Article 1: Objectives

The 7even Awards (7A) aim to:

• Promote and celebrate the excellence of Cameroonian cinema in all its forms (feature films, short films, documentaries, TV series, animation, sitcoms).

• Encourage the creativity and originality of Cameroonian film productions.
• Arouse public interest in Cameroonian cinema and contribute to its national and international visibility.
• Provide a visibility platform for Cameroonian film artists and technicians.
• Create a major media event around Cameroonian cinema.

Article 2: Organization

The 7even Awards are organized by Balafon Television. A jury composed of professionals and enthusiasts of cinema and television is responsible for selecting the films and awarding prizes in the technical categories. The same jury and the public are invited to vote online for the artistic categories.

Article 3: Eligibility

Eligible for the B7A 2024 are Cameroonian film works (feature films, short films, documentaries, TV series, animation, sitcoms) published between August 2023 and September 2024.

Article 4: Registration

Producers or directors of films wishing to participate in the B7A must submit their works via the Balafon Media platforms during the call for films period (60 days before the ceremony).

Article 5: Selection

A selection jury watches the submitted films and selects 3 to 5 finalists per category. The selection criteria include:

• The artistic and technical quality of the work (direction, screenplay, acting, image, sound, editing...)
• The originality and creativity of the film.
• The relevance of the subject and its treatment.
• The potential impact of the work on the public and society.

Article 6: Voting

• Artistic categories: The public votes online and the jury votes by email for their favorite films and artists among the finalists.

Technical Categories: The jury awards the prizes based on specific technical criteria for each category and submits their choices by email no later than December 18, 2024, at midnight.

Article 7: Awards

The B7A awards 25 trophies in different categories, as well as special prizes ("Honorary Balafon" and "Special Balafon") and the "7even Golden Awards 2024".

Article 8: Ceremony

The awards ceremony takes place at Canal Olympia Douala on Thursday, December 19, 2024. It includes a red carpet, the announcement of winners, and the presentation of trophies.

Article 9: Criteria by Section and Category

Honorary Balafon:

• Impact on the film or audiovisual industry

• Outstanding career and achievements

• Contribution to the promotion of culture and arts

• Commitment to social causes

Special Balafon:

• Innovation and originality

• Exceptional artistic quality

• Resonance with the public and critics

• Contribution to a particular genre or theme

  Documentary Film Category

Best Documentary Film:

• Quality of research and investigation

• Originality of the subject and narrative

• Emotional and intellectual impact

• Quality of production (editing, image, sound)

• Social and cultural relevance

  Animation Film Category

Best Animation Film:

• Originality of the story and characters

• Quality of animation (drawing, 3D, etc.)

• Artistic and visual design

• Relevance of the message and themes addressed

  Short Film Category

Best Short Film:

• Originality of the story and direction

• Emotional impact in a short time

• Technical quality (image, sound, editing)

• Relevance of the message and themes addressed

  Shortcom Category

Best Actor/Actress in a Shortcom:

• Comic talent and ability to make people laugh

• Mastery of improvisation

• Screen presence and charisma

• Contribution to group dynamics

Best Shortcom:

• Quality of writing (scripts, dialogues)

• Originality of concepts and situations

• Rhythm and dynamism

• Relevance of the themes addressed

  Feature Film and TV Series Sections

  For these sections, the criteria will be similar, as follows:

Screenplay: Originality, coherence, character development, dialogues.

Direction: Staging, actor direction, rhythm, atmosphere.

Cinematography: Framing, lighting, visual aesthetics.

Sound: Sound editing, music, sound effects.

Acting: Character accuracy, emotions, expressiveness.

Artistic Direction: Sets, costumes, makeup, special effects.

Originality and Innovation: Personal input, breaking with established codes.

Emotional and Intellectual Impact: Ability to touch and make people think.

7even Golden Awards Section

7even Golden Awards 2024:

• Overall impact on the event

• Strong symbol for the film industry

• Source of inspiration

• Relevance to the event s values

• Symbolism and added value to Cameroonian cinema

Article 10: Scoring Methods and Winner Designation

The jury and public votes are collected until December 18 at midnight. These votes are then

consolidated and ranked by category, from first to fifth place, based on the number of votes received.

- Points Attribution:

Ranking: Each rank is associated with a number of points according to the following scale:

• 1st place: 5 points
• 2nd place: 4 points
• 3rd place: 3 points
• 4th place: 2 points
• 5th place: 1 point

• - Calculation of the Final Score: The points awarded to each work or artist for each vote are added to determine a final score by category.
• - Winner Designation:
  Main Criterion: The work or artist with the highest final score wins the category.
  In Case of a Tie: In the event of tied scores:
  Jury Privilege: The jury s votes are prioritized.
  Jury President s Vote: If the tie persists after analyzing the jury s votes, the jury president s vote is doubled to break the tie.

• Additional Considerations:

Transparency: To ensure transparency, detailed voting results (number of votes per rank, final scores) may be made public after the ceremony, subject to participants agreement.
Vote Weighting: Depending on the importance attributed to the jury and public votes, a multiplier coefficient may be considered for the jury s votes.
Additional Tie-Breaking Criteria: If a tie persists after applying the previous rules, additional criteria may be defined by the organizing committee (e.g., other significant awards won by the work or artist in the same category, originality of the project, its commercial or popular success).

in other competitions, originality of the project, its commercial or popular success.

Article 11: Participants Commitment

By submitting a film to the 7even Awards, participants agree to comply with the competition rules and to accept the decisions of the jury and organizers.

Article 12: Modification of the Rules

Balafon Television reserves the right to modify these rules at any time. Any changes will be announced on the Balafon Media platforms.

The Management of Balafon Television