Blog: Film festivals

The FIC AUTOR (Author's International Film Festival) is interested in unique and artistic films that exceed the limits of traditional storytelling. We look for Feature and Short Films that reflect the director's personal creative vision, and a style that is distinct enough to shine through the collective process.

WE ONLY CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU SHOW IN YOUR FILM, how CREATIVE you are and how you tell the story, that's it. We don't care if your film has recognized stars or unknown names, if it was shot with an Arri or a DSLR, if it has been accepted to a thousand festivals or none. We don’t base our decisions regarding your gender, sexual orientation, color of your skin, or ethnicity like other festivals. We are against the politics and bureaucracy that flood the film industry. 100% of the films accepted come from the submissions, we don't invite films. We want to be recognized as an objective festival with a tough competition and the most creative global cinema in our theaters!

We're partners with RAINDANCE Film School MX, so if you're one of our selected filmmakers, you will also screen your film there and have the chance to teach a masterclass in one of the most important film schools in the world and who knows, maybe be spotted by Elliot himself!

The FIC AUTOR will take place in November in Guadalajara, Jalisco, México and Tequila Jalisco. We will present the very best films from around the world, ranging from the most unexpected-creative low budget films from unknown filmmakers, to films made by experienced/well known directors. Mano a mano, this competition is tough! FIC AUTOR will strive to be one of the most important cultural events in the city. We aspire to become an international spotlight for new directors!

In the 7th edition we presented the first Honorary Ring to our 1st guest of honor, the Academy Award nominee actress Yalitza Aparicio ("Rome" dir. Alfonso Cuarón) We will continue inviting interesting talents from different fields.

-The 13 winning Authors will receive the WINNER LAUREL, plus FIC AUTOR trophy or rings.
-WINNERS will be announced one month before the award ceremony, so all the nominated filmmakers can decide beforehand whether they want to travel to the festival.
-The Cineforo is one of the biggest cinema theaters in the city with 440 seats, and is the most prestigious.

CATEGORIES:

Feature Films Categories:
-Fictional Feature Films.
-Documentary Feature Films.
-Experimental Feature Films.
-First-Time Filmmaker.
-Low Budget Feature Films Under 50K USD.
-Mexican Feature Films. (For Mexican directors only)

Medium Length Category:
-Medium Length Films. (Any kind)

Short Films Categories:
-Fictional Short Films.
-Documentary Short Films.
-Experimental Short Films.
-Animated Short Films.
-Mexican Short Films. (For Mexican directors only)
-Cineminuto 1 minute Short Films.

MAY 19, 2020 | COVID-19 UPDATE!
EIFF is slated for the end of September and at this point, we are proceeding with a ‘business as usual’ mindset. CALL FOR ENTRIES is now CLOSED for the 2020 fest and selection committees are adjudicating entries. Filmmakers will be NOTIFIED by AUGUST 15 through the FestHome E-MAIL portal. As this carpet ride continues, let’s try to find the ‘magic’ of it all. Be well!

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The Edmonton International Film Festival (EIFF) is a truly unique festival that champions the bold and challenges the status quo. It is equal parts creative, demanding, celebratory, discriminating and, in the end, just a hell of a lot of fun.

SHORT FILMMAKERS... We announce the two (2) OSCAR® qualifying short films in the LIVE ACTION and ANIMATION categories on SUNDAY, October 11. The submission deadline to AMPAS (The Academy) is 5pm PT on TUESDAY, Dec. 1.

So who are we? In 2003, our love for film and filmMAKERS -- cinematic storytellers -- led us to the curtains of Edmonton's International Film Festival (or LOCAL HEROES as it was known back then) because 'how hard can it be?' The festival was just shy of 20 years young at that time. All of us here in EIFF land had real gigs -- film production, freelancing, broadcast, journalism, raising goats. All of us still do those things, but very part-time now. This thing, this film festival, is certainly outgrowing its tiny budget. We come from production, so when you tell us your film is a rough cut, temp audio and no color correct, we understand that! And we are passionate. We love films, and the people who MAKE them. So much so, that when you have a film screen here, you become part of our family. And for the record, it's a whole lot harder than we imagined!

Our primary objective is to encourage and support the appreciation of cinema as art. Each autumn, we hoist the curtains on a 10-day cinematic feast that celebrates the power of film. The EIFF menu consists of more than 150 films from 40 countries, ranging from short to feature-length, dramatic to documentary, comedy to gut-wrenching and studio to independent. And we sprinkle it all with a generous dose of filmmaker chats, Q&A's, gala screenings, a local filmmaker spotlight, 'buzzy' films that are travelling the festival circuit, shorts with lunch, parties (of course!) and more.

