DCIFF brings together passionate artists, filmmakers, critics, curators, and film enthusiasts for a celebration of independent filmmaking. Like previous festivals, we continue to be an essentially volunteer-run festival. All submissions fees support festival programming.
The 2027 festival is entirely in-person in Washington, DC. Acceptance into DCIFF 2027 assumes your attendance and active involvement in the festival experience.
DCIFF, the oldest independent film festival in Washington DC running since 1999, has been a FILM FORUM since 2022 ( a competitive film festival with in-depth conversations around film, filmmaking and animation) with a storied history of presenting extraordinary films. We showcase cutting edge features, animation, experimental, shorts, and documentaries on every subject, from every country, and with every budget imaginable. Our mission is to forward films and careers and we are thrilled with the success of our alumni.
Aswan International Women Film Festival (est. 2017) is the first annual Egyptian film festival that focuses on cinematic works representing women’s issues, celebrating their success stories and supporting female filmmakers in Egypt and the MENA.
AIWFF is also the first festival with a specialized program of filmmaking workshops for the youth in the area, bringing the educational opportunities and skills needed to Aswan, under the hands of leading professionals in the industry.
Not only is Egypt’s Aswan Governorate the farthest point of civilization from the capital, it also holds monumental importance and impact on the country’s cultural and historical significance. The festival’s program, including all seminars and screenings, is open to the general public of Aswan and south of the valley (South of Qena), with thousands of locals attending the screenings, and hundreds both enrolled in our Filmmaking Workshops and volunteering in the organization of the festival.
We are launching the call for entries for the 6th edition, taking place in Colonia Santa Teresa from April 8 to 11, 2027!
Workshops, seminars, a laboratory, synergies, and partnerships await at our International Meeting Point: even in a very tough year for film festivals in Argentina, PampaDocFest stands strong. We invite you to check out the rules and conditions for this new call for entries.
The FIC AUTOR (Author's International Film Festival) is interested in unique and artistic films that exceed the limits of traditional storytelling. We look for Feature and Short Films that reflect the director's personal creative vision, and a style that is distinct enough to shine through the collective process.
WE ONLY CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU SHOW IN YOUR FILM, how CREATIVE you are and how you tell the story, that's it. We don't care if your film has recognized stars or unknown names, if it was shot with an Arri or a DSLR, if it has been accepted to a thousand festivals or none. We don’t base our decisions regarding your gender, sexual orientation, color of your skin, or ethnicity like other festivals. We are against the politics and bureaucracy that flood the film industry. 100% of the films accepted come from the submissions, we don't invite films. We want to be recognized as an objective festival with a tough competition and the most creative global cinema in our theaters!
We're partners with RAINDANCE Film School MX, so if you're one of our selected filmmakers, you will also screen your film there and have the chance to teach a masterclass in one of the most important film schools in the world and who knows, maybe be spotted by Elliot himself!
The FIC AUTOR will take place in November in Guadalajara, Jalisco, México and Tequila Jalisco. We will present the very best films from around the world, ranging from the most unexpected-creative low budget films from unknown filmmakers, to films made by experienced/well known directors. Mano a mano, this competition is tough! FIC AUTOR will strive to be one of the most important cultural events in the city. We aspire to become an international spotlight for new directors!
In the 7th edition we presented the first Honorary Ring to our 1st guest of honor, the Academy Award nominee actress Yalitza Aparicio ("Rome" dir. Alfonso Cuarón) We will continue inviting interesting talents from different fields.
-The 13 winning Authors will receive the WINNER LAUREL, plus FIC AUTOR trophy or rings.
-WINNERS will be announced one month before the award ceremony, so all the nominated filmmakers can decide beforehand whether they want to travel to the festival.
-The Cineforo is one of the biggest cinema theaters in the city with 440 seats, and is the most prestigious.
CATEGORIES:
Feature Films Categories:
-Fictional Feature Films.
-Documentary Feature Films.
-Experimental Feature Films.
-First-Time Filmmaker.
-Low Budget Feature Films Under 50K USD.
