG or TIFF format, minimum 300 dpiresolution).
– A recent photograph of the participant (JPEG or TIFF format, minimum 300 dpi resolution).
– A short biography/filmography of the participant.
– Promotional materials (poster, brochure, etc.).
– The original signed Participation Consent Form, and if the competitor is a distributorcompany, the additional Participation Consent Form signed by the director.
– All required materials must be delivered in person, by cargo, or, if uploaded to a website, byproviding the download link and password (if applicable), no later than October 17, 2025 tothe Organizing and Executive Committee at the address indicated in Article 5.5. Submittedcopies must not contain commercial breaks.
– It is mandatory that the original signed Participation Consent Form (and if the competitor is a distributor company, the additional original Participation Consent Form signed by thedirector) be delivered to the Organizing and Executive Committee before the SelectionCommittees begin their work.
6. EVALUATION
6.1. Pre-selection Committee and Working Conditions:
6.1.1. The Pre-selection Committee shall consist of at least five (5) members. Committeemembers include representatives from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye, professional associations, academics, sector representatives, and TRT representatives. With the approval of the TRT International Documentary Awards Organizingand Executive Committee, the number of members evaluating applications by category maybe increased.
6.1.2. The Pre-selection Committee evaluates and eliminates the works submitted to thecompetition in terms of compliance with the regulations, technical quality, aesthetics, creativity, and category selection.
6.1.3. The Pre-selection Committee submits its decisions in written, reasoned, and signedform to the Organizing and Executive Committee.
6.1.4. The Organizing and Executive Committee reserves the right to exclude from evaluationany works with missing documents or materials.
6.2. Selection Committees and Working Conditions:
6.2.1. The Selection Committees shall consist of at least five (5) members for each of thethree categories: National Student Films, National Professional, and International Category. Members of the Selection Committees are chosen by the TRT International DocumentaryAwards Organizing and Executive Committee from among filmmakers from Türkiye andabroad, academics specializing in cinema, film critics, members of cinema-relatedorganizations, television professionals, film festival organizers, and other respectedindividuals whose perspectives on cinema are considered valuable, even if they specialize in different fields.
6.2.2. Individuals who have participated in the production of any of the films submitted to thecompetition in any capacity cannot serve as Selection Committee members.
6.2.3. The Organizing and Executive Committee shall appoint a non-voting observer toSelection Committee meetings. The observer may contribute to resolving procedural issues.
6.2.4. Before starting to watch the films, the Selection Committees shall hold an initialmeeting together with a representative of the Organizing and Executive Committee. Duringthis meeting, they will be provided with information about the TRT Documentary Awards. Afterwards, the Selection Committees determine their own working methods.
6.2.5. Members of the Selection Committees are obliged to watch all the films.
6.2.6. The Selection Committees shall make their decisions regarding awards by consideringthe creativity and artistic qualities of the films.
6.2.7. Decisions of the Selection Committees shall be taken by simple majority. All votingprocedures are conducted secretly.
6.2.8. The working language of the Selection Committees is Turkish for the NationalCategory and English for the International Category.
6.2.9. Each member of the Selection Committees has only one vote.
6.2.10. The Selection Committees shall determine, from among the films accepted into thecompetition, the films that will receive awards in each category. If there is no work deemedworthy of an award in any category, the Committee is not obliged to grant an award. If twofilms are found deserving of the same award, the award may be shared between them. Awardsmay also be presented in the name of organizations and individuals contributing to the TRT International Documentary Awards.
6.2.11. The Selection Committees must submit their decisions, in written, reasoned, andsigned form, to the Organizing and Executive Committee of the TRT International Documentary Awards before the official announcement date of the results. Participants haveno right to object to the results.
7. ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS
The results will be officially announced at an Award Ceremony on November 9, 2025.
8. AWARDS
8.1. The awards in the National and International categories are as follows:
8.2. Without prejudice to Article 6.2.10., the Selection Committees may not grant any type ornumber of awards other than those specified in these Regulations. However, if any individual, institution or organization wishes to grant an additional special award in fields other than theaward categories of the TRT International Documentary Awards, they may apply to theOrganization and Executive Committee of the TRT International Documentary Awards withinthe year of the competition. Following the evaluation and approval of the Committee, thedecision shall be communicated to the Selection Committees.
8.3. The purpose for which additional awards are to be granted shall be notified to theOrganization and Executive Committee by the applicant individual, institution ororganization, and the decision shall be made by the Organization and Executive Committee.
