These Terms & Conditions govern access to and use of the Dark Scream Film Festival website, Festival registrations, tickets/passes, screenings, programs, film submissions, and associated Festival services.
By purchasing a ticket or pass, registering for an event, submitting a film, accessing Festival services, or attending a Festival program, you agree to the applicable provisions of these Terms & Conditions.
2.1 Festival Organizer
Dark Scream Film Festival is organized by FilmyBees Cine Club.
Festival programming, dates, venues, screening schedules, guests, activities, and other operational matters are determined by the Festival team and may be changed where reasonably necessary.
2.2 Website Information
We make reasonable efforts to keep Festival information accurate and current. However, typographical errors, technical errors, outdated information, schedule changes, or other inaccuracies may occasionally occur.
Where there is a conflict between general website information and specific instructions communicated to registered attendees or filmmakers regarding a particular event or submission, the most recent applicable communication will ordinarily govern.
2.3 Tickets, Registrations and Passes
Tickets, registrations, and Festival passes are valid only for the event, date, program, category, or duration specified at the time of booking.
A successful payment alone does not override any age restriction, identification requirement, venue policy, capacity restriction, or other stated condition of entry.
Tickets or registrations obtained through unauthorized sources may be rejected where their validity cannot reasonably be verified.
2.4 Physical Festival Passes
Where physical passes are issued, attendees must collect and retain their physical pass as instructed by the Festival.
Full Festival and Multi-Day pass holders will receive a physical pass applicable to their booked dates.
The pass holder is solely responsible for keeping the pass safe.
No duplicate or replacement physical passes will be issued if a pass is lost, misplaced, damaged, forgotten, or otherwise unavailable.
Entry may be denied if the attendee cannot produce the required physical pass.
2.5 Admission
Admission is subject to:
- A valid ticket, registration, or Festival pass;
- Production of the required physical pass where applicable;
- Valid identification where requested;
- Age restrictions applicable to the screening or program;
- Venue capacity and safety requirements;
- Security procedures;
- Compliance with these Terms, Festival rules, and reasonable venue instructions.
The Festival or venue may refuse admission or require an attendee to leave where reasonably necessary for safety, security, serious misconduct, disruption, intoxication, harassment, unauthorized recording, or material violation of Festival or venue rules.
No refund will ordinarily be provided where entry is refused or an attendee is removed because of their own failure to comply with applicable entry conditions or conduct rules.
2.6 Age Restrictions
Attendees must comply with the age restrictions stated for each Festival event or program.
Where an event is designated 18+, attendees may be required to produce valid government-issued identification or other acceptable age verification.
Failure to provide satisfactory proof may result in refusal of entry.
2.7 Program and Schedule Changes
Festival schedules, screening orders, films, speakers, guests, sessions, venues, and timings may be changed, substituted, postponed, or cancelled due to operational, technical, licensing, safety, venue-related, filmmaker-related, force-majeure, or other circumstances.
Reasonable efforts may be made to communicate material changes where practical.
Cancellation or rescheduling of an individual screening, film, session, guest appearance, or program does not automatically constitute cancellation of the entire Festival.
2.8 Film Submissions
Submission of a film does not guarantee selection, nomination, screening, award, review, publicity, or any other outcome.
Submission fees are administrative fees for entering the Festival’s submission and consideration process and are non-refundable except where expressly stated otherwise.
The submitter is responsible for ensuring that:
- They have authority to submit the project;
- Information supplied is accurate;
- Required screening permissions and rights have been obtained;
- Submitted material does not knowingly infringe third-party intellectual-property rights;
- The Festival is authorized to review the submitted film for selection and jury purposes.
Additional category-specific rules published on the Festival website or submission platform form part of the applicable submission conditions.
2.9 Intellectual Property
Unless expressly agreed otherwise, filmmakers and other rights holders retain ownership of their films and underlying intellectual property.
Submission or selection does not transfer ownership of the film to Dark Scream Film Festival or FilmyBees Cine Club.
Where a project is officially selected, nominated, awarded, or otherwise authorized for participation, the Festival may use submitted promotional materials such as titles, posters, stills, trailers, excerpts where appropriately authorized, filmmaker names, biographies, and credits for reasonable Festival publicity, editorial coverage, archives, and promotion.
2.10 Photography and Recording at Festival Events
Dark Scream Film Festival and its authorized photographers, videographers, media partners, or representatives may photograph or record Festival premises, screenings, Q&As, audience areas, networking sessions, and other activities.
Attendees may incidentally appear in photographs or recordings used for Festival documentation, news/editorial coverage, archives, social media, and promotion.
Where practical, an attendee who has a specific concern about being prominently photographed or recorded may contact a Festival representative at the venue.
Unauthorized recording, photography, reproduction, livestreaming, or distribution of films being screened is strictly prohibited unless expressly permitted.
2.11 Attendee Conduct
Attendees must behave responsibly and must not:
- Harass, threaten, intimidate, or abuse another person;
- Intentionally disrupt a screening or Festival activity;
- Damage venue or Festival property;
- Attempt unauthorized recording of films;
- Enter restricted areas without authorization;
- Engage in conduct that creates a material safety or security risk.
Serious or repeated violations may result in removal from the event without refund and, where appropriate, referral to venue security or relevant authorities.
2.12 Personal Property and Parking
Attendees remain responsible for their personal belongings.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, Dark Scream Film Festival, FilmyBees Cine Club, sponsors, partners, and the venue are not responsible for loss, theft, or damage to personal property unless liability cannot legally be excluded.
Parking is undertaken at the vehicle owner’s or user’s own risk and may be subject to separate venue or parking-provider conditions.
2.13 Personal Safety
Attendees are expected to follow safety instructions issued by Festival staff, venue personnel, and security staff.
Nothing in these Terms is intended to exclude or restrict any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted under applicable law.
2.14 Third-Party Services
The Festival may use external ticketing platforms, submission services, payment processors, venues, websites, or other third-party services.
Those services may be governed by separate terms and policies. Dark Scream Film Festival is not responsible for matters controlled solely by an independent third-party service provider, subject to applicable law.
2.15 Force Majeure and Events Beyond Reasonable Control
The Festival may need to change, postpone, relocate, suspend, or cancel activities because of circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including natural disasters, severe weather, government restrictions, public emergencies, strikes, civil disturbances, venue emergencies, infrastructure failures, technical failures, or other comparable circumstances.
Any refund entitlement in such circumstances will be determined under the applicable Refund Policy and mandatory law.
2.16 Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Dark Scream Film Festival and FilmyBees Cine Club will not be liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential losses arising solely from attendance at, cancellation of, or changes to a Festival program.
Nothing in these Terms excludes, limits, or waives rights or liabilities that cannot legally be excluded or limited under applicable law.
2.17 Governing Law
These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of India.
Subject to applicable law regarding jurisdiction and consumer rights, disputes relating to Dark Scream Film Festival or these Terms will be subject to the jurisdiction of the competent courts in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
2.18 Changes to Terms
Dark Scream Film Festival reserves the right to update these Terms & Conditions from time to time.
Materially updated terms will apply prospectively as permitted by applicable law and will be published on the Festival website.