-Mexican Feature Films. (For Mexican directors only)
Medium Length Category:
-Medium Length Films. (Any kind)
Short Films Categories:
-Fictional Short Films.
-Documentary Short Films.
-Experimental Short Films.
-Animated Short Films.
-Mexican Short Films. (For Mexican directors only)
-Cineminuto 1 minute Short Films.
CORTISONICI RAGAZZI: Audiovisual products created in middle and high schools and by associations, social cooperatives, and organizations working in the educational field with groups of young people and adolescents. The competition is also open to works created independently by informal groups of young videomakers or individual authors under the age of 19.
CORTISONICI RAGAZZI ACADEMY: audiovisual products produced in universities, film schools and post-diploma training institutions that operate in the audiovisual sector.
CINEMODAE AWARDS 2026
CINEMODAE is a celebration and recognition platform dedicated to the new perspectives transforming the relationship between cinema, fashion, and contemporary art.
The CINEMODAE Awards honor the creative excellence of directors, photographers, designers, stylists, filmmakers, art directors, and visual artists who transform fashion into a powerful audiovisual language.
Through fashion films, audiovisual pieces, and conceptual editorials, CINEMODAE recognizes works that transcend aesthetics to build universes, evoke emotions, and tell stories through a distinctive visual identity.
Each recognition celebrates a different dimension of the creative process: creative direction, audiovisual direction, photography, styling, design, art direction, concept, storytelling, innovation, and the aesthetic construction of each project.
Being recognized by CINEMODAE means becoming part of a selection of works that represent a new generation of creators, where experimentation, artistic sensitivity, and authorial vision find a space to be celebrated and brought to a wider audience.
The CINEMODAE 2026 ceremony brings together the creative community for a gala conceived to celebrate the most outstanding works and talents of the edition, honoring those who demonstrate an exceptional vision and contribute to expanding the boundaries of fashion storytelling.
## A Recognition of Creative Vision
More than rewarding a technically flawless production, CINEMODAE seeks to recognize a point of view.
An idea capable of becoming an image.
An aesthetic capable of becoming an emotion.
A proposal capable of becoming an identity.
The CINEMODAE Awards celebrate those who understand that fashion is not simply worn: it is directed, photographed, interpreted, transformed, and told through stories.
**CINEMODAE — where cinema, fashion, and art find a new way to be seen.**
African Diaspora Cinema Festival (ADCF), has just celebrated its 10th anniversary, a decade of stories with over three thousand films submitted from over hundred countries across the globe. The ADCF Awards this year goes to "Muganga" best feature film, "Remote Farms" best short film, "Three Black Men" best feature documentary film, "Indikwe - As Long as there is Life" best short documentary film, and ADCF Award goes to "Somalia in the Picture". ADCF has become the international beacon for the African diaspora film and arts communities in Italy. The eleventh edition of the African Diaspora Cinema Festival is coming up on the 15th of September to 18th of September 2027. Awards will also be given to Best Actress, and Best Actor by next edition. As the critically acclaimed biggest Black film and arts festival, showcasing music with live performance, dance, fashion exhibition and book presentation, in the beautiful renaissance city of Florence, hosted by Teatro Affratellamento in Florence. ADCF attracts filmmakers, artists, and unique craftspeople from across the globe to the city of Florence annually, to showcase their work and talent.
Annually, ADCF continues to receive hundreds of high-quality Black films from the U.S.A, Africa, the Caribbean, South America, Europe, the South Pacific, Canada, and Asia.
ADCF yearly hosts some of the most vibrant film directors, actors, musicians, stylist and runways by fashion mentors. It also presents inspiring and informative panels and workshops featuring top industry professionals and showcases rare cinematic gems followed by filmmaker Q&A. ADCF collaboration "itinerant" with other film festivals has made its journey so far to be an Oscar-qualifying festival.
ADCF is a non-profit organization that has remained dedicated to the promotion of Black stories and images through the exhibition of films, visual art, and other creative expression. History taught us that times of great challenges are also times of great opportunity to redefine ourselves and evolve.
