WHO WE ARE
The Short Encounters International Film Festival (SEIFF) is an awarding body dedicated to groundbreaking, independent cinema, from all around the world. SEIFF opens its doors to the future of cinema by welcoming emerging filmmakers, actors, cinematographers, editors and producers to present their films and to be recognised for their talent, their unique vision and have their films seen globally.
We seek new voices that transcend stereotypes and norms, suggesting new meanings about our world and its era. We seek authenticity; short films with great stories and strong characters, creators honest and sincere to their art, that move beyond the slippery slope of self-display, breaking the safety boundaries of conventional methods, and through their work can evoke universals.
As the film production has moved beyond the control of the studio system and indie cinema can work outside the mainstream, a new age has emerged for indie filmmakers, that leaves room for experimentation, artistic growth, and for gaining the necessary confidence to take it to the next level; to make a feature. I feel you’ll agree with me when I'm saying that for the majority of short film creators, a short film is considered a stepping stone to making a feature film. But, in order to do that, your work needs help to reach the right audience, be recognized and celebrated for its value. Our AIM is to do all in our power to get your work seen and your talent appreciated because we know, as well as you do, that “getting your work seen is the precursor to getting your abilities valued” (M. Rabiger).
We are not impressed with technological competency but with aesthetic essence. We are impressed with meaning. Technical evolution did not make us more talented. It just opened a door to talent. The access to state of the art hardware or the mastery of it did not make us inspiring and “cool” directors. It just made it easier for us. I mean, let's face it. Learning Spanish however fluently, will not grant you the ability to write “One Hundred Years of Solitude”.
As Scorsese tells us “the key thing is that the technology does not dictate the Art; the Art dictates the technology. The Art comes first”. In Short Encounters IFF, WE LOOK FOR ART.
All films competing should have the opportunity to participate with other independent movies and with world-class talents in an equal competition, regardless of budget constraints. Therefore, we don’t let production limitations overshadow your creativity and originality. Our goal is to be a platform for valuable, clever and unique independent films that tend to create unique narratives and explore social, political and/or psychological themes and topics. Unfortunately, there are cases that production weak spots cannot be overlooked. And while some works exceed in dramatic depth and resourcefulness, nevertheless they fail to produce a convincing and completed result. In order to honour these works, we introduce the Short Encounters Award. This is a seperate from the main categories award, given to shorts produced on a no/low budget and/or minimal crew, aiming to reward the merits of what could otherwise be fabulous projects, but due to a reduced overall production design they lack in authenticity, cohesiveness etc. An Award that aims to reward potential!
(More information regarding the SE Award can be found on the “HOW IT WORKS” section).
We are not here to state that our festival is better than any other.
There are a lot of wonderful festivals out there, with huge respect for creators and their works, worthy of the submission fee.
We say that we are one of them and that we are here to write our own wonderful history.
If you want to be part of this history feel free to join our journey!
HOW IT WORKS
Short Encounters IFF hosts 6 online bimonthly competition rounds, followed by an annual film festival live event, therefore IT IS NOT only an online competition. We will be hosting our annual events in major European cities, which are going to be different each year. The inaugural edition of the festival will be held in Athens (and/or Thessaloniki), Greece in December 2021. SEIFF begins its journey from Greece and will be travelling all around Europe promoting amazing projects from all around the world.
We won't ask for multiple submissions in different categories. One submission is valid for all the awards, and with a reasonable price. So, you do not need to pay more than one fee. By submitting to Short Encounters IFF, filmmakers will be submitting for consideration across all of the festival's competition categories for awards/nominations with ONE submission fee.
Our main competition is divided into two budget groupings. No/Low Budget Short Film & Short Film. As stated above, regardless of the budget groupings, all films competing enter the main competition and all other categories’ awards. BUT only No/Low Budget projects are eligible for the Short Encounters Award, as described in the “WHO WE ARE” section.
We do not provide individual feedback on every entry we get, unless you opt for a critical review, nor justify/explain ourselves for not selecting your work. No inquiries or arguments will be entertained regarding non-selected films. If you opt for a critical review one of our team’s professionals will provide one in due time (no more than 7 to 10 days, depending on the workload).
SELECTION PROGRESS
The selection process takes place in three stages.
During the first stage, our knowledgeable group of more than twenty five screeners, along with the festival director and artistic director, will choose the films that meet the minimum requirements, according to the festival’s standards, to go onto the second stage and to the selection committee. The selection committee, constituted by qualified guest jurors along with a second, smaller group of screeners, will judge the entries and decide on the Official Selections.
At this stage, the final decision will be taken by the selection committee, which in turn will present the results to the final judging team and on to the last stage.
The judging panel is independent of the selection committee, making their voting entirely independent of one another and deciding for the nominees and eventually the award winners of the bimonthly round.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
We don't screen the films online! The members of the jury watch the films online privately.
