The Awards
Recognition earned at home, judged on one continental stage.
National level
Each country identifies its best five films
The country's formally named National Selection Committee — formed with help from a representative appointed by Golden Arc Honors — publicises a national call for entries, screens eligibility, judges, and selects exactly five official films.
Continental level
Golden Arc Honors determines nominees and winners
The Secretariat runs a continental eligibility and technical review. Eligible films then go before the independent continental jury, leading to official nominees, final judging and the Grand Award Night.
Two kinds of recognition
Competitive awards and honorary distinctions.
Competitive
Decided by the continental jury against published judging criteria — storytelling, direction, acting, cinematography, screenwriting, editing, sound, production design, costume, cultural relevance, originality and overall creative achievement.
The proposed core categories →Honorary
A separate division recognising exceptional service, leadership, heritage and long-term contribution. Honorary awards follow their own nomination, research, verification and approval process, and are never announced before approval.
Honorary distinctions →Awards integrity
Principles that protect every result.
Independent judging
The continental jury is independent of national selection and of sponsorship and commercial decisions.
Merit only
No country automatically receives an award because of its participation. Awards are decided by creative merit.
Conflict-of-interest controls
Committee members and jurors disclose conflicts and step aside wherever impartiality could be compromised.
Confidentiality
Juror identities stay confidential until final voting is complete. Jury discussions and unpublished results are never made public.
Multiple categories
One film may be considered for several categories where it meets each category's requirements.
Verified results
Official results are published only after authorised approval.