Blog: Film festivals

In 2021, “The Biggest Little Fest In Europe” was heralded as "One of the World's Leading Indie Film Fests"- The Hollywood Reporter

Rated among the top 5 Film Festivals worldwide for Independent Films by American film critic Chris Gore in his esteemed “Ultimate Film Festival Guide”, and ranked “Top 25 Coolest Festivals in the World” by MovieMaker, Oldenburg has fostered its success with a strong commitment to innovative and Independent filmmaking.

“If there's anything that could be considered the Promised Land of Independent Cinema in Europe today, it is Oldenburg.” - Accred - L'actualité des festivals de cinéma

Labelled ‘the German Sundance’ by Variety, Hollywood Reporter, and Screen International, amongst others, Oldenburg has evolved while preserving its intimate atmosphere and founding purpose: to celebrate and support the diverse voices and visions of independent filmmakers, to honor the creativity of the artists upon which the Festival depends, and to create a unique experience and inspiring meeting place for filmmakers, audiences, and media professionals.

“Oldenburg - renown for its determination, cinephilia, and openness for the extremes - impresses with its brilliant programming.” - GRIP

Additionally, in an effort to raise awareness and build bridges between worlds through the common language of film, Oldenburg is the only Film Festival in the world that annually screens part of its regular program to incarcerated individuals who share the experience with members of the general public in an actual high-security Prison environment, known as ‘The Alcatraz of the North’.

“Oldenburg thrives as a discovery channel.” - Screen International

In addition to supporting the discovery of new artists, Oldenburg has hosted the German Premieres of films by such acclaimed filmmakers as Darren Aronofsky, Brian De Palma, Steven Soderbergh, Michael Polish, Johnnie To, Chan-wook Park, Monte Hellmann, & Takeshi Kitano amongst others. Guests of honor have included Jim McBride, Larry Clark, Philippe de Broca, Andrzej Zulawski, Ken Russell, Jerry Schatzberg, James Toback, Radley Metzger, Ted Kotcheff, Phedon Papmichael, George Armitage, Christophe Honoré, Edward R. Pressman, Bruce Robinson, William Freidkin, Ovidio Assonitis, and Peter & John Hyams who have all attended the festival for Retrospectives of their work.

“Just as impressive as the films was the festival itself, which, under the inspired direction of Torsten Neumann, combined intelligent cinephilia with a laid-back atmosphere of democratic equality.” - Sight and Sound

Nicolas Cage, Seymour Cassel, Asia Argento, Keira Knightley, Deborah Kara Unger, Mira Sorvino, Bobcat Goldthwait, Michael Wadleigh, Joanna Cassidy, Luke Wilson, Ben Gazzara, Stacy Keach, Amanda Plummer, Keith Carradine, Matthew Modine, Sean Baker, Andrea Rau, Mattie Do & Noémie Merlant are amongst many who have attended as honored guests or for Tributes in their honor.

“Alongside Venice and Toronto, Oldenburg is considered one of the most important Autumn Festivals for Independent Cinema” - de Telegraaf

Rated #1 in Germany on The Most Important Autumn Film Festivals List for and by the German Film Industry (Blickpunkt Film), and #3 internationally after Venice & TIFF, Oldenburg is regarded as “one of the most important European festivals for independent cinema" (Tagesschau).

“Oldenburg is a pilgrimage for cineastes.”- Die Zeit

Branching off from The Indie Gathering International Film Festival comes the United Latino Film Festival. The Indie Gathering began in 1996, and through all our years of accepting film submissions, we have recognized the outstanding quality of Spanish-language films and a greater demand for a Hispanic/Latino film festival. The United Latino Film Festival exists to showcase the Hispanic/Latino independent filmmaker. Our mission is to encourage filmmakers through a competitive showcase of independent features, documentaries, shorts, and music videos. Filmmakers participate in their screenings and after the films speak with audience members who seek a closer look into the creative process.

The Museo do Pobo Galego (Museum of Galician People) organises the Mostra Internacional de Cinema Etnográfico - Ethnographic Film Festival. 19th Mostra de Cinema Etnográfico Museo do Pobo Galego will run 20-26 March, 2024 in Santiago
de Compostela.

