Blog: Film festivals

The Santander Film Festival, with its main headquarters in Centro Botín, was born in September 2017 as a film week. Since then, it has been held every year with success in six editions and with great film professionals such as Isabel Coixet, Julio Medem, Antonio Resines, Carlos Saura and Pablo Trapero. Last year the week became a Festival, including two competitive categories, among other novelties that we will maintain in this new edition.

The Festival was born with a clear focus on creativity, entrepreneurship and youth, and these are precisely the traits that are reinforced edition after edition.

In the eighth edition we will maintain our desire to internationalize, programming a selection of the best Ibero-American films of the year, and also focusing on great film professionals to whom we will pay tribute through our retrospectives.


In addition, we will have multiple parallel activities, events and special screenings, as well as a reinforced industry section, with four meetings between professionals from the film industry, in order to address the new challenges it faces.

Like every year, the Festival acquires a strong commitment to sustainability, organizing an event to offset the carbon footprint in the Cinema Forest.

The Àger International Film Festival (FICdÀ) aims to bring cinema closer to a population that does not have easy access and to become a support space for new film talent.

The festival focuses on short films with a social theme, dealing with issues that add value to society.

Only for Spanish Films.

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.

FICNOVA is an initiative that is celebrated around the 2nd of October every two years, thus commemorating the International Day of Nonviolence declared by the United Nations. The competition phase has been held every two years since the second edition in 2014, following the unanimous decision of all the organizing venues taken in May 2015. It is organized by the non-profit Humanist Association FICNOVA in collaboration with other humanist organizations, associations, entities and people who share the transforming sensitivity of active nonviolence, in different cities of different countries.

After its first six editions held in October 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2022 in different cities of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Guatemala, Mauritania, Mexico, Peru and Spain, again participate in the preparation of the Seventh Edition of FICNOVA 2024 activists from different cities around the world.

The final list of venues may vary, either because new incorporations take place or because in some cities the minimum conditions for their celebration were not achieved in time, taking into account the difficulties of voluntary work in each country, self-financing and compliance with the permanent independence of any type of government agreement that could condition the objectives of the festival.

Depending on the logistics achieved in each place, three months before the start of the festival, we will publish the venues that meet the minimum general conditions for its celebration.

In no case can the non celebration in an initially proposed city be detrimental to the whole, nor to the authors of the works presented, since the festival is neither commercial nor remunerated. Each place is independent, and all efforts made at a point that could not be completed can be used for future editions of the festival.

We also wish to inform authors that the submission of works to competition is not made exclusively, allowing them the free disposal of the same and simultaneous submission to anyother contest they consider.

Apulian Web Fest is a kermesse dedicated to digital cinema and the Mediterranean Land! Web 2.0 has brought the much desired meritocracy in the audiovisual sector.
On TV and in the cinema we already have new players born right on the net.

This festival will give us, besides awarding the best audiovisual product the opportunity to learn about the thought and talent of young artists grown up in ​​the world.
Our event will be focused on the uniqueness of the Mediterranean zone, which since the dawn of humanity has been a bit of the cradle of civilization and then immediately a crossroads of intense trade and cultural meetings.

For this we would like to return to talk about the Mediterranean of Peace.

The theme must focus, from the values ​​of solidarity, tolerance, culture of peace, nature and commitment to gender equality, on ways of life, traditions, trades, crafts, sustainable economy, respect for the environment and living beings, that is, all aspects of the diversity of human culture, with a specific section dealing with issues of the peoples of Siberia and Central Asia.

During 5 days approx. 400 short films in over 100 screenings, approx. 800 film professionals attending and altogether approx. 30 000 visitors attending film screenings, industry programmes and events. The passion for short film joins everybody together in relaxed atmosphere.

One of the oldest and the biggest short film festivals in Europe. Academy Award®, Bafta and European Film Academy qualifying festival, recognised festival by International Federation of Film Producers Associations FIAPF and member of Short Film Conference ISFC.

The art of cinema is the starting point of everything at Tampere Film Festival. The festival’s mission is to make the world a better place one short film at a time and showcase artistically first-rate content.

The festival programme consists of competitions, special programmes and public and industry events. In addition to short films, the festival showcases feature-length documentaries, silent films, and, on occasion, also feature-length fiction films. The guiding principles in choosing programme content for the festival are the aesthetic, ethical, as well as the stylistic and narrative qualities of the films.

The festival is internationally renowned for its outstanding International and National Competitions. Each year, more than 7000 films are submitted, around 110 of these are selected and screened at the festival.

The International Competition is for short films only. The main prize consists of the Festival trophy “Kiss” and the 5000 € Grand Prix, in addition to which there are category prizes and special mentions. Tampere Film Festival is one of the Oscar®, BAFTA and EFA qualifying film festivals.

