Blog: Film festivals

OPEN CALL

The Universidad Vasco de Quiroga (UVAQ) invites you to participate in the 18th Edition of the Festival Internacional de Cortometraje UVAQ (FICUVAQ), which will take place from June 9 to June 13, 2025, in a hybrid format (online and in person) in the city of Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.

Before registering, please read this call for entries carefully. Registration and participation in the festival imply full acceptance of these rules.

This event now takes place every two years. Six dates on tour at our partner cider producers' locations, culminating in Locronan (Finistère, Brittany, France) for two days of awards ceremonies and a screening of the highlights. This festival, created by cinema and gastronomy professionals, was born from their passion for these two themes; and from 2 books we wrote: 'les petits plats du grand écran' (Little Dishes of the Big Screen) (1999) (Canal + edition) and Ciné-bouffe (Cinema-Food) (2001) (Hors Collection edition); as well as from a first International Film and Gastronomy Festival that took place in Dijon (2004 and 2005).

It is therefore with a 'gourmand' pleasure that we decided to once again pay tribute, through this festival, to the delicious films (whether sharp or savory) evoking gastronomy, and to the most exquisite table scenes, to try to understand why and how they were 'cooked' by the directors who imagined them.

We also have the desire to use cinema 1 to build a bridge with healthy eating, and to discover or rediscover the taste of cooking in order to make informed choices, to eat less unconsciously. It is therefore with an insatiable 'gastrosophic' 2 pleasure that we have concocted the different themes of this event.  

We say of our village, classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France and a 'cité de caractère' (town of character), where the oldest houses date back to the 16th century, that it is a kind of little Hollywood of Brittany. It must be said that more than thirty feature films and series have been shot there, such as Tess, Chouans!, A Very Long Engagement..."

Our mission is to discover extraordinary films worldwide and showcase them to the audience who want to hear a strong voice of independent filmmaking.

CSUN Cinema Club is excited to announce we will hold our 5th Annual CineFest Short Film Festival at CSUN's Noski Auditorium on May 9th, 2025 from 2-5PM.

CineFest is a Film Festival focusing on exhibiting short films made by CSUN students.
Selected films will be shown on the big screen in the Noski Auditorium on CSUN campus in front of a live audience.

The International Festival of Intergenerational Short Films on the Elderly (FICMA) was born within the Federation of Associations of the Elderly of Salamanca (FAMASA) with the aim of providing a cultural offer that contributes to improving the quality of life of the elderly, even with dependence or disfunctions by bringing them closer to a full citizenship and offering the cultural heritage of which they are protagonists. It is celebrated every year between September and October since 2016 in the city of Salamanca, being a meeting of intergenerational culture

The Festival poses as a place of debate and discourse for questions such as: How has cinema treated old age? The reflection of the role of the elderly in the family, sentimental, emotional and social relationships. The positive or negative consequences of cinema into stereotypes and believings about the elder and even if it treats the same way both man and women.

The importance of dignifying the intergenerational relationships between youngsters and elderlies becames vital in order to find ways towards a better future.

OBJECTIVES

The goal of the FICMA is to achieve the people from Salamanca to be closer to the cinema from a third age perspective. This festival is a golden opportunity to offer a cinema party to the city and an active and positive vision from this part of the population.
The festival has as a goal to show the positive part of the elders and to reforce the intergenerationals relationships.

Biophilia is a concept based on respect and love for life and living beings.
Our essence is hidden in the earth, inside everything converges, an infinite cycle that reveals being: sprouting, intertwining, flourishing, and later, being a seed that fell to germinate again. We celebrate the connection of man with the earth, and how from this link, we are able to perceive and build our surroundings, recognize ourselves in the gaze of the other, or ignore a little about our being.

The festival activities will take place in the month of November, we will carry out face-to-face and online activities creating links in three states of Mexico: Mexico City, the State of Mexico and Oaxaca.

Complementario a las exhibiciones y programaciones se impartirán talleres y habrá charlas y master class con especialistas en la cinematografía, estas actividades se realizarán de manera online y presencial (si las condiciones de pandemia lo permite), y están planeadas para los asistentes y el público interesado, buscando impulsar a nuevos autores. Así como actividades especiales para los autores de los cortometrajes ganadores de cada categoría y las menciones honoríficas.