Call for entries from December 5,2023 to January 10,2024.

We understand ethnographic cinema in a broad sense; it refers to those productions
whose main aim is to show different aspects related to sociocultural realities as well as
a community’s way of life. It comprises films with the main focus on people, social
groups and relevant historical processes that are related to anthropology and
ethnography.

The FIRST INTERNATIONAL CINECONFIC FESTIVAL - CONSTITUCION will be held in the city of Constitución, Chile, from March 10 to 15, 2020. Short films of genre fiction or international documentary, short films made in Latin American film schools, Óperas Primas (debut feature film) of fiction or documentary genre and competition of Chilean school short films produced from January 1, 2018 may participate in competition.

"Filmaê", the first festival in latin america dedicated exclusively to films produced with mobile devices, had its first edition in 2018, when it showed 45 national films made exclusively with phones or tablets. The Festival is committed to the democratization of cinema by encouraging the use of smartphones as a means of capturing images so that a well-told story can get on the cinema screen. The festival has a Competitive Show, exclusively for national films, and a non-competitive show of international films. Furthermore, we promote, debates and workshops to capacitate and encourage mobile film production in our region.

The International Art Film Festival (IAFFEST) focuses on appreciating the endeavours of filmmakers through awards and rewards to increase the exposure of existing productions and the quality of future films.

Our community is made up of creative artists who want to shape and change the narrative of filmmaking globally. This year, the theme of the festival is “This is entertainment”.

We are giving filmmakers and other stakeholders who would participate in the festival an opportunity to express their creative sides. This could be in the form of personal experiences, lessons, opportunities, rejections and successes achieved in their respective fields.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

The Rock Horror Film Festival is more than a film festival, it’s an event that unites the best of the horror, thriller, and fantasy films with rock & roll in a big party for moviegoers who love music, and cinema. Prepare your heart for scaring and exciting nights filled with the best of the national and international thrillers, and a lot of rock & roll.

ROCK HORROR LABS

The festival will also have a team of international professionals in pannels, workshops and round tables about cinema in different areas such as: production, photography, directing, acting, makeup, soundtrack, among others.

ROUND TABLES

The festival organize round tables with the participation od the directors, actors and professionals.

The International Tour Film Fest 2024 the international competition this year is open to shorts, medium-length and feature films; The festival is sponsored and organized by the Cultural CivitaFilm, with organizational headquarters in Via Togliatti No. 12 -00053- Civitavecchia (Rome, ITALY), in collaboration with: Mibact, City of Civitavecchia, Regione Lazio and Enel.

12th Delhi International Film Festival 2025, at New Delhi, India on 10th Feb-12th Feb 2025
and DELHI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ACADEMY AWARDS - DIFFA

The Delhi International Film Festival Academy Awards is organized in various parts of the world annually, to recognize, honor and encourage excellence in Indian Cinema. The vast cultural and geographical diversities in India contribute to an eclectic and heady mixture of popular and art cinema in every region. Indian Film Industry has always been an amalgamation of Regional and Hindi Film Industry - both thriving uniquely as well as blending beautifully into a symbiotic relationship. DIFFAA attempts to bring under one roof and on one stage, Regional cinema as well as the famed Bollywood from India, and award artistic and technical brilliance in films released during the previous calendar year.

WHY IS DIFFA UNIQUE

1. DIFFA AWARDS, organized by the DELHI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ACADEMY is a unique concept based on the sole purpose of promotion of Indian Cinema all over the world. Delhi International Film Festival has been striving towards taking the Culture and Cinema of India to various countries, ever since its first edition of a very rich Regional Film Industry is lesser known. To bring to the foray, the excellent films which :

2. Indian Films are hugely popular across continents and also, the existence of a very rich Regional Film Industry is lesser known. To bring to the foray, the excellent films which are made in India, be it the Hindi Films or the Regional, DIFF has conceived the idea of an Award, which will be given to individuals and cinema of excellence.

