Blog: Film festivals

Lucca Film Festival is an annual event that celebrates and promotes cinematographic culture. Through screenings, exhibitions, conferences and performances, the Festival has been able to captivate an ever-increasing audience with a program that ranges from experimental to mainstream films. Through the years, Lucca Film Festival has carved out a niche for itself, standing apart from the many other festivals thanks to its bold yet carefully studied programming. Over the years, great names of international filmmakers and well-known celebrities have attended Lucca Film Festival as invited guests; David Lynch, Oliver Stone, Jeremy Irons, Willem Dafoe, George Romero, Terry Gilliam, William Friedkin, Alfonso Cuarón, John Boorman, Rutger Hauer, Joe Dante, Aleksandr Sokurov, Susan Sarandon, Gabriele Salvatores, Ethan Hawke, Paul Schrader and Peter Greenaway, just to name a few. At the same time, the Festival has offered retrospectives of “old” glories while unearthing new talents. To top it all off, breathtaking Lucca serve as a stunning backdrop to an event that has now firmly established itself, becoming a highly anticipated and not-to-be-missed appointment in Italy and in Europe: the Lucca Film Festival.

Since its creation, the festival has always been committed to promoting contemporary films. Therefore, directors from all over the world can submit their films to the competitive section of the festival through the dedicated call for entries. The 2026 edition of Lucca Film Festival will be held September 26th-October 4th.

Lucca Film Festival has 3 competitions: The International Feature Film Competition, The International Short Film Competition and The "Lucca Film Festival for Future" Short Film Competition.

The 2026 will be the 22nd edition of the Lucca Film Festival International Feature Film Competition. In the previous editions important personalities of cinema like Cristi Puiu, Rutger Hauer, Philip Groening, Claudio Giovannesi, Daniele Ciprì, Massimo Gaudioso, Massimo Cantini Parrini, Lina Nerli Taviani had been part of the international jury.
The films shown during this competition are Italian premieres and last edition was won by "The cage is looking for a bird" by Malika Musaeva.
There are four awards: Best feature film prize (3000€), awarded by a jury of renowned guests from both the cinematographic and academic worlds; and Best feature film – university jury prize (awarded by an university jury), Best feature film - Popular jury and the Marcello Petrozziello Award.
For those who are interested in this competition, the last day for submissions is July 15, 2026, until midnight.
There are no limitations to the genre or topic of the films. The only requirements are the following: the films must be at least 60 minutes long and must not have been screened before January 1st, 2026. Moreover, they must be Italian premieres, so they cannot have been presented in any other Italian festival, shown on any online open platform or distributed in any other way in Italy.

For the 20th year in a row, it will take place the historic short films competition, whose winner will receive a 1000€ prize. Every year, the selection committee of this competition receives more than 500 films to evaluate. Among the directors who took part in earlier editions, there are celebrities like Adan Jodorowsky, son of the famous Chilean filmmaker.
The films have no limitations in genre and topic. The only requirement is that they cannot last more than 29 minutes. For the short films competition, the last day for submissions is July 15, 2026, until midnight.

Second edition of the new short film competition,:"Lucca Film Festival for Future", which was born thanks to the collaboration with the Sofidel Group, 2nd producer in Europe and 7th in the world for production capacity in the sector of paper for hygienic and domestic use (known in particular for the Regina brand), which has made sustainability a strategic lever of development and responsible growth to reduce its impact on natural capital and favour the transition towards a low carbon impact economy.

List of the selected films will be published on the festival’s website within September 10, 2026. During the festival the movies will be shown in the cinemas taking part in the event and on demand online.

The Lucca Film Festival, coordinated by Nicola Borrelli, is one of the key events organized and sponsored by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Lucca.
The event's main sponsors are Banca Generali Private Wealth Management (Paolo Tacchi) e Banca Pictet. The organization of the Lucca Film Festival has also been possible thanks to Ministero della cultura – Direzione Generale Cinema e Audiovisivo, Miur, Regione Toscana, Fondazione Sistema Toscana, Manifatture Digitali Cinema, Fondazione Banca del Monte di Lucca, Sofidel, Fondazione Giacomo Puccini e Puccini Museum – Casa Natale, Audi Center Terigi Tenuta del Buonamico, Naturanda, Martinelli Luce, Futuro3D, Tecno Servizi, Ristorante Giglio, Palazzo Pfanner, Teatro del Giglio, ConfCommercio Lucca e Massa Carrara, Grand Universe Lucca, Grand Universe – La residenza, Over The Real, Teatro del Giglio di Lucca, Fondazione Giacomo Puccini e Puccini Museum – Casa Natale, Casa d’arte San Lorenzo, Accademia Cinema Toscana; Accademia di Belle Arti di Carrara, Istituto Luigi Boccherini e Liceo Artistico Musicale e Coreutico Augusto Passaglia, Liceo Classico N. Machiavelli, ISIS Pertini.
Thanks also to Rai Toscana, Rai Radio 3, Movieplayer.it, Film4 Life, Festival Scope, A.C.S.I. Associazione Centri Sportivi Italiani, Federazione Italiana Teatro Amatori (FITA), Trenitalia, Fic, Uicc, Cinit, Ucca, Arci, Fedic, Corte Tripoli, Circolo del Cinema di Lucca, Cineforum Ezechiele 25:17, Cinema Centrale, Astra e Moderno, Cinema Arsenale, Octocom, Università di Pisa, Università degli Studi Firenze, Fondazione Carlo Ludovico Ragghianti, Pisa al Cinema, Cinema Arsenale, Cineteca Bologna, Cineteca Nazionale, Istituto Musicale Luigi Boccherini, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Italia, Associazione Donne all’Ultimo Grido, , SPAM! Rete per le arti contemporanee, Lucca Comics & Games, Photolux Festival, Lucca Classica Music Festival.

