Blog: Film festivals

AVANCA Film Festival was awarded first place in 2011 contest of the support film festivals sponsored by ICA / Ministry of Culture.

An additional thematic programming has happened over all these years, giving space to screening of significant works of contemporary cinema appropriately framed in concerns and / or well-defined objectives.

The AVANCA is known as a space for workshops led by personalities of world cinema, and being more than a "master class", has allowed a unique cinema practice. Every year we have workshops, bringing together participants from all over Europe. The media have written that this is the largest European area of professional workshops in the field of cinema.

AVANCA is the only festival that congregates a Cinema International Competition, works from the television area, video and new supports of multimedia, with a special concern of exhibit the best world productions done in each category.

Since the first edition, the festival only accepts unprecedented films in Portugal.

The World Premiere competition is unique in our country and was only possible because Avanca became a passage point of unpublished authors and movies with great quality. Films that have their world premiere in the festival, independently of the submitted category, are also participating in the World Premiere Competition.

AVANCA is the Portuguese festival with the highest percentage of worldwide unpublished movies that find here their first showing.

Since 2010, we have organized the international film conference AVANCA | CINEMA, becoming the most important conference in the field of cinema in the Iberian Peninsula. This conference brings together speakers and participants from around the world.
Thematic exhibitions, editions of books, bibliographic presentations and various projects have marked these last 10 years of AVANCA with the quality that compels the festival and the participants obviously require.

ONLY FOR SPANISH FILMMAKERS // SOLO PARA CINEASTAS ESPAÑOLES (EXCEPT THE ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY SECTION, WHICH IS INTERNATIONAL)

The International Inonu University Short Film Festival, which will be held from April 15th to 18th, 2019, welcomes the film lovers in the 12th year ...

50 Film Festivals worth the entry fee - MovieMaker Magazine

20 essential International Film Festivals - MovieMaker Magazine

10 most exciting European Film Festivals - The Guardian

Mallorca International Film Festival enters its 13th edition, with a clear mission statement; BRIDGING CULTURES – BRIDGING PEOPLE. This is reflected in the film's storytelling, the shooting locations, or the cast and crew. The idea is to screen films that are inclusive, diverse, and invite the audience to experience a variety of languages and cultures.

MIFF is recognized as one of the fastest-growing international film festivals in Europe, using independent film to shape a creative community, allowing filmmakers to feel inspired, network, and thrive in this idyllic Mediterranean island paradise.

THE hub for networking, MIFF brings together the brightest local and international minds in cinema in Mallorca’s buzzing and the culturally rich city of Palma. For seven days EMIFF’s program is curated to showcase a culturally diverse, inclusive and provocative mix of feature films, short films, documentaries, music videos, films for kids, experimental films, animation shorts, student films and a feature film and short film screenplay competition.

Some of our resent programs included award winning films such as:

Triangle of Sadness
Corsage
Un Amor
Perfect Days
The Promised Land

With competitive screenings unfolding at the most striking island locations, MIFF is an ideal place for filmmakers to rub shoulders with industry professionals at the festival’s Producers Club, Cinematography Focus, Pitch Forum, and numerous workshops. Speakers and mentors have included Oscar Winners Erik Messerschmidt, ASC, Melissa Leo, Director Ruben Östlund, DP ED Lachman, Actor Mads Mikkelsen, Director Isabel Coixet and many more.

MIFF is proud to be part of MovieMaker’s list “TOP 50 Film Festivals Worth The Entry fee” SEVEN years in a row, as well as appearing continuously on the 100 Best Reviewed Film Festival list on Freeway, ranking in the top 1.5% of more than 10,000 film festivals and creative markets around the world.

ORGANIZERS

Cultural Association Time & Memory organizes the thirteenth edition of the Short Film Festival called "SHORT TO SOUTH", to be held in Polla (SA)ITALY from the 21 - 22 June 2025 at the Auditorium "Holy Nicolicchio".

FESTIVAL OF SHORT CINEMA OF SALAMANCA, which from 2008 celebrates in the bar Granero (c/Granero 3, near to the Plaza del Oeste, Salamanca) during June and July.

Since 2001, the Nevada City Film Festival (NCFF) has brought top independent film, music and comedy, along with attracting thousands of attendees, international filmmakers, and industry guests to the historic Gold Rush era town of Nevada City, California. Nevada City is known for its sophisticated and supportive arts and cultural scene, and makes screening a film here a positive, encouraging and exciting experience.

NCFF is often referred to as the “Sundance of the Sierra” for its emphasis on fiercely independent cinema that showcases innovative, progressive and exciting new voices in film.

NCFF is known for recognizing and supporting new talent including filmmakers such as Jonathan Krisel (Portlandia), Patrick Brice (CREEP, The Overnight), Academy Award-Winning director Lucy Walker (Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom, The Crash Reel), Academy Award-nominated director and animator Daisy Jacobs (The Bigger Picture), director Kat Candler (Hellion), director Rick Alverson (Entertainment), animator and performance artist Miwa Matryek, director David Zellner (Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter), animator Galen Pehrson, and directors Mark and Jay Duplass, among others.