This gem of a festival from the plains of Alberta gives voice, platform and opportunity to filmmakers at all stages of their creative journey and from all parts of the world. Edmonton is North America's northernmost metropolis and is a proud outlier when it comes to art and culture. 'E-Town' does its own thing. It's home to some of the best festivals anywhere and is a favourite with artists of all stripes. EIFF is one of those events that not only puts Northern Alberta on the map -- it hotly brands it!

WHO ATTENDS? Over the years, we've had the pleasure of hosting: John Waters, Norman Jewison, Cory Bowles, Academy Award© winner Brenda Fricker, Deepa Mehta, Arthur Hiller, Werner Herzog, Paul Gross, Naomi Klein, Avi Lewis, Don McKellar, Albert Maysles, Jon Cryer, Bruce McDonald, Patrick Warburton, Rita Chiarelli, Shea Whigham, Jesse James Miller, Kris Holden-Ried, Zoie Palmer, Academy Award© winner, Luke Matheny... the list goes on! And countless emerging filmmakers, actors, writers and producers.

“I was honoured to be a juror at EIFF and I shared in the excitement of discovering new voices and visions. EIFF is more important than ever to the citizens and City of Edmonton. It is truly an international festival that doesn’t forget its local, indigenous and regional roots.”
- Carolyn B. (Canada)

At the end of the day, once the curtains close for the final time each year -- EIFF is about the power of film! And how it brings us all together in a way that only ART can. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Submit NOW and become part of Alberta's longest running international film festival.

Wallachia International Film Festival is a highly professional, industry connected film festival, an exclusive independent grassroots film festival taking place in an exquisite location in Downtown Bucharest, only hundreds of meters away from Dracula’s former court in the grand Old Town!

We won multiple cinema prizes including important awards at major film festivals, like Cannes, Locarno, Montreal, London, Milan, Miami and Atlanta. Also, our advertising work received accolades at Clio, Effie, In-Awe, Lion Awards, ANDY Awards and Ad’Or, while working for companies like Coca-Cola, UNICEF, McDonalds, Renault, Yahoo! and Nestlé-Purina.

But there’s nothing we love more than indulging ourselves with cinematic candies from all over the world, under the autumn night sky of Wallachia. We will be arguing for a long time about which ones we feel are the best, and about the most promising unproduced screenplays.

Welcome to Wallachia, the Legendary Land of Voivode Vlad III Dracula, universally known as Vlad the Impaler. Born in 1431, Vlad was an authoritarian Principe, he revolutionized the affairs of Wallachia and refused to pay tribute to the sultan Mehmed II, resulting in a bloody war with the Ottomans. Multiple works containing stories about Vlad's cruelty were published soon after his assassination in 1475. In 1897, Bram Stoker downgrades Prince Vlad to Count Dracula, a blood-sucking vampire inspired by Wallachian ancient folklore. Loosely based on the book, Dracula (1931) casts immortal Bela Lugosi as the doomed romantic Count.

Just think cinétopia! Feel hundreds of years of mythic Wallachian history under the night sky! It’s a 100% natural film affair!

We watch all movies, we read all screenplays and we select exclusively based on artistic merits.

Sedicicorto started in 2004 and is held every year in the month of October in Forlì. The Festival aims at offering visibility to young authors and at representing an opportunity of meeting and exchange among film industry professionals.

Known for its quality programming and the friendly welcome offered to all guests and professionals attending the event, over the years Sedicicorto has proven to be the Italian short film festival with the largest number of submissions (over 5,000 films submitted from 125 countries in 2021). Thanks to its consistent presence at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival & Market with the Italian Short Film Corner - organized in collaboration with the Italian CNC and other Italian short film festivals - and thanks to the collaboration with the network of European short film festivals of the EuroShort Project, Sedicicorto is constantly strengthening its image all over Europe.
The event aims at drawing the attention of the general audience, paying particular attention to children and the young audience with screenings and film literacy activities held during the Festival and all year round.

**Become a part of one of the most popular IMDb annual Festivals!**

Welcome to the Bristol Independent Film Festival. We are one of the UK’s fastest-growing independent film festivals!

Since we started in 2016 we have had submissions from over 120 countries. We pride ourselves on being an international film festival. We aspire to promote, recognize, and support independent filmmakers throughout the world by hosting a variety of awards to provide the best opportunities for filmmakers and help them receive their deserved recognition. We welcome submissions from a range of genres including short films, documentaries, features, animations, and screenplays.

Why BIFF?