The National Competition showcases both short films (under 30 min) and feature-length documentaries. The main prize in both series is 5000 €, and in addition to these, there are other prizes and special mentions. The Tampere Film Festival National Competition is one of the most important platforms for Finnish filmmakers.

We want to take the serious cinema culture to the people. It is also our aim to develop a fundamental understanding of cinema in the next generations. It is our endeavor that, through this, we can organize progressive and democratic cine artists who uphold human values; and explore the possibilities of making more and more films with social consciousness.

Vision

As a unique creative and learning experience, we curate innovative programs that develop artists and leaders, inspiring them to conceive and create powerful works and ideas that are shared with the world. We believe film as an art form has the power to bridge cultures and illuminate the universality of the human experience. Our principles objectives encompass promoting film to an ever-widening audience as a powerful medium that inspires creativity, encourages introspection and compels exploration.

Mission

ICA International Cultural Artifact Film Festival exists to inspire artists and leaders to make their unique contribution to society. We aspire to be the global leader in arts, culture, and creativity. Our mission is to cultivate and promote the art and science of film through education and cross-cultural awareness. The Festival supports the creation and advancement of innovative and artistic cinematic works from both emerging and seasoned filmmakers and proudly embraces the passion.

Cortogenia is short film festival held all year along.

CineFest Miskolc International Film Festival is traditionally organized in September each year, in the heart of the biggest North-Hungarian city. Since the first CineFest organized in 2004, it has become Hungary’s leading and most popular film festival. Our aim is to introduce young film-making talents from all over the world and to provide an opportunity for them to present their work. Films compete in long feature and short films sections, and there’s a so-called CineNewWave section (for animation and short films) exclusively for young filmmakers from Hungary. All the films in the competition are Hungarian premieres.

Our mission is to mediate cinematographic values on an international level. To achieve this, we provide professional help to the up growing filmmaker generation, we provide a meeting point for film professionals, and we are serving film-lovers with both new film premieres and historical cinematographic masterpieces.

We have a partnership with more than 10 European partner festivals.

Programs related to the festival:
- CineClassics film historical series
- Miskolc International Film Market
- meeting of partner festivals
- annual 2-day-long professional program of the Hungarian Art Cinema Association
- roundtable talks and conferences
- country focus screenings
- documentary professional day
- “Our Home: Miskolc” filmmaking workshop
- lifetime achievement awarding
- wreathing Emeric Pressburger’s birth house in Miskolc.

In the previous years, such world-famous filmmakers were our guests receiving CineFest’s Lifetime Achievement Award as István Szabó director, Agnieszka Holland director, Vilmos Zsigmond cinematographer, Károly Makk director, Claudia Cardinale actress, or Jiři Menzel director, Bille August director and George Lazenby actor. In 2019 Franco Nero and Vanessa Redgrave, in 2018 Krzysztof Zanussi, in 2017 Magdalena Vášáryová, in 2016 Juliette Binoche visited our festival and received our special award as Ambassador of European Cinema.

The film festival is organized by the CINE-MIS Nonprofit Ltd. which runs Miskolc City’s two art-cinema screens in the House of Arts that serves as the festival center. All festival screenings and related programs are free.

Contact:
office address: CINE-MIS Nonprofit Ltd., 3525 Miskolc, Kossuth Lajos u. 11., Hungary
telephone: 00 36 46 325 000
webpage: www.cinefest.hu
e-mail: cinemis@t-online.hu, info@cinefest.hu
festival director: Tibor Bíró

I short film festival with a maximum duration of 7 minutes.

Registrations from May 1 to August 30.

It will be held on November 2 - 12th in the municipal auditorium of Iniesta Cuenca.

The main objective of the Short Film Festival is the dissemination of ecosystems and biological heritage through cinematographic and audiovisual works selected through quality criteria.

The Ensenada International Film Festival (FICE) invites you to participate in its sixth edition. It will take place in the City of Ensenada, Province of Buenos Aires on September, 2024 (the date of the festival can be modified within said month).

FICE's search will focus on cinematographic works that address a critical, poetic or aesthetic reflection around water. In this sense, water may appear as a central or tangential element in the development of narratives.

Because we are inhabited, stirred and agitated by this river that feeds us, from the FICE, we are looking for those works that, like water, can poetically penetrate all the reality that we are able to cover.

The "Corto di sera" Festival takes place in August in Itala, in the province of Messina since 2012.

Participation to the Festival is free and open to all Italians and foreign authors, single filmmakers orcollectives/associations.

- The Festival is exclusively dedicated to short films that last less than 25minutes.

- Any genre will be accepted (documentary, fiction, classic and/or digital animation)

- All foreign works shot in any language which is not Italian must be subtitled in Italian . Non-subtitled foreign short films will not be selected.

