Blog: Film festivals

Fantasy Filmfest is one of the largest film-events in Germany swell as a renowned platform for genre titles and very much supported by the local film industry. Fantasy Filmfest is based on a traveling concept touring 7 major German cities September each year.

Our program’s focus is on a hand-picked and high quality selection of about 40 features and 10 short films. The continuously increasing number of visitors confirms the festival’s reputation as one of the biggest genre events worldwide.

Fantasy Filmfest is well-respected among distributors for being a link between them and producers as well as sales companies. German buyers and distribution companies consider the festival an extraordinary market and a promotional opportunity, often attending each festival city to get an up close impression of the audience’s reaction. It is therefore considered an important nationwide event and a testing ground for audience reception. It is not uncommon for films to get picked up by German distributors after inclusion in the festival’s program.

For more information, please click here or visit our homepage: www.fantasyfilmfest.com

Seoul International ALT Cinema & media arts Festival (NeMaf) is the annual festival that shows media-based art with innovative spirit in its themes and forms.

The types of works we show include single-channel video arts, media arts, documentaries, found-footage films, essay films, experimental films, and so on. It takes place at multiple cinemas around Seoul.

It has been founded and showcased more than 2,000 media-based works and discovered 1,000 artists since it was founded in 2000.

NeMaf now opens for submissions and seeks innovative films and media art works.

- Submission Deadline
MAY 17, 2024 11:59 PM (Korea Standard Time)

The Shorts Costa Rica International Film Festival is an initiative dedicated to promote and celebrate the richness of the short film, its diversity in themes, styles and voices, and the great national and international talent responsible for its creation.

This festival seeks to strengthen cinematographic diversity through the exhibition, training and dissemination of Costa Rican talent, and participation of international viewings in the country, giving the public the best of short filmmaking.

Our proposal is to provide small and large producers of short films the possibility of obtaining an impact within the cinematographic field, activating presence in cinemas and alternative spaces in the seven provinces of the country as well as in other cities around the world.

We recognize the importance of making short films visible as a means of cultural expression and we hope that you will be part of this great beginning and that we will continue to develop audiovisual diversity nationally and internationally through these efforts.

From March 19 to 29, the third edition of the film festival will be held in San José, with the support of various sectors of the artistic community to raise the efforts present in our present time.

Shorts Costa Rica will be held in four stages: CR Shorts Lab, Shorts Costa Rica Festival, Shorts Communities and SHORTS+, seeking to strengthen cinematographic expressions through the exhibition, training and dissemination of Costa Rican talent, and participation of international viewings in the country, giving the public the best of short films.

The festival exhibits a wide variety of short films from around the world to showcase national and international creativity. Its main objective is to share this artistic diversity with the local audience, highlighting how it influences our ever-changing identity. In addition, it seeks to support all film professionals, offering an inclusive space to promote and develop different regions on a cinematographic level.

SHORT FILM COMPETITIONS
The Shorts Costa Rica International Film Festival offers the opportunity to participate in the different eligible competitions, which, through these, seeks to encourage and promote efforts to export, consume and disseminate the talent and creativity of filmmakers from around the world and expose the cultural, artistic and / or social identities of each region.

Eligible categories: Fiction, Animation, Documentary, Videoclip and Experimental.

NATIONAL COMPETITION
The National Competition encourages the efforts of all audiovisual sectors, regardless of their artistic background and training. The festival is committed to bring this diversity of projects in front of the national audience, expanding these records through the recognition of those artistic foundations that lead to the evolution of our national identity.

Eligible for the National Competition are those short films where the origin of the director or the production are from Costa Rica.

**There is no entry fee for this competition.

CENTRAL AMERICAN COMPETITION
The Central American Short Film Competition aims to promote the efforts of all audiovisual sectors, regardless of their formation and artistic training in this region.

The festival is committed to bring this diversity of projects in front of the public, recognizing those artistic foundations that lead to the evolution of our Central American identity.

Eligible for the Central American Competition are those short films where the origin of the director or the production is from a Central American country.

**To register a short film in the Central American Competition has a cost between $0 and $15 (depending on the stage in which the short film is submitted).

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Short films from all parts of the world (except Costa Rica) are eligible to participate.

Those short films where the origin of the director or the production is not from Costa Rica or any other Central American country are eligible for the International Competition.