•We aim to create a community of independent film-makers and an environment where we can celebrate independent films and our submitters’ creations.
•For each event, we provide networking booklets that include information about each winner and ways to contact them. We also provide trophies and winners packs.

•Each season we offer cash prizes to our favorite submissions to help fund their future projects.

•Finally, we aim to establish personal relationships with our submitters. We always enjoy finally meeting with our filmmakers/ scriptwriters and being able to celebrate their accomplishments in person.

Why Bristol?

Bristol was recently recognized by UNESCO as a “City of Film” alongside the likes of Sydney, Rome, and Galway. We pride ourselves on being the largest celebration of independent film in Bristol and we aim to create a hub for independent film-makers.

Judging Process?

Our submissions are judged by a jury of international industry professionals. They rate each submission on 10 different categories including cinematography, writing, pacing, and creativity. This helps them decide which submissions make it to the final stage where there will be jury group viewings to make sure we only pick the best quality submissions.

We look forward to viewing your creations and hope to meet you at our 7th annual celebration of independent film.

The Basilicata International Film Festival is a festival for short films where short films, doc-films and short food (food-based short films) are also admitted.

The FICAH MEXICO will be held annually and its main objectives are to promote and promote the production, completion and exhibition of independent cinematographic works.

In 2021, “The Biggest Little Fest In Europe” was heralded as "One of the World's Leading Indie Film Fests"- The Hollywood Reporter

Rated among the top 5 Film Festivals worldwide for Independent Films by American film critic Chris Gore in his esteemed “Ultimate Film Festival Guide”, and ranked “Top 25 Coolest Festivals in the World” by MovieMaker, Oldenburg has fostered its success with a strong commitment to innovative and Independent filmmaking.

“If there's anything that could be considered the Promised Land of Independent Cinema in Europe today, it is Oldenburg.” - Accred - L'actualité des festivals de cinéma

Labelled ‘the German Sundance’ by Variety, Hollywood Reporter, and Screen International, amongst others, Oldenburg has evolved while preserving its intimate atmosphere and founding purpose: to celebrate and support the diverse voices and visions of independent filmmakers, to honor the creativity of the artists upon which the Festival depends, and to create a unique experience and inspiring meeting place for filmmakers, audiences, and media professionals.

“Oldenburg - renown for its determination, cinephilia, and openness for the extremes - impresses with its brilliant programming.” - GRIP

Additionally, in an effort to raise awareness and build bridges between worlds through the common language of film, Oldenburg is the only Film Festival in the world that annually screens part of its regular program to incarcerated individuals who share the experience with members of the general public in an actual high-security Prison environment, known as ‘The Alcatraz of the North’.

“Oldenburg thrives as a discovery channel.” - Screen International

In addition to supporting the discovery of new artists, Oldenburg has hosted the German Premieres of films by such acclaimed filmmakers as Darren Aronofsky, Brian De Palma, Steven Soderbergh, Michael Polish, Johnnie To, Chan-wook Park, Monte Hellmann, & Takeshi Kitano amongst others. Guests of honor have included Jim McBride, Larry Clark, Philippe de Broca, Andrzej Zulawski, Ken Russell, Jerry Schatzberg, James Toback, Radley Metzger, Ted Kotcheff, Phedon Papmichael, George Armitage, Christophe Honoré, Edward R. Pressman, Bruce Robinson, William Freidkin, Ovidio Assonitis, and Peter & John Hyams who have all attended the festival for Retrospectives of their work.

“Just as impressive as the films was the festival itself, which, under the inspired direction of Torsten Neumann, combined intelligent cinephilia with a laid-back atmosphere of democratic equality.” - Sight and Sound

Nicolas Cage, Seymour Cassel, Asia Argento, Keira Knightley, Deborah Kara Unger, Mira Sorvino, Bobcat Goldthwait, Michael Wadleigh, Joanna Cassidy, Luke Wilson, Ben Gazzara, Stacy Keach, Amanda Plummer, Keith Carradine, Matthew Modine, Sean Baker, Andrea Rau, Mattie Do & Noémie Merlant are amongst many who have attended as honored guests or for Tributes in their honor.

“Alongside Venice and Toronto, Oldenburg is considered one of the most important Autumn Festivals for Independent Cinema” - de Telegraaf

Rated #1 in Germany on The Most Important Autumn Film Festivals List for and by the German Film Industry (Blickpunkt Film), and #3 internationally after Venice & TIFF, Oldenburg is regarded as “one of the most important European festivals for independent cinema" (Tagesschau).

