Registration Q&A for the 30th STVF Magnolia Awards in 2025
The 30th Shanghai Television Festival (STVF) will be held in June 2025 in Shanghai. Starting today (December 9), the submission channel for global entries of the Magnolia Awards will be officially open.
2025 Registration Q&A
Q: Our company’s work has only been released online. Can we still register?
A: The 30th STVF Magnolia Awards is open for submissions of online audiovisual content. We welcome overseas and domestic TV dramas, documentaries, animations, and variety programs that are exclusively released online to register.
According to the regulations, the eligibility for the TV Drama (China) unit includes “television series having been initially broadcast on satellite channels in China (including Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan) or on video-on-demand platforms”. If the work submitted is exclusively available online, please select “Distribution Method - Online Only” during registration and provide either the “TV Series Distribution License Number” or “Online TV Series Distribution License Number”.
Q: Our work will not be broadcast until March 31 next year. Can we still register?
A: Yes, you can register for the TV Drama (China) unit and Variety Program categories. The regulations state that the works must be initially broadcast between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025. For documentary, animation, and Foreign TV Series, it should be initially broadcast between March 1, 2024, and February 28, 2025. Therefore, your work must be within these timelines to qualify for registration.
The registration timeline pertains to when the premiere starts, not when it ends.
Q: Our work is co-produced by multiple companies. Who should be the eligible entrant?
A: If there are multiple production companies, co-production partners should decide which organization will be the entrant. When filling in the “Production Information”, please ensure all details are accurate. A single work may only be registered once.
Q: What formats are required for the video file and high-definition trailer in the registration materials?
A: Please provide high-definition video in 1920*1080 resolution, in formats such as mp4, mkv, or mov, whichever is playable on computers.
Q: The registration requirements indicate that a high-definition trailer (within 3 minutes) should be available. Our trailer has different versions of 30 seconds, 1 minute, and 2 minutes. Which one should we submit?
A: As long as the trailer meets the “within 3 minutes” requirement, you may submit multiple versions.
Q: What are the usage occasions for the program materials, posters, and signed stills required in the regulations?
A: Program materials, posters, signed stills, etc., will be used for promotion or fan interaction on platforms such as the official Weibo account, WeChat Official Account, and the official website of STVF.
Q: If the work is still on air at the time of submission and we cannot provide a sample of the final episode, can we substitute it with other episodes?
A: Yes, if you are temporarily unable to provide a sample of the final episode, please communicate with the Organizing Committee in advance. The sample can be submitted at a later date.
Q: Can we add a logo or watermark to the sample?
A: Yes, you may add it as long as it does not affect the viewing experience.
Q: For a TV series/documentary/animation that is entirely in English, is it necessary to add Chinese subtitles before submission?
A: For English-language TV series/documentaries/animations, you may submit them with English subtitles only; it is not required to add Chinese subtitles.
Q: I am a(n) director/actor/actress and my work was broadcast last year. Can I apply for Best Director, or Best Actor/Actress in a Leading/Supporting Role of the TV Drama (China) unit?
A: The applicant for Magnolia Awards in the TV Drama (China) category must be the production company or the company holding the copyright of the work (referred to as the production side), and individual submissions will not be accepted. You can request the production side to submit the application. Once a work is submitted, it is considered to be competing for all awards in the TV Drama (China) category unless the production side explicitly declares the intention to forfeit any specific awards.
Q: Can a single-episode animated work or animated short film be submitted for the Magnolia Awards at STVF?
A: Yes, animated series, one-off television special or any non-live action animation, initially broadcast between March 1, 2024, and February 28, 2025, are all eligible for the awards.
Q: Are there specific requirements for the running time of a one-off television special in documentary?
A: There are no such requirements.