Blog: Film festivals

The Cinalfama Lisbon International Film Festival is an annual outdoor event located in the heart of Lisbon's historic neighborhood, Alfama. For a week, we occupy the street with independent films from around the world.


OPEN CALL

We welcome submissions from independent directors, screenwriters, and composers who want to see their work screened at the white walls of Alfama.

ABOUT CINALFAMA

Cinalfama Lisboa International Film Festival celebrates the rich cultural and historical tapestry of one of the city's most iconic areas, providing a unique platform for independent filmmakers worldwide.

We aim to promote cultural and artistic diversity through cinema, highlighting works that address relevant, innovative, and provocative themes. With a carefully curated selection of films, our goal is to offer the audience an engaging and diverse cinematic experience.

To believe in an independent film festival in the streets of one of Lisbon's historic neighborhoods inevitably absorbed by gentrification is to persist and pursue a community utopia where cinema plays a restorative role.

In this context, Cinalfama has been developing a pilot program to collect stories and orality from residents and spaces in the neighborhood, in an attempt to rescue the essence of this population.

Several of the directors who make up the Cinalfama team, such as Pedro Costa, Leonor Teles, and Pedro Cabeleira, are taking part in this pressing project, whose collections are being screened at the Cinalfama Lisboa International Film Festival.

Cinalfama holds a second Open Call for the Film Observatory - regular competitive sessions three times a year (January, April, and October) - with different categories.

DIGO – I International Film Festival on Gender and Sexual Diversity of Goiás, is the first film festival in the heart of Brazil to address issues such as Diversity, Gender and Sexuality, by showcasing contemporary audiovisual work and urging historical reviews. Our main goal is to raise awareness on this topic, in order to promote inclusion, social change and respect for others. As an international event, the DIGO team also believes in the importance of cross cultural communication.

World Smart Shorts Independent Panorama (WSSIPFest) to międzynarodowy festiwal poświęcony prezentacji filmów krótkometrażowych stworzonych przy użyciu inteligentnych technologii, w szczególności smartfonów.

Wydarzenie to celebruje innowacyjność, kreatywność i niezależne opowiadanie historii przez filmowców z całego świata.

World - odzwierciedla globalny zasięg festiwalu, przyjmując różnorodne głosy i kultury.

Smart - podkreślający sprytne wykorzystanie dostępnej technologii i nowoczesnych technik opowiadania historii.

Shorts - skupiający się na filmach krótkometrażowych, które dostarczają mocnych narracji w krótkim formacie.
Independent - wspierający twórców filmowych, którzy pracują poza studiami głównego nurtu, broniąc oryginalności i wolności twórczej.

Panorama - oferuje szeroki wachlarz stylów filmowych, perspektyw i historii z całego świata.

The tenth edition of the International Festival of Socio-Environmental Cinema PLANET.Doc 2025 will take place from September 25 to December 25, 2025, in a hybrid format, with an extensive online program accessible throughout Brazil. The event presents a curated selection of international, Brazilian, and regional (Catarinense) documentaries, animations, and virtual reality films focused on socio-environmental and scientific themes.

In addition, the Festival will host the fifth edition of the PLANET.Doc Conference, which will bring together leading thinkers, scientists, journalists, and cultural agents from around the world in a major global conversation on sustainability. The conference will take place during the opening week of the festival and will be streamed to universities, schools, and the general public.

The event promotes an active dialogue between cinema, science, and society, offering film screenings and thematic discussions aimed at educational institutions, NGOs, and broader audiences across Brazil.

Submissions of documentaries, animations, and virtual reality works will be accepted until July 31, 2025, in the following categories:

SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTARY

NATURE DOCUMENTARY

ANIMATION

SCIENTIFIC DOCUMENTARY

As a whole, the festival offers a remarkable showcase of some of the most relevant cinematic works about the Planet today—bringing together science, technology, nature, and society in a free, accessible experience for schools, universities, and cultural centers, primarily through digital platforms.

