50 Film Festivals worth the entry fee - MovieMaker Magazine
20 essential International Film Festivals - MovieMaker Magazine
10 most exciting European Film Festivals - The Guardian
Mallorca International Film Festival enters its 13th edition, with a clear mission statement; BRIDGING CULTURES – BRIDGING PEOPLE. This is reflected in the film's storytelling, the shooting locations, or the cast and crew. The idea is to screen films that are inclusive, diverse, and invite the audience to experience a variety of languages and cultures.
MIFF is recognized as one of the fastest-growing international film festivals in Europe, using independent film to shape a creative community, allowing filmmakers to feel inspired, network, and thrive in this idyllic Mediterranean island paradise.
THE hub for networking, MIFF brings together the brightest local and international minds in cinema in Mallorca’s buzzing and the culturally rich city of Palma. For seven days EMIFF’s program is curated to showcase a culturally diverse, inclusive and provocative mix of feature films, short films, documentaries, music videos, films for kids, experimental films, animation shorts, student films and a feature film and short film screenplay competition.
Some of our resent programs included award winning films such as:
Triangle of Sadness
Corsage
Un Amor
Perfect Days
The Promised Land
With competitive screenings unfolding at the most striking island locations, MIFF is an ideal place for filmmakers to rub shoulders with industry professionals at the festival’s Producers Club, Cinematography Focus, Pitch Forum, and numerous workshops. Speakers and mentors have included Oscar Winners Erik Messerschmidt, ASC, Melissa Leo, Director Ruben Östlund, DP ED Lachman, Actor Mads Mikkelsen, Director Isabel Coixet and many more.
MIFF is proud to be part of MovieMaker’s list “TOP 50 Film Festivals Worth The Entry fee” SEVEN years in a row, as well as appearing continuously on the 100 Best Reviewed Film Festival list on Freeway, ranking in the top 1.5% of more than 10,000 film festivals and creative markets around the world.
ORGANIZERS
Cultural Association Time & Memory organizes the thirteenth edition of the Short Film Festival called "SHORT TO SOUTH", to be held in Polla (SA)ITALY from the 21 - 22 June 2025 at the Auditorium "Holy Nicolicchio".
FESTIVAL OF SHORT CINEMA OF SALAMANCA, which from 2008 celebrates in the bar Granero (c/Granero 3, near to the Plaza del Oeste, Salamanca) during June and July.
Since 2001, the Nevada City Film Festival (NCFF) has brought top independent film, music and comedy, along with attracting thousands of attendees, international filmmakers, and industry guests to the historic Gold Rush era town of Nevada City, California. Nevada City is known for its sophisticated and supportive arts and cultural scene, and makes screening a film here a positive, encouraging and exciting experience.
NCFF is often referred to as the “Sundance of the Sierra” for its emphasis on fiercely independent cinema that showcases innovative, progressive and exciting new voices in film.
NCFF is known for recognizing and supporting new talent including filmmakers such as Jonathan Krisel (Portlandia), Patrick Brice (CREEP, The Overnight), Academy Award-Winning director Lucy Walker (Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom, The Crash Reel), Academy Award-nominated director and animator Daisy Jacobs (The Bigger Picture), director Kat Candler (Hellion), director Rick Alverson (Entertainment), animator and performance artist Miwa Matryek, director David Zellner (Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter), animator Galen Pehrson, and directors Mark and Jay Duplass, among others.
In previous years NCFF has hosted filmmakers such as Mike Mills, Miranda July, Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim (Cartoon Networks Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!), and comedians including Tig Notaro, Mari Bamford, Nick Kroll, Natasha Leggero, and Marc Maron. Past NCFF judges have included award-winning producers and directors, plus writers from The Huffington Post, New York Times, McSweeneys, San Francisco Chronicle, Rolling Stone Magazine, and Pop-Up Magazine.
Professional, student, and amateur filmmakers are invited to submit short and feature length films including documentaries, animation, narrative, and comedy.