8.4. In cases where the broadcasting rights of a work submitted to the Competition arepurchased by TRT before the announcement of the Competition results, and such work winsan award, the difference between the award amount and the License Fee specified in TRT’sPurchase Agreement shall be paid to the participant as the award. If the amount in thePurchase Agreement exceeds the award amount, no additional payment shall be made.
9. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
9.1. For documentaries awarded in the National Categories: The television broadcasting rightson the TRT Documentary channel, the simultaneous broadcasting rights via satellite andterrestrial methods in all forms (open, encrypted, paid, etc.), and the public communicationrights are transferred to TRT non-exclusively for Türkiye, under a simple license, and withsublicensing rights. The transfer covers a duration of 1 (one) year, with 2 (two) broadcasts, and additionally 2 (two) screenings at the TRT International Documentary Film Festival. Thelicense period begins once the Declaration of Transfer of Financial Rights and the License Agreement are signed, and the prize amount is transferred to the awardee’s account. TRT mayuse the aforementioned broadcasting and communication rights across all TRT mediaplatforms, including the TRT Documentary channel, TRT websites, VOD platforms, and (forpromotional purposes)social media accounts, in Turkish, English, and other dubbed orsubtitled languages. TRT may also use all visual and printed promotional materials of theawarded films, including trailers, without limitation, on its own media platforms.
9.2. For documentaries awarded in the International Category: Provided that they are dubbedor subtitled into Turkish, the television broadcasting rights on the TRT Documentary channel, the simultaneous broadcasting rights via satellite and terrestrial methods in all forms (open, encrypted, paid, etc.), and the public communication rights are transferred to TRT non-exclusively for Türkiye, under a simple license, and with sublicensing rights. The transfer covers a duration of 1 (one) year, with 2 (two) broadcasts, and additionally 2 (two) screeningsat the TRT International Documentary Film Festival. The license period begins once theDeclaration of Transfer of Financial Rights and the License Agreement are signed, and theprize amount is transferred to the awardee’s account. TRT may use the aforementionedbroadcasting and communication rights across all TRT media platforms, including the TRT Documentary channel, TRT websites, VOD platforms, and (for promotional purposes)socialmedia accounts, in Turkish, English, and other dubbed or subtitled languages. TRT may alsouse all visual and printed promotional materials of the awarded films, including trailers, without limitation, on its own media platforms.
9.3. Participants declare and undertake that their works are original; that they do not infringeupon the copyrights or other rights of third parties; that they have obtained the necessarypermissions from the authors, professional associations, and related rights holders of allworks used in their documentaries; that if awarded, they are authorized to transfer these rightsto TRT; that all rights belong to them, free from third-party claims; that the work does not infringe any rights, especially copyrights, of any third party; that no disputes exist regardingthe work; and that TRT will be indemnified against any claims arising from the use of theserights. Participants also declare that any compensations or other legal sanctions demanded byindividuals involved in or providing services for their works shall be their sole responsibility. They further undertake that they will not sell, transfer, or donate the awarded work to anyother organization or person during the license period, and that otherwise they will bear alllegal, administrative, penal, and financial liabilities, compensate TRT for any damages, andacknowledge that triple compensation and penalties may be applied under Law No. 5846 on Intellectual and Artistic Works.
9.4. Participants whose works are awarded must, prior to the prize delivery, provide TRT withdocuments proving the transfer of rights foreseen in these regulations (the Declaration of Transfer of Financial Rights provided by TRT). They must also obtain and deliver originalsigned documents from the director, dialogue writer, original music composer, and ifapplicable, the scriptwriter or animator, or from any entity to whom these rights werepreviously transferred. If the competitor is the distributor, the Declaration of Commitmentmust also be provided, together with other materials requested by TRT for broadcasting andthe signed License Agreement.
9.5. For all awarded documentaries, including those receiving special or additional awards, noadditional payment will be made beyond the prize for the use of rights transferred to TRT. Award winners must deliver the Declaration of Transfer of Financial Rights, License Agreement, and, if applicable, distributor Declaration of Commitment to TRT before prize delivery.
9.6. If not already submitted, participants whose works are awarded must provide TRT with a broadcast copy meeting the technical specifications requested by TRT, including separatemusic-effect and sound tracks (with enter tracks), together with the work’s script andpromotional materials.
9.7. Participants acknowledge and accept that they cannot be entitled to receive an awardwithout signing the Participation Consent Form attached to these regulations (or, in the caseof distributor participation, the consent form signed by the director), and that if awarded, theycannot claim the prize without signing and delivering to TRT the Declaration of Transfer of Financial Rights, License Agreement, and other required documents, as well as the distributorDeclaration of Commitment if applicable.