“Oldenburg is a pilgrimage for cineastes.”- Die Zeit

Branching off from The Indie Gathering International Film Festival comes the United Latino Film Festival. The Indie Gathering began in 1996, and through all our years of accepting film submissions, we have recognized the outstanding quality of Spanish-language films and a greater demand for a Hispanic/Latino film festival. The United Latino Film Festival exists to showcase the Hispanic/Latino independent filmmaker. Our mission is to encourage filmmakers through a competitive showcase of independent features, documentaries, shorts, and music videos. Filmmakers participate in their screenings and after the films speak with audience members who seek a closer look into the creative process.

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.

The FIRST INTERNATIONAL CINECONFIC FESTIVAL - CONSTITUCION will be held in the city of Constitución, Chile, from March 10 to 15, 2020. Short films of genre fiction or international documentary, short films made in Latin American film schools, Óperas Primas (debut feature film) of fiction or documentary genre and competition of Chilean school short films produced from January 1, 2018 may participate in competition.

"Filmaê", the first festival in latin america dedicated exclusively to films produced with mobile devices, had its first edition in 2018, when it showed 45 national films made exclusively with phones or tablets. The Festival is committed to the democratization of cinema by encouraging the use of smartphones as a means of capturing images so that a well-told story can get on the cinema screen. The festival has a Competitive Show, exclusively for national films, and a non-competitive show of international films. Furthermore, we promote, debates and workshops to capacitate and encourage mobile film production in our region.

The International Art Film Festival (IAFFEST) focuses on appreciating the endeavours of filmmakers through awards and rewards to increase the exposure of existing productions and the quality of future films.

Our community is made up of creative artists who want to shape and change the narrative of filmmaking globally. This year, the theme of the festival is “This is entertainment”.

We are giving filmmakers and other stakeholders who would participate in the festival an opportunity to express their creative sides. This could be in the form of personal experiences, lessons, opportunities, rejections and successes achieved in their respective fields.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

The Rock Horror Film Festival is more than a film festival, it’s an event that unites the best of the horror, thriller, and fantasy films with rock & roll in a big party for moviegoers who love music, and cinema. Prepare your heart for scaring and exciting nights filled with the best of the national and international thrillers, and a lot of rock & roll.

ROCK HORROR LABS

The festival will also have a team of international professionals in pannels, workshops and round tables about cinema in different areas such as: production, photography, directing, acting, makeup, soundtrack, among others.

ROUND TABLES

The festival organize round tables with the participation od the directors, actors and professionals.

The International Tour Film Fest 2025 the international competition this year is open to shorts, medium-length, Vertical Movies, AI Shorts and feature films; The festival is sponsored and organized by the Cultural CivitaFilm, with organizational headquarters in Via Togliatti No. 12 -00053- Civitavecchia (Rome, ITALY), in collaboration with: Mibact, City of Civitavecchia, Regione Lazio and Enel.

12th Delhi International Film Festival 2025, at New Delhi, India on 10th Feb-12th Feb 2025
and DELHI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ACADEMY AWARDS - DIFFA

The Delhi International Film Festival Academy Awards is organized in various parts of the world annually, to recognize, honor and encourage excellence in Indian Cinema. The vast cultural and geographical diversities in India contribute to an eclectic and heady mixture of popular and art cinema in every region. Indian Film Industry has always been an amalgamation of Regional and Hindi Film Industry - both thriving uniquely as well as blending beautifully into a symbiotic relationship. DIFFAA attempts to bring under one roof and on one stage, Regional cinema as well as the famed Bollywood from India, and award artistic and technical brilliance in films released during the previous calendar year.

WHY IS DIFFA UNIQUE

1. DIFFA AWARDS, organized by the DELHI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ACADEMY is a unique concept based on the sole purpose of promotion of Indian Cinema all over the world. Delhi International Film Festival has been striving towards taking the Culture and Cinema of India to various countries, ever since its first edition of a very rich Regional Film Industry is lesser known. To bring to the foray, the excellent films which :

2. Indian Films are hugely popular across continents and also, the existence of a very rich Regional Film Industry is lesser known. To bring to the foray, the excellent films which are made in India, be it the Hindi Films or the Regional, DIFF has conceived the idea of an Award, which will be given to individuals and cinema of excellence.

3. The Information & Broadcasting Ministry and the Culture & Tourism Ministries associate with Delhi International Film Festival. This support from the Government adds value to the DIFFA Awards. Also, the Embassies of various countries have expressed interest in the event.

4. DIFFA Awards will also present awards to the films made by the Host Country. An Advisory Board will recommend the films released during the year which shall be considered for Awards. Films so selected will also be screened during the DIFFA screening events.

