Regulations of the Docudays UA Film Club

The Docudays UA Human Rights Media Education Film Club (hereinafter referred to as the "Film Club") is established on a voluntary basis to organize regular, non-commercial screenings of documentary and educational films focusing on human rights, accompanied by discussions, for the purpose of education and raising awareness of human rights issues.

An organization (such as an institution or entity) that wishes to establish a Film Club must complete and submit an application to the DOCU/CLUB Network Development Coordinator using the form available on the website.

The final decision regarding the registration of the Film Club is made by the DOCU/CLUB Network team, based on an assessment of the organization's activities and the successful completion of the online training course titled “How to Organize a Film Club: A Basic Course for Beginner Moderators.”

The Film Club program is structured as follows: 80% of the films must be selected from the DOCU/CLUB Network collection. The remaining 20% of the program content may be selected independently by the Film Club's director, subject to approval by the DOCU/CLUB Network Development Coordinator. It is crucial that any independently selected films be documentaries that have been presented at Ukrainian and international documentary film festivals and have received awards or positive reviews from the jury. Additionally, a written agreement from the film's copyright holder, such as a Rights Transfer Agreement or License Agreement, must be provided to confirm the right to screen the film.

The Film Club independently determines the frequency of its meetings, which must occur at least once a month, as well as the methods of operation and internal decision-making procedures. The Film Club team is responsible for planning and organizing legal education events, including film screenings and accompanying discussions, and for inviting prominent figures to participate as speakers or experts. They may include well-known human rights defenders, lawyers, public figures, artists, journalists, activists from non-governmental organizations, filmmakers, film protagonists, writers, and representatives of state and local governments, among others.

If necessary, the director or moderator of the Film Club may request assistance from the DOCU/CLUB Network Development Coordinator or representatives of the Docudays UA Human Rights Department for invitation of experts.

Depending on the needs, the director or moderator of the Film Club may organize human rights education events in the following formats:

Stationary: held at the organization's (institution's, entity’s) premises.
On-site events: screenings and discussions that take place at summer camps, outdoor venues, travelling across the country as part of the organization's activities, or at the premises of a partner organization (institution, entity).
Online events: conducted with the use of online platforms such as Zoom and/or other digital tools.

All of the above events may be either closed or open:

Closed-type events: attended primarily by the same group of participants (such as pupils, students, civic activists, library users, correctional facility clients, etc.). The information about the event is distributed to a limited audience, without media involvement.
Open-type events: accessible to anyone, with or without prior registration. These events are actively promoted through the media.

In all announcements, informational and promotional materials about film screenings and/or events, the Film Club must state that the screening/event is organized by the Docudays UA Human Rights Media Education Film Club or the Docudays UA Film Club.

Screenings of films from the DOCU/CLUB Network collection cannot be held as part of other festivals, cultural events, or activities. An exception is made for screenings aimed at promoting the activities of the Film Club and/or the Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, provided that prior approval is obtained from the DOCU/CLUB Network Development Coordinator.

In such case, the screening is considered a collaboration between the Network and the event organizers and is subject to the following guidelines:

The Film Club is granted the status of a partner or co-organizer of the event, with the specific details discussed and agreed upon individually for each case.
The Film Club's logo must appear on all visual products associated with the event, including promotional and printed materials. The exact placement of the logo will be agreed upon separately with the DOCU/CLUB Network team.
The event organizers must coordinate with the Film Club team regarding the press release content, announcements, posters (both printed and online, e.g. on websites, blogs, and social media), as well as the design, layout, and placement of the logo.
The event's press release must acknowledge the Film Club's status as a co-organizer/partner and include a link to the project's website and Facebook page.
When creating the event or post on social media, the Docudays UA Film Club page must be listed as a co-organizer of the event on Facebook, or it must be mentioned with the required tag and the phrase “in cooperation with Docudays UA Film Clubs” or “in cooperation with the DOCU/CLUB Network.”

During the Travelling Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival in the region, a Film Club may serve as one of the venues for film screenings and discussions, provided there is an agreement between the head or moderator of the Film Club and the Docudays UA regional coordinator.

The Docudays UA Film Club Network is a non-profit, non-political, and non-religious initiative. As such, Film Clubs are prohibited from:

Holding human rights events jointly or in support of any political parties and/or religious organizations.
Inviting representatives of political parties and/or religious organizations as speakers or experts at Film Club events.

A Docudays UA Human Rights Media Education Film Club may be discontinued by the decision of the organization that established it, by a two-thirds majority of its members, or by a decision of the NGO Docudays for the following reasons:

Inactivity for more than six months; failure to communicate with the DOCU/CLUB Network team and/or failure to report on the Film Club's activities for more than two months.
Violation of film copyright; violation of these regulations or the Declaration of Ethical Principles.
Organization or hosting of events that contradict the purpose and mission of the project or the Docudays UA festival.
Any other reasons that the NGO Docudays deems sufficient.

The Executive Directorate of the NGO Docudays.