10. PRIZE PAYMENTS
The prize amounts will be paid by TRT after the delivery of the documents and materialsspecified in Article 9 of these Regulations, which the awardee is obliged to provide, includingthe Authors’ Consent Forms, the License Agreement, and the Declaration of Transfer of Financial Rights signed by all relevant parties. Payment will be made only after thecompletion of these requirements and after TRT has made the necessary legal deductions.
If the director has transferred the rights stipulated to be transferred under this contract toanother person or entity (distributor) and participation in the competition has been madethrough the distributor, then, provided that a consent form is also obtained from the directorand submitted to TRT if the work reaches the finals, the prize amount shall be paid to thedistributor. The distributor is obliged to pay 50% of the prize to the director(s). In order forthe prize payment to be made, the distributor must provide a written undertaking(Declarationof Commitment) that it will pay 50% of the prize amount to the director(s), and that if TRT is required to make any payment to third parties under this arrangement, TRT will have recourseagainst the distributor. In this case, neither the distributor nor the director(s) may make anyadditional claims against TRT. If such an undertaking is not provided, the prize payment willnot be made.
Without prejudice to the time limits specified in other articles concerning the delivery of documents, all documents and materials requested by TRT must be delivered to TRT within a maximum of six (6) months from the date the results are officially announced, in order for thepayment to be processed. Participants are obliged to submit all the documents required byTRT to enable the prize payment.
If both the rights holder company and the director agree, and provided that the directorconsents and the company gives a written undertaking that it will pay the prize to the director, TRT may make the full payment solely to the company. In this case, no claims may be madeagainst TRT.
If the undertakings are not fulfilled, if the information provided in the application form is found to be inaccurate, or if any violation of these regulations is identified by TRT, thepayment will not be made; if a payment has already been made, it shall be recovered withlegal interest. The participant accepts and undertakes this obligation.
11. GENERAL CONDITIONS
11.1. Applications that do not comply with the conditions may be eliminated by the TRT International Documentary Awards Organizing and Executive Committee, the Pre-selectionCommittee, or the relevant Selection Committee.
11.2. Co-productions are accepted into the competition on behalf of the submittingorganization, and the applicant guarantees that the other co-producers have approved thisparticipation.
11.3. It is mandatory to indicate the co-producers in the application form.
11.4. All costs arising from participation in the competition, including cargo, customs, freight, and insurance expenses, shall be borne by the participant.
11.5. The TRT International Documentary Awards Organizing and Executive Committee mayorganize cultural screenings, in Türkiye and abroad, of all or part of the documentaries thatpass the pre-selection, in different languages, in designated cities and venues.
11.6. The accuracy of all information provided in the application form is binding on theapplicant. The Organizing and Executive Committee of the TRT International DocumentaryAwards is not obliged to verify the accuracy of the information in the application form. Legal responsibility for any consequences arising from this information rests with the applicant. Thefestival team reserves the right to make necessary editorial changes to the texts submittedduring application.
11.7. Materials sent to TRT for pre-selection will not be returned. Copies of thedocumentaries that pass pre-selection (except for those that win awards) will be returned at TRT’s expense to the address written in the application form, provided that the applicantrequested their return in the form.
11.8. TRT has the right to use and broadcast up to 3 (three) minutes of excerpts from thesubmitted works—produced through editing, cutting, shortening, or segmentation—forpromotional purposes of the competition, both on TRT’s TV channels, VOD platforms, mobile applications, websites, social media accounts, and other media, as well as on other TV channels and media outlets in Türkiye.
11.9. Any visual materials submitted to TRT for participation in the competition may be published/used in printed media, on the internet, and in all other media for promotionalpurposes of the competition, without payment to the rightsholder.
11.10. The broadcast of award-winning documentaries is subject to TRT’s broadcastinglegislation and RTÜK broadcasting principles.
11.11. The application form must be signed by the copyright holder of the documentary film and/or its Director(s).
11.12. The conditions in these Regulations are written in Turkish and translated into English. In the event of any inconsistency between the two texts, the Turkish version shall prevail.
11.13. In matters not specified in these Regulations, and in the case that the number of participants does not reach a certain threshold, the sole authority to decide whether or not toproceed with the evaluation rests exclusively with TRT.
11.14. TRT reserves the exclusive and unilateral right to make any changes to theseRegulations.
11.15. The applicant accepts and declares that, if their film qualifies as a finalist, allnotifications regarding the results sent to the email address provided in the application form will be considered official notification.
11.16. Participants are deemed to have accepted these conditions.
11.17. In the settlement of disputes arising from the implementation of these regulations, theAnkara Central Courts and Enforcement Offices shall have jurisdiction.