Come to the Lucca Film Festival and experience a full 360° immersion in both the cinema and the heart of Tuscany.

Every year the Adventure Movie Awards international film competition selects some of the best adventure short films from around the world.

A showcase of movies about Adventure intended as exploration, personal experiences and challenges as well as freedom and deep conenction with nature. A sort of adventure that fascinates, intrigues and scares as well, testimony of the free spirit that drives man to leave what is certain and go search for the unknown, pushing further and going beyond the limits.

The aim is to reward the short films that are able to convey this meaning of Adventure on the screen and that are able to communicate emotions, passions and dreams through images and dialogues. Not just pure action, but life stories.

The Zanzibar International Film Festival is an esteemed annual event showcasing films from diverse regions, promoting cultural exchange and celebrating the vibrant art of filmmaking. Established in 1997, ZIFF continues to inspire and unite global audiences through the magic of cinema.

The Zanzibar International Film Festival 2024 is set to take place from 01st Aug to 04th Aug, 2024. ZIFF management would like to inform film professionals worldwide that the festival is currently accepting applications for all African films (including African Diaspora) and films from the Dhow Countries’ region- South East Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, The Persian Gulf, Iran, Pakistan, India and the Indian Ocean Islands from 06th April, 2024 till 05th May, 2024. Films must be have been produced after 2022. ZIFF reserves the right to accept any films with a specific interest to the festival.

This year ZIFF management extend special interest to Tv Drama Series from East African Countries (Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Somalia & Republic of the Congo) The Tv Drama series should be between 25 to 60 minutes in length per episode.

Films should preferably depict the Festival theme; Rejuvenation. Films reflecting the theme of global cultural interaction, cultural encounters or sociocultural commentary will be given priority. Films must have been completed no later than May 05th, 2024.

We will accept submissions of works in progress only after agreement with ZIFF management. The Submission Deadline is 05th May 2024. The festival reserves the right to also invite films for screening at ZIFF.

Cryptshow Festival is an initiative that promotes the fantasy genreand terror. Every July fill Badalona de Zombies, aliens, vampires and serial killiers most infamous. And to much horror ... the horror!

Corti a Ponte is a great little festival in the Venice area.

Films are screened in Italian or in original language with Italian or English subtitles in front of an audience from 3 to 99 year old.

AFO is currently one of the most important European festivals in the area of popular science film. It aims to present science as an attractive, dynamic and diverse sector through films charting natural, humanities and social science disciplines. Each year, hundreds of documentary films and television programs enroll in the competition sections of the festival. Traditionally, renowned stations such as BBC, Discovery Channel or National Geographic submit their films. In past years, the festival introduced for example Albert Barillé, the creator of the legendary cycle series Once Upon a Time... Life; Jeff Lieberman, host of Time Warp, an American popular show; Martha Holmes, exclusive producer of the BBC series Life; a world-renowned biologist Steve Jones; renowned populariser of science and medicine, Lord Robert Winston, popular British biologist and BBC associate Nigel Marven, executive producer of CBC series The Nature of Things Sue Dando or theoretical physicist and atheist activist Lawrence M. Krauss. The festival takes place in April in Olomouc. It originated in 1966.

Science film is a unique category of documentary film, an important field of cinema, that represents a substantial part of contemporary television broadcasting. AFO´s active programming seeks significant works in Czech and world science cinema, and present them to general as well as academic public. It focuses not only on current productions, but reviews, and revives the history of the genre in special program sections. Each year, a dominant topic brings together films and guests from all over the world, presenting science as a thrilling adventure.

The International Horror Film Festival of Valparaíso convokes professional filmmakers and aficionados of short films, featurettes, and feature films from chile and abroad to participate with their movies, related to the genres of terror, horror, gore, suspense, fantasy, bizarre, and variants.

Objectives

Foment the production of independent films, look for novel and diverse content, and being a place for reflection and spread of independent cinema, with sights to the world from Valparaíso.

Date of the Festival.

The International Horror Film Festival of Valparaíso will be online, on / 12th/13th of December of 2025.