Literally Short is an event initiated by our drive to bridge all cultures onto one collaborative stage that stimulates international artistic expression. Our mission is to promote innovative approaches to social change through the arts and cultural influences. Our passion for film lies in its exquisite capacity to merge a multitude of arts into one vision; thus, Literally Short Film Festival seeks to dissolve all geographical boundaries into one platform that equally voices all cultures.
CATEGORIES
Voices
National & International Short Films
All genres accepted for this category (see Rules & Terms).
Local & Fresh
Texas Short Films
Films eligible for this category must be written or directed by a Texas resident; or produced in the state of Texas. All genres accepted (see Rules & Terms).
México Lindo y Querido
Mexico Short Films
Films eligible for this category must be written or directed by a Mexicna resident; or produced in the country of Mexico. All genres accepted (see Rules & Terms).
The Native Peoples International Film Festival is devoted to short and feature films, fiction, documentaries and animated films made by or about the native peoples around the world in order to promote knowledge, respect and acceptance diversity in raising awareness of the various facets of reality, trying not to fall into clichés. Thus, gradually the festival is intended as a field for meetings and discussions of projects of mutual interest.
The International Film Festival Sansueña is devoted to short films and feature traditional ANIMATION, optical and digital toys disseminating quality films that hardly reach Spain. Thus, gradually the Festival is intended as a field.
Founded in 2000, The Valley Film Festival (VFF) is a non-profit project of Community Partners ® and is the first and longest continually running film festival in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley, headquartered in the NoHo Arts District.
Now in its 20th year, VFF supports local and international voices that advance storytelling, while furthering the education, production, and exhibition of film. In 2010, the City of Los Angeles recognized our cultural contributions with the city seal, and in 2018 the California State Senate stood with us #UnitedByFilm in our efforts to practice conscious programming to unite the international film community.
The Festival is supported by a dynamic community of companies, filmmakers, and moviegoers, that make it possible for VFF to offer year-round programming:
THE VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL
*In 2019, we expanded from a five-day showcase of film screenings to nine days of live music, book readings/signings, screenplay workshops, professional development panels, a distribution symposium, networking, daily happy hours and, of course, film screenings.
FOCUS ON: Series
*Educational panels in The Valley’s schools (Art Institute, Columbia College Hollywood, and New York Film Academy) that bring our network of industry experts together to share relevant, practical knowledge on navigating the industry
THE VALLEY FILM MARKET
*Previously under our Focus On: series, we’ve pulled out our film sales & distribution events to create THE VALLEY FILM MARKET. Our inaugural symposium included panels and a one-on-one matchmaking event between filmmakers & distributors.
VFF screens shorts, features, documentaries, animated films, experimental works, web series, music videos, and more. If you're unsure if your film fits our programming, please review our archives before submitting.
We are Cinedeporte Sports Film Festival a film festival dedicated to promoting the finest independent sports films that create memorable portraits of athletic heroes and stories of triumph. Our purpose is to increase the exposure of independent filmmaking, its creation and reproduction.
This year we are accepting only the top 10% of the films submitted to the festival.
Join our audience of film lovers and sports fanatics, for our 7rd year of screenings in the beautiful Oaxaca, Mexico. During the film festival we will host conferences about filmmaking, Q and A’s with the filmmakers, parties, and more!
If selected you will receive your selection laurel, you will access the screenings and if you do visit Oaxaca we can hook you up with some good deals for your staying.
We beleive that film can change the world.
We beleive we can be THE film festival to for filmmakers to go to.
we beleive in the power of film
we beleive in collaboration
we beleive in invovation
we believe in creativity and uniqness
A space where the encounter with the diverse is welcome, since it enables the crisis and reflection on the hegemonic.
