Mecal Pro has consolidated its long history as one of the most important short film festivals in Europe and the world. Backed by local, national, and international institutions, the festival maintains its strong commitment to the exhibition, promotion, and networking of audiovisual creations in the short format—connecting filmmakers, distributors, and audiences alike, with a special focus on fostering emerging talent. In 2026, we screened more than 300 short films across the 29 sections we program.
Niagara Canada International Film Festival (NCIFF) is an IMDb qualifying festival conducting an innovative international film festival and invites participation from aspiring and upcoming independent filmmakers. A unique film Festival, focusing on opportunity creation for global filmmakers.
[Niagara Canada International Film Festival is to promote new movie makers, exchange of knowledge, information, ideas & culture between Canadian & other nations in context of their social and cultural ethos. NCIFF also promotes friendship and co-operation among people of the world through the medium of films & documentaries.]
Our festival supports independent cinema across formats and aims to showcase the best talent & cinema from across the globe.
Also, The Niagara Canada International Film Festival is an annual showcase of World Cinema created by world film makers. Films include short, feature, documentaries and Social & Music which explore the culture, history and tradition. It is a unique festival to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the film industry from Canada, USA, Europe, Asia and other parts of the world.
Reaching a potential audience of millions of Ontario-based movie lovers, NIFF (Niagara Canada International Film Festival) provides a unique cultural destination for Niagara and Ontario based ex-patriots to connect with the culture of home through the magic of cinema.
Our Vision:
"Bringing the World to Niagara Falls, Canada through a shared passion for film and the power of storytelling.”
Our Mission
The Niagara Canada International Film Festival is dedicated to the discovery and promotion of Film Makers, Storytellers and Artists and sharing with audiences. Everyone has a story to tell, our goal is to inspire and encourage people to share their stories using the media of film and to create events that enable the sharing of those stories across communities and beyond.
We accept all genres of films from all over the world. We create an opportunity for filmmakers to get their films judged and let them compete with other filmmakers. We perform a comprehensive evaluation process and select only high-quality films.
★ IMDb-Qualifying Film Festival ★
https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0073754/
Oleaje Film Festival, organized by the Network of Museums of Manabí, invites filmmakers to participate in its first edition.
This festival aims to establish a platform for exhibition, training, and film production in the province of Manabí, promoting reflection on identity and territory through cinema.
In dialogue with its curatorial line, the 2026 edition, titled “Cinema is Alive!”, invites submissions of feature-length and short films—both fiction and documentary—that explore tangible and intangible heritage, such as gastronomy, music, festivities, traditional knowledge, the sea, and the ways of life that develop around it.
Special consideration will be given to works that examine how these cultural practices, together with the relationship to coastal and rural landscapes, shape memory, identity, and community, and that portray the life stories emerging from this territory between sea, mountains, and everyday life.
In 3 countries - Austria, Hungary and Slovakia
Join us for the best films and filmmakers from November 21 to 28, 2026, at the 9th Blue Danube Film Festival, taking place in Vienna, Budapest, and Bratislava.
The Blue Danube Film Festival showcases independent films from around the world, encouraging creativity and experimentation. We welcome all types of films and aim to inspire talented filmmakers exploring new forms and examining societal issues through a critical lens.
Films are evaluated by our professional jury based on the criteria of their entry category, considering generally accepted filmmaking quality standards such as artistic vision, production quality, aesthetic positioning, structure, cinematography, direction, and creativity.
Selected films will be screened in art cinemas and cultural centers in Vienna, Budapest and Bratislava.
BDFF is the region's first cross-border film festival, sailing up the Danube from Budapest to Bratislava and Vienna. We will showcase short films in three cities at four festival locations. Our jury will evaluate the films, and winners will receive not only media attention but also cash prizes.
We look forward to celebrating cinema with you!
♫ CALL FOR INDEPENDENT, EXPERIMENTAL WORKS OF ALL GENRES ♫
Applications for the Winter 2026 edition open on June 17! Winter 2026 edition will stream from December 13 to 21 on our website.
Pebbles Underground film and video art platform is focused on showcasing experimental, avant-garde, underground, and no-to-low budget independent films and video art projects from all over the world.
If you're making slow films, performance films, dance films, experimental docs, essay films, hybrids, non-films of an absurd, uncanny, witty, humorous, queer, political, 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.
Attention! 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, and subtle watermarking. We are not using youtube, or vimeo.
✧ ADDITIONAL INFO
~ All online programs will be FREE TO WATCH
~ If you are a filmmaker from Palestine, Sudan, Georgia, Iran, Armenia, Syria, Lebanon, Belarus, North Korea, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, 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 funding comes from personal donations from artists-humans organizing the project and the main drive of the project is formed by the energy and involvement of the organizers, the filmmakers, and the public.