3. The Information & Broadcasting Ministry and the Culture & Tourism Ministries associate with Delhi International Film Festival. This support from the Government adds value to the DIFFA Awards. Also, the Embassies of various countries have expressed interest in the event.

4. DIFFA Awards will also present awards to the films made by the Host Country. An Advisory Board will recommend the films released during the year which shall be considered for Awards. Films so selected will also be screened during the DIFFA screening events.

DELHI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (DIFF)

BRINGING COUNTRIES AND CINEMA CLOSER…

12th DELHI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL-2025 is being organized from 10th Feb-12th Feb 2025, at NEW DELHI, as a Seven day event, in association with GOVT. OF NAGALAND, NDMC, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING MINISTRY and THE CULTURE AND TOURISM Ministary, FILM BANDHU, UTTAR PRADESH are our Associate Partners.

The festival is approved by the INFORMATION & BROADCASTING MINISTRY and works as a composite body to promote INDIAN CINEMA, CULTURE AND TOURISM in INDIA and ABROAD.

DIFF has now grown into a global platform joining hands to collaborate with a multitude of film festivals in many countries or offering support to a host of upcoming festivals across the world. DIFF aims at understanding the science, art and emotion behind cinema, reaching it out to the audiences far and wide and promoting Indian Cinema, Art and Culture. The Festival offers premier showcase opportunity for talented film makers and artists, celebrates AVANTE GARDE CINEMA, felicitates masters and achievers from all walks of life and brings countries closer by building bridges to enable cross cultural exchanges, social understanding and creative idealization.

12th DELHI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL-2025 will be held from 10th Feb-12th Feb 2025 at NEW DELHI

Also with this 11th DIFF 2024 is going to showcase 193 films from more than 58 countries and about 100 works of art displayed at the Art Show. Film Personalities, Artists, Diplomats, Political dignitaries and audiences close to 5000, will witness the spectacular Opening Ceremony, Closing & Awards Event and savor the vast variety of films screened during the festival.

With the focus on African Cinema , DIFF will screen some very interesting films.

Information & Broadcasting Ministry and NDMC offered invaluable support and association for this edition of DIFF as in the earlier editions. Jharkhand, Assam, UP-Film Bandhu, Uttrakhand became the State and Tourism Partner and ARGENTINA AND SENEGAL are the Country Partners this year.

shnit Worldwide Shortfilmfestival is a premier venue for the exhibition and promotion of short films. The festival is an exceptional twelve-day event with a unique concept – a transnational film festival simultaneously taking place in eight cities on five continents worldwide. The festival includes three main segments:

shnit PLAYGROUNDS*
shnit EXPANDED
shnit OPENING | shnit FINALE*

In its twentyone years of existence, shnit has become a major international short film festival that reinvents itself in ever new forms. What started as a local initiative is now an exceptional transnational event that connects and inspires makers and fans of short films across the globe. shnit embraces diversity, originality, and exchange between creators and an audience from different cultures and backgrounds. It is the main goal to actively increase the perception of short filmmaking by creating a multi-platform event for high-quality short films. With its cinematic treats, the popular festival fascinates more than 30.000 visitors and therefore belongs to the leading short film festivals in the world.

shnit is a non-profit organization. The annual festival is created and centrally coordinated by the shnit ASSOCIATION in cooperation with the executives. The organization is built on principles of excellence and professionalism, enabling the global expansion of the festival possible.

*shnit Worldwide Shortfilmfestival takes place simultaneously in the several cities, shnit PLAYGROUNDS, on five continents. Planned for 2024 are screenings in Buenos Aires [Argentina], Cairo [Egypt], Goa [India], Hong Kong [China], Moscow [Russia], San José [Costa Rica], Australia, Canada, South Africa and the shnit OPENING in Bern [Switzerland] and the shnit FINALE in Amsterdam [The Netherlands]. Affected by the aftermath of the Covid-pandemic, there may be changes in this planning and / or a geo-blocked password protected online screening could replace a theatrical screening. The shnit FINALE in Amsterdam is held annually, as long as the contributions of the partners and sponsors make this possible.The definite festival-setup will be announced on September 1st 2024 on shnit.org.