ADCF’s vision is to raise awareness about Africa Cinema, its vast potentials and the socio-economic impact it has not only on African economies but gradually expanding to other parts of the world’s economy as well. Our aim is to use cinema to create a revolution that will change the social and economical horizon of Africa, by creating the way to the countless number of films produced in Africa and by the African diaspora filmmakers.
Film is a powerful platform that is better able to attract and engage people in constructive activity and providing enjoyment, enlivening spaces and enriching lives. Film and art can lead to a better understanding and foster communication between peoples of diverse cultures, races, and lifestyles.
Road Movie Festival™ is a new international short film festival organized by the Auto Rétro Cinéma association in La Teste-de-Buch (Arcachon Bay, France). Its first edition will take place September 17-19, 2027.
The festival explores the road movie in its broadest sense: not simply a film set in a car, but any story where movement — physical or inner — drives the narrative. Adventure, self-discovery, crossing a landscape: the journey becomes the true dramatic engine of the film, regardless of the means of travel, or even its absence.
The official selection features 15 to 20 short films competing for the Grand Prix and official awards. The festival also offers out-of-competition sections (Animation Focus, Documentary Focus, Carte Blanche) as well as a Young Audience program for ages 6 and up.
The festival is supported by the City of La Teste-de-Buch, an official partner of this first edition.
The 2027 jury, currently being finalized, already includes Jean-Claude Lagniez (stuntman, 1997 Le Mans 24 Hours-winning driver), Laurent Chiomento (production manager), Elodie Percheron (casting director), and Tom Boudet (actor). Its chair will be announced in May 2027.
Abycine Lanza se ha convertido en la plataforma de referencia del audiovisual independiente nacional y de desarrollo del talento español. Cada edición sumamos nuevas alianzas y adhesiones que completan un programa de encuentros y talleres de formación así como los pitchs de los diferentes foros que conforman Lanza. Más de 250 profesionales españoles y europeos pasan cada año por este meeting point fundamental de la industria.
Se trata de una experiencia 360º que combina una serie de actividades con las que reforzar conocimientos sobre elementos claves en la realización cinematográfica (producción, marketing, participación de la audiencia, venta y la distribución de películas…) con la orientación personalizada, la retroalimentación grupal y el networking ampliado. Además, el importe total de los premios otorgados asciende a más 55.000€ con partners como CMM (Castilla-La Mancha Media), Filmin, ECAM o MAFIZ.
Distribuidores, festivales y agentes de ventas tienen la oportunidad de conocer propuestas emergentes del panorama independiente nacional. Por otro lado, los proyectos, reciben un valioso feedback y crean sinergias muy valiosas para la maduración, fortaleciendo la colaboración y asesoría de expertos, para lograr avanzar y consolidarse.
En su 11ª edición se desarrollará por segunda vez una zona profesional específica para el cortometraje alineada con el compromiso de Abycine Lanza por visibilizar el cortometraje.
English (Inglés)
The “Cachinus de Cine” Festival is organized by the Cultural Association of Cilleros (A.C.D.C.) and the Town Hall of Cilleros.
The festival "Cachinus de Cine" was born with the hope of bringing the seventh art to the children and youngest so that they have the posibility to learn trough this art to know and understand better the world around them. Also to get the posibility to express their concerns through the images.
It will take place at the beginning of May in Cilleros, a town located in "Sierra de Gata" in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, at the East of Madrid (Spain).
An enclave that are still preserving his nature and tradition over the years.
It is surrounded by rivers of crystal clear water, natural pools and mountains that invite you to explore their paths.
We wish this festival to be a meeting point where we can meet people and cultures from all over the world and get to know ourselves too.
Exchanging concerns and experiences with all the participants is also part of the dream with which this festival is born.
Open call for filmmakers!
Be part of the 6th edition of Breaking Walls Dance Films.
Breaking Walls Dance Films (BWDF) is the first and only dance film festival in Egypt and the region. Since 2021 we have screened 129 films from more than twenty countries, and we programme deliberately towards work that rarely reaches Egyptian screens — recent editions have introduced audiences to films from Tunisia, Malta, Hungary and Indonesia.