Film Education and Welfare Foundation Aurangabad Present, 7th Year, Reels International Film Festival uses media platform as a tool to connect audiences across cities, countries, and continents. With simultaneous screenings (OFFLINE FESTIVALS) and live Q&A’s, audiences are given the chance to experience a film festival from miles away. From the peak of Everest to the penguins of Antarctica, #RIFF brings the Northern and the Southern Hemispheres together. Because the love for cinema stretches beyond borders.
We are setting up a unique 6th YEAR , iDEAL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL iIFF in the world famous state of Maharashtra (INDIA), at city located close to the Ajanta Caves. and the birthplace of saints/artists. Keeping this in mind that this will be a separate platform for small and big artists, efforts will always be made to take the ideal festival to new heights. iDEAL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL iIFF is established to cherish the emerging talent in the fields of art and films. The main objective is to give platform to the All artists and actors to potray their talent. iDEAL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL has a modern theme. Films in various categories such as World Competition, Marathi Competition, Global Cinema, Country Focus and Retrospective, from various countries and cultures are introduced. A recognised jury panel decides awards for films in the competitive sections.
iDEAL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL looks forward for participation of actors,film makers as well as the emerging artists to platform their talent to the world.
Memorimage, International Film Festival of Reus is a Festival targeting films that use archival moving images.
The 21st edition of Memorimage will be celebrated from the 4th to the 7th of November 2026.
The Tiempo Sur Audiovisual Festival celebrates its 14th edition in 2026 from the northwest region of La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain.
For fourteen years, Tiempo Sur has promoted the encounter between filmmakers, audiences and territory, supporting emerging voices and demonstrating that talent can be found everywhere.
In 2026, Tiempo Sur begins a new stage as a Goya Awards qualifying festival in the categories of Fiction Short Film and Documentary Short Film.
The festival combines film screenings, educational activities, meetings with filmmakers and cultural initiatives connected to the unique landscape and identity of La Palma.
Participation is free of charge.
Motto: Talent is everywhere.
The Caracas Film Criticism Festival is conceived as a space to reflect and reward the expression of significance of film criticism in various national and international works. From In this way, it seeks to encourage, promote and disseminate Venezuelan cinema, as well as the analysis depth of the cinema made in Venezuela in comparison with the international cinema awarded in the festivals in Berlin, Cannes, Locarno, San Sebastián and Venice.
The Caracas Film Critics Festival is designed as a space for reflection which aims to reward the best national and international works, according to the standards of film criticism.
In this way, we seek to carry out an in-depth analysis of the cinema made in Venezuela and abroad.
Of it, as well as encourage, promote and disseminate the cinematographic act. From a point of view external, thanks to the participation of foreign collaborators.
Creativity is everywhere - we are proudly open to all kind of projects with no restriction as long as it is inventive and full of creativity. We are excited to be part of your journey and devoted to supporting and encouraging all-new content creators.
All winners receive a River Stone International Film Festival laurel, certificate and will be shared across all of our social platforms.
The Colina International Independent Film Festival (FICIC) is a competitive festival held in person in the municipality of Colina, in Chile’s Metropolitan Region.
FICIC was created with the aim of showcasing independent fiction films with a strong authorial identity, promoting new voices and contemporary perspectives within the international cinematic landscape.
The festival seeks to establish itself as a meeting platform for filmmakers, audiences, and industry professionals, encouraging cultural exchange and the development of independent cinema in Chile.
The 2026 edition will take place from August 2 to 9, 2026.
The All That Moves International Film Festival reaches its 6th edition, reaffirming its commitment to cultural diversity, audiovisual innovation, and the appreciation of independent cinema. With the curatorial approach “New Views, Other Cinemas”, the festival provides a platform for both studio and independent productions that break narrative, stylistic, and cultural barriers, featuring a curated group of films from different genres, nationalities, and styles, reaching a broad and inclusive audience.
Alongside traditional categories such as Best Feature Film, Documentary, Animation, LGBTQIA+, and Horror, the festival also highlights and values diversity in cinema, with awards dedicated to Students, Women in Film, Black Cinema, and Latin American Cinema. Additionally, All That Moves was the first festival in Brazil to introduce an award category dedicated to Artificial Intelligence, reinforcing its commitment to technological advancement and innovation in cinema.
Whether you are an experienced filmmaker or just starting out, we encourage you to submit your work and be part of this event. We are the place where new voices find their stage.
The Athens Short Film Festival is an annual event that spotlights international independent breakout shorts. Taking place in the multicultural and artistic Greek capital, ASFF supports the city’s underground scene and breaks its geographical boundaries by gathering a mixed audience of locals and internationals. Local cinemas have always been a place where conversations and debates on social, political and gender issues sparked. And it is part of ASFF’s mission to rejuvenate these spaces and honour their cultural significance.