For more information, please visit the official website: https://www.planetadoc.com

1. ORGANIZATION
The Salerno International Film Festival, with its registered office in Salerno, at Via Portacatena n.° 51 - 84121 Salerno (SA), Tax Code 80046160653, was founded in 1946 by CINECLUB SALERNO. For several years, a non-profit Organizing Committee has been established to manage the annual Editions.

2. OBJECTIVES AND AIMS
Since its inception, the Salerno International Film Festival has been a competitive event for Italian and international productions, offering a continuous forum for discussion on the developments of world cinema.

The Festival assigns cinema an important social function, and its purpose is to constantly adapt its approach to the evolution of technologies and new "audiovisual" media.

The Festival fulfills its original task of film dissemination and literacy, consistent with its tradition, with a particular focus on independent works and technical-artistic innovation.

3. FESTIVAL PROGRAM AND SCHEDULE
The 79th Salerno International Film Festival will take place in the City of Salerno from November 24th to 29th, 2025, at the Cine - Teatro Augusteo.

In addition to the Competitions for the various Film Sections, the Festival also features Reviews, Retrospectives and collateral activities (Exhibitions, Conferences, Round Tables, etc.), as a contribution to the dissemination of the History of Italian and International Cinema.

During the closing night on November 29th, 2025, awards will be presented to the winning films, and recognitions will be given to prominent figures in the artistic, social and cultural fields. The Awards Ceremony may also be divided into two specific evenings: one dedicated to “Specialized Cinematography” (documentaries, cartoons, etc.) and another dedicated to Feature Films and various recognitions.

The screening of the films will take place at the Cine – Teatro Augusteo and will be scheduled at the discretion of the Festival Direction, based on the submission date of the films and their prior selection.
Both the collateral events and the awards ceremony will be streamed live on the Festival’s official social media channels.

The festival's theme will be "Waves from the Future". Every era sends visions, background noises, distant echoes: waves that pass through us and speak to us even before they are understood. Some carry clear messages, others are distorted, ambiguous, elusive. But they all tell something about the world that is and the world that is to come.

What is the future communicating to us today?

What visions, themes, and narratives are already emerging in our present?

What do we perceive in a time marked by crisis, mutations, and hyper-technologies?

We invite authors and directors to capture, translate, and resonate with the waves coming from what is not yet.

Whether it's a near or distant future, collective or intimate; a dystopia, a hope, a question. We want to hear the beat of hidden stories, of faint signals, of innovative visions that will be the light of tomorrow.

The "Waves from the Future" theme will be given preference for selection purposes but is not binding: it represents a field of possibilities, an open wave.

3. BIS. VOD PLATFORM
To broaden the distribution of submitted films, the Salerno International Film Festival provides a dedicated VOD platform, active from October 15th to 31th, 2025.

During this period, both selected and non-selected films will be available for online viewing and voting, offering all participants an opportunity for visibility and the chance to compete for the Audience Award.

Viewing and voting on the platform require prior registration. Uploaded films cannot be downloaded.

Filmmakers who do not wish to make their film available on the VOD platform may still enter the competition: their film will still be reviewed and evaluated by the official jury.

Dieciminuti Film Festival was created in 2005 by IndieGesta. It was able to quickly become one of the events dedicated to short films most important in Italy.

The Festival, whose first 20 editions attended by more than 19,200 short films involving a total of nearly 24,000 spectators, is structured in various competitive sections: Official Selection (for short films up to 10 minutes released after the 1st of January 2025), Extralarge (for shorts between 10 and 15 minutes released after the 1st of January 2025) Animations (animations for up to 10 minutes released after the 1st of January 2025), Doc10 (documentaries for up to 10 minutes released after the 1st of January 2025), Visti da Vicino (for short films up to 10 minutes released by directors coming from the province of Frosinone after the 1st of January 2025).