The Bayou City Horror Film Fest is a unique forum for international independent filmmakers to showcase their films in Houston, Texas. All types of Dark genres are accepted: Black Comedy, Dark Comedy, Sketch, Mockumentary, Science Fiction, Animation, and of course Horror.
The BCHFF showcases dark genre based films under 30 from all over the world, in HD at the Alamo Drafthouse - Houston, Texas. If you are a filmmaker, looking to screen your film in the DARK genre format, then you've found the right place.

This event is broken up into 2 halves. The Saints half will feature Inspirational, Comedy and Family oriented films while the Sinners half will focus on Horror, Thriller and Mature Audience fare! Features and Shorts are all welcome!

We will have Independent Filmmakers, actors, actresses, filmmakers, vendors and more on hand as well as additional festivities such as panels, giveaways, movie trivia and more that are still in the works!

The event is set for January 24th - 25th, 2026 at Cinema 6 in Port Richey, Florida!

Submit your entry now!

The 13th International Documentary Festival of Ierapetra & Awards, offers you the opportunity to submit your documentaries now, in order to compete in the monthly awards of the Festival for February. Winners will automatically qualify to compete for the annual Festival awards, taking place from August 1nd to 21st, 2026.

This year the IDFI, is dedicated to Climate Change. It is worth noting that films from all thematic sections will be eligible at the end of each month to compete for the annual awards in August. The rich thematic sections of the Festival include: human rights, recordings of memory, docudrama, young directors, true stories, climate change, environment, the role of women, Greek Panorama, views of the world, human portrait, violence, war threat, diversity, socio-political discrimination, religious conflicts, racism, migration, as well as themes related to all forms of art and culture, such as folklore, customs, mythology, history, biographies, ethnographies, journeys, and travel-tourist documentaries.

The 13th International Documentary Festival of Ierapetra & Awards, promotes the best documentaries from Greece and around the world for screening in its’ competitive section. Ierapetra, the southernmost city in Europe, a crossroads of cultures and continents, will once again host a plethora of films and artists from the ends of the earth. The judging panels consist of international recognition personalities.

The film files must be in mp4 format , no more than 10GB, and must have embedded English and Greek subtitles (in case of foreign dialogue).
Without Greek subtitles, unfortunately, you cannot participate in the compete section of the Festival.

Our 5-star and Gold-rated festival holds the EFFE quality seal.

Trailer of the 11th International Documentary Festival of Ierapetra & Awards:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZAQStCWPFA&t=27s

14th of the Sant Andreu de la Barca Film Festival and framework of the Oriana Awards delivery.

The gala is held at the Nuria Espert Theater, where in one night the work of a year of filmmakers of short films, documentaries, web series and feature films is brought together.

THE CATALONIA INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL FILM FESTIVAL has as his basic aims the dissemination and promotion of films that contribute to the knowledge of world cinema Social Film, on Human Rights and Civil Rights

HOPE-FIRST es el primer festival universal de cortometrajes on-line, contra el odio, la discriminacion, la homofobia, y el racismo, su pagina web es http://www.hopefirst.net/

The Calzada de Calatrava Film Festival opens its call for submissions in the following categories:

Short Films – "MADE IN CASTILLA LA MANCHA"

Official Competition – Short Films "Made in Castilla La Mancha":

Short films created by filmmakers who are either natives or residents of Castilla La Mancha; works that have used locations in this region; or productions involving companies with a registered office in Castilla La Mancha.

Official Competition – Short Films selected by CortoEspaña – Fugaz Awards:
National short films with free theme, genre, and technique, selected by CortoEspaña.

International Film Showcase:
Four feature films will be screened, selected by the festival organization from among the award winners at major international film festivals, including Cannes, Berlin, Venice, New York, Toronto, San Sebastián, Málaga, Seville, and Seminci.

Parallel Activities:
Exhibitions, workshops, conferences, special sections, gastronomy contests, film-themed routes, and film music concerts.

Vienna Shorts is the international short film festival in Vienna. The presentation of short films and the exchange about them are the main focus. The festival is organized by the association Independent Cinema and shows about 300 productions under 30 minutes. The competition is structured in four categories, for each of which separate entries can be submitted. Other sections include portraits and thematically curated programs.

Vienna Shorts 2021 will take place as a hybrid festival from May 27 to June 1, 2021. The focus is on the presentation of short film forms in the cinema in Vienna (subject to a non-hazardous implementation). The rights holders will be specially informed about online screenings of films.

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

This edition is number 35, 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.

The European Fantastic Film Festival SOMBRA is a project that aims to spread and serve as a reference to fantasy films produced in Europe, as well as support European, national and regional production of gender.

The International Festival of cinema of Hermosillo was born in 2012 founded by a group of young entrepreneurs with a passion for cinema and with the desire to recognize those who share and live this passion through his films, thanks to the efforts of a nonprofit association and with the objective of recognizing the effort and talent of filmmakers around the worldproviding a source of culture and tourism that drives the development of talent and love for the cinema to the State and society.

El Festival el Cine de Marbella summons the II Sample of Short Films of Terror to be celebrated the 31 of October of 2018.

LANZAROTE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2026

National Fiction Shorts
International Fiction Shorts
Animated shorts
Short Documentaries
Canary Shorts
Children's Shorts