Open Call – International Experimental Film Festival 2026
The 4rd International Experimental Film Festival (IEFF) – 2026
organized by the Institute for Experimental Arts
“The future of film is female and experimental. We need to destroy and reconstruct cinema itself.” – Maya Deren
About the Festival The 4rd International Experimental Film Festival is an international encounter dedicated to experimental film art, announcing its call for submissions. The festival will take place in Greece, creating a dynamic space for screenings, installations, performances, conferences, film concerts, and workshops. The festival seeks to expand the possibilities of film beyond traditional formats and spaces, creating a zone of creative contagions between cinema and the visual arts, historical works and current production, analog and digital, filmmaking and critical thinking.
“I make films to prevent myself from disappearing. Each frame is an act of resistance against the prescribed narratives.” – Chantal Akerman
Our Vision of Experimental Cinema Experimental cinema is a free, radical, and purposeful cinema that responds to the aesthetic, political, or philosophical need to see and explore cinematic horizons, away from large industries and hegemonic formulas of creation. It is through experimental cinema that we find authentic ways to create audiovisual art.
“Experimental film is not just about breaking rules – it’s about proving those rules never really existed.” – Barbara Hammer
We celebrate a cinema that breaks the narrative, and most of all visual, bounds to which we’re used. A cinema that elaborates on film medium to its fullest, by including even the most extreme possibilities. A cinema that confronts, disrupts, and reimagines. As John Cage said it well: “an experimental action is one the outcome of which is not foreseen” – the cinema we’re looking for is a cinema of the unpredictable.
“The experimental is political. Every frame can be an act of rebellion.” – Agnès Varda
FESTIVAL MISSION
The 4rd IEFF continues to be the pioneering space in the exhibition of experimental content in cinema, which seeks to show excellence and innovation in the independent production of the film world. We celebrate aesthetic diversity, new narratives, and new media and formats; a program that reveals the complexity of social, cultural, and artistic phenomena. We understand experimental cinema as a divergent cinema that vanishes the boundaries with art, emphasizing the experimental modes of creation.
“In experimental cinema, we find the freedom to imagine different futures and to remember different pasts.” – Trinh T. Minh-ha
Special Focus for 2026
- Feminist Experimental Practices
- Gender and Technology
- Body Politics in Digital Age
- Queer Experimental Narratives
- Decolonial Experimental Cinema
- Eco-feminist Approaches to Film
- Cross-disciplinary Collaborations
- Digital/Analog Hybrid Works
- Experimental AR/VR Projects
ABOUT
The Institute The Institute for Experimental Arts was founded in 2008 in Athens, Greece as a non-profit platform of creative expression and research in the fields of theater, performance art, digital media, installation, poetry and art theory. The Institute is committed to existing as an open meeting point for poets-writers, directors, actors, theater engineers/technicians, performance artists, photographers, video artists and the writers who develop new analytical tools on contemporary art, media & communication.
CRITICAL DISCOURSE
The festival will always see the development of the cinematic language with critical thinking, regardless of the terms ‘cinema industry’ or independent cinema. For this reason, the 4rd IEFF will bring a critical discourse through curatorial programs, symposium, and public lectures to broaden the knowledge of the ever-changing cutting-edge cinema aesthetics.
“Cinema is not neutral. Experiment is our way to fight back.” – Sally Potter
SUBMISSION CATEGORIES
We accept all works that fit into the experimental film category and all its sub-genres including:
- Found footage
- Essay film
- Expanded cinema
- Experimental animation
- Abstract film
- Experimental documentary
- Video art
- Virtual reality
- Direct animation
- Any other experimental approaches
There are no genre, topic or length restrictions.
The 4rd IEFF features Avant-Garde and Experimental films of any length.
IMPORTANT REQUIREMENTS
+ All films with dialogue must have ENGLISH or GREEK subtitles
+ Submissions without subtitles will be considered incomplete
+ Films that have screened before are eligible
AWARDS
We believe in culture as a pluralistic and intangible value. The awards assigned by our diverse jury are purely symbolic. Selected films will be judged by an exceptional jury and seen by a vast audience of film lovers.