The Hollywood Academy supports Huesca International Film Festival by recognizing it as shortlisting for the Oscar Awards within Best Short Fiction Film category, also the Spanish Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes it for the Goya Awards.
http://www.oscars.org/sites/default/files/88aa_shorts_festival_list.pdf
The St Cloud Film Fest promotes film and filmmakers by creating opportunities for education, production, and appreciation during an annual festival and through year-long outreach.
2020 marks the 10th year of the St Cloud Film Fest!
The St Cloud Film Fest takes place over eight days in a historic theatre on the banks of the Mississippi River. The downtown art scene is a hub for the surrounding artistic community. Many local visual artists have exhibitions on display along St. Germain Street and 5th Avenue.
We are a non-profit organization devoted to promoting forward-thinking independent film and committed to giving students an opportunity to create their own projects. We hold stop-motion workshops for elementary students and give high-school and college students a chance to make a film as part of a weekend contest.
The crowds are passionate and intelligent about cinema. We'd love the chance to show your film to a new audience. From live action to animation, documentary to experimental all film makers have a place and a voice at this film festival.
The Asian Summer Film Festival wants to present the Asian culture through the popular cinematography produced in the countries of the continent.
The Festival has several categories such as a competitive section, retrospectives, screenings for children and theme nights. Last year, 40 titles from China, Hong Kong, Thailand, South Corea, Japan and India were shown, some of them were World and International festival premieres, European festival premieres or Spanish festival premieres. The 18 films programmed in the official section competed for the Jury Prize, the Lucky Cat Award, given by the audience to the best film in-competition, and the Critics’ Choice Award.
The New Urbanism Film Festival is a film festival with a purpose. We want to encourage audiences to think about how they can make their cities and towns a better place. If your film addresses issues in that area, we'd like to see it.
We give awards for the best short film in each of these categories
-Architecture
-Bicycles
-Economic Development
-Healthy Cities
-Street Art / Public Art
-Tactical Urbanism
-Urban Design
-Walkability
The Top Prizes are
-Best of Fest (Best Film (feature or short) explaining New Urbanism
-Emerging Ideas (Workshop, Installation, Presentation, or Event held during the festival)
After the screenings, audiences are invited to dialogue with leading urban thinkers about the issues raised during the movie and discuss current local projects.
The festival also offers lots of special events, workshops, tours and classes that help audiences take lessons from the film and apply them to their hometown. We strongly encourage filmmakers to attend the festival.
This festival attracts filmmakers, artists, street artists, architects, urban planners, political leaders, bicycle advocates, faith-based community leaders, and fans of the urban environment. Here's a list of some of our past guest speakers.
Melissa Balmer, California Bike Coalition
Howard Blackson, president California Chapter of the Congress for the New Urbanism
Andy Boenau, host Urbanism Speakeasy,
Chris Bruntlett, director, Vancouver Cycle Chic
Diego Cardoso, L.A. Planning Commission, Director of Planning at LA METRO
Rick Cole, Los Angeles Deputy Mayor for Budget & Innovation,
Tim Deegan, former Chair of the Mid City West Community Council
Chris Elisara, board member, Congress for the New Urbanism
Scott Epstein, chair Mid City West Community Council
William Fain, architect and urban planner, partner Johnson Fain,
Dawn Finley, co-founder, Feminist Library On Wheels
Nat Gale, LA Great Streets Program Director, Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti
Debra Gerod, Partner, Gruen Associates,
Dean Haglund, actor, the X-files,
Tim Halbur, director of communications at Congress for the New Urbanism
Karney Hatch, director, Plant This Movie
Eric Jacobsen, author, Sidewalks in the Kingdom
Scott Hamilton Kennedy, director The Garden
Colin Marhsal, host of Notebook on Cities and Culture
Kellie Morris, author, We All Ride Bikes
Bob Nesson, director, Power to the Pedals
Taylor Nichols, Mid City West Communit Council Transportation committee co-chair
Marquis Olison, community organizer
Moncho1929, street artist
Neal Payton, West Coast director of Torti Gallas Partners,
Stefanos Polyzoides, architect & urban planner MoulePolyzoides
Peter Quintanilla, Prince’s Foundation for Building Community
Thomas Rigler, producer of the KCET series CITYWALK
Rebecca Autumn Sansom, director, Trainsforming America
Meghan Sahli-Wells, Mayor of Culver City, co-founder of the Culver City Bike Coalition
Scott Schultz, creator, BUSted True tales from people who ride the bus in LA
Kyle Sears, New Parish Collective
Maria Sipin, co-host of Women Talk Bikes
Ryan Swanson, founder The Urban Conga
Barry Taylor, Art Center Professor of Advertising & Marketing
J. Keith Van Straaten, host, Beat the Geeks,
Mike Wells, producer, American Makeover: Fresno
Will Wright, AIA-LA honorary, Government affairs liaison
Awards & Prizes
Prizes include:
Award Certificate
Gifts from our sponsors and media partners
Free submissions for life
All Access Pass to NUFF2015
Dieciminuti Film Festival was created in 2005 by IndieGesta. It was able to quickly become one of the events dedicated to short films most important in Italy.