Germans
Shorts under 59 seconds
Fiction, documentary, animation, experimental and hybrid genres

Sap
Videoclip
Between 1 and 8 minutes

Cortex
Fiction, animation and experimental short films
Under 29 minutes

Xilema
Experimental short films
Under 29 minutes

Root
Non-fiction short films and hybrid genres
Under 29 minutes

Rhizome
Medium and feature films
Fiction, documentary, animation, experimental and hybrid genres
Between 30 minutes and 150 minutes

National category

English

Biophilia is a concept based on respect and love for life and living beings.
Our essence is hidden in the earth, inside everything converges, an infinite cycle that reveals being: sprouting, intertwining, flourishing, and later, being a seed that fell to germinate again. We celebrate the connection of man with the earth, and how from this link, we are able to perceive and build our surroundings, recognize ourselves in the gaze of the other, or ignore a little about our being.

The festival activities will take place in the month of November, we will carry out face-to-face and online activities creating links in trhee states of Mexico: the State of Mexico, Mexico City and Oaxaca.

We receive cinematographic and audiovisual works that address the following concepts:
Biophilia, ecology, nature, native peoples, traditions, collective memory, cosmogony and rituals. The extension is free as well as the genres: fiction, non-fiction, animation, experimental and hybrids.

International categories

Germans
Shorts under 59 seconds
Fiction, documentary, animation, experimental and hybrid genres

Sap
Videoclip
Between 1 and 8 minutes

Cortex
Fiction, animation and experimental short films
Under 29 minutes

Xilema
Experimental short films
Under 29 minutes

Root
Non-fiction short films and hybrid genres
Under 29 minutes

Rhizome
Medium and feature films
Fiction, documentary, animation, experimental and hybrid genres
Between 30 minutes and 150 minutes

National category

Seed
Emerging Mexican filmmakers
Fiction, documentary, animation, experimental and hybrid genres
Under than 20 minutes

Complementary to the exhibitions and programming, workshops will be given and there will be talks and master classes with specialists in cinematography, these activities will be carried out online and in person (if pandemic conditions allow it), and are planned for attendees and the interested public. , seeking to promote new authors. As well as special activities for the authors of the winning short films in each category and the honorable mentions.

Welcome to the Sanskriti World Cinema Utsav!

Experience the magic of global storytelling at the Sanskriti World Cinema Utsav, one of the most eagerly anticipated film festivals worldwide. This prestigious event is a testament to cinematic brilliance, cultural exchange, and boundless creativity. Showcasing exceptional talent from across the globe, the festival champions innovative storytelling through diverse genres such as short films, documentaries, and music videos.

With a steadfast commitment to nurturing artistic expression, Sanskriti World Cinema Utsav offers filmmakers unparalleled opportunities to gain exposure and connect with industry leaders. Beyond celebrating the art of cinema, this renowned festival serves as a dynamic hub for networking, inspiration, and collaboration within the global film community.

we believe in the spirit of reinvention—of art, ideas, and perspectives. Films here don’t just entertain; they awaken, they provoke, and they leave you questioning, dreaming, and hoping. This festival is a reflection of how the art of filmmaking continues to evolve, breaking barriers and redefining what it means to connect as human beings.

This festival isn’t just about screening movies—it’s a movement, a platform for voices that dare to challenge conventions, evoke emotions, and inspire change. From gripping narratives that keep you on the edge of your seat to heart-warming tales that stir your soul, each frame is a testament to the power of storytelling.

Join us in honouring creativity and raising the bar for cinematic excellence!


Why Choose Sanskriti World Cinema Utsav?

• Global Showcase: A diverse selection of films that highlight the richness of storytelling across cultures, languages, and genres.

• Networking Opportunities: Connect with visionary filmmakers, industry leaders, and cinephiles from around the world.

• Cultural Exchange: Participate in panels, workshops, and discussions that delve into the fascinating intersection of cinema and culture.