At the Competitive sections, joins the Dieciminuti Academy, a school of cinema that brings young people of our province to create from scratch a short fiction or animation. The thing that is unique about the festival on the national scene is to be a real school for young people who want to explore the world of cinema. It‘s also very much appreciated the Section Esplorazioni, which allows viewers to get in touch with the short film coming from a different country each year. During last years, the festival has hosted the short unpublished masters of Japanese animation by Studio Ghibli, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, the animated short films of the Tehran Film Festival, the short films of Georges Méliès, the avantguardes, the web-series. During the 13th edition was opened also the Futurama Section, dedicated to masterclasses for students.

Cine Upar is an annual international and Colombian film festival that takes place in Valledupar in Cesar, with the aim of facilitating the circulation and exhibition of national and international film productions, while providing a screening sale for the cinematography made in Valledupar alluding to vallenato music and culture and that made by the ethnic groups located in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and in the Serranía de Perijá.

We value the creative freedom of national and international filmmakers, so in our selection there will be a space for films of any format, extension, genre or technique, as long as they are productions of quality, relevance and cinematographic relevance according to the criteria and bases of the festival. The viewing and deliberation of the films will be in charge of the Programming or Curatorship Committee, made up of a group of cinephiles, experts in cinematography and topics related to the theme of the section who share criteria with the artistic direction of Cine Upar.

The Busan International AI Film Festival is dedicated to showcasing films created using artificial intelligence technology, serving as a platform for presenting creative content produced through AI.

We aim to provide opportunities to artistically experience new forms of art and diverse genres of films created by innovative AI technologies. Additionally, we offer a stage for filmmakers who challenge themselves with creative work through AI, thereby uncovering and supporting new talents.


• Dates: December 4-6, 2025

• Venue: Busan Cinema Center, Small Theater, Sky Theater

• Awards:
·Best AI Creative Film Award: 1 film
(USD 10,000)
· AI Art Innovation Award: 1 film
(USD 5,000)
· AI Technology Advancement Award: 1 film
(USD 4,000)
· AI Social Impact Award: 1 film
(USD 3,000)


• Opening Ceremony/Performance
• Closing Ceremony
• Screening of invited films
• Screening of 15 finalists
• Conference
• Content Showcase


• Eligibility: Open to all individuals and teams, domestic and international
(one • entry per person)

• Programs: International Competition
(short films, feature films, documentaries,
animations, etc.)

• Theme: Open theme

• Submission Criteria:
· Films utilizing AI technology (partially or entirely)
· Running time: 3-15 minutes
· Films completed from 2024 onwards

• Submission Method : biaif.dureraum.org

Twelve years of Randfilmfest = Twelve years of wild and radical cinema, visionary film art, provocative themes and concepts, unusual screenings and strange formats.

This year, too, we want to lead our audience astray, plunge them into the abyss, set them on the wrong track, let them discover something new or open up unusual perspectives. Even after twelve years of festival work, we still love cinema, the big screen and unusual ways of seeing and listening.

The Compton Film Festival serves as a platform to discover emerging talent and help filmmakers gain recognition. As a premier film event, the festival provides opportunities for filmmakers to make their mark and share their stories. With dedicated screenings and filmmaker-focused events, the Compton Film Festival is a place to connect, collaborate, and celebrate the art of filmmaking.

INTERNATIONAL GASTRONOMY FICTION AND DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILMS FESTIVAL.

FICC – International Cannabis Film Festival – Launches Its Call for Entries

The FICC was born out of the need to broaden cultural perspectives through a social and committed approach to the topic of cannabis, using audiovisual media as a powerful tool for social transformation—one that generates awareness, reflection, and behavioral change.

Since 2019, the International Cannabis Film Festival has brought the subject of cannabis to the forefront through cinema and culture, helping to break down prejudices surrounding its various uses, provide information, and contribute to the expansion of rights—without promoting consumption.

National feauture films competition only

The Rani Durgavati International Film Festival is designed to celebrate Cinema.

RDIFF is committed to Showcase films from amazing filmmakers across the globe. The festival welcomes films from around the world.