Golden Arrow Awards Categories
- Best Film
- Best Short Film
- Best Director
- Best Original Screenplay
- Best Music
- Best Performance
- Best Picture
Submission Deadlines and Fees Deadline:
August 15, 2026
Submission fee: 25 euro per video or media project
Program Announcement: October 2026
Contact Information For any questions: theinstitutecontact@gmail.com
RIGHTS
The International Experimental Film Festival reserves the right to use small portions and stills of accepted films for promotion of events.
We actively encourage submissions from women, non-binary, and gender non-conforming filmmakers, as well as creators from underrepresented communities. Our commitment to diversity extends to our jury selection and programming decisions.
“The revolution will be filmed experimentally.” – Su Friedrich
The 4rd International Experimental Film Festival is a project of the Institute for Experimental Arts, celebrating the radical potential of cinema to transform our understanding of art, society, and ourselves.
"Content Creators Changing the World, One Project at a Time" is the theme of the 25th Urban Mediamakers Film Festival, October 12-18, 2026. The festival is in-person and virtual with select in-person screenings and events throughout Gwinnett County, GA -- Duluth, Lawrenceville, Lilburn, Norcross, Snellville -- and Atlanta. UMFF features a daily virtual space with guest speakers, sessions and content creators Q&A.
Recognizing media as a powerful tool of choice for entertaining, informing, and inspiring, this annual content creators' festival showcases international, urban independent media. We are open to all creators, and we emphasize work produced by or featuring individuals of color - African, African-American, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Latino Native American, and Pacific Islander.
The Urban Mediamakers Film Festival promotes, supports and showcases filmmakers, independent content creators and multimedia producers — animation, advertising, marketing campaigns, blog, commercials, film, music, new media, podcasts. print, television, scripts, streaming, web series and virtual reality.
Guided by past wisdom and reflecting the new and exciting generation of new technology, we are dedicated to thinking out of the traditional box as we pursue our dreams courageously.
UMFF brings an exciting and creative atmosphere that encompasses cultural diversity, with activists, content creators, artists, writers and TV/movie buffs together under one roof to meet, collaborate and strategize for world change!
Actors, artists, bloggers, content creators, filmmakers, graphic designers, mobile app developers, musicians, podcasters, producers, streamers and writers have an opportunity to gain exposure for their projects, compete for the best-of-the-best with prizes in each category, attend industry-related educational series, along with excellent collaboration and networking.
Movie buffs, content creators, independent film and mix-media supporters have the opportunity to see a diverse group of superb films and projects from creatives that are independent with a vision.
The festival includes:
-- virtual and in-person events.
-- script reading featuring a scene from the top three screenplays in competition.
-- independent film screenings in competition on our UrbanFlixToGo.com platform during the festival with an option to continue on UrbanFlixToGo.com.
-- showcase of bloggers, podcasters, and mobile app developers.
-- 10th Urban PitchFest 2026.
-- 10th AfroFuturism Fest 2026 - Black sci-fi, fantasy, horror and gaming along with international thrillers. AfroFuturism Fest includes UMFF projects competing in the AfroFuturism category, vendors, panels, comic book swapping, AfroFuturism cosplay, costume contest for cash prizes, and more.
-- 3rd Annual Gwinnett County Comic-Con with renowned comic artists and authors from around the country.
-- 20th Videopalooza 2026 - Middle and high school competition and screening series.
-- producers/distributors seeking independent films.
-- awards presentation and closing event.
-- closing night film.
-- audience award.
-- filmmaker and writer collaboration breakout sessions (SpeedCollabs).
-- winning films will be showcased on our streaming service UrbanFlixToGo.com.
UMFF attendees have an opportunity to network with their peers and executives for collaborations on future projects, as well as interact with an audience that supports independent mediamaking.
YOUR project will make our festival phenomenal! Submit to UMF 2026 today!
Peace and blessings,
Cheryle Renee Moses
Founder and Producer
The idea for this film festival emanated from the dire need for a wider space to present debut films by many new filmmakers from the region and all over the world.
The International Film Festival KineNova Skopje, therefore, includes activities such as promotion, support, incentives, exchange of experiences, and film awards. It is a venue for new filmmakers to showcase new stories and offer a fresh perspective of humanity and the world we live in.
The festival and the city of Skopje have the honor to be the meeting point for new filmmakers and a springboard for their respective career paths.