Whether you're a filmmaker looking to share your masterpiece or an audience yearning for captivating narratives, Sanskriti World Cinema Utsav promises an unforgettable journey through the magic of cinema.

Since 2004, Festimaj has offered international screenings for short films made by children and young people aged 4 to 30, as well as by professionals with no age limit. The selected films are then screened across five continents thanks to co-organizers around the world.

The proposed theme is optional, but a dedicated program is created around it.

A festival of diversity that brings these original films to audiences in more than 35 countries.

An international network of professional filmmakers, co-organizers, and distributors that enables children, youth, and adults to access these unique programs.

An ethical cinema of socially engaged films addressing crucial societal issues: education, tolerance, migration, peace education, children’s rights, ecology… as well as the fight against discrimination, bullying in schools, abuse, corruption… so many important topics to help build a sense of citizenship, change perspectives, and open up to others.

Access to culture for thousands of children and young people, reaching over 300,000 viewers through more than 150 physical and digital screening venues (anyone can register to watch the films from home).


The films will be divided into different programs:

Films for 4-6 year olds
Films for 7-11 year olds
Films for 11-15 year olds
Films for 15-18 year olds
Student directors
Animations
All audiences

The Shortfilm Festival "San Rafael in short" aims dissemination, disclosure and the screening of cinematographic works as well as the knowledge of these by the audience. The works presented not opt to a prize or award, only the assessment of the audience.

SIMFEST is a TV and film festival – competition, the only one of this kind in Romania and one of the few in Europe. It is organized every year by "SIMFEST Cultural Association", which supports and promotes the creators in visual arts. SIMFEST stands for professionalism and for the freedom of expression of the journalists and the media producers. The festival promotes, at the same time, local journalism and community mass-media.

It is a complex manifestation for electronic mass-media. It is the annual meeting point of the TV's and film’s world specialists from Romania and from all of the world, of students, independent producers, and of media enthusiasts; it is a competition that it's designed to find and form values and talents, to give them the needed validation and for connecting them with the medium in which they can develop. It is a competition and, at the same time, a media school and a cultural event.

The SIMFEST components are:

- The Competition

- The Summer School for journalists and media creators

- The official program of the festival

The Competition is opened to all the media creators, reporters, cameramen and media producers from Romania but also from other countries, but is also opened to freelancers, to students and territorial correspondents of central televisions, production houses, as well as to all multimedia creators. It has eight sections.

- PUBLISHING (REPORTAGE/ DOCUMENTARY/ INQUIRY/ ESSAY / TALK-SHOW etc.)
- ENTERTAINMENT
- VIDEO
- MULTIMEDIA
- STUDENT PROJECTS (fiction and non fiction)
- TOURISTIC FILM
- FICTION (short movie and feature film)
- ANIMATION

The jury of the competition consists out of well-known personalities in the field of journalism, TV and cinema from Romania and from other countries.

The Summer School for journalists and media creators was founded and included within the festival in 2007, and through it, SIMFEST became in the past few years an institution of non-formal education of media creators, especially from the audiovisual section.

The journalists Romeo Couți and Brândușa Armanca (TVR), the writer Bogdan Hrib, Assoc. Prof. PhD. Ion Stavre (SNSPA), Assoc. Prof. PhD. Lucian Ionică (West University of Timișoara), the director Ștefan Fischer (Germany), Charles Fletcher, MBE (Scotland), TV producer Codruț Pânzaru, TV producer Tamas Barok (Hungary), the director Copel Moscu (UNATC Bucharest), Iulia Badea Gueritee and Raymond Clarinard (Courrier International Paris), Beata Biel (Google expert, Poland), Ovidiu Gyarmath (Director of photography), Prof. PhD. Laura Baron (UNATC Bucharest), grat Romanian actors like Marcel Iures and Dan Puric, JC Guest film producer 2023 Emmy Award Winner and many others held lectures and led workshops or held masterclasses within the Summer School.

The official program of the festival is available for the public with the purpose to, on one hand, construct a way of communication between the creators of media and those whom they serve: the consumers of information in order for the audience to correctly understand the messages transmitted through mass-media. On the other hand, it offers a space of free expression and a non-formal platform for professional development for the journalists and filmmakers. Therefore, SIMFEST is a festival not only a TV and film competition but also a cultural complex.