The bimonthly winners are automatically qualified to compete at the annual festival and be screened live during the annual event along with other selected nominated projects. Films having won the Short Encounters Award will also be considered for screening.
The Best Short Film of each round will be optional for promotional purposes to send an Electronic Press Kit (EPK) to entries@aladerri.com including:
• at least one still photo from the film (in .jpg or .tif format at 300 dpi)
• a synopsis of the film in English
• a brief biography of the director in English
• director’s photograph (in .jpg or .tif format at 300 dpi)
• film official poster HQ
• film credits
The festival offers a contemporary and liberal platform for the filmmakers of the World to exhibit the excellence of the film art form. The aim is mainly to contribute to the understanding and appreciation of cultures of different nations. We hope to present complex human situations of this rapidly changing world in the globalized era. The Festival Committee reserves the right to exclude films which are not in conformity with aims of the Festival, or which could offend the national feelings and susceptibilities of any participating country, or are likely to promote racial discrimination. Films not presenting sufficient technical qualities for good public screening can be refused after checking of the prints by the Print Checking Unit of the Film Festival Office. Date and Place: OCTOBER/NOVEMBER ANNUALLY IN ABUJA
The 2023 COMMFFEST will celebrate 18 years from September 14-22 2023 screening in movie theatres exhibition spaces, and ONLINE presented yearly by a group of dedicated volunteers. COMMFFEST a charitable corporation makes its home in one of Toronto’s most fast growing, economically diverse neighbourhood, Old Town Toronto, where many languages are spoken amongst an eclectic population.
Our screenplay competitions is spearheaded by 30 year filmmaker, writer, director and producer Vladimir Bondarenko who is an instructor at Toronto Film school,
COMMFFEST is a film festival that presents a broad range of local and international films representing current affairs and relevant issues that affect our society. COMMFFEST provides opportunities for emerging filmmakers, artists, musicians and global community stakeholders to express themselves freely and to connect with audiences on a more personal level. This unique blend of film, filmmakers and audiences creates a dynamic atmosphere to provoke thought and stimulate further understanding and exploration of ideas, attitudes, and emotions that can foster change – starting with the communities in which we live.
FILMS OF ANY GENRES ACCEPTED; independently produced films. Included in that mix are childrens issues, poverty, human rights LGBTQ, women's rights, third world struggles,
The last 18 years Commffest has built a valuable platform for introducing emerging and professional filmmakers to bring together communities, not for profit organizations with government officials in panel discussions to tackle pertinent issues often resulting in more funding and support for these groups.
Commffest is a cultural platform that strives to educate and create a hospitality environment where filmmakers and attendees can mix and mingle over food, drink and entertainment.
TESTIMONY , Eleanor Mc Grath’s
As an independent film-maker, you work often for a year or possibly years to direct, edit, produce a film and then comes the waiting game to be selected by a film festival.
COMMFFEST is more than a community film festival in Toronto; it is an art festival with a world perspective and I am most fortunate to have been part of the 2015 film festival programming with my documentary, "Forgotten". COMMFFEST's vision is to share stories that demonstrate the strength, struggles and beauty of humankind while providing a strong platform for independent film makers to showcase their perspective and vision of our world today and into the future. We need festivals like COMMFFEST who step away from the mainstream and champion works where the viewpoint is critical, enlightened or visionary in their approach to conflicts or issues that prevail throughout Toronto, Canada, North American and worldwide.
Behzad Sedghi Filmmaker
For me, COMMFFEST has been where my films have finally reached their maturity by connecting through the big screen with their audience. It is this connection that is essential for any artistic endeavour. As this may be the case with most other festivals, however, in my direct experience with COMMFFEST I clearly felt that each artist was given special attention, a chance to have a dialogue about their creation and ultimately was embraced in a celebration of their achievement. COMMFFEST founders and organizers are filled with the love of films and arts and clearly possess the vision and generosity to make this celebration happen every year. I look forward to being part of the next celebration either as an artist or a member of its community.
COMMFFEST mission statement:
To advance education by raising the cultural, artistic and aesthetic expression of the community and to advance the public’s appreciation of the arts through related artistic workshops and panel discussions, while promoting the works of filmmakers and artists alike.
The programming: The films are chosen by a jury of professionals from a globally solicited call for submissions. Once chosen, the programming is created to generate discussion around specific world events and themes, provoking dialogue and acceptance of others and their concerns.
More about COMMFFEST
COMMFFEST attracts educators, artists, politicians, business leaders, socially conscious organizations and trendsetters.
Local Educational engagement:
Over 6000 Children from local schools across the GTA that now include the COMMFFEST festival experience as part of their annual curriculum.
