Regulations PEER RABEN MUSIC AWARD at SoundTrack_Cologne 23, 2026:
1. General conditions
Prized will be the best soundtrack for a short film. The film must not exceed 15 minutes in duration; there are no restrictions regarding form, theme, or genre. The film music must have been primarily composed for the film and must play a distinctive narrative and dramaturgical role in relation to the images.
If the selection committee does not accept a film for the competition, it has the option to be placed in one of the extra screenings.
2. Submission criteria
• Films with a maximum length of 15-minutes (incl. end credits) in all industry standard formats.
• Short films whose production was completed after January 1, 2025 or that premiered after January 1, 2025.
• There are no restrictions regarding country of production, genre, or content; however, the film must be accompanied predominantly by original music that has been specifically composed for the film and forms an integral part of the film's narrative.
• The nominees should be present at the screening of the films and will be presented to the audience and the jury during the competition screening.
The award ceremony will take place during the official gala on July 17th, 2026.
3. Organiser and date
SoundTrack_Cologne is held by TelevisorTroika GmbH. The festival will take place in Cologne / Germany from July 14 - 17, 2026.
4. Entry requirements
a) The film has to be submitted via the online entry form provided by SoundTrack_Cologne.
b) The applicant gets sent the filled form in pdf to the provided email address. The applicant has to send the submission form signed to the email: peerraben@soundtrackcologne.de
Without the signed submission form the application is not complete and will not be considered by the jury!
c) Early bird deadline is March 26th, 2026, 10:00am CEST. Final deadline is April 15th, 2026, 10:00am CEST.
d) Each entry requires a unique entry and a completed and signed entry form. Use a separate entry form for each film.
e) The running time of the film may not exceed 15 minutes.
f) All short films whose production was completed after January 1st, 2025, or which had their premiere after January 1st, 2025, are eligible for submission. These conditions are subject to change by the organiser.
g) The film should be mostly accompanied by original music.
h) Works cannot be withdrawn from the competition after submission.
i) Works can only be submitted once. Submitting the same film in the following year is not accepted - regardless if the work was selected for the short list or if it still fits the timeframe mentioned in f).
5. Preview copy / Entries
a) The preferred option is entering the preview copy digitally via online link, preferably with the option to download the file. There is a field in the application form to fill in the URL. Please make sure that download and/or viewing link remain active untill at least July 17th, 2026 and any required password is not changed. Additionally we ask you to provide an access to the preview copy that does not require further registration. If the link you are sharing is from Vimeo, please be sure that your video is rated; that means, you need to specify whether it's suitable for all audiences or if it has an age restriction. Otherwise, the site won't allow the jury to view the video without registering. To verify this works, make sure the link is visible in a browser where you're not logged into your Vimeo account.
b) If the original language of the film is neither German nor English, subtitles in one of those languages are necessary. In the absence of subtitles a film script in German or English must be enclosed during the selection process. If the film is selected, the screening print has to have English or German subtitles.
c) Preview material will remain in the festival archive.
6. Selection
The selection committee will evaluate the preview copy that reached the festival by April 15, 2026, 10:00am CEST. All entrants will be notified of the selection results in time. The results will be sent by email only. Please send your submission as soon as possible and do not wait until close to the deadline. This will support the selection process.
7. Screening print / Accepted film formats
The screening print, only requested after the selection process, can be one of the following formats: DCP, DVD, BluRay-Disc and digital file (e.g. high quality prores). The video format has to be PAL only (no NTSC, SECAM or similar). If the original language of the film is neither German nor English, subtitles in one of those languages are required.
8. Submission fee
Early Bird Deadline until 26th March: 12 Euros
Late Deadline until 15th April: 17 Euros
The festival grants no refunds. Prices only apply for the festival’s own submission service.
9. Further remarks
a) Screening prints will be insured during the festival time at their print value. Any claims for replacement due to damage are to be submitted not later than 10 days after the festival.
b) The submitter has to confirm, that the composer agrees with the submission and the participation in the competition und that s/he is willing to participate in the Award Ceremony if she/he is nominated.
c) We will make every effort, but we cannot promise to invite all the filmmakers whose films have been selected. We will also provide information about private accommodations or low cost hotels.
10. Declaration of agreement
With their signature, the participants and rights holders declare their consent to take part in the competition and their agreement to these rules. There is no right of appeal. In case of doubt the festival management will decide according to international guidelines. The German version of these rules and regulations is binding.
11. Online form
Please fill in all mandatory fields truthfully and completely. Wrong details or entries like “blank blank blank”, “Please request this at …”, links to websites or similar entries will automatically lead to a disqualification of the submission!
The entry form has to be signed and returned to SoundTrack_Cologne (see §3b).
If there are any questions or problems, please check the FAQ or contact us any time via peerraben@soundtrackcologne.de