International recognition: SIMFEST is known and recognized in the Romanian mass-media as a role model in the promotion of artists' free expression and for the promotion and being an advocate of real media professionalism. Most of the creators attending SIMFEST for the past years, have also won international recognition at competitions organized in Sibiu, Prague, Belgrade, Bucharest, London, Kishinaw and Tel Aviv. SIMFEST is also in collaboration or in partnership with other similar manifestations: CRONOGRAF Chishinaw, DETECTIVEFEST Moskow, CINEPOLITICA Bucharest etc.

FanCine de Lemos, Fantastic Film Festival.

This is an inclusive call for entries. The "Salcito in Corto" Festival offers directors of all ethnicities and nationalities a great opportunity to showcase their talent. The registration process is accessible, and the rules are transparent.

What’s particularly interesting is that the theme is open, which allows for creativity and variety in the short films. The evaluation criteria of the "quality" jury are well-defined, covering essential aspects such as originality, technical quality, direction, and interpretation.

The fact that the final screening includes a maximum of 10 short films suggests a selective but balanced competition. Additionally, the initiative to award the best short film through a popular jury creates a sense of community involvement.

Rhyller Thriller, once described as the ungodly love child of a film festival and a horror convention, returns in 2025.

Lauded as putting Rhyl, North Wales on the Horror map, here is what you will need to know about 2025. Our Third festival will run for an expanded TWO DAYS from Saturday August 30th to Sunday the 31st at the iconic Rhyl Little Theatre. We are a one screen event that will run from 10 am until 11pm on both days. The theme is all things Horror including Giallo , Slasher , sci-fi, fantasy ,thriller and everything in between.

In our previous 2 years we have shown 3 Premieres and over 70 short films.

attendees can expect to see films on our custom 9 Ft screen and to be seated in an Edwardian style Auditorium in one of North Wales oldest theatres . Following each film or block of shorts expect a Q&A session and interview with the film makers hosted by either Chad or Jason, all interviews will be filmed and pushed out on our social media. Our dedicated team truly love Horror and the level of talks will be of a quality you will have rarely experienced. We have a fully stocked bar and a plethora of alternative stalls at our events and this year we hope to have a food truck and also some horror based seminars .

The Rhyller Thriller team are actively involved in film making, so we understand the love you have for your projects and what you will have been through to get your films to the screen. We can only hope you trust us with your hard work and will want to return in the future.

The Santander Film Festival (hereinafter the “FCS”) was born on September 18, 2017 as a film week focused on creativity, entrepreneurship and youth. It puts the focus on cinema, although it has also given space to other arts such as literature or music. The main venue where the festival takes place is el Centro Botín, and we have the main collaboration of the Botín Foundation, the Government of Cantabria and the City Council of Santander.

This year, the 9th edition of the Santander Film Festival will take place from September 12 to 18, 2025 in Santander, Cantabria.

Festival of Future Storytellers has been one of the most important festivals for young filmmakers worldwide since 1981. Each year, it offers young filmmakers from all over the world a platform for presenting their own short films and exchanging ideas about filmmaking. Each November, Munich becomes the focal point of up-and-coming international filmmaking — a place for lively exchange, networking, and discussion.

The short fiction, documentary, and animated films screened in international competition are eligible for valuable prizes, which are awarded by an independent festival jury. In addition, Festival of Future Storytellers presents a DACH Short Film Competition, in which short films from the DACH region will be programmed. An extensive supporting programme with panels and masterclasses complements the film programme.

These guidelines establishes the rules for the selection of Brazilian and international short and feature films to be screened in the competitive programs that will comprise the program of the 1st Goitacá International Film Festival, organized by Quiprocó Filmes, taking place from August 19 to 24, 2025, in Campos dos Goytacazes.