COMMFFEST’S unique diversity invites the world to one local community event over several days in Toronto
مهرجان البوابة الرقمية الدولي للفيلم القصير
أول مهرجان شهري للفيلم القصير في الجزائر و الوطن العربي
Th Digital Gate international film festival
The first monthly online short film festival in Algeria and the Arab world
Le festival international du film court métrage portail numérique
Le premier festival mensuel de courts métrages online Algérie et dans le monde arabe
Cinemactivo has the objective to exhibir shortfilmes about practicing some sport or physical activities and how these has changed your life.
Cinemactivo also wants to be a channel, adding to another ones like TV and apps, to exhibit shortfilms with spanish subtitles, about physical culture and sports from mexicans and Latinoamerican filmakers.
Cinemactivo wants to foment creativity from filmakers in order to make a shortfilm about sports and physical culture and sports.
City of Angels Women’s Film Festival provides an arena for female filmmakers to share experiences, showcase their work and build relationships.
City of Angels Women's Film Festival is now in its third season. It was launched successfully in 2019 with the goal of empowering and connecting women and those identifying as female in the film industry and showcasing extraordinary films made by women, both in Los Angeles and globally.
COAWFF is focused on honoring films that have been either directed, produced, edited or include a cast driven by women. (For example, we will accept a film directed by a man if the film was either written or produced by a woman or includes a female driven cast or female protagonist.) The script category is open to both men and women.(Scripts written by men must feature a female protagonist.) We also welcome LGBQT+ themed films and scripts. We encourage student filmmakers to submit their work as well and also accept experimental films both feature and short length.
The Gáldar International Film Festival (FIC Gáldar) is one of the most important film festivals in the Canary Islands, and has concentrated in each of its editions the very best of national and international cinema. Organized by the City Council of Gáldar through its Council of Culture since 2013, this festival proposes a live event with important health measures to ensure complete safety and confort.
Our event as of today will be hosted on the original intended dates. We are closely following the rules and regulations set by the government of Spain and, since our hope is that cinemas are allowed to full capacity before our event, we are also open to open our venues in a limited capacity if that was mandatory. If any plans change for our live event, we will notify all selected filmmakers with new dates.
The festival will take place in the city of Gáldar, on the island of Gran Canaria, in october 2024, and its philosophy focuses on the film as the only and great gravitational center, without losing sight of the creators, who deserve a parangonable respect for their works.
Thus, this festival will not make a difference between themes, formats or genres. Submissions are open to all types of feature and short films. We are looking to showcase the best in drama, comedy, horror, sci-fi/fantasy, thrillers/suspense, noir, both in fiction and documentary, both in life action and animation. Submissions are open to films from all over the world.
FIC is committed to cinema for cinema, to a true vision that does not respond to stringings neither social, nor ideological, nor formal. It is, at its core, a film festival without borders.
Alongside this statement of principles regarding the Official Selection, there is also a reverence for the cinema from the past througan evening of fantastic and horror cinema is proposed with "The darkest hour".
Finally, the festival will also pay homage to different personalities from the film industry and will organize workshops and parallel activities.
Call for entries for the seventh edition of the International Video Art Festival Over the Real. The Festival presents the most significant lines of research that emerged in recent years in the international audiovisual arts. Over The Real aims to create an opportunity for meeting and promotion for artists who work in the field of video art which favors visibility and contacts with the public, with curators, art critics and cultural institutions.
There will be a selection of 20 single-channel audiovisual works. During the Festival, the artists will present their works through online talks with the participation of important curators and critics.
The selected works will show during the sixth edition of the International Video Art Festival Over The Real will be in Lucca from 30 April to 8 May 2022.
The works will also be exhibited online on the website www.overthereal.com and on the connected social platforms. In the event of a health emergency situation, due to Covid-19, the Festival could take place entirely online.
To participate in the selection, the organization asks the artists for payment of € 15 (fifteen / Euro) as secretary rights and contribution to the realization of the event.
Invited and accepted special selections
Our festival is a distinctive online independent film festival The applications of the productions that respect ethical values that have placed people in the center with global and global new approaches will be evaluated by the selection committee; selected medium length films will be included in the festival screening program.
The main purpose of the festival is to contribute to the meeting of different and original independent productions with art lovers.
CINE NO VISTO
International low-budget independent film festival
PRESENTATION
Festival de Cine no Visto has the main objective of giving visibility to those independent and low or no budget productions which, for different reasons, don’t reach the major public and whose only option for a greater recognition is found in festivals.
The organization of the Festival de Cine no Visto is aware of the great effort that producers have to endure in order to carry out a project with very limited means. Technical aspects are for us just another element in the process, so the main reasons to be selected will not depend on the means used. We are much more interested in what is told and the symbolism in each shot.