In previous years NCFF has hosted filmmakers such as Mike Mills, Miranda July, Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim (Cartoon Networks Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!), and comedians including Tig Notaro, Mari Bamford, Nick Kroll, Natasha Leggero, and Marc Maron. Past NCFF judges have included award-winning producers and directors, plus writers from The Huffington Post, New York Times, McSweeneys, San Francisco Chronicle, Rolling Stone Magazine, and Pop-Up Magazine.

Professional, student, and amateur filmmakers are invited to submit short and feature length films including documentaries, animation, narrative, and comedy.

Literally Short is an event initiated by our drive to bridge all cultures onto one collaborative stage that stimulates international artistic expression. Our mission is to promote innovative approaches to social change through the arts and cultural influences. Our passion for film lies in its exquisite capacity to merge a multitude of arts into one vision; thus, Literally Short Film Festival seeks to dissolve all geographical boundaries into one platform that equally voices all cultures.

CATEGORIES

Voices
National & International Short Films

All genres accepted for this category (see Rules & Terms).

Local & Fresh
Texas Short Films

Films eligible for this category must be written or directed by a Texas resident; or produced in the state of Texas. All genres accepted (see Rules & Terms).

México Lindo y Querido
Mexico Short Films

Films eligible for this category must be written or directed by a Mexicna resident; or produced in the country of Mexico. All genres accepted (see Rules & Terms).

The Native Peoples International Film Festival is devoted to short and feature films, fiction, documentaries and animated films made ​​by or about the native peoples around the world in order to promote knowledge, respect and acceptance diversity in raising awareness of the various facets of reality, trying not to fall into clichés. Thus, gradually the festival is intended as a field for meetings and discussions of projects of mutual interest.

The International Film Festival Sansueña is devoted to short films and feature traditional ANIMATION, optical and digital toys disseminating quality films that hardly reach Spain. Thus, gradually the Festival is intended as a field.

Founded in 2000, The Valley Film Festival (VFF) is a non-profit project of Community Partners ® and is the first and longest continually running film festival in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley, headquartered in the NoHo Arts District.

Now in its 20th year, VFF supports local and international voices that advance storytelling, while furthering the education, production, and exhibition of film. In 2010, the City of Los Angeles recognized our cultural contributions with the city seal, and in 2018 the California State Senate stood with us #UnitedByFilm in our efforts to practice conscious programming to unite the international film community.

The Festival is supported by a dynamic community of companies, filmmakers, and moviegoers, that make it possible for VFF to offer year-round programming:

THE VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL
*In 2019, we expanded from a five-day showcase of film screenings to nine days of live music, book readings/signings, screenplay workshops, professional development panels, a distribution symposium, networking, daily happy hours and, of course, film screenings.

FOCUS ON: Series
*Educational panels in The Valley’s schools (Art Institute, Columbia College Hollywood, and New York Film Academy) that bring our network of industry experts together to share relevant, practical knowledge on navigating the industry

THE VALLEY FILM MARKET
*Previously under our Focus On: series, we’ve pulled out our film sales & distribution events to create THE VALLEY FILM MARKET. Our inaugural symposium included panels and a one-on-one matchmaking event between filmmakers & distributors.

VFF screens shorts, features, documentaries, animated films, experimental works, web series, music videos, and more. If you're unsure if your film fits our programming, please review our archives before submitting.

We are Cinedeporte Sports Film Festival a film festival dedicated to promoting the finest independent sports films that create memorable portraits of athletic heroes and stories of triumph. Our purpose is to increase the exposure of independent filmmaking, its creation and reproduction.

This year we are accepting only the top 10% of the films submitted to the festival.

Join our audience of film lovers and sports fanatics, for our 7rd year of screenings in the beautiful Oaxaca, Mexico. During the film festival we will host conferences about filmmaking, Q and A’s with the filmmakers, parties, and more!

If selected you will receive your selection laurel, you will access the screenings and if you do visit Oaxaca we can hook you up with some good deals for your staying.

We beleive that film can change the world.

We beleive we can be THE film festival to for filmmakers to go to.

we beleive in the power of film

we beleive in collaboration

we beleive in invovation

we believe in creativity and uniqness

A space where the encounter with the diverse is welcome, since it enables the crisis and reflection on the hegemonic.

The Hollywood Academy supports Huesca International Film Festival by recognizing it as shortlisting for the Oscar Awards within Best Short Fiction Film category, also the Spanish Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes it for the Goya Awards.

http://www.oscars.org/sites/default/files/88aa_shorts_festival_list.pdf

The St Cloud Film Fest promotes film and filmmakers by creating opportunities for education, production, and appreciation during an annual festival and through year-long outreach.

2020 marks the 10th year of the St Cloud Film Fest!

The St Cloud Film Fest takes place over eight days in a historic theatre on the banks of the Mississippi River. The downtown art scene is a hub for the surrounding artistic community. Many local visual artists have exhibitions on display along St. Germain Street and 5th Avenue.