1. OBJECTIVE

The Goitacá International Film Festival aims to promote and disseminate Brazilian and international independent cinema through film screenings, debates, and the exchange between audiences, filmmakers, producers, industry professionals, curators, exhibitors, distributors, and critics. The event includes the International Competitive Program, the Brazilian Competitive Program, the Zezé Motta Program (focused on racial and gender diversity), the Olhares da Planície Program (showcasing films produced in the countryside of Rio de Janeiro), and the Kbrunquinho Program (focused on youth and children's content).
The program also includes a Training Program (workshops and labs), the Goitacá Cine Market (a space for developing new audiovisual projects and networking opportunities), and the North and Northwest Fluminense Cinema and Audiovisual Seminar, featuring panels, lectures, and roundtables.

2. PROGRAMS

2.1. The festival will consist of the following programs:

a) Brazilian Competitive Program:
For short and feature-length fiction and documentary films, whether previously released in Brazil or not. The curatorial team will prioritize contemporary themes, narrative innovation, and strong artistic voices.

b) International Competitive Program:
For short and feature-length fiction and documentary films, whether previously released in Brazil or abroad or not. The curatorial team will prioritize contemporary themes, narrative innovation, and strong artistic voices.

c) Zezé Motta Program:
Dedicated to showcasing and encouraging new distribution windows for Black Brazilian cinema. This section features fiction and documentary short and feature films addressing racial and gender diversity, with priority given to works directed and/or written by Black creators. Named in honor of actress Zezé Motta, born in Campos dos Goytacazes.

d) Kbrunquinho Program:
A competitive section for short and feature films aimed at children and young audiences (Rated: All Ages). Open to all genres, including fiction, documentary, action, animation, and more. A space for young viewers to experience a film festival environment.

e) Olhares da Planície Program:
A competitive section for short and feature films produced in the countryside of Rio de Janeiro state. The curatorial team will value local filmmakers and support the emergence of new talent.

Only for Colombian filmmakers

The Life Beyond Life Film Festival is proposed by the ArtInMovimento Popular University and the Cultural Association SystemOut (both at Torino, Italy), being in synergy with A.R.E.I. ( The Afterlife Research and Education Institute, Normal/IL, USA) and Religion Today Film Festival, and linked to the International Afterlife Conferences Andare Oltre. Uniti nell Luce e Oltre L’Oltre. This Afertlife Cine Fest will lay the focus on eschatological subjects referring, in the main, to the Hereafter.

Death for many cultures represents the great taboo, where instilling fear and terror, anxieties are hidden behind, along with emotions, probably based on a dominant mainstream, that subjects most people by orienting themselves towards particular lifestyles and behaviors.The Life Beyond Life Film Festival, casted on, by an anthropological and esoteric eye, welcomes clips/shorts, medium and feature film, documentaries/fact films, video arts, and cartoons, thematising the terminal care, grief, transition, the visions of the Afterlife, Eternity, Immortality and Destiny; the Coincidences, the Divine, Angels and Demons, Karma and Darma, Samsãra, the Akashi Records, Entanglement, the Multiverse (parallel dimensions), Quantum Physics and Universal Energy. There will be even space for testimonials, narratives, bearing witness specially to the learnings of mediums, psychics and holistic operators, being both in continuos connection with the Afterlife and having had some experiences with it, as well as cinematographic products of great worth, having a significant social and spiritual value, where the message linked to Death will be Hope, Solidarity and Lightness.

Animation Ciclos Shorts Fest is an international film festival that celebrates animation in all its forms, including traditional techniques, 3D, stop-motion, and experimental styles. Its country of origin is Colombia, but it is created for the whole world. Animation Ciclos Shorts Fest aims to showcase national and international audiovisual talent, promoting creativity and innovation among animators and filmmakers. The submission period for productions will end on April 16, 2025. Collectives, students, filmmakers, producers, enthusiasts, and the general public from all countries are welcome to participate in the competition.

Horror Ciclos Shorts Fest is an international film festival that encompasses horror, fantasy, suspense, and mystery, dedicated to all the people who love this genre. Its country of origin is Colombia, but it is created for the whole world. Horror Ciclos Shorts Fest aims to discover national and international audiovisual talent and awaken the imagination of horror short and feature film creators. The submission period for productions will end on february 25, 2025. Collectives, students, filmmakers, producers, enthusiasts, and the general public from all countries can participate in the competition.