RDIFF is a Jabalpur, India based international film festival with screenings and Q&A and a twice-yearly awards event. One event is totally dedicated to Short Films and other event is for Full Length Films. There will be two events every year.

Our First Edition SUCCESSFULLY launched on 5th October 2023 for Short Films.
in June 2024 our Full Length Films Edition was a success.
The 3rd Edition for short films category was completed on 5 Oct 2024. Honorable MLA Shri Abhilash Pandey distributed the Awards. Edition 4 was filled with amazing films.

Entries for edition 05 for short films are open from 15/07/2025.

Our main focus is to celebrate Cinema of Independent Filmmakers. We have a separate section for Indie Makers with less entry fee.

Note for Independent Filmmakers
As there are many films which did not get a release and makers did not get a good platform to showcase their cinema. RDIFF will provide them an online platform where they can schedule it and show it to the world. RDIFF will promote those films in the market (for that RDIFF will connect with the independent filmmakers separately, for query email us with Subject: RDIFF Play)

All projects officially selected will receive the official laurel and the custom certificate of achievement according to their final status in the competition through email.

The competition is open for professionals as well as students with separate section for student filmmakers.

Since we our guided by valour of Braveheart Queen Rani Durgavati, we will have a special category for Women Independent Filmmakers.

RDIFF is a festival with a difference.

El Festival de Cine de Trujillo es uno de los eventos culturales m ás im portantes del norte del Perú. Con once ediciones en su haber, desde el 2014 hasta el 2024, se ha afianzado como un destino fundamental en las rutas de distribución de las películas independientes del país.

Como base temática, el Fecit es un festival exclusivo de cine peruano, característica que lo ha distinguido de otros eventos importantes dentro de la movida culturalcinem atográfica, ya que pondera la exhibición de obras realizadas en distintas regiones del Perú.

FICAS - Madeira International Environmental and Sustainability Film Festival aims to promote a space for dialogue and reflection, where the cinematographic works shown will serve as tools to raise awareness of the challenges facing our planet and inspire positive action towards a more sustainable future.

Specific objectives:
To screen and award fiction, animation or documentary films by filmmakers that promote debate on the preservation of regional, national and international forests or other relevant themes: climate change, biodiversity, conservation, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, among others.

Films that promote environmental awareness and inspire positive change.


Catergories:

1-Short fiction film
2-Documentary short film
3-Animated Short Film
4-Sustainable Short Film

The Film Tracks Film Fest wants to be a meeting point between fans of filmic language, propose quality works.

A special prize will go to a short film about the MEDITERRANEAN.

We love Cinema and how we want to spread it.

CALL FOR ENTRIES MICMXIFF7

The INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL MICMXIFF invites producers and directors from Mexico, and the world to register their films for the seventh edition that will be held from March 20 to 28, 2026.

The call opens on July 14, 2025 and closes on January 12, 2026 at 18:00 (Central Mexico Time-6 GMT).

The results will be announced in February 2026 through www.micmxiff.org and the Social networks of the Festival.

In no case will the MICMXIFF pay exhibition fees to films in official competition.

Priority will be given to national, international and world premieres.

In case of obtaining a selection in any category, it is essential to attend the festival, at least to the national competition, otherwise it will be disqualified.

Feature films completed between 2024 and 2025 will be considered.


REGISTRATION AND SELECTION

To be considered, the films must be registered as follows:

Fill out the registration form available at Festhome.

Registrations must be accompanied by digital viewing copies (screeners).

The programming team can adapt the works to a sub-category not specified in the call,
either by some pattern of genres, themes or techniques that have demand in the works
sent, for example: terror, stop Motion, horror, etc.

The presence of the filmmakers is mandatory in the cases of fiction, documentary and
animated films in competition.

The absence of the director may be cause for the project to be removed from the official
selection.

The selection of the works will be the responsibility of the festival by the programming
team and members of the pre-selection juries.

Registrations will have the following costs:

Xólotl and Axólotl section
- Feature films $15 USD.
- Short films $10 USD.