We are a non-profit organization devoted to promoting forward-thinking independent film and committed to giving students an opportunity to create their own projects. We hold stop-motion workshops for elementary students and give high-school and college students a chance to make a film as part of a weekend contest.

The crowds are passionate and intelligent about cinema. We'd love the chance to show your film to a new audience. From live action to animation, documentary to experimental all film makers have a place and a voice at this film festival.

The Asian Summer Film Festival wants to present the Asian culture through the popular cinematography produced in the countries of the continent.

The Festival has several categories such as a competitive section, retrospectives, screenings for children and theme nights. Last year, 40 titles from China, Hong Kong, Thailand, South Corea, Japan and India were shown, some of them were World and International festival premieres, European festival premieres or Spanish festival premieres. The 18 films programmed in the official section competed for the Jury Prize, the Lucky Cat Award, given by the audience to the best film in-competition, and the Critics’ Choice Award.

The New Urbanism Film Festival is a film festival with a purpose. We want to encourage audiences to think about how they can make their cities and towns a better place. If your film addresses issues in that area, we'd like to see it.

We give awards for the best short film in each of these categories
-Architecture
-Bicycles
-Economic Development
-Healthy Cities
-Street Art / Public Art
-Tactical Urbanism
-Urban Design
-Walkability

The Top Prizes are
-Best of Fest (Best Film (feature or short) explaining New Urbanism
-Emerging Ideas (Workshop, Installation, Presentation, or Event held during the festival)

After the screenings, audiences are invited to dialogue with leading urban thinkers about the issues raised during the movie and discuss current local projects.

The festival also offers lots of special events, workshops, tours and classes that help audiences take lessons from the film and apply them to their hometown. We strongly encourage filmmakers to attend the festival.

This festival attracts filmmakers, artists, street artists, architects, urban planners, political leaders, bicycle advocates, faith-based community leaders, and fans of the urban environment. Here's a list of some of our past guest speakers.

Melissa Balmer, California Bike Coalition
Howard Blackson, president California Chapter of the Congress for the New Urbanism
Andy Boenau, host Urbanism Speakeasy,
Chris Bruntlett, director, Vancouver Cycle Chic
Diego Cardoso, L.A. Planning Commission, Director of Planning at LA METRO
Rick Cole, Los Angeles Deputy Mayor for Budget & Innovation,
Tim Deegan, former Chair of the Mid City West Community Council
Chris Elisara, board member, Congress for the New Urbanism
Scott Epstein, chair Mid City West Community Council
William Fain, architect and urban planner, partner Johnson Fain,
Dawn Finley, co-founder, Feminist Library On Wheels
Nat Gale, LA Great Streets Program Director, Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti
Debra Gerod, Partner, Gruen Associates,
Dean Haglund, actor, the X-files,
Tim Halbur, director of communications at Congress for the New Urbanism
Karney Hatch, director, Plant This Movie
Eric Jacobsen, author, Sidewalks in the Kingdom
Scott Hamilton Kennedy, director The Garden
Colin Marhsal, host of Notebook on Cities and Culture
Kellie Morris, author, We All Ride Bikes
Bob Nesson, director, Power to the Pedals
Taylor Nichols, Mid City West Communit Council Transportation committee co-chair
Marquis Olison, community organizer
Moncho1929, street artist
Neal Payton, West Coast director of Torti Gallas Partners,
Stefanos Polyzoides, architect & urban planner MoulePolyzoides
Peter Quintanilla, Prince’s Foundation for Building Community
Thomas Rigler, producer of the KCET series CITYWALK
Rebecca Autumn Sansom, director, Trainsforming America
Meghan Sahli-Wells, Mayor of Culver City, co-founder of the Culver City Bike Coalition
Scott Schultz, creator, BUSted True tales from people who ride the bus in LA
Kyle Sears, New Parish Collective
Maria Sipin, co-host of Women Talk Bikes
Ryan Swanson, founder The Urban Conga
Barry Taylor, Art Center Professor of Advertising & Marketing
J. Keith Van Straaten, host, Beat the Geeks,
Mike Wells, producer, American Makeover: Fresno
Will Wright, AIA-LA honorary, Government affairs liaison

Awards & Prizes

Prizes include:

Award Certificate
Gifts from our sponsors and media partners
Free submissions for life
All Access Pass to NUFF2015

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 19 editions attended by more than 18,000 short films involving a total of nearly 23,000 spectators, is structured in various competitive sections: Official Selection (for short films up to 10 minutes released after the 1st of January 2024), Extralarge (for shorts between 10 and 15 minutes released after the 1st of January 2024) Animations (animations for up to 10 minutes released after the 1st of January 2024), Doc10 (documentaries for up to 10 minutes released after the 1st of January 2024), Music Videoclip (videoclips for up to 10 minutes released after the 1st of January 2024), Visti da Vicino (for short films up to 10 minutes released by directors coming from the province of Frosinone after the 1st of January 2024).

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.