DELHI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (DIFF)

BRINGING COUNTRIES AND CINEMA CLOSER…

12th DELHI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL-2025 is being organized from 10th Feb-12th Feb 2025, at NEW DELHI, as a Seven day event, in association with GOVT. OF NAGALAND, NDMC, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING MINISTRY and THE CULTURE AND TOURISM Ministary, FILM BANDHU, UTTAR PRADESH are our Associate Partners.

The festival is approved by the INFORMATION & BROADCASTING MINISTRY and works as a composite body to promote INDIAN CINEMA, CULTURE AND TOURISM in INDIA and ABROAD.

DIFF has now grown into a global platform joining hands to collaborate with a multitude of film festivals in many countries or offering support to a host of upcoming festivals across the world. DIFF aims at understanding the science, art and emotion behind cinema, reaching it out to the audiences far and wide and promoting Indian Cinema, Art and Culture. The Festival offers premier showcase opportunity for talented film makers and artists, celebrates AVANTE GARDE CINEMA, felicitates masters and achievers from all walks of life and brings countries closer by building bridges to enable cross cultural exchanges, social understanding and creative idealization.

12th DELHI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL-2025 will be held from 10th Feb-12th Feb 2025 at NEW DELHI

Also with this 11th DIFF 2024 is going to showcase 193 films from more than 58 countries and about 100 works of art displayed at the Art Show. Film Personalities, Artists, Diplomats, Political dignitaries and audiences close to 5000, will witness the spectacular Opening Ceremony, Closing & Awards Event and savor the vast variety of films screened during the festival.

With the focus on African Cinema , DIFF will screen some very interesting films.

Information & Broadcasting Ministry and NDMC offered invaluable support and association for this edition of DIFF as in the earlier editions. Jharkhand, Assam, UP-Film Bandhu, Uttrakhand became the State and Tourism Partner and ARGENTINA AND SENEGAL are the Country Partners this year.

shnit Worldwide Shortfilmfestival is a premier venue for the exhibition and promotion of short films. The festival is an exceptional twelve-day event with a unique concept – a transnational film festival simultaneously taking place in eight cities on five continents worldwide. The festival includes three main segments:

shnit PLAYGROUNDS*
shnit EXPANDED
shnit OPENING | shnit FINALE*

In its twentyone years of existence, shnit has become a major international short film festival that reinvents itself in ever new forms. What started as a local initiative is now an exceptional transnational event that connects and inspires makers and fans of short films across the globe. shnit embraces diversity, originality, and exchange between creators and an audience from different cultures and backgrounds. It is the main goal to actively increase the perception of short filmmaking by creating a multi-platform event for high-quality short films. With its cinematic treats, the popular festival fascinates more than 30.000 visitors and therefore belongs to the leading short film festivals in the world.

shnit is a non-profit organization. The annual festival is created and centrally coordinated by the shnit ASSOCIATION in cooperation with the executives. The organization is built on principles of excellence and professionalism, enabling the global expansion of the festival possible.

*shnit Worldwide Shortfilmfestival takes place simultaneously in the several cities, shnit PLAYGROUNDS, on five continents. Planned for 2024 are screenings in Buenos Aires [Argentina], Cairo [Egypt], Goa [India], Hong Kong [China], Moscow [Russia], San José [Costa Rica], Australia, Canada, South Africa and the shnit OPENING in Bern [Switzerland] and the shnit FINALE in Amsterdam [The Netherlands]. Affected by the aftermath of the Covid-pandemic, there may be changes in this planning and / or a geo-blocked password protected online screening could replace a theatrical screening. The shnit FINALE in Amsterdam is held annually, as long as the contributions of the partners and sponsors make this possible.The definite festival-setup will be announced on September 1st 2024 on shnit.org.

The 9th edition of the Skyline Benidorm Film Festival will take place in the city of Benidorm, from March 29 to April 5, 2025, in the city of Benidorm (Spain).

The competition is addressed to filmmakers from all over the world who produce short films and documentaries.

Its purpose is to appraise short films and documentary-films whose goal is expressiveness and cultural disclosure starting a cinematographic event throughout Val d’Intelvi.

A short film contest organized by the online magazine InsideTheShow .(www.insidetheshow.it), in collaboration with Alessandria Film Festival and Premio Adelio Ferrero (one of the most prestitigious awards for cinema critics in Italy).
"Inside The Short" is an international competition presenting the newest and best short films from all around the world.

The films are judged and awarded by an highly professional jury composed by cinema critics and directors.
Selected films for the International Competition are considered by the members of the Jury. Inside The Short Film competition will assign three awards as following:
- Best Short Fiction
- Best Short Documentary
- Best Short Animation