The PGP Global Short Film Contest

Short Film - 10 to 30 minutes

Mini Short Film - 3 to 9 minutes

Music Video - 3 to 9 minutes

Action, Adventure, Animation, Biography, Comedy, Crime, Documentary, Drama, Fantasy, Film-noir, Musical, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Sports, Thriller, War, Western

These rules govern The PGP Global Short Film Contest (the "Contest") organized by Personal Genie Productions (the "Organizer"), a movie and television studio based in British Columbia, Canada. The Contest is open to global submissions and is free to enter. By submitting an entry, you (the "Entrant") agree to be bound by these rules. The Organizer reserves the right to amend these rules at any time, with notice posted on the official website: personalgenieproductions.com. If you have any questions, contact the Organizer via the website.

• The Contest is open to individuals and teams worldwide, except where prohibited by law. Entrants must be at least 18 years old or the age of majority in their jurisdiction, whichever is higher. Minors under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian submit on their behalf and provide written consent.
• Employees, contractors, and immediate family members of the Organizer, or its sponsors, are ineligible.
• No purchase or entry fee is required. The Contest is void in jurisdictions where it is prohibited or restricted by law (e.g., due to gambling regulations or sanctions).

• Submissions open on March 1, 2026 and close on August 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time. Late entries will not be accepted.
• The Organizer may extend or shorten the submission period at its discretion, with notice on the website.

• Entries must fit one of the following runtime-based categories:
  • Short Film: Runtime between 10 and 30 minutes (including credits).
  • Mini Short Film: Runtime between 2 and 9 minutes, 59 seconds (including credits).
  • Music Video: Runtime between 2 and 9 minutes, 59 seconds (including credits).
• Entries must select and align with one or more of the following genres (multiple genres may be selected if applicable): Action, Adventure, Animation, Biography, Comedy, Crime, Documentary, Drama, Fantasy, Film-noir, Musical, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Sports, Thriller, War, Western.
• Core Theme Requirement: All entries must be uplifting and designed to leave audiences feeling empowered after watching. The film should inspire hope, personal growth, resilience, inner strength, purpose, positivity, or similar empowering messages, consistent with Personal Genie Productions' mission to awaken purpose, spread wonder, and ignite the human spirit through storytelling. Entries that are dark, nihilistic, overly violent without redemptive uplift, or leave viewers feeling hopeless or disempowered will be disqualified. Entrants must confirm in their submission that their work meets this criterion.
• Production Date Restriction: All entries must have been completed on or after January 1, 2020. The Organizer defines "completed" as the date the final cut was finished (e.g., locked picture with final sound mix and credits). Earlier works, including re-edits of pre-2022 projects, are ineligible unless the majority of new production (e.g., reshoots, significant re-editing) occurred on or after January 1, 2022. Entrants represent and warrant the accuracy of the completion date upon submission; false claims may result in disqualification.
• Entries must be original works created by the Entrant(s). Collaborations are allowed, but all contributors must be listed, and the submitting Entrant must have authorization from all co-creators.
• Films must be in English or include accurate English subtitles for non-English dialogue.
• Content must not violate any laws, including those related to hate speech, defamation, obscenity, or promotion of illegal activities.
• Technical specifications: Submit via the secure upload link provided on personalgenieproductions.com in MP4 format, minimum resolution 1080p, file size under 2GB (or as specified on the submission page). Include:
  • A poster image (high-resolution JPG/PNG).
  • A synopsis (maximum 500 words) that clearly explains how the film is uplifting and empowering.
  • Genre selection(s) from the list above.
• Limit one entry per runtime category per Entrant/Team. You may submit to multiple categories with distinct, original entries.
• The Organizer reserves the right to request additional information or proof (e.g., script excerpts or creator statement) to verify compliance with the uplifting/empowering requirement or any other rule.

• Entrants represent and warrant that their entry is original, does not infringe on any third-party rights (including copyrights, trademarks, privacy, or publicity rights).
• Entrants must obtain all necessary clearances, releases, and licenses for music, footage, locations, actors, and any other elements used. Proof may be required upon request.
• The Organizer is not responsible for any intellectual property disputes arising from entries. Entrants agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Organizer, its sponsors, partners, and affiliates from any claims, damages, or liabilities related to infringement or misrepresentation.

• By submitting, Entrants grant the Organizer a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, display, distribute, and promote the entry (in whole or part) for Contest-related purposes, including screening at events, online promotion, and archival use, in perpetuity.
• This license includes the right to edit for promotional clips (e.g., trailers) without altering the core content. Entrants retain ownership and all other rights.
• Finalists and winners may be required to sign a release form confirming these rights.

