Blog: Film festivals

Our aim is to create an inclusive and diverse context within the festival landscape. To promote and celebrate films in which the main characters or plots represent the LGTBIQA+ community, women and/or dissidents, which reflect the problems and discrimination that these people face on a daily basis, contributing to greater visibility and understanding and dispelling myths, stereotypes and breaking down barriers, where all voices are heard and all talents are valued.

We've finally retreived control of all our hacked emails!

BAKUNAWA FEST [Fantastic Film, Art + Music] is the first fantastic & genre-based film, art & music festival based in The Philippines and ran by volunteer filmmakers and artists. Bakunawa is a dragon-like creature in Philippine mythology that devoured moons. Because we are a genre-bending film fest, we want to flip the Bakunawa's role and we want it to instead symbolize the creative monsters inside us.

Because we've had a rough and tough year, our 11th edition will screen films during the 2024-2025 seasons and will have several screenings starting in December of 2024, culminating to May of 2025. Bakunawa Fest runs annually in one season - spread in fourth months becoming a hybrid festival resulting from the pandemic lockdowns.

Bakunawa was initially created with this principle: "new visions, new voices". We still stand by this principle as we continue to program young promising filmmakers, artists & musicians who either have no access to expensive workshops and may not have the name recognition to be programmed in festivals. Since our third edition, we have included a section that screens curated local and international selected films mainly for educational purposes. Most of our Bakunawa Fest's film camps are done as outreach programs/workshops and are mostly free. Here our participants are scholars paid for by the festival and its partners usually hosted by different cities/municipalities in the Philippines.

[ Please note that, since we are an artist and volunteer-ran filmfest, we can't fund filmmakers to come physically and we don't pay screening fees. ]

We are a fantastic film fest. Our festival is interested in: Horror or Thriller Films / Sci-Fi, Fantasy or Adventure / Fantastic-themed Experimental Films, New Media, Expanded Cinema / Genre-Bending Films / Fantastic-themed Music Videos / Fantastic-themed Documentaries / Contemporary Art / Photography.

X CortoGijón Festival

The Gijón Short Film Festival arises
in 2015 as a parallel section within the
Aula 18 National Short Film Contest
in the delivery After the disappearance of
emblematic festival three of the programmers
decide to maintain their essence by transferring
the festival to Gijón. It is in the second edition
that of 2016, where the festival moves to the
municipal centers of the city to develop a festival with an eye on short films and music. Since then
to the competitive sections (Official Section,
Asturias Section) And to the sample sections
(Panorama Asturias and Mirada FICX) have been
there have been concerts that have given luster to the
cultural spaces of the city and that have
served to put the climax to each projection.

Names like Marilia, Pablo Und
Destruktion, Marem Ladson, Tiger and Diamond,
David Feito… confirm the high level
musical that lives the festival and its local and regional look.

In 2020 Laboral City of Culture joins
with a new screen inside CortoGijón
thus amplifying collaborations between
all cultural entities in the region started in 2017 with the Mirada Ficx section in
collaboration with the Gijón Film Festival.

Liberamente Short Selection is a festival organized and promoted by Liberamente Cavaion APS with the
support of Quock Productions and I Guardiani del Moscal. The initiative is sponsored by the Municipality of Cavaion V.se.

The goal is to allow the dissemination of independent short films in our territory, giving visibility to emerging artists and awarding the most deserving individuals.

The International Video Poetry Festival in Athens attempts to create an open public space for the creative expression of all tendencies and streams of contemporary visual poetry. The IVPF has been around since 2011. It is one of the largest international platform for video poetry. Every year, it offers poets, film directors, video artists and festival makers from all over the world a platform for creative exchange, brainstorming and meeting with a broad audience. With poetry readings, live performances, concerts, retrospectives, exhibitions, performances, workshops and lectures present in various sections the diversity of the genre of video poetry and spoken word music.

The International Video Poetry Festival happens in two different zones. The first day is the Show Room Video Poetry, a unique zone that will include video poems, visual poems, short film poems and cinematic poetry and performances by artists from all over the world (America, Asia, Europe, Africa). The second day is the Live Performance Zone with multimedia poetry readings, concerts with experimental music, workshops and spoken word lives.

Poets, filmmakers, video and digital artists, media and performance artists are called to submit creative works to The 11th Annual International Video Poetry Festival in Athens, Greece. The festival celebrates and will screen a large scope of video projects developed through the medium of poetry. The International Video Poetry Festival will also host a series of panels, guest speakers, workshops, and public dialogues regarding film and video poetry. In addition to the screenings, programmers also curate a video art exhibition.