MIC North Section
- Feature films $10 USD.
- Short films $7 USD.

All materials are evaluated by a selection committee made up of specialists and people
from the guild chaired by the general management of the MICMXIFF.

The selection will be final.

It is important to send all the complete materials, trailer, technical sheet, poster, stills, film.

Send PRESS KIT including the following materials: fixed photo of the work (in jpg or tif
format at 300 dpi); synopsis of the work (English and Spanish); brief biography of the
director (English and Spanish); photograph of the director (in jpg or tif format at 300 dpi);
technical sheet with list of credits.

The registration and participation of a film implies the full acceptance of these regulations
and the dates stipulated in the Call.


JURY

The jury will be made up of recognized professionals from the film industry and the cultural field.

Its members will be nominated by the Organizing Committee.

Each institution invited by the MICMXIFF will select and nominate its representative(s).

Members of the MICMXIFF may be present at the deliberations of the juries but may not
cast a vote.

The final decision of the jury will be final. No official prize can be declared deserted.

The Best Film awards of each section cannot be declared ex aequo.

In the event that the jury decides, honorary mentions may be awarded and / or awarded to more than one film if it so decides.

The Audience Award will be awarded to the film best rated by the audience.

The public will cast their vote during the public screenings.


EXHIBITION

The Festival Management will agree on the order and date of exhibition of each work.

Registered works may be selected for out-of-competition samples.

The selected works may be part of the national and international samples in which the MICMXIFF participates during 2026.

All films selected for the MICMXIFF7 must deliver a final exhibition copy in DCP and Blue Ray digital cinema format.

For competing sections, films in Spanish must be subtitled in English; films in different languages must be subtitled in Spanish and English.

The films selected for the official competition must cover the costs by KDM, shipments and subtitles.

In no case will the MICMXIFF pay exhibition fees to films in official competition.

FRAME Film Festival es un festival de cortometrajes itinerante, sin una única ubicación, que se celebrará en la provincia de Tarragona.

El FRAME Film Festival consta de dos fases.

• FASE CLASIFICATORIA
• FASE FINAL

El objetivo principal es difundir y promover la cinematografía en general y el cortometraje en particular, apoyando a las directoras y los directores de cortometrajes y creando un espacio donde puedan dar a conocer sus trabajos.

Pero sobre todo trabajamos para que las y los cineastas se sientan acogidos y vivan la experiencia de visitarnos cómo si estuvieran en familia. LA GRAN FAMILIA DEL CORTOMETRAJE!

Otro motivo es ampliar la oferta de acontecimientos culturales para hacer llegar el cortometraje a a poblaciones que no tengan la oportunidad de disfrutar de nuestro cine en formato CORTO.

En el FRAME Film Festival queremos darle al público que sigue y disfruta los cortometrajes, la oportunidad de decidir sobre la selección de las películas que pasarán a la FASE FINAL para recibir los premios TALENTO FRAME.

mujerDOC - IX INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL ON GENDER, organized by the NGO Mujeres del Mundo and the Soria City Council, is a documentary screening platform created to contribute eliminating gender stereotypes and highlighting women's role in regional development.

The submitted works must address themes related to demands for equality and the feminist agenda. Documentaries must be produced after January 1st, 2023. There is no minimum or maximum length limit. They must be subtitled in Spanish and/or English. If a version with Spanish subtitles is not available, it is required to send a version with English subtitles and the SRT dialogue list in English.

The festival will take place in March 2026 in Soria (Spain). Should exceptional circumstances prevent the festival from taking place on these dates, sufficient advance notice will be given through social media and other media outlets.

The festival, through a Committee, will select the films that will be part of a single Official Section, with the following prizes:

- Women's Award: 3,000 euros (works with a female director will be eligible for this award)

- Long Film Award: 2,000 euros (for 60 minutes or more)

- Short Film Award: 1,000 euros (until 59 minutes)

- CIMA Award for Best Female Filmmaker (trophy and one year as a member of the Association of Women Filmmakers and Audiovisual Media of Spain).