• The selection and determination of winners occurs in three stages: (1) initial finalist selection by the Organizer, (2) audience-based narrowing via YouTube engagement, and (3) final winner selection by the Personal Genie Productions (PGP) Team. No external panel of judges is involved at any stage.
• Stage 1: Top 10 Finalist Selection per Category: All eligible entries submitted during the open period will be reviewed by the Personal Genie Productions Team. The Team will select the top 10 entries per category (Short Film, Super Short Film, and Music Video) based on adherence to the Contest rules, including the mandatory uplifting and empowering theme requirement (as detailed in Section 3), originality, technical quality, creativity, storytelling, and overall alignment with the Organizer's mission to awaken purpose, inspire hope, resilience, and ignite the human spirit through storytelling. This selection is at the sole discretion of the PGP Team and is intended to curate high-quality, compliant, and thematically appropriate entries for public viewing. Decisions are final and binding; no feedback or appeals will be provided on non-selected entries.
• Stage 2: Audience Engagement and Top 3 Narrowing on YouTube: The selected top 10 entries per category will be uploaded (or linked) to a dedicated playlist or designated videos on the Organizer's official YouTube channel (details to be announced on personalgenieproductions.com and in contest communications) for public viewing and engagement. Engagement/Scoring System (applies only to the top 10 finalists per category):
• Likes on the entry video: 1 point per valid like.
• Watch Time: 3 points per full minute watched (tracked via YouTube Analytics; partial minutes rounded down to the nearest whole minute for scoring).
• Total points = (Number of Likes × 1) + (Total Watch Time in minutes × 3). Only organic, genuine engagement from real viewers will count. Any detected manipulation (e.g., bots, paid likes/views, multiple fake accounts, artificial inflation of metrics, incentivized engagement beyond normal sharing, or other violations of YouTube's Terms of Service/Community Guidelines) will result in immediate disqualification of the entry, adjustment of scores, and potential forfeiture of advancement. The Organizer reserves the right to use YouTube Analytics, third-party tools, or manual review to verify authenticity and exclude suspicious activity. Decisions on disqualification are final. The top 3 entries per category with the highest total points at the end of the voting period will advance to the final round. In the event of a tie for any top-3 position, the tie will be broken by highest watch time percentage (watch time divided by video length), then by earliest upload timestamp if needed.
• Voting Period: Voting opens upon upload/announcement of the top 10 finalists (expected shortly after the submission deadline) and closes on September 31, 2026, at 11:59 PM Pacific Time. No engagement after this time will count.
• Stage 3: Final Winner Selection: From the top 3 advancing entries per category, the Personal Genie Productions Team will select the winner(s) (and any additional placings, if awarded) based on the same criteria used in Stage 1, with particular emphasis on how powerfully the film delivers an uplifting, empowering message and aligns with the Organizer's vision. The PGP Team's decision is final and binding.
• Winners will be announced on the website (personalgenieproductions.com), the YouTube channel, and via email notification within 30 days after voting closes. Winners must respond within 7 days to claim their prize and provide any required information (e.g., for prize delivery, tax forms, or skill-testing question—see Section 7).
• The Organizer reserves the right to:
• Extend or modify the voting period for technical issues or fairness (with notice on the website and YouTube).
• Disqualify any entry/finalist or adjust scores if YouTube flags violations or if engagement is deemed inauthentic.
• Replace a disqualified finalist with the next-highest internally ranked entry from Stage 1, if feasible.
• Cancel or suspend any stage if extraordinary circumstances (e.g., platform outages, force majeure) prevent fair conduct.
• Important YouTube Disclaimers (as required by YouTube's contest policies):
• YouTube is not a sponsor of this Contest and has no involvement in its administration, sponsorship, or endorsement.
• By participating, entrants and viewers release YouTube from any and all liability related to the Contest.
• This Contest must comply with YouTube's Terms of Service, Community Guidelines, and contest policies; non-compliant entries or conduct may be disqualified.

• Prizes include cash awards and sponsor gifts (e.g., equipment, services). Specific prizes per category: Short Film: 1st Place Special Plaque of Recognition + $1,000 CAD + gift; Super Short Film: 1st Place Special Plaque of Recognition + $500 CAD + gift; and Music Video 1st Place Special Plaque of Recognition + $500 CAD + gift.
• Prizes are non-transferable and awarded "as is" without warranties. Cash prizes will be paid via PayPal or bank transfer in Canadian Dollars.
• Winners are responsible for all taxes, duties, and fees associated with prizes, including income tax reporting in their jurisdiction. The Organizer may withhold taxes as required by Canadian law.
• The Organizer reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal value if unavailable.

• Personal information collected (e.g., name, email, location) will be used solely for Contest administration, communication, and promotion, in compliance with Canadian privacy laws (e.g., PIPEDA) and applicable international regulations (e.g., GDPR for EU residents).
• Entrants consent to the collection and use of their data as described. Data will not be sold to third parties but may be shared with sponsors for prize fulfillment.
• For data access, correction, or deletion requests, contact the Organizer via the website.

• The Organizer, its sponsors, partners, and affiliates are not liable for any losses, damages, injuries, or claims arising from participation, including technical failures, lost entries, or prize use.
• Entrants agree to indemnify the Organizer, its sponsors, partners, and affiliates against any third-party claims related to their entry or conduct.
• The Contest may be canceled or modified due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g., force majeure like pandemics or technical issues), with no liability to the Organizer.

• Reasons for disqualification include: incomplete submissions, false information, violation of rules, or illegal content.
• The Organizer's decisions on disqualification are final. Disqualified Entrants forfeit any prizes.

• These rules are governed by the laws of British Columbia, Canada, without regard to conflict of laws principles. Any disputes will be resolved in the courts of Burnaby, BC.
• For international Entrants, local laws may apply where they conflict with these rules, but submission constitutes agreement to BC jurisdiction to the extent permitted.

• The Organizer is not responsible for technical errors in submission platforms or email notifications.
• By entering, Entrants confirm they have read, understood, and agree to these rules. No waivers unless in writing from the Organizer.
• These rules supersede any prior communications. For updates, check personalgenieproductions.com.