The Festival, whose first 19 editions attended by more than 18,000 short films involving a total of nearly 23,000 spectators, is structured in various competitive sections: Official Selection (for short films up to 10 minutes released after the 1st of January 2024), Extralarge (for shorts between 10 and 15 minutes released after the 1st of January 2024) Animations (animations for up to 10 minutes released after the 1st of January 2024), Doc10 (documentaries for up to 10 minutes released after the 1st of January 2024), Music Videoclip (videoclips for up to 10 minutes released after the 1st of January 2024), Visti da Vicino (for short films up to 10 minutes released by directors coming from the province of Frosinone after the 1st of January 2024).
At the Competitive sections, joins the Dieciminuti Academy, a school of cinema that brings young people of our province to create from scratch a short fiction or animation. The thing that is unique about the festival on the national scene is to be a real school for young people who want to explore the world of cinema. It ‘s also very much appreciated the Section Esplorazioni, which allows viewers to get in touch with the short film coming from a different country each year. During last years, the festival has hosted the short unpublished masters of Japanese animation by Studio Ghibli, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, the animated short films of the Tehran Film Festival, the short films of Georges Méliès, the avantguardes, the web-series. During the 13th edition was opened also the Futurama Section, dedicated to masterclasses for students.
The Social Film Festival ArTelesia is organized by the non-profit Cultural Association “Libero Teatro”.
The event is supported by the MIC Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual, the Film
Commission Campania Region, Cesvolab and the patronage of the Presidency of the Council of
Ministers, the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Education, University and Research, UNAR - National
Office against Racial Discrimination, the Province of Benevento, the Municipality of Benevento, the
Chamber of Commerce of Benevento, Arcigay Napoli, the University Center Synapses of the Federico
II University of Naples, the University of Sannio, the Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples, the
University of Salerno, the UCAM San Antonio de Murcia University (Spain), the CADMUS. Students
from the aforementioned universities will participate in the organization of the fifteenth edition as Interns.
PURPOSE OF THE COMPETITION
The Social Film Festival ArTelesia intends to promote cinema both in Italy and abroad. The Festival represents a showcase for the promotion of films of cultural interest, belonging to the independent and non-independent cinema circuit. An ideal place for lively confrontations between producers, authors and distributors, but also between the production universe and the target audience, the Festival promotes the dissemination of films of high artistic value, capable of contributing to cultural growth and the formation of a mature awareness criticism in young people.