There are no restrictions regarding when the film was produced or if the film has premiered regionally or internationally. There are no restrictions on subject matter, theme, topic, or the language of origin. The International Video Poetry Festival will accept submissions of poetry films, filmpoems, digital-poetry, poetry video, Cin(E)-Poetry, spoken word films, videopoema, visual poetry, choreopoems, poetrinca, media poetry, and all films and videos that are driven visually by text or voice.

Live performances, video mapping, installation proposals, and grand-scale video art presentations that contain strong aspects of poetry are encouraged. The IVPF also calls for experimental film and video work that explores poetry or literature whether it be oral, written, visual, or symbolic. This includes non-narrative work and the avant-garde.

The IVPF strongly considers artwork that examines and challenges traditional visual communication methods while continuing to function as a tool for exploring poetry. The International Video Poetry Festival will consider documentaries that focus on poets, poems, poetry, poetic technique, literary movements, and historical events within these realms. The documentaries must have English or Greek subtitles.

The IVPF also calls for video work that explores poetry and literature whether it be oral, written, visual, or symbolic. This includes the film essay or cinematic essay, non-narrative work, and the avant-guard. We will also strongly consider work that challenges traditional and current visual communication methods while continuing to function as a mode for exploring narrative and personal expression.

Organizer and promoter of the International Video Poetry Festival are the Institute for Experimental Arts in co-operation with Void Network.

We would like to thank Dave Bonta from the influential video art site Moving Poems, a global site with the best video poems on the web that inspired us to create the International Video Poetry Festival in Athens and we cooperate since 2011 to spread out the announcement of the Festival each year so as to gather participations from all over the world.

IndiFest is festival organized by alterNativa in collaboration with CLACPI (Coordinadora Latinoamericana de Cine y Comunicación de los Pueblos Indígenas), with the aim of giving its own voice to the indigenous peoples and to demand the fulfillment of their Rights.

The Festival’s main objective is to promote the Identity and the Rights of the indigenous peoples through audiovisual tools. The festival includes screenings at physical venues as well as an online week event.

IndiFest is complemented with other activities such as political incidence and conversations with indigenous leaders.

A commitment that enhances the decentralization of cultural habits as well as the communication of indigenous peoples concerning their Rights and intercultural relations.

Since June 2024, we have been organising independent and international cinema screenings in Lisbon, its focus being short films.

Our festival's mission is to make culture accessible to everyone!

Curtas na Cesta is Shorts in the Basket in english because we dedicate our time into harvesting the best and freshest cinema out there.

Welcome to Portland Under the Stars, where creativity and storytelling come alive in the Pacific Northwest! We’re excited to present an inclusive and inspiring platform for filmmakers of all backgrounds. Below are the details for each film category, including descriptions, rules, and awards.

The Mexico City International Independent Film Festival STUFF MX celebrates its 10th edition in June 2025 and opens its official call to filmmakers from all over the world to register all their film materials, music videos; in all formats, genres and categories of any length, in animation, documentary, fiction and live-action, which will be valid from December 1, 2024 until March 31, 2025 at 23:59 CST (CST), Washington, D. C. time. CST (CST), Mexico City time.

A horror film contest. Prizes include promotion on the Hollywood Investigator website, award plaques, screening at fan conventions (previous screenings at World Horror Con, Loscon, Tuscon.)

Tabloid Witch founder Thomas M. Sipos is the author of Horror Film Festivals and Awards (McFarland 2012) and Horror Film Aesthetics (McFarland 2010), available on Amazon.com.

Sección Oficial a concurso.

Official Competition Section.

We are an independent festival dedicated to bring together established musicians and filmmakers in a forum to celebrate the short films. Dublin International Short Film and Music Festival celebrates the artistic, educational and historical importance of short films and music. It gives independent film artists a platform for sharing their work and creating a dialogue with the community. It promotes the discussion and study of filmmaking.

DISFMF is the largest independent short film festival in Ireland, in 2025 we are celebrating the 14th anniversary.

In 2024 we selected over 90 short films from all over the world, the festival has brought established, emerging and award-winning filmmakers to the public attention.

Back in the cinema, the festival took place at the Cineworld, the biggest cinema in Ireland and The Sugar Club for the awards ceremony night.

DISFMF is conducted from the independent film maker point of view.
Director and producer from each film selected will benefit free entry to all the venues and screenings.

All kinds of short films are accepted. Here are some examples: Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Advertising, Animation, Art-house, Black Comedy, Children/Family, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Experimental, Fantasy, Historical, Melodrama, Crime & Gangster, Biopics, Film-Noir, Road Films, Super-Heroes, Super-Natural, Mockumentary, Independent, Music Video, Musical, Reality, Religious, Romance, Science Fiction, Silent, Sport, Student, Thriller/Suspanse, TV, and more.

The Museo do Pobo Galego (Museum of Galician People) organises the Mostra Internacional de Cinema Etnográfico - Ethnographic Film Festival. 20th Mostra de Cinema Etnográfico Museo do Pobo Galego will run 12-16 March, 2025 in Santiago
de Compostela.