The 9th edition of the Skyline Benidorm Film Festival will take place in the city of Benidorm, from March 29 to April 5, 2025, in the city of Benidorm (Spain).

The competition is addressed to filmmakers from all over the world who produce short films and documentaries.

Its purpose is to appraise short films and documentary-films whose goal is expressiveness and cultural disclosure starting a cinematographic event throughout Val d’Intelvi.

A short film contest organized by the online magazine InsideTheShow .(www.insidetheshow.it), in collaboration with Alessandria Film Festival and Premio Adelio Ferrero (one of the most prestitigious awards for cinema critics in Italy).
"Inside The Short" is an international competition presenting the newest and best short films from all around the world.

The films are judged and awarded by an highly professional jury composed by cinema critics and directors.
Selected films for the International Competition are considered by the members of the Jury. Inside The Short Film competition will assign three awards as following:
- Best Short Fiction
- Best Short Documentary
- Best Short Animation

INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM.
PEHUAJÓ INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (FIC PEHUAJO) is a sample of films, short films and live bands organized by the Agrupación Generacción with the support of the Secretariat of Culture of the City of Pehuajó that will take place from February 17 to 25, 2020, in the city of Pehuajó, Prov. de Bs. As. Over the years we managed to turn this project into an Independent International Film Festival unique in the area that manages to promote audiovisual culture in our city and region; thus creating a space for reflection, production and exhibition of works by independent filmmakers. It is in this context that we launched the 7th Call for the Short Film Contest of the PEHUAJÓ INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL that opens on October 14, 2019. Waiting for you to join us, we detail below its bases and conditions

The International Short Film Festival Psarokokalo is an annual festival held in Greece since 2007. The festival aims to provide a showcase for the work of new filmmakers from around the world and to promote the diversity and richness of the short film. The festival is part of a project aiming to research, promote and develop the art of filmmaking. The festival program includes screenings of short films from Greece and abroad as well as audiovisual events, lectures, masterclasses, exhibitions, and live concerts. The quality of its screenings, lectures, exhibitions have managed to make it a reference point for cinephiles, filmmakers, professionals, and new artists. Each year the activities of the festival expanded, receiving more participation from different countries and getting bigger support from filmmakers and professionals. The festival aims to travel across borders to develop a spirit of friendship and cooperation with international festivals and filmmakers from all over the world. Psarokokalo International Short Film Festival is run by Kyklos a nonprofit organization based in Athens whose purpose is to promote actions relating to cinema and public awareness of environmental issues. ‘Kyklos’ in Greek means cycle and the vision of the cycle is the respect for fundamental rights including freedom equal opportunities and cultural diversity

Do you have an inspirational or CHRISTIAN faith-based film that will leave the viewer encouraged, uplifted or in a place of retrospection? Whether it's a short or feature film, animation or a mini-film, we want your film!

Please note however, that the festival takes place on a church property, therefore NO PROFANITY, NO NUDITY, NO HORROR OR INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT WILL BE ACCEPTED.

INSPIRED FAITH IS ALL ABOUT INSPIRATION! AND IT'S ALL ABOUT THE FILMS!!

The three-day festival begins with a welcome party will screen short films, feature films and documentaries from around the world, that inspire hope, encourage dreams, and tell stories about courage and faith in the midst of challenges.

ON Awards Night, we will have winners in all categories plus a special award for Best Female Director/Filmmaker. There are also a host of special awards such as the Inspiring Missions Awards and the coveted Inspired Faith Award for the top film.

Categories are: Mini, Short, Middy, Feature, Student, Documentary and Animation.

Inspired Sisters!!! Give your faith-based and inspiring films an audience. We will honor women filmmakers, directors and/or producers with a Best Female Filmmaker/Director award dedicated just to recognizing the contributions of women filmmakers to the industry.

Inspired students!!! Students are encouraged to submit their short films for consideration.

Inspired Animation!!! We would love to see an inspirational story in animation. Remember, children's stories can be inspiring too.