The 6th edition runs 10 to 20 January 2027. Screenings take place in Cairo and, just as importantly, outside it — in Minya, Mansoura, Sohag and Qena. In several of those governorates, our screenings were the first time dance film had ever been shown publicly. Every screening is free and open to the public, and every selected film is shown at least twice at different venues.
The festival runs alongside a programme of workshops, masterclasses and live performances, and selected filmmakers are invited to join roundtable discussions with Egyptian and international artists, remotely or in person.
On the sidelines of the festival
We also welcome dance-related documentaries and feature films for screening outside competition. If your film falls outside the competition criteria but belongs at a dance film festival, submit it — we will consider it for the sideline programme.
Selected films are announced at the end of December 2026.
The Cotonou International Digital Film Festival is organized by the association LA PERSEVERANCE 35, which operates in the fields of arts, culture, and social solidarity. Its goal is to introduce the public to the diversity of digital filmmaking.
The festival will feature:
- An international selection of films across all genres, showcasing the most creative new talent.
Any film (fiction, animation, documentary, short or feature-length, etc.) completed after January 2024 may be submitted to the festival's selection committee.
Visões do Mar – International Documentary Film Festival
2nd Edition | November 26–28, 2026 | Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The Visões do Mar – International Documentary Film Festival returns for its second edition, taking place from November 26 to 28, 2026, in Niterói, Brazil, reaffirming documentary cinema as a powerful tool for reflection, engagement, and envisioning possible futures for the oceans and their communities.
This year, science and youth will be at the heart of the festival’s program, bringing together researchers, young filmmakers, students, educators, and coastal communities. The festival aims to foster a critical and democratic ocean culture, connecting scientific knowledge, collective memory, art, and the lived experiences of local communities.
In the face of the climate emergency, marine pollution, and the challenges affecting coastal populations, the festival embraces social impact documentary filmmaking as a means of encouraging dialogue around ocean conservation, climate justice, and the protection of coastal ways of life.
Over three days, Visões do Mar will take place across cinemas, schools, cultural centers, and community spaces throughout Niterói, featuring film screenings, discussions, gatherings, and educational activities.
Visões do Mar is a call to look at the ocean through the perspectives of science, local communities, and new generations imagining different futures for our planet.
It's a free and open to all short film festival based in Paris (France). Concept is simple : submit 2min20 shortfilms about an imposed theme each year. For this 17th edition, it'll be "SURPRISE". To participate, you must register on our website www.festivalnikon.fr/en until January 15, 2027
IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE THAT FILMS OVER 2MIN20 WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED INTO THE COMPETITION AND WILL BE IMMEDIATELY EXCLUDED WITHOUT VIEWING.
Mario Cervantes ha organizado el XIV Festival de cine social ManzanaREC que tendrá lugar en febrero de 2026 en la localidad de Manzanares (Ciudad Real). Los trabajos serán exhibidos en la Sala de la Casa de Cultura de Manzanares.
FANTASTIC:BRASIL – International Fantastic Film Festival of Brazil is a festival dedicated to the celebration of fantastic cinema in all its forms, bringing together filmmakers, audiences, and industry professionals around genre films from Brazil and around the world.
The festival presents a diverse selection of feature films and short films, highlighting new voices, innovative approaches, and distinctive visions within fantastic cinema.
Official Competitions:
International Competition: Feature Films and Short Films
Ibero-American Competition: Feature Films and Short Films
Brazilian National Competition: Feature Films and Short Films
FANTASTIC offers a space for contemporary fantastic cinema to connect with audiences and to showcase the richness and diversity of the genre across different cultures and territories.
The principal objective of the Kolkata Kaleidoscope International Film Festival (KKIFF) is to promote and encourage awareness, appreciation and understanding of the art of cinema, and to inspire cultural exchange through film.
The first edition of KKIFF aims to bring together filmmakers, film enthusiasts, artists, cultural practitioners, industry professionals, and audiences through a shared love for cinema.