Call for entries from December 4,2024 to December 30,2024.

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.

A home for the biggest, baddest, in your face, down your throut, melt your brain Horror, Sci-fi , Action , Martial Arts , Exploitation , Mobsploitation , Sexploitation and everything-elsploitation. You will find no dramas, no rom-coms and no musicals ( unless totally twisted )

The best new Grindhouse movies are shown at an epic festival held at one of the UK's longest running entertainment venues - The Legendary Shed Venue.

What you will find at the Grindhouse Planet festival is a playlist of movies like no other. Each film is selected by a Panel of Grindhouse connoisseurs form around the globe. The festival is for film fans and filmmakers to meet like-minded people, have a drink, watch some movies, eat some Pizza ( for free!! ) and have a bloody good time. There is a movie stall hosted by The Cult Movie Store where some rare Grindhouse flicks can be purchased, along with lots of other stalls offering Grindhouse goodies.

There is also a chance to attend Q&A sessions with some of the planet's best Grindhouse directors and producers.

Want more?

There is more! Much more!! How about a music festival at the same time? You got it. As well as all of the awesome films, there are live bands playing throughout the day. From Thrash Metal and Punk to Acoustic & Electronic, there is something for everyone. You may even find your next Grindhouse soundtrack.

"0+" International film festival is aimed at:

1. promotion and popularization of high-quality films, which foster a positive, creative and formative worldview in children and young people, strengthen common human values like family, childhood, friendship, kindness, nature, love for a profession, etc.

2. integration of cinema and education by creating a collection of value-oriented films for carrying out educational screenings in schools and social institutions of Russia.

Montagna Italia Association was founded in 1996 with the aim of promoting the mountain, environmental and forest territory and its expressions, with the intent of supporting tourism, culture and the environment. In 2006 it created the “Orobie Film Festival” together with a network of Festivals dedicated to the mountains and rooted in different cities and periods.

• Orobie Film Festival - Seriate | BG | January

The Festival takes place in cities that, due to their geographical location or vocation, have the proposed themes at heart and that intercept the interest and consensus of a large audience of cinephiles, hikers and enthusiasts. The initiatives prove to be a privileged opportunity to make known the richness of the territories and the history of their people through the eyes of directors sensitive to these issues.

The purpose of the festival is to celebrate the blending of the Caribbean and the diaspora cultures and talent to create unique and outstanding work and to raise global awareness of the new renaissance of filmmaking and music production that the Caribbean basin is currently experiencing.

The festival also aims to celebrate all filmmakers and welcomes a limited number of submissions from our international friends.

The festival will also serve as a celebration of the host island's culture.

Only for Spanish and Argentinian Filmmakers.

Papagena Festival: Celebrating Art in All Its Forms

Get ready to experience a unique experience of art, culture and creative expression! The Papagena Festival brings a program full of audiovisual exhibitions, visual arts, lectures and social actions, creating an inclusive space for everyone.

With the goal of providing an inclusive and learning space, the event will take place physically, at the Associação Tapeçaria Timbi, and also virtually via Vimeo, the official website and YouTube, allowing everyone to participate from anywhere.

During the event, you will have the opportunity to explore short films, illustrations, photographs and debates that reflect on the impact of art on society, while contributing to the construction of a more collaborative and conscious culture.

What to expect?

Audiovisual Exhibitions: Screening of short films and independent films of various genres, with emphasis on local and international productions.

Visual Arts: Exhibition of works by established and emerging artists, with a focus on innovation and authenticity.

Lectures and Debates: Conversations about the future of the arts, cultural entrepreneurship and the importance of art in social transformation.
Social Actions: Initiatives to promote culture and community engagement, with projects that seek to positively impact society. During the festival, a book drive will be held for the city library, encouraging the donation of literary materials that will help enrich the reading offering for the local community.

Why participate?
If you are passionate about art, culture and innovation, this event is for you! Come to be inspired, learn and share your creative vision with other artists and diverse audiences. It doesn't matter if you are an enthusiast, a professional or just curious - everyone is welcome to be part of this vibrant and transformative celebration.

Join us and be part of this journey of art, reflection and human connection!

The Palencia International Films Festival is organised by the Association Friends of the film and the Popular University of Palencia.

This edition is number 34, and during all these years, our philosphy has been considering cinema a tool of development and social cohesion.

Our festival colaborates with the Spanish Cinema Academy, and its a qualifyer festival for the GOYA shortfilm Awards.

In addition, the short film awarded the first prize by the jury at the MCIP (the Milagros Alcalde Award) will go directly to the Short List finalist of the FUGAZ Awards, making up the short list of films that will then be evaluated for nomination by the commission that awards these prizes each year.