Inspired Faith is produced by BarriVIsion Films & Productions, Inc., producers of family-friendly and faith-based films and television programming. The festival is sponsored by BarriVision Films and Redeemed Christian Fellowship, where it will be held.

So head for Marietta, just an hour from downtown Atlanta, Georgia in May, for a weekend of exciting films, fun and fellowship.

See you there!

Spello is a wonderful old medieval village with amazing history, art, tradition, nature, food and wine, in the beautiful Italian region of Umbria.

Spello is placed in the centre of Italian area between Florence, Perugia and Rome.

…… a film finishes and everyone stands up to leave the screening room, the film credits are however still being shown, and in doing so the immense work by those professionals, who contributed to the making of the film with passion and professionalism, is overlooked. How much hard work and sacrifice has been involved? Who are these people behind the scenes?

For this reason the "Festival del Cinema Città di Spello ed I Borghi Umbri" – “RASSEGNA CONCORSO LE PROFESSIONI DEL CINEMA“, was established in 2012; dedicated to those professionals behind the scenes of cinema:

http://www.festivalcinemaspello.com/fcs/index.php/it/spelloisff

The idea of the festival was created by Donatella Cocchini, President of L’Associazione Culturale Aurora and by movie director, Fabrizio Cattani.

FROM 8 YEARS THE FESTIVAL HAS A NEW SECTION DEDICATED TO SHORT FILMS BY PROFESSIONALS FROM AROUND THE WORLD WITH THE COMPETITION:
“SPELLO INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL”

The Festival is characterized because it rewards the best professions who work behind the scenes to make a film. The jury will decide the winners by evaluating overall the various processes and professions who participated, especially the script, the cinematography, the costumes, set design, makeup, sound, music.

The next edition will be held from 7 to 16 MARCH 2025

Next Year video-makers from all over the world will be able to show their works in this new international competition open to short film of any genre.

Ten days of live screenings, Award Event and for all winners a beautiful and original trophy exclusively create for the Spello Int’lShort film Festival.

ATTENTION ALL THE SELECTED SHORT FILMS AND THE FINALISTS WILL BE SCREENED DURING THE FESTIVAL DAYS.

SAN BENEDETTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ( Terms, Rules, prizes and motivations can be translated in 22 languages visiting our site https://www.sanbenedettofilmfest.it)

"MAGICSCREENPLAY" ( Terms, Rules, prizes and motivations can be translated in 22 languages visiting our site https://www.sanbenedettofilmfest.it/magic-screenplay/)


We built a festival in total freedom, without any external conditioning. An International Short Film Competition. A window on cinema from a privileged viewpoint: the city of San Benedetto del Tronto. Born in 2017, the SBFF has become one of the leading international events for the Adriatic Riviera and the Piceno region. The events will take place at the Palazzina Azzurra in San Benedetto del Tronto (AP) on Viale Buozzi 14.

"MAGICSCREENPLAY" - (Collateral Event to the SAN BENEDETTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL) was born from the need to combine the scenic, architectural and natural beauties of the Marche Region in syncrasia with the cultural, social heritage and identity need of the places and the human and professional resources that come from them, evolve and hope for an ever-increasing expansion of training, skills and abilities.

The Contest was born within a strategy of discovery and promotion of national and international emerging talents and represents the exclusive context to select, through a Quality Jury, the best pitch, with a predefined theme, to be declined into a consequent script.

After the selection, the one deemed to perform best will be subjected to development through the creation of a short film with a total length of no more than 15 minutes, produced by the Associated Professionals Association of Art & Management "IL SERPENTE AUREO," in collaboration with and with the support of the FILM COMMISSION MARCHE, the MARCHE REGION and under the patronage of the City of San Benedetto del Tronto.