**To register a short film in the International Competition has a cost between $0 and $25 (depending on the stage in which the short film is submitted).

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

It is an international film festival that is established in Bogotá, Colombia and takes place annually.

It seeks to exhibit and promote cinematographic works with a Christian perspective and from another perspective in different scenarios through strategic alliances.

The event takes place from September 3th to 7th, 2024 where an inauguration takes place, exhibition spaces for short films registered in a previous call and training activities through workshops and conversations with experts in scriptwriting, directing, production and distribution.

On the last day of the festival, a closing ceremony is held with an award ceremony for the different categories: Characters of Faith with Cell Phones, Best Christian Short Film, Best another look Short Film and Best Christian Video Clip.

GORDION INTERNATIONAL ARCHEOFILM FEST
Today, We stand before you to invite you to be a part of a story that comes from the depths of history. The Gordion Archaeology and Cultural Heritage-themed Gordion Archeofilm Festival is not just a film festival; it is a journey of discovery. This festival offers the opportunity to turn the dusty pages of the past and bring to the screen the most precious stories of human history.
Gordion is known not only as the place where Alexander the Great untied the legendary knot but also as a city with a rich cultural and archaeological heritage. Our festival aims to share this heritage with a global audience. Your works are vital in telling the story of Gordion and keeping its magic alive.

A story can transcend time and space. Your films will take viewers on a journey through the ancient streets of Gordion and offer them a vivid experience of history. This festival is an opportunity to highlight not only the artistic value of your works but also their educational and inspirational aspects.

The Gordion Archeofilm Festival plays a significant role in the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage. Your participation will contribute to passing this heritage to future generations and help maintain cultural dialogue. Your films will bring the story of Gordion to the world stage and support the preservation of this unique legacy.

The festival not only offers the chance to showcase your works on an international platform but also the opportunity to network with other filmmakers and archaeologists. Additionally, the workshops, panel discussions, organized during the festival will allow you to engage in in-depth dialogues about your works.

By participating in the Gordion Archeofilm Festival, you will not only be part of a film festival but also take an important step in the promotion and preservation of cultural heritage. We invite you to share the unique story of Gordion with the world and be a part of this enchanting journey.

FICCON, Constitución International Film Festival, is an event that seeks to enhance the Maula audiovisual field and turn the region into an audiovisual cultural pole with great projections in the medium and long term.

It is a space that brings together independent productions at a local, Latin American and international level, it stands out for promoting encounter, discussion and cultural exchange in the field of independent film productions and seeks to highlight regional productions. Likewise, it encourages audiovisual experimentation and maintains its commitment to strengthening the development and training of filmmakers and viewers by offering seminars, workshops and talks.

The second edition of FICCON will take place from October 22 to 26, 2024, with 12 spaces in the Maule region, in addition to the support of the network of movie theaters and will have its special online window, adapting to the current panorama where many people accesses content through platforms, without giving up the importance of keeping exhibition spaces active and reflecting on their relevance.

The programming will include short films adapted with sign language, regional, national and international short film competition, screening of national and Latin American films and talks, interviews, special sections and a retrospective of films performed by a Chilean actor to whom we want to pay tribute to his trajectory.

The 14th version of the Festival has as its central theme ¨Community Cinema as a generator of Social Change and Progress¨, the jury prioritizes content that has this focus, however the reception of audiovisual pieces is not closed exclusively to said theme, for Therefore, other types of content will be widely accepted.
¨Community cinema is not only an art form, but also a powerful tool to promote fundamental values of a progressive society, such as gender equality, social justice and citizen participation. It facilitates debate, plurality and solidarity, and offers a means of expression for the different groups and identities that make up the social, cultural and identity fabric of Colombia, at local, regional and national levels. ¨

It is for this reason that the Comuna 13 Film and Video Festival, The Other History in its 2024 version has decided to generate spaces for dialogue and exchange of knowledge around community cinema, encouraging the participation of the most prominent groups in the country in this modality in order to share experiences, methodologies and knowledge with the academic sector of our city (Audiovisual creation network, technical media, peace schools among others)

INTERNATIONAL GASTRONOMY FICTION AND DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILMS FESTIVAL.

The Center for Common Memory for Democracy and Peace, a national association that campaigns for universal human values and defends human rights, including the right to "a dignified life to the end", cannot remain insensitive to the current debate on the environment and the search by international community for practical solutions to curb its worrying deterioration.

