Introduction

Since 2009, Leiden Shorts has become the second-largest short film festival in the Netherlands with submissions from over 80 countries around the globe.

During the four festival days, we screened some of the world’s best new short films, alongside a colourful side program of events, lectures, workshops, parties and meetings between filmmakers, the public, and other partners.

Since 2009, Leiden Shorts (formerly known as LISFE) has been run by a diverse team of expats, locals, and is powered by a team of international and Dutch volunteers. Together, we envision Leiden Shorts as both an alternative and sustainable creative space where we can collectively explore the storytelling power that short films have.

As avid promoters of international film, Leiden Shorts aims to create a cultural conversation that can be sustained outside of the festival. We are fundamental believers in cinema as a tool for social change and want to become an outspoken voice in Leiden’s cultural scene. We fully embrace diversity, not only in culture but also in discipline, medium, and expression.

Above all, Leiden Shorts views the creation of short films as a self-sustaining cycle that shapes communities while simultaneously being shaped by the places they emerge from. Our various competitions, side events, and growing collaborations with local museums, collectives, and other international voices are just some of the ways in which we hope to shape the future of short film.

 

Purpose of the Code of Conduct

The Leiden Shorts team and community is made up of a mixture of professionals and volunteers from all over the world, working on every aspect of the organisation.

Diversity is one of our huge strengths, but it can also lead to communication issues and unhappiness. To that end, we have a few ground rules that we ask people to adhere to. This code applies equally to managers, volunteers, interns and guests.

Everyone participating in Leiden Shorts is required to agree to the following Code of Conduct. This includes all attendees, speakers, patrons (sponsors), volunteers, and staff. Anyone who violates this Code of Conduct may be sanctioned or expelled from this organisation at the discretion of the management team.

 

Expected internal behaviour 

• Be friendly and patient.
• Be welcoming. We strive to be a community that welcomes and supports people of all backgrounds and identities. This includes, but is not limited to members of any race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, colour, immigration status, social and economic class, educational level, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, size, family status, political belief, religion, and mental and physical ability.
• Be considerate. Your work will be used by other people, and you in turn will depend on the work of others. Any decision you take will affect colleagues, and you should take those consequences into account when making decisions. Remember that you might not be communicating in someone else’s primary language.
• Be respectful. Not all of us will agree all the time, but disagreement is no excuse for poor behaviour and poor manners. We might all experience some frustration now and then, but we cannot allow that frustration to turn into a personal attack. It’s important to remember that a community where people feel uncomfortable or threatened is not a productive one. Members of Leiden Shorts should be respectful when dealing with other members as well as with people outside the organisation
• When we disagree, try to understand why. Disagreements, both social and technical, happen all the time and Leiden Shorts is no exception. It is important that we resolve disagreements and differing views constructively. Remember that we’re different. The strength of Leiden Shorts comes from its varied community, people from a wide range of backgrounds. Different people have different perspectives on issues. Being unable to understand why someone holds a viewpoint doesn’t mean that they’re wrong. Don’t forget that it is human to err and blaming each other doesn’t get us anywhere. Instead, focus on helping to resolve issues and learning from mistakes.

 

Harassment policies

Leiden Shorts is dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, neurotype, physical appearance, body, age, race, ethnicity, nationality, language, or religion. We do not tolerate harassment of staff, volunteers or guests in any form.

Harassment includes:

• Offensive comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, neurotype, physical appearance, body, age, race, ethnicity, nationality, language, or religion
• Unwelcome comments regarding a person’s lifestyle choices and prastices, including those related to food, health, parenting, drugs, and employment
• Deliberate misgendering or use of ‘dead’ or rejected names
• Gratuitous or off-topic sexual images or behaviour in spaces where they’re not appropriate
• Physical contact and simulated physical contact (eg, textual descriptions like “hug” or “backrub”) without consent or after a request to stop
• Threats of violence
• Incitement of violence towards any individual, including encouraging a person to commit suicide or to engage in self-harm
• Deliberate intimidation
• Stalking or following
• Harassing photography or recording, including logging online activity for harassment purposes
• Sustained disruption of discussion
• Unwelcome sexual attention
• A pattern of inappropriate social contact, such as requesting/assuming inappropriate levels of intimacy with others
• Continued one-on-one communication after requests to cease
• Publication of non-harassing private communication without consent by the involved parties

 

If you are being harassed by a member of Leiden Shorts, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact Festival Director Niv (niv@leidenshorts.nl) or any member of the management team immediately.

 

Expected external behaviour

Leiden Shorts is an organisation that brings together different voices. Diversity is what makes us unique and proud. Whenever we represent our festival to the public, we also represent its vision and mission. Whenever we speak through the channels of Leiden Shorts, we need to do so in line with its identity. 

• The festival must respect the copyright of the selected as well as the submitted films. 
• A festival is respectful of the filmmakers’ work and will do its best to screen the work in its original version, format and technical requirements.
• The festival has to screen the best available quality of the screening copy. Preview files aren’t screening copies unless the right holder gives the festival written permission.
• Rightsholders should be informed about which programme(s) the film is in and when, where and how many times these programmes are screening. 
• Films that are not in the competition become eligible to receive screening fees unless the filmmaker or a representative is invited and all costs regarding travelling and accommodation are covered by the festival. 
• Films from the competition that are also shown in another program should also be eligible for screening fees.
• Whenever programmers join the discussion with the jurors, they need to stay fair to all the films. No direct personal preference should be expressed.
• Any form of harassment to guests, partners or jurors will not be tolerated
• (Unwanted) sexual references or mischievous behaviour with partners, guests or jurors will not be tolerated

 

Handling equipment

We and all team members treat the material and intangible property of Leiden Shorts with care and do not use it for private purposes. The equipment, tools, documents, email accounts, online cloud services, and data provided to us to complete our tasks are the sole property of Leiden Shorts. We treat these assets and data responsibly and diligently and do not make inappropriate use of them. We will not accept negligent or deliberate misuse of this property.