ARTIST'S VISIONS - VISIONS FROM THE WORLD

- " There is no art form like cinema to strike the conscience, shake the emotions and reach the secret rooms of the soul" Ingmar Bergman

- " Life in the depths is completely different from life on the surface and has mysterious and terrifying aspects" Dario Argento

- " I am not an artist but a craftsman" "The heart must mediate between the brain and the hands" Fritz Lang

- " I steal from every single film ever made. If I like things I mix them together. And if people don't like it, then don't go see it.... I steal from everything.... Great artists steal not make homages" Quentin Tarantino

- " No matter where the world goes, even if I can't speak a foreign language, I don't feel out of place. I think of the earth as my home. "Akira Kurosawa

- " An essential element of all art is risk..." Francis Ford Coppola

- " Cinema is a mode of expression that allows one to express all the nuances of a thing and its opposites..." Catherine Breillat

- " Unlike all other art forms, cinema is able to capture and render the passage of time, to stop it almost to possess it in infinity. I would say that film is the sculpture of time. "Andrei Tarkovsky

- " I am just a storyteller and film seems to be my medium. I like it because it recreates life in motion, enhances it ... it is my way of telling a story. "Federico Fellini

- " The art of film can only really exist through a highly organized betrayal of reality" François Truffaut

- " I work with my dreams or nightmares" David Cronenberg

- " If I can't get the characters to talk, then I give up " Quantin Tarantino

- " The poet stretches out his hand to lead us beyond the last horizon, beyond the top of the pyramid, to that land that extends beyond the true and the false, beyond life and death, beyond space and time, beyond reason and fantasy, beyond spirit and matter." Alejandro Jodorowsky

- " Cinema is the 'only art form in which the works move and the viewer remains motionless " Ennio Flaiano

- " Cinema is a cultural industry. Making films also means assuming a social and moral responsibility. Therefore, we should not produce what we can sell, but sell what we want to produce " Franco Cristaldi

- " I think that scandalizing is a right.... " Pier Paolo Pasolini

- " To act is to listen... " Pupi Avati

- " I think the past affects the ability to tell stories" Joel Coen

- " Cinema is beautiful if it can read reality " Ettore Scola

- " Cinema consists of two things: a screen and chairs. The secret lies in filling them both " Roberto Benigni

DocAction Film Festival is an annual event focusing on international documentaries, video arts, ecperimental movies and mobile-made-films. Its purpose is to show outstanding films and arts from all over the world, recognize and support new filmmakers and writers and to enhance awareness and understanding of cinematography as art among diverse audiences.

New 2025 Season OPEN.

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The Wild Indie Sci-fi & Fantasy Film Festival continues to celebrate our favourite genres of film. Enter once, your film is assessed for all the categories (see note below). It's a shorts specific festival and there are prizes for some categories. We are trying to get more all the time. We'll confirm prizes for the new season between the hyphens below.

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News Oct 24 - First Prize Sponsor - Announcement week commencing 20th Oct.
News Oct 24 - Open
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The last season of WISFFF brought us to a new home in Genesis Cinema - London. And this season, we are staying. There is a lovely welcoming "film-o-phile" vibe going on at the cinema, which resulted in lots of fun, and a surprising amount of networking. WISFFF continues to grow with more entries and awards and prizes than ever before We also had an awesome and ever growing selection of films at the screening. There are some photos of the various events on here.

Awards wise, there are a number of challenges, awards and prizes for Micro (2min), Mini (10min), and Short (25min) film categories within the genre.

The 2022 Early Bird Teaser can be viewed at:
https://youtu.be/8at62y06D_0

The 2021 trailer can be viewed here:
https://youtu.be/pQezUJrQroY

News for the 2024-5 season will come to you via the the social media channels, particularly the Facebook Page, mainly because the text isn’t limited in characters like other channels.

To answer a question asked all the time. Yes HORROR is included and has it's own sub-genera award.

The festival is open to all (UK, Worldwide, The Up/Down/LSide/RSide Dimensions, even the Outer Spiral Arm (of the Galaxy). English is the festivals first language ; other languages are welcome but should be closed captioned to English. Awards are listed in full below.

If we've had the good fortune to see an advert for your film and sent you a discount/waiver it's because we really want you to enter. We make films and enter festivals ourselves so we know just how many offers you'll get on a marketing cycle. If you've got an offer from us, it's because we think your film fits? If you we didn't see your ad'... ask us... filmmaking is about networking.

This event is completely independent of Wild Indie's production (but again ask us if you want to find out about any of those projects).