While the right to life is an irreversible achievement, the emergence of the fourth generation of rights associates human well-being with "a healthy life in a healthy environment". So any degradation of the environment means a degradation of the quality of life.

The theme of "The Memory of the sky and the ground", chosen as the unifying theme of the 13th edition of the International Festival of Cinema and Shared Memory, to be held in Nador from 5 to 11 october 2024, is part of efforts to raise awareness, through art in general and cinema in particular, of a devastating scourge that threatens humanity.

The festival organizing committee is therefore calling for:

1- Documentary films that tackle issues such as:
- The ravages of global warming
- The destruction of biodiversity and ecosystems
- The depletion of natural resources
- The consequences of deforestation
- Water and air pollution
- Disasters caused by industrial activities
- The damaging effects of excessive industrialization
- Over-exploitation of natural resources

2- Short and feature films which, without being subject to the unifying theme of the edition:
- Tackle memory or human rights;
- Deal with human causes using new approaches;
- Propose new themes with a modern vision.

Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival (DBGYFF) is an annual film festival to diverse audiences, aimed at encouraging, educating and empowering youth all over the world. This platform offers a golden opportunity for short film makers to receive recognition for their skill, exhibit their films to a wider audience, forge connections with like-minded and passionate filmmakers, and draw inspiration from industry veterans. By shining a spotlight on short films, DBGYFF not only encourages emerging talent but also enriches the festival’s diverse cinematic tapestry.

DBGYFF invites young people between the age of 14 to 25 to participate in this festival on the theme "I Have A Dream" - Youth & Climate Change - Making Mother Earth Cleaner and Greener and upload their entries in any one of the five categories : 2-Minute Short Films; 5-Minute Short Films; 5-Minute Animation Films; 5-Minute Music Videos; 10-Minute Documentary.

All information about this festival can be accessed in 5 languages (English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and French) on the web portal: www.dbgyff.com.

Contest is open to everyone !

Topic of the contest is "The Dream life".

You can submit your any type of film up to 15 minutes max.

Festival Atmospheres uses all kinds of art forms in order to arouse afterthought and commitment to an accessible and constructive sustainable development.

International film festival in Torrevieja (Spain).

International Short Animated Film Festival - ANISHORT is an international competition that serves to support the animated short films and their creators. At the same time it serves to the promotion, propagation, retrieval and watching possibilities of the best animated short films from around the world.

It should also be a place where community of creative people that producing these films meet. On the other hand, then the place for people who enjoy watching of these films and that are fans of this kind of art.

The festival will take place from 18th October 2023 in several selected cities in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia and Poland.

The top 18 short animated films will compete in this competition.

The films will be judged by ​​selected international jury. The jury is composed mostly of professionals or professions closely associated with animation - total 7 judges, each from a different country.

The VII Curta Lages International Film Festival promotes a broad, plural and international program, holding competitive and non-competitive screenings of short and feature films of all formats and genres.

The Curta Lages Festival is proud of its curation centered on inclusion and diversity, prioritizing works that explore themes linked to issues of gender, racism, ethnic diversity, sustainability and social inclusion. The goal is not only to provide access to these narratives, but also to foster meaningful debates after the screenings. The festival especially values independent productions, recognizing the power of cinema to engage and enrich the local community.

The festival offers a contemporary and liberal platform for the filmmakers of the World to exhibit the excellence of the film art form. The aim is mainly to contribute to the understanding and appreciation of cultures of different nations. We hope to present complex human situations of this rapidly changing world in the globalized era. The Festival Committee reserves the right to exclude films which are not in conformity with aims of the Festival, or which could offend the national feelings and susceptibilities of any participating country, or are likely to promote racial discrimination. Films not presenting sufficient technical qualities for good public screening can be refused after checking of the prints by the Print Checking Unit of the Film Festival Office. Date and Place: OCTOBER/NOVEMBER ANNUALLY IN ABUJA

"Content Creators Changing the World, One Project at a Time" is the theme of the 23rd Urban Mediamakers Film Festival, October 14-27, 2024. The festival is in-person and virtual with events throughout Gwinnett County, GA -- Duluth, Lawrenceville, Lilburn, Norcross, Snellville -- as well as Atlanta, and Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC). UMFF features a daily virtual space with guest speakers, sessions and content creators Q&A.