We are undoubtedly going to consider all and each of the aspects: performance, editing, cinematography, music, screenplay, to sum up, everything necessary in the production of an audiovisual project.
CATEGORIES
⦁ Best feature film
⦁ Best Foreign short film
⦁ Best Andalusian short film
⦁ Best Spanish short film
*AWARDS
⦁ Best feature film (International and Andalusian)
⦁ Best short film (within each category)
⦁ Best actor (feature film)
⦁ Best director (feature film)
⦁ Best cinematographer (feature film)
⦁ Best film editing (feature film)
⦁ Best screenplay (feature film)
• Best sound
• Best music
⦁ Best film from Jaén (feature or short)
* If your film has been awarded but nobody from your team can attend to the awards ceremony, you won´t receive a physical prize.
** Some categories can be declared void if the jury considers that appropriate.
The Mostra Curta Vazantes: cinema in community, aims to contribute to the inclusion and social and cultural promotion of the residents of the Vazantes Community, Aracoiaba district, Ceará (Brazil) and neighboring locations through the exhibition of films produced anywhere in the world. world with the idea of understanding, observing and making visible the social and cultural processes that are developing both in the south and in the north of the planet.
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.
Stereoscopy and cinema are old mates: not only the very first photographic experiments with movement were made with stereoscopic images, but also some early film directors were keen stereo photographers!
The 2021 online edition of the International Conference on Stereo & Immersive Media (S&I Media) is proud to acknowledge and promote these historical ties by launching an S3D Short Film Festival that will include a group of 3D cinema experts on its selection committee:
- Almir Almas, director of the Cinema, Radio and TV Department, University of São Paulo.
- Ana Isabel Soares, Research Center in Arts and Communication, University of Algarve
- Eric Kurland, director of LA 3-D Movie Festival and 3-D SPACE
- Esther Jacopin, Script supervisor, 3D researcher
- François Serre, Director of Courant3D Festival and President of «Prenez du relief»
- Manuel José Damásio, Director of Film and Media Arts Department, Lusofona University
- Victor Fajnzylber, Director of VR-LAB, University of Chile
We invite international film directors to submit films that explore and highlight the immersive features of stereoscopic technologies.
Starting for its 5th edition, Curta Caicó has been contributing to the formation of audiovisual audiences, professional qualification through the realization of cinema workshops and stimulating the creative economy in the audiovisual segment.
Curta Caicó is a production of Reference Comunicação, an advertising and cultural production agency that has been operating in the market for ten years.
CALL FOR ENTRIES FICMA 2024
The International Film Festival with Alternative Media (FICMA) encourages and disseminates the creation of films and audiovisual projects with new digital narratives and disruptive technologies made with various devices such as smartphones, DSLR cameras, GoPro cameras, Black magic pocket, drones, among others. Using technologies such as virtual reality, digital animation, artificial intelligence, among others. Having exhibition media such as projection, transmedia narratives, VR viewers, website and Streaming platforms.
The theme of this edition will be the convergence of media and pop culture, where we will reflect on how in today's world with a saturation of information the various media, increasingly merge creating new formats of consumption, analyzing how it has influenced the Mexican and universal popular culture and what interactions they have with the cinema today.
FICMA will be held from November 8 to 17, 2024 in Mexico City.
The registration and participation of a film or project implies full acceptance of FICMA's rules, conditions and regulations.
FECIR - Rengo International Film Festival has nineteen editions and years of history, offering filmmakers from Chile, Latin America, and around the world a space for the dissemination, exhibition, and exchange of experiences and ideas. It promotes the creation of high artistic quality in cinema and audiovisual arts in all its forms, providing the commune of Rengo, the Sixth Region, and the country with a space for the appreciation, reflection, creation, training, and enjoyment of the art of cinema.
Filmeraa Film Festival is one of it's kind festivals to promote independent films, web series across the globe. We are committed to release content across the globe via our screens exclusive to screen only independent films. Every year the festival acknowledges independent work with unique flavor in them and can bring about a change into the society and the thought process.
The Filmmakers/audience will gain the insights of the reel world & how to make your projects effective & efficient at the same time.
Every film maker is invited to be a part of this exclusive premier league screening festival.
The best films will get a chance to feature their film on our distribution portal www.filmeraa.com and on Indian Television.
Filmeraa Music Awards is one of it's kind online monthly music awards hosted by the OTT Platform Filmeraa to felicitate the best music videos and musicians of the world.
The entries can be in any language and should be more than 2 minutes length.
Music or Music Videos can be released or unreleased both.
The winners and selections both will be eligible to avail distribution service of Filmeraa at a nominal fee and distribute their music on the best platforms across the globe.
Winners will also be given funding opportunities for their next music video project provided the concept is approved by the team of the platform Filmeraa.