The 7th edition of the International Choreographic Festival of Blois will take place in Blois, France, in July 2026.
The Festival aims to bring the art of dance to the Loire Valley Region in France and to democratize this art form by offering performances, dance short-film screenings, master classes, performance workshops and community outreach events.
For the 2026, there will be 3 film screenings of about an hour each in a movie theatre right in the center of the city of Blois. We are specifically looking for short-films up to 25 minutes, as well as one 1-hour film or documentary.
It is a unique festival that aims to feature choreography for the camera, dance documentaries and any short-films that emphasizes movement.
We encourage every dance and/or movement related short-film to apply.
♫ CALL FOR INDEPENDENT, EXPERIMENTAL WORKS OF ALL GENRES ♫
Applications for the Summer Screenings 2026 are now open! Summer Screenings will be streaming from June 14 to 22.
Pebbles Underground film and video art is an online platform focused on showcasing experimental, avant-garde, underground, and no-to-low budget independent films and video art projects by artist-humans from all over the world.
If you're making absurd, uncanny, witty, humorous, queer, political, slow film, performance, dance films, or something no one has the name for yet – we're here for you!
The artists selected for the programs keep ALL the rights.
Attention! We will never include your work in the screening without your permission. If your work is selected, you will receive a lengthy email containing details regarding the program, and asking for your permission to screen the work.
The selection process is continuous, we don't wait for the last day to watch all the submissions, we watch them as they come in.
✧ FORM/GENRE CRITERIA:
~ Experimental, expanded, artistic documentaries, and mockumentaries (any topic)
~ Experimental, avant-garde, underground, surrealist films, animation, cgi, video art, and mixed techniques (any topic)
~ Screendance, experimental dance, video performance (any topic)
~ Web-based experimental and/or interactive projects; e.g. interactive films/videos, games (any topic)
~ Experimental works 30 minutes and over, any of the above mentioned category (any topic)
✧ NOTIFICATION STATUS EXPLAINED:
~ Selected - your film is selected and will be included in the online screening (after receiving your permission)
~ Semi-Finalist - your film was not selected to be included in the online screening, but it was competing to be in the final selection.
~ Not selected - this makes us just as sad as you, but...
✧ DRM ENCRYPTED ONLINE FORMAT OF THE SCREENING
~ We are using a video hosting service with DRM encryption, to prevent illegal download of your films during our online screenings. We are not using youtube, or vimeo.
✧ ADDITIONAL INFO
~ All online programs will be FREE TO WATCH
~ If you are a filmmaker from Palestine, Georgia, Iran, Armenia, Syria, Lebanon, Belarus, North Korea, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Sudan, Ukraine, Ethiopia, please write to us for a submission discount or a fee waiver code. In your email, please include the link to the work you are planning to submit.
For questions: pebblesunderground@gmail.com
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✧ ABOUT US
Pebbles Underground is an independent project not funded by any government or corporation, and we intend to keep it that way. The main source of funding is personal donations from humans organizing the project, who are artists themselves, and the main drive of the project is formed by the energy and involvement of the organizers, the filmmakers, and the public.
Roma Short Film Festival was founded in 2020 by several Iranian and Italian artists. From the very beginning, the festival’s aim was to act as a bridge: introducing Iranian short films to Italian cinema lovers and showcasing Italian cinema to Iranian film enthusiasts.
Over time, this mission grew and began to encompass a much broader range of countries. The festival started modestly by organizing small screenings in both countries and introducing filmmakers from each side to one another. Gradually, the number of non-Italian filmmakers increased, and the event gained a truly international dimension.
Today, filmmakers from all over the world submit their works to the Roma Short Film Festival, and we continue our efforts to serve as a bridge connecting Asian film audiences with European ones.
The festival aims to create an opportunity for emerging filmmakers. Our goal is to support low budget and underground films that create new experiences and narrate unique stories with limited resources.
Understanding how filmmakers around the world work, how young filmmakers get creative to get past the obstacles of production, and how their attempts can lead to a new form of cinema are among the things we care about. We strive to play a small role in the emergence of the new generation in the world of independent filmmaking by helping young filmmakers, actors, cinematographers, editors and producers to be heard and to get their messages across.