Recognizing media as a powerful tool of choice for entertaining, informing, and inspiring, this annual content creators' festival showcases international, urban independent media. We are open to all creators, and we emphasize work produced by or featuring individuals of color - African, African-American, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Latino Native American, and Pacific Islander.

The Urban Mediamakers Film Festival promotes, supports and showcases filmmakers, independent content creators and multimedia producers — animation, advertising, marketing campaigns, blog, commercials, film, music, new media, podcasts. print, television, scripts, streaming, web series and virtual reality.

Guided by past wisdom and reflecting the new and exciting generation of new technology, we are dedicated to thinking out of the traditional box as we pursue our dreams courageously.

UMFF brings an exciting and creative atmosphere that encompasses cultural diversity, with activists, content creators, artists, writers and TV/movie buffs together under one roof to meet, collaborate and strategize for world change!

Actors, artists, bloggers, content creators, filmmakers, graphic designers, mobile app developers, musicians, podcasters, producers, streamers and writers have an opportunity to gain exposure for their projects, compete for the best-of-the-best with prizes in each category, attend industry-related educational series, along with excellent collaboration and networking.

Movie buffs, content creators, independent film and mix-media supporters have the opportunity to see a diverse group of superb films and projects from creatives that are independent with a vision.

The festival includes:

-- virtual and in-person events.
-- script reading featuring a scene from the top three screenplays in competition.
-- independent film screenings in competition on our UrbanFlixToGo.com platform during the festival with an option to continue on UrbanFlixToGo.com.
-- showcase of bloggers, podcasters, and mobile app developers.
-- 8th Urban PitchFest 2024.
-- 8th AfroFuturism Fest 2024 - Black sci-fi, fantasy, horror and gaming along with international thrillers. AfroFuturism Fest includes vendors, panels, comic book swapping, AfroFuturism cosplay, costume contest for cash prizes, and more.
-- Videopalooza 2024 - Middle and high school competition and screening series.
-- producers/distributors seeking independent films.
-- awards presentation and closing event.
-- closing night film.
-- audience award.
-- filmmaker and writer collaboration breakout sessions (SpeedCollabs).
-- winning films will be showcased on our streaming service UrbanFlixToGo.com.

UMFF attendees have an opportunity to network with their peers and executives for collaborations on future projects, as well as interact with an audience that supports independent mediamaking.

YOUR project will make our festival phenomenal! Submit to UMFF 2024 today!

Only for Spanish Filmmakers // Solo para cineastas españoles.

The Humus Film Fest is an international festival of short films with environmental themes, focused on audiovisual pieces that show, from fiction or reality, agroecology experiences, urban gardens, connections between the countryside and the city or new ruralities.

The festival aspires to accommodate both the most professional and amateur creators, with
the aim of broadening views on the connections between these two ecosystems, the countryside and the city. We look for stories that tell us about these relationships from humor, poetry, surrealism or everyday life.

The theme of the contest is death understood as the end of life. The works must reflect death from the perspective of the authorship of the works.

Medrar for Contemporary Art launches its call for the 11th edition of Cairo Video Festival, which will be held in December 2024. The festival continues its focus on providing a platform for sharing and discussing newly produced video art and experimental film. Programs will be screened in conventional and non-conventional venues, in theater and exhibition spaces to promote, expand and harvest attention to the practice.

The 11th edition of Cairo Video Festival culminates many steps and stages that represent our experiences with video art and experimental film, and also summarizes our recurrent inquiries about the relationship between artistic expression and the reality we live in, the current events and our eagerness to experiment and add new and different values ​​with each edition. It is an opportunity that we yearn for with every edition to witness these innovations, experiences and new concepts from around the world, and to share them with the public.

The call for submission is directed towards video artists and experimental filmmakers from various technical fields. We also encourage designers and developers who work in the fields of virtual reality, animation, interactive softwares, and artistic games via the Internet, computers or smartphones to respond to the call. Likewise, those who emphasize the use of the moving image in their installations or live performances. Curators and institutions involved in the production and distribution of video art and experimental film are encouraged to submit their programs. The festival’s program takes the format of a series of showcases, accompanied by talks and discussions with active video-makers and curators to tackle some of the key themes and issues addressed in the works.

Check out the previous edition
https://www.cvf.medrar.org/ar/about-cvf10/