- Each author may submit up to a maximum of three works.

- The organizers reserve the possibility to create additional sections.

Festival’s purpose is to promote the independent short film production in all its forms as an artistic and expressive language. The aim of to create an annual event in Italy where filmmakers, video makers, professionals or enthusiasts cinema can meet and connect different experiences.

Cinema is an art form that needs to be simultaneously nourished and challenged and ÉCU - The European Independent Film Festival provides the perfect arena for indie filmmakers to express authentic cinematic storytelling in the most compelling ways possible.

As one the World’s truly stand out independent film festivals, ÉCU embraces innovation and creativity and allows directors in competition to showcase their films to audiences who appreciate and love independent cinema. Filmmakers who are selected into ÉCU’s Official Selection join an active community of creatives who continually push the boundaries of indie cinema.

"It is always an absolute joy to present one's work at ECU. The team are fantastically helpful, the jury extremely competent, and the selection of the highest quality. I would recommend participating to anyone who's in love with indie filmmaking!" - Celina Liesegang, producer of Viscera: Autopsy of a (non)human body, ÉCU 2022 Official Selection

"It's always a pleasure having our films at ÉCU, especially this year with our awarded short film "Useless"! The communication has been great during the whole process and our filmmakers are so excited to be part of this competition. See you again next year with new projects!" - Marta Salvador Tato, distributor of USELESS, the winner of the Best European Independent Dramatic Short award 2022

Since its inception in 2006 ÉCU has forged a path for independent film and the scope of its presence has grown to a global scale with the festival often being referenced as the European equivalent of Sundance, an honour that we don’t take lightly.

Spring is not only a fabulous time for Paris but an exciting time for ÉCU because that is when we showcase roughly around 100 of the World’s very best independent films. Although ÉCU emphasises European talent, it also recognises the genius of international filmmakers with several categories allocated to non-European films.

The next ÉCU, the 19th edition, will take place on the 19th, 20th and 21st of April, 2024 in Paris, France.

ÉCU isn’t just all about screening an amazing slate of films over its three-day event in Paris in April. There are also professional workshops led by experts in the industry, Q&A’s held with the attending filmmakers after every screening session and a chance to network with fellow filmmakers, producers, agents, industry representatives, prospective film buyers and, of course, the cinema-loving public. At ÉCU, there is a continual dialogue celebrating and critiquing the world’s best indie cinema of today.


Though ÉCU’s main event IS the three-day festival in Paris each spring, there is even more! Thanks to our over 50 partner festivals, partner organizations, film centres and film commissions, ÉCU’s goes on an annual world tour called ÉCU-On-The-Road, which gives award-winning films (as well as many of the Official Selection films) the opportunity to have their films screened to a broader, global audience. ÉCU-On-The-Road showcased films in over 80 countries around the globe in 2016 - 2023 at special ÉCU mini-festivals, partner festivals, cultural institutions and film schools, including an amazing seven day special festival in São Paulo, Brazil. The event was made possible through the support of Caixa Cultural, São Paulo and was a huge success. ÉCU also held special events in Berlin (Germany), Cannes (France) and was part of festivals in Lebanon, Italy, Russia, USA, Romania, Austria, Denmark and ot­her countries. This gives ÉCU filmmakers great exposure to audiences that they may never have reached.

Since 2006, ÉCU has helped the careers of literally hundreds of independent filmmakers, actors, DPs, editors, screenwriters and is honoured to be firmly established as one of the World’s eminent indie film festivals.

Above all, we are proud to be a filmmakers’ festival!

Transhumant Festival is an engaged cinema event to do the social transformation.

It aims to reach audiences far away from culture, both geographically and by social circumstances to make them participants and show topics that concern society and that are not sufficiently disseminated in movie theatres, media or usual audiovisual distribution channels.

It will showcase national and international cinematographic works and photojournalism reportages that focus on:

- Social, political, environmental, mountain, journalistic or historical research.

- Showing some form of activism in favour of human rights and respect for the environment.

- Valuing positive human relations and diversity of cultures.

- Valuing the equity between women and men.

The Golfo de Morrosquillo International Film Festival (FICGO) is a platform for showcasing, training, and promoting audiovisual experiences throughout the region. Through a diverse program of films, workshops, and activities, the festival travels to the municipalities of Coveñas, Santiago de Tolú, San Onofre, and the districts of Berrugas and Rincón del Mar in Sucre. FICGO serves as a cultural gathering that strengthens emerging local talent and celebrates the unique narratives of the Caribbean.

The 18th edition of CORTOCOMENIUS intends to show the best valencian productions , with the intention of promoting, broadcast and support to the development of the digital cinema.

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)