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The Roma Short Film Festival, Worldwide
We are proud to announce that the Roma Short Film Festival, through inter-festival connections across the globe, has the opportunity to screen accepted films in a different country each time. This global tour of the Roma Short Film Festival provides filmmakers with the chance to share their works with a broader audience—viewers from all over the world, not just Europe. Our focus is on countries with a more diverse audience. We are thrilled to announce that the films of this edition of the Roma Short Film Festival (June 2026) will be screened in Asia, in the Middle East.
Our IMDb qualifying festival champions independent filmmakers with original ideas. We are primarily a Short Film Festival but award feature length submissions and include clips and trailers at our awards events. Award Winners are welcome to add their accolades to our IMDb page.
Winners will receive Official Laurels and Digital Certificates. Printed Certificates are presented at live events only.
Award winners can add their accolades to our IMDb page here: https://m.imdb.com/event/ev0073770/2025/1/
Folkestone Film Festival are recognised by the Global Recognition Awards for our significant contribution to independent cinema and our commitment to inclusive filmmaking. We try to minimise financial barriers for filmmakers by keeping submission costs low.
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
https://youtube.com/@folkestonefilmfestival?si=D-ntZzi7Li9k0hEF
We are a small festival who love to hold Q&A sessions with filmmakers. We thank you for your patience when waiting for us to respond to emails and uploading online content. Selected submissions will be notified via Festhome and Email.
We look forward to seeing your films soon!
A big thank you to our sponsors A. Simmons, the Jewellers of the South East. Our festival partners, Silver Screen Cinema. BritFlicks, FilmmakerDASH, StudentFilmmakers Magazine & Kent Kino.
PVIFF is hosted by Gipp. Museums, Inc. PVIFF attracts 3,000+ people each year from around the world. PVIFF was created in 2006 under the previous name (Sweet Auburn International Film Festival) and have served as the launching pad for many successful filmmakers and other artists alike in the film & entertainment industry. This dynamic international film festival showcases feature length films, shorts, music videos, documentaries, and screenplays from around the globe. PVIFF also feature celebrity attractions, innovative workshops, panels, parties, and much more. PVIFF is one of the most celebrated film events through dynamic programming and a dedication to helping filmmakers excel in their careers. PVIFF's brand is entrenched in the old saying "It Takes A Village."
Our vision allows us to create a village atmosphere that provide opportunities not only for filmmakers but for business owners and film enthusiasts. Artists such as Actor/Director, Mario Van Peebles, Actress, Ruby Dee, Director/Writer Rob Hardy of Rain Forest Films, Actor/Comedian, Anthony Anderson, Producer, Roger Bobb formerly of Tyler Perry Studios, Director, Malcolm Lee, Casting Director, Alpha Tyler formerly of Tyler Perry Studios, Casting Director, Kim Hardin, Emmy Award Winning Producer, Dean Hargrove, Casting Director & Producer, Reuben Cannon formerly of Tyler Perry Studios, Best Selling Author Omar Tyree, Actor, Bill Nunn, Director, Kenny Leon, Humanitarian, Afeni Shakur and more have all participated in various aspects of PVIFF over the years. In 2006 during PVIFF's first year the winning short film "Binta & The Great Idea" was nominated for an Academy Award and numerous other projects have received phenomenal acclaim throughout the years as well. With increased exposure, the assistance from the film and business community PVIFF will continue to help ignite opportunities and make dreams to come true for decades to come.
Bendita Tú is a film festival with a feminist and queer perspective, dedicated to the exhibition of audiovisual works, based in Spain and Argentina.
Conceived as a space for encounter and reflection, the festival seeks to build community and to give visibility to works by women directors, trans women, and non-binary people from around the world. Our curatorial line—situated and affective—is oriented toward experimental proposals in non-fiction, essay film, video art, and hybrid formats that are often left out of traditional exhibition and distribution circuits.
Likewise, we understand programming as a territory of dialogue: we articulate relationships between emerging works and films by established women directors in order to expand possibilities of interpretation, activate new forms of reception, and deepen a transfeminist aesthetic that destabilizes hegemonic ways of seeing.
At Bendita Tú, we work toward building networks among people and diverse territories, guided by an intersectional feminism that informs our curatorial decisions and reinforces our commitment to a plurality of voices, experiences, and ways of making cinema.
