GENERAL PROVISIONS

ARTICLE 1. 
The fifth edition of the International Vertical Series Festival REALIST (further referred to as the Festival) is held on the chillvision.ru online platform

Festival dates in 2026: from July 10 to July 20, 2026.

ARTICLE 2. 
The purpose of the Festival is to introduce a new form of audiovisual content to the Russian market. To promote microdramas and vertical series in Russia's territory. To attract international audiences' attention to Russian microdramas and vertical series.

COMPETITION PROGRAM

ARTICLE 3. 
The Festival Directorate shall define the Festival program and content screening procedure.

ARTICLE 4. 
The submission of applications is open until June 20, 2026, inclusive.

The Main Competition Program of the Festival shall accept:

• live action microdramas and vertical series;
• animated microdramas and vertical series;
• minimum 6 episodes;
• running time of each episode shall not exceed 5 minutes;
• overall running time of all episodes shall not exceed 30 minutes.

The Competition shall accept series, which were produced not earlier than January 1, 2025, or are in production.

The Out-of-Competition Program shall accept a vertical series of all genres, produced not earlier than January 1, 2025, or in production.

Participation is not permitted for projects in which over 50 % of the visual content has been created using artificial intelligence.

The Festival is held online in vertical format on the website and via the Chill app.

ARTICLE 5. 
Series, which seek inclusion in the competition program, shall be submitted to the Festival Directorate via webfestival.ru website. The application shall include links to the video, title, synopsis, and additional information about the project. Video screener shall have English subtitles. Applications will be accepted from May 12 to June 20, 2026.

ARTICLE 6. 
The final decision on the inclusion of a project in the Festival competition program shall be made by the Selection Board, which shall reserve the right not to explain rejection reasons or provide any comments.

 
SCREENING OF SERIES

ARTICLE 7.
During the festival, films in both the competition and non-competition programs will be available on the Chill streaming platform based on the FVOD model, which allows free screening on the platform without any monetization by the platform.
Festival sponsors 'ad integration shall be permitted, not more than once per screening.

GUESTS

ARTICLE 8. 

The Festival Directorate shall be responsible for deciding on matters related to inviting guests, the terms and conditions of their stay, and Festival accreditation.

The Directorate shall reserve the right to revoke a guest’s accreditation at any time, with no reasons explained.

AWARDS
 
ARTICLE 9. 
The series in the competition program shall be evaluated through audience voting on the Festival’s platform. Viewers do not need to possess a subscription to the app to watch the festival program and vote. Viewers shall vote directly on the platform after watching a series. The voting results will be announced at the Festival’s closing ceremony on July 20, 2026. 

ARTICLE 10. 

The awards include the nomination as follows: 

• Grand Prix
• Best Classic Microdrama 
• Best Genre Vertical Series/Microdrama 
• Most Outstanding Character of a Vertical Series/Microdrama 
• Best Animated Vertical Series
• Best Vertical Unscripted Series/Show
• Best Russian Series

FINAL PROVISIONS

ARTICLE 11. 
Participation in the Festival shall imply consent to all the items of these Regulations.