More than a festival built around screenings and awards, KKIFF seeks to create a space for conversation, collaboration, discovery and community—connecting established voices with emerging filmmakers and creating opportunities for people who are beginning to find their place in the film ecosystem.
Our philosophy is simple:
LESS COMPETITION. MORE COMMUNITY.
We believe cinema grows when people share ideas, resources, skills and perspectives rather than working in isolation. KKIFF therefore seeks to build an accessible and inclusive film community where filmmakers and film enthusiasts have a genuine space to connect, participate and belong.
OUR VISION
KKIFF envisions a film culture where diverse voices are not only represented but actively heard.
The festival aims to create conversations around independent filmmaking, emerging filmmakers, cultural representation, Indigenous cinema, women in cinema, human rights, environmental concerns, new technologies and evolving forms of storytelling.
Our goal is not simply to showcase films, but to encourage audiences to question, discuss, connect and engage with the worlds those films create.
WHAT KKIFF STANDS FOR
Emerging Voices
Creating opportunities for upcoming and independent filmmakers to showcase their work, meet professionals, build networks and find new audiences.
Cultural Diversity
Celebrating stories across languages, cultures, communities and geographies, while creating meaningful space for Indigenous and underrepresented voices.
Community Building
Bringing filmmakers, film lovers, artists, students and industry professionals into the same room to exchange ideas, skills, resources and opportunities.
Representation
Encouraging cinema that engages with questions of identity, gender, human rights, environment, culture and social change.
The Future of Cinema
Exploring emerging forms and technologies, including AI filmmaking and immersive cinema, alongside conventional cinematic practices.
From the FCIA 1503 Film Festival we are happy to tell you that we are going to start our first edition in the great Villa de Aranda de Duero (Burgos), giving shape to our illusion of being able to bring Culture and Cinema closer, and to be able to give also meet those young directors and actors.
From the El Mostacho association we send you our most affectionate greetings.
Where Independent Cinema Meets Mainstream Audiences.
A Revolution in Short Film Distribution: True Commercial Exposure
Most film festivals share a common challenge: your work is screened in isolated blocks to an audience composed almost entirely of other filmmakers, festival-goers, and industry insiders.
At the Winter Park Film Festival (hosted at the iconic Aloma Cinema Grill in Winter Park, Florida), we do things differently. We have created a ground-breaking festival model designed to give your short film maximum reach, real commercial impact, and an authentic theatrical experience.
How It Works: Primetime Placement Before Hollywood Blockbusters
Instead of grouping short films together into niche, low-attendance screening blocks, each selected short film is paired directly with a high-profile commercial feature film from the theater’s active box-office schedule.
The Ultimate Opening Act: Imagine your short film screening on the big screen during primetime weekend showtimes—right before major theatrical releases like Spider-Man, upcoming Hollywood blockbusters, or critically acclaimed studio films.
100% Real Commercial Audience: Your project won't just play to empty seats or fellow festival entrants. It will screen directly in front of everyday, paying moviegoers who have gathered for peak weekend cinema nights.
Unmatched Exposure: By giving audiences a unique "2-for-1" experience (Short + Major Feature), your film benefits from the natural foot traffic and excitement of the theater’s prime weekend crowds.
This is more than just a festival screening—it’s an opportunity to see your work presented in the exact same environment as industry-defining Hollywood features.
What to Expect During the Festival Days
We believe filmmakers deserve a hassle-free, highly rewarding theatrical showcase. That is why we have streamlined the 3-day experience to focus on what matters most: getting your work on the big screen in front of a live, paying audience.
The Full Hollywood Treatment: Walk into a vibrant cinema atmosphere where moviegoers are already gathered for weekend releases. Grab food, order a drink at your seat, and watch your film unfold on the big screen with pristine sound and projection.
Pure Commercial Vibe: Experience the rare thrill of witnessing how a real-world, non-industry audience reacts to your short film in real time—surrounded by authentic movie lovers in a full auditorium.
Whether you join us in person or watch your film reach new audiences from afar, the Winter Park Film Fest offers a modern, high-visibility showcase designed for the modern independent filmmaker.