The 5nd Garopaba International Environmental Film Festival aims to promote socio-environmental cinema in one of the most beautiful regions of Brazil.
The Festival is based on the diversity of themes, film formats, team, in the search to embrace the diversity of socio-environmental cinema produced in Brazil and in the world. The comprehensive curatorship will denote an equally comprehensive program, with specialists from the most diverse areas of knowledge to promote exchanges during the event and that translate into interventions in reality.
We are LISBIFF • Lisboa Indie Film Festival, an international film festival with screening events from the enchanting Lisbon, Portugal, and member of the IBERIFF • Iberia Indie Film Festivals, which celebrates and showcases new productions and independent artists from all over the world in Lisbon (LISBIFF), Madrid (MADRIFF), Barcelona (BARCIFF), València (VALÈIFF), Seville (SEVIFF) and Montpellier (MONTIFF), that you can also find them here in Festhome.
LISBIFF shares the mission of its associate festivals of supporting emerging talents, encouraging artistic exploration, fostering networking, promoting cultural exchange and engaging the local community by providing a platform to present the work of independent filmmakers.
Fiction films, animation, documentary and experimental works of any genre and subject are welcome!
A film festival screening films from all over the world discussing social issues affect kids , families and their problems and encourages cultural exchange and promotes values of equality , brotherhood and acceptance of the other whose different cultures.
Films by or about people of determination are included also which include women , men and youth issues .
Films are accompanied by negotiations between kids , families and film makers to introduce cinema art to kids and youth .
War of Films is an IMDb-certified film festival that offers a platform for independent filmmakers from around the world to showcase their talent and connect with professionals from the film industry.
Our festival has featured and honored major stars and companies such as Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams, Ron Perlman, Epic Games, Lucy Liu, Danny Trejo, Michael K. Williams, John Turturro, Malcolm McDowell, Vinnie Jones, Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones), and Academy Award–nominated actor James Cromwell, all of whom have been awarded at our festival. This positions War of Films as one of the most relevant festivals on an international level, recognized for its strong commitment to supporting independent cinema. Proof of this is the trust placed in us by more than 6,600 filmmakers from 120 countries.
Even if your film is not selected, we offer distribution support. We understand that navigating the complex landscape of film distribution can be challenging, which is why we are committed to accompanying our filmmakers throughout the entire process. Through our distribution network, your film can gain access to the world’s most important film markets.
Join the War of Films International Film Festival and let us help you connect with the film industry and take your film to the next level.
Tarlan International Film Festival, is an annual event showcasing independent feature and short films from around the world.
"Tarlan International Film Festival" is open to all genres: fiction, short, animation, documentary, music video, sports, children...
27th International Izmir Short Film Festival
Izmir International Short Film Festival has been holding its place as being one of the greatest events in the field of movie in Turkey and it will meet its audience for the 27th time this year. The festival is the first film festival that gave awards to the international short films in Turkey. It began to show its films in 2000 and since then it has been one of the most esteemed festivals between film lovers.
The Wildlife Conservation Film Festival (WCFF) is a global film festival that showcases and supports independent films dedicated to the protection of wildlife and the conservation of Earth’s biodiversity through interactive and engaging events.
Founded in 2010 by award-winning filmmaker Christopher J. Gervais, the festival brings together an international community of films, filmmakers, advocates, and scientists committed to preserving wildlife and global biodiversity.
It provides a platform for hundreds of filmmakers to connect and engage in meaningful discussions with attendees from the global conservation, education, wildlife film, and travel industries.
Our mission is to inform, engage and inspire audiences about the upmost need for and importance of the protection of global biodiversity. We do this through the annual film festivals around the world, including New York, Los Angeles, Naples, Florida, and Monterrey, Mexico.
This year we will have a four day non-competitive event (June 11th-14th, 2026) at the Cape May Point Arts and Science Center, in Cape May, New Jersey, USA showcasing a selected number of nominee films before the finals event that will take place at the beautiful and prestigious Elite Cinema Theater in the City of Monterrey, Mexico (September 15th-18th, 2026).