THEMES
- I BELONG TO ME: respect for one's own individuality, knowing how to be beyond all appearances, cultivating one’s freedom against all dependencies
- INTEGRATION: respect for ethnic and cultural identity against all forms of discrimination
- DEEP SURFACES: discovery and enhancement of the historical-artistic heritage of the territories
- ORTHOMETRY: Stories of sustainable agriculture
- FREE THEME
SECTIONS
- Filmmaker: emerging and professional directors, production and distribution companies
- DiVabili: works created by directors with disabilities or involving disabled actors that do not necessarily have to focus on the topic of disability
The Monterrey International Film Festival, ficmonterrey, opens its call for the submission of feature films and short films for the selection of its twentieth edition, which will take place from September 25 to October 2, 2024.
https://monterreyfilmfestival.com/20-ficmonterrey/convocatoria/
The Competitive Selection is made up of the following categories:
FEATURE FILMS
International Feature Film — Fiction/Animation*
International Feature Film — Documentary
Mexican Feature Film — Fiction/Animation*
Mexican Feature Film — Documentary
SHORT FILMS
International Short Film — Fiction/Animation*
International Short Film — Documentary
Mexican Short Film — Fiction/Animation*
Mexican Short Film — Documentary
Mexican Student Short Film Competition — Any Genre
*In the case of submitting animations whose content coincides with the documentary, the Selection Committee reserves the right to select it in the most convenient category.
NUEVO LEÓN CATEGORY
Nuevo León Competition — Any Gender
Category made by the Selection Committee, it is not opened as a separate category, but registration is indirect through the Mexican categories —see more in the Regulations through our website.
The registration dates go from the publication of this call, until its closing, on July 7, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. (GMT-6) without any possibility of extension. Feature film works (from 60 minutes onwards) and short films (between 1 and less than 30 minutes in length) will be received through the Festhome platform exclusively.
Selected participants will be notified via email during the first or second week of August and they will be informed of the continuity of the process. The Committee's selection is final. By registering, all participants who are selected agree to send all the required materials in a timely manner, as detailed in the Regulations and as they will be requested from their notification until the closing of the ficmonterrey. The registration of any material in this call confirms the acceptance of it and the attached rules. For this reason, before starting the process, we ask you to READ IN DETAIL the Registration Regulations available through the WEBSITE.
The festival will make public the final list of the films that will make up its competitive Official Selection starting in September 2024 on the Festival's official website: https://monterreyfilmfestival.com/
The ficmonterrey is in a constant search for human narratives that rely on views that emerge from a world in constant movement and transformation, in interconnection and innovation for its selection.
The Festival seeks films with the power to reside in the collective memory of audiences, with the power to move and create dialogue with them.
One of the key interests of the ficmonterrey organizing team is to encourage new perspectives, those who are young not because of their age, but because they are fresh, for remaining critical, for achieving themselves with innovation and venturing into various risks.
The general objective of ficmonterrey is to bring together in Nuevo León an in-person audience, and a virtual one throughout Mexico, before a selection of contemporary Mexican and international cinema created by filmmakers with diverse, fresh, risky, critical, and innovative visions. Likewise, we are interested in providing a training space that promotes the meeting between filmmakers, films and the audience; and activities that promote film production, especially women's and regional ones.
Filmmakers: You are the reason we do this. BendFilm puts its focus on filmmakers first, with awards, several of which will be CASH AWARDS.
Several of the categories are JURIED. A short list of some of our past amazing jurors:
· Sharon Badal, Tribecca Film Festival
· Christian Gaines, Withoutabox at iMDb.com
· Dana Harris, editor in chief & general mgr of IndieWIRE
· Tony Award winner, Gregory Jbara
· Jon Korn, Sundance Film Festival
· Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times Film Critic
· Ondi Timoner, DIG! and We Live in Public
· Gus Van Sant, Filmmaker
· Neal Block, Magnolia Pictures
· Lisa Schwarzbaum, Critic and essayist
· Franklin Leonard, Founder of the Black List
Named one of MOVIEMAKER MAGAZINE's 20 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee, the event runs deeper than the marathon film-watching that fills guests' schedules from dawn until, well, dawn. Everyone you see on the sidewalks, in the restaurants and bars makes, cares, or has an opinion about film. It is the serendipitous encounters and ensuing discussions with the filmmakers and fellow passholders that makes the weekend so inspiring, affecting, and infectious.