The Festival’s screening programme features emerging talents from all over the world and all filmmakers regardless of background are invited to submit their artworks. Expanding year by year, the Athens Short Film Festival aims to enrich its programme with industry events, workshops and seminars and become a reference Film festival for the Athenian independent cinema scene.
The Athens Short Festival is organised by HFP, a pioneer organisation that runs Film Festivals and other events showcasing and championing ideas of diversity. Through our global series of film Festivals that spread over 13 countries, we open the path to voices with a compelling story to share. Our main mission is to honour independent cinema and establish a network of artists eager to join forces and spread their work across all nations. HFP runs 25 film Festivals worldwide.
The word AURA has two meanings: it’s the atmosphere and the wind blowing. The name of the film festival was inspired by both of these definitions. Our film festival is an atmosphere of creativity, celebration and art. A whiff of wind is the wind of change and the point of films, as well as the wind from the seas, near which the cities of film screenings are located (the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Sea of Azov).
The screening sessions of the films of the film festival are held in three cities at once. In the south it is Sochi and Rostov-on-Don, and in the Northwest it is the cultural city of St. Petersburg. Film screenings take place in cultural and youth centers, both indoors and outdoors.
We screen both fiction films, documentaries and animated films, as well as social videos from around the world. In addition, there is a competition of posters and photo projects.
Viewers of different ages attend our film festival. After the screenings, there is a discussion with the creators and organizers of the festival.
On the last day of the film festival, an award ceremony will be held, where statuettes, diplomas and gifts from partners will be presented to the winners of the film festival.
AURA Film Festival is a review competition of films received evaluation by the Selection Committee.
The Festival’s aim is to support cinematographers and to contribute to the development and promotion of film industries.
The film festival focuses on a variety of themes and genres.
It is a strong advocate for social change, and encourages cultural diversity and understanding between nations.
We are also including and actively supporting not only the finest examples of classic moviemaking, but works that are experimental, breaking ground in new non-narrative forms and crossing over into the video arts. All films will be reviewed as they are submitted, and the best in each category will be chosen to screen at the festival. Semi-finalist films will not be screened but will receive our festival laurels.
The final decision on the inclusion of the film in the Festival competition program is made by the Selection Committee which reserves the right not to explain the reason for the refusal and not to give any comment.
The winners are chosen by the organizing committee of the film festival.
The winners receive valuable prizes from sponsors and partners, laurels and diplomas.
You can only send an application for entry through the platform Festhome.com
The final decision on the inclusion of the film in the Festival competition program is made by the Selection Committee which reserves the right not to explain the reason for the refusal and not to give any comment.
The winners are chosen by the organizing committee of the film festival.
New York Arts & Entertainment Film Festival (formerly NYC Popup Film Festival) celebrates quality independent films. Our goal is to bring quality short films to an audience and offer independent filmmakers a place to showcase their work. We also work to create network opportunities for future work to be created.
Short films of all genres are considered for Festival Screening.
The ZAFIC International Film Festival (ZAFIC) is a cultural platform based in Mosquera, Colombia, that promotes cinema and audiovisual storytelling as tools for dialogue, community engagement, cultural exchange, and territorial development.
For its 9th edition, taking place from October 15 to 18, 2026, ZAFIC presents the thematic focus “Possible Futures / Futuros Posibles”, inviting creators from around the world to share stories that imagine, question, transform, and reimagine the future of our communities and territories.
ZAFIC welcomes short films and audiovisual works from any country and genre through three curatorial sections:
• Kids / Infancias
Works created for children, schools, and young audiences, encouraging imagination, creativity, learning, and intergenerational dialogue.
• Territory / Territorio
Works that explore identity, memory, heritage, community life, rurality, environment, cultural diversity, and social transformation.
• New Voices / Nuevas Voces
Works that present emerging perspectives, innovative narratives, new technologies, experimental approaches, or contemporary ways of understanding the world.
More than a film festival, ZAFIC seeks to connect cinema with communities, education, culture, and the future of territories through meaningful audiovisual experiences.
All submitted works must be spoken, dubbed, or subtitled in Spanish.
The Orriols Intergenerational International Short Film Festival (FICOI) invites national and international audiovisual creators to submit their works focusing on the themes of aging, old age, and/or intergenerational dialogue.
In this context, the Festival aims to promote the use of cinema as a tool to build intergenerational bridges, strengthening bonds and mutual understanding between different generations through the creation of new narratives on active aging, and dismantling social stereotypes stems from ageism or the process of growing older.