Moreover, WCFF continues its strategic alliance with Ecoflix, the first not-for-profit streaming channel dedicated to protecting animals and the planet. This partnership offers filmmakers the optional opportunity to participate on the online Ecoflix platform, providing increased global access to submitted films and the potential to generate income through online ticket sales.
Location (2026):
● Festival Film Screenings: First stage (non competitive): The Cape May Point Arts and Science Center, Cape May, New Jersey, USA. Finals: Elite Cinemas, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
● Attendance at either venue is voluntary
● Premiere Requirements: None
AI Movie Awards (AIMA) is an international platform dedicated to exploring the future of cinema in the age of artificial intelligence.
Launching in Palma de Mallorca in Spring 2026, AIMA will showcase short films, feature films, and experimental works created with AI tools.
Kapish is a multidisciplinary queer-feminist platform fostering creative practices rooted in intersectional care, erotic resistance, and class consciousness. It is the continuation and merger of two curatorial collectives:
Squish, known for its intimate programming and bold intersectional approach, collaborated with queer artists across disciplines to explore politics of identity, embodiment, and resistance through film nights, workshops, and performances.
Kollection Kitsch focused on democratizing access to the arts, uplifting working-class creators and “bad taste” aesthetics. Through pop-up shows and accessible art exhibitions, it challenged elitist frameworks by celebrating vernacular and camp sensibilities.
Kapish carries forward both legacies—supporting emerging and marginalized artists, hosting community-driven events, and curating exhibitions that balance playfulness with critical reflection. We embrace collaborative curatorial methods, working closely with our contributors and audiences to shape
each project. Our initiatives often blur the lines between activism, art-making, and social gatherings.
Our curatorial vision is grounded in proletarian aesthetics, diasporic heritage, and sensual politics, often centering bodies, craft, and storytelling as acts of refusal and celebration.
Kapish events are known for being accessible, warm, and politically engaged, drawing a diverse crowd of artists, cultural workers, and queer communities in Rotterdam and beyond.
THE DECENTRALIZED FILM FESTIVAL
BlockReel DAO - Filmmaker-Owned, Community-Powered
BlockReel isn’t just another festival.
It’s the world’s first filmmaker-owned film economy.
Creators keep 80 % of streaming revenue.
Govern their own platform.
Compete for prizes funded by the community they’re building.
YOUR DAILY FILMMAKER HOME
Join a thriving ecosystem built for creators:
Live Chat - Voice/video/group calls with fellow filmmakers
Filmmaking Forum - Deep discussions on craft, gear, post-production
Film Industry Job Board - Real paid gigs, no middlemen
Marketplace - List digital/physical tools for free right now (escrow-enabled)
One login. Everything you need every day.
THE PRIZE POOL
We're targeting $250,000 in total prizes through our pre-seed funding round. Our commitment: 100% of submission fees, plus revenue from our streaming platform, marketplace, and ecosystem, flows directly into the prize pool up to $250K. The more filmmakers who join, the bigger the prizes become. This isn't a promise from investors. It's a promise from us. We are a US based registered LLC.
HOW VOTING WORKS
Blockchain-powered on Solana.
30 % expert judges.
70 % verified filmmaker community - real creators who understand craft.
No algorithms. No gatekeepers.
WHY SUBMIT TO BLOCKREEL?
Community Curation - Judged by filmmakers, not faceless audiences.
4K Global Streaming - Winners featured with industry-leading 80 % revenue share.
Non-Exclusive - Your film, your rights, forever.
Founder Status - Early submitters get free Founder NFT, voting rights, and founding member perks.
All submitters receive our $REEL token airdrop - free on-chain voting + watch access. No purchase needed.
CATEGORIES
Feature • Short • Documentary • Animation • Screenplay • TV Pilot • Music Video
SUBMISSION
Submit directly at blockreeldao.com/festival for full community voting access.
Festhome entries accepted - advancing films must upload to our site for on-chain screening and voting.
We want the best films, not the biggest budgets.
NYC Live Screening" (3-day in-person event for finalists) and "Streaming Distribution" (quarter-finalists+ considered for BlockReel Streaming with 80% revenue share) Blockreel Film Festival is where we discover the top talent and support with the project treasury for production and distribution.
Follow @blockreeldao on X for updates.
Join the movement - spread the word and help grow the first truly decentralized film economy.
