Yubari international fantastic film festival 2026 (36)

Festival start: 04 June 2026      Festival end: 07 June 2026

The Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival (hereinafter Yubari Fanta) is held in Yubari, Hokkaido, and is organized and managed by the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival Executive Committee.

This film festival focuses on science fiction, horror, fantasy, adventure, action, thriller, animation, and other fantastic films rich in imagination and entertainment.

The purpose of Yubari Fanta is to provide a space for citizens, filmmakers, and audiences to connect and interact, discovering and nurturing new talent, promoting cultural exchange, and fostering mutual understanding between countries worldwide through cinema.

【Awards】

1.Fantastic yubari competition-Grand Prix

2.International short film competition-Grand Prix

3.Entertainment,Animation & AI competition-Grand Prix

4.International new wave film award

5.Fantastic film award

6.New wave award-Creator award

ENTRY

Film Submission

Regulations for 2026 Submissions

These regulations apply to submissions for the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival 2026. Please note that certain details may differ from the actual festival program.

The Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival Organizing Committee (hereinafter referred to as “the Organizer”) hereby establishes the following submission regulations for the competitions to be held at the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival 2026 (hereinafter referred to as “the Festival”).

Festival Name

Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival 2026


Organizer

Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival Organizing Committee


Secretariat

STEM Co., Ltd.

Festival Dates

June 4 (Thursday) – June 7 (Sunday), 2026
[4 days]


【About the Festival】

The Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival is an international film festival dedicated to gathering imaginative “fantastic films”—including science fiction, horror, fantasy, and action—from around the world. Its purpose is to create a space where cinematic expression intersects across borders and languages.

Beyond discovering new talent, the festival holds as its vital mission the steadfast preservation and transmission of the cinematic culture nurtured in this region to the next generation.

By fostering encounters between creators and audiences from diverse cultural backgrounds, facilitating dialogue and deeper understanding through film, and nurturing the cultural cycle born from screenings, exchange, and dissemination, we aim to perpetuate film culture not as a fleeting event, but as an enduring endeavor extending into the future. Set in Yubari City,Hokkaido, the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival continues its journey as a “space” connecting the world and the region, the past and the future, and passing on the imagination and creativity inherent in film to the next generation.

[Organizer]

Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival Steering Committee

*This festival is operated by a new organization, legally distinct from past organizations or NPOs that operated festivals of the same name.


【Competition Categories】

Submissions are accepted in the following categories (one entry per category). If categorization is unclear, the organizers may adjust the category based on content, length, etc.

① Fantastic Yubari Competition (Feature Films) [45 min or longer]: Emphasis on auteurism, entertainment value, and originality.

② International Short Film Competition (Short Films) [Less than 45 minutes]: Open to all nationalities. Seeks works with a distinctive perspective and originality within a short runtime.

③ Entertainment/Animation/AI Competition [No time limit]: Live-action or animation. Includes works falling under genres such as Animation/Music Video/Experimental. Seeks highly entertaining works appealing to a broad audience.


【Submission Period】

January 15, 2026 (Sat) – March 31, 2026

*The deadline will be announced on the official website of our festival (Japan time). Submissions received after the deadline will not be accepted.


【Qualification】

・Open to professionals and amateurs, regardless of nationality or age.

・Submitters must either hold legitimate rights to the submitted work or have obtained formal permission from the rights holder.

・Multiple submissions are permitted (please submit each work separately).


【Submission Requirements】

・Completion Date: Works completed on or after January 1, 2025.

・language: Works in languages other than Japanese must include Japanese or english subtitles.

・Premiere Requirement: Works must not have been publicly released in Hokkaido via theatrical screening, television broadcast, or major VOD services.

・Limited screenings (password-protected online previews, screenings at film festivals or educational institutions) do not disqualify submissions.

・Works publicly available on platforms like YouTube are generally ineligible for selection.


【How to apply】

1. Submit via the festival's official website or the organizer's designated online platform (e.g., Festhome).

2. Submit a password-protected streaming viewing URL via Vimeo, YouTube, etc., for screening purposes.

3. Submit the following documents:
　・Director's profile
　・Synopsis of the work
　・Stills (3 or more)

4. Submissions by mail or physical media will not be
accepted.

5. The organizer reserves the right to invalidate submissions containing incomplete or false information.

【Entry Fee】

・A designated entry fee is required.
Short Film: ¥6,600
Feature Film: ¥7,700
Entertainment/Animation/AI: ¥6,600

・Entry fees are non-refundable for any reason.


【Judging and Selection】

・A selection committee will judge entries to determine screening selections and award winners.

・We cannot respond to individual inquiries regarding the selection process or results.


【Notification and Announcement of Selection Results】

・Nominated works will be announced on the official website on April 20, 2026.

※Notification and announcement dates are subject to change.


【awards】

1.Fantastic yubari competition-Grand Prix

2.International short film competition-Grand Prix

3.Entertainment,Animation & AI competition-Grand Prix

4.International new wave film award

5.Fantastic film award

6.New wave award-Creator award


【Prize Money】

・International New Wave Film Award: ¥500,000

※This prize money applies to feature-length films from both domestic and international entries.

・Fantastic Film Award: ¥300,000

※This prize money applies to all films, regardless of length (feature or short), from both domestic and international entries.

・New Wave Award Creator Category: ¥200,000

※This prize money applies to all films, regardless of length (feature or short), from both domestic and international entries.

※Prize money will be paid after the festival concludes via a method determined by the organizers.

※Any transfer fees or related charges are the responsibility of the recipient.


【Screenings】

・Selected films will be screened at venues designated by the organizers during the festival period.


【Submission of Screening Materials】

Applicants of selected films must submit screening materials and any necessary related materials by the deadline specified by the organizers.

・Screening Master Data: 1920×1080 (Full HD) MP4 format is standard.

※Depending on the screening venue and format, submission in formats such as ProRes may be requested (details will be provided after selection).


【Music and Copyright】

1. Applicants are responsible for obtaining all copyrights and usage permissions for music, footage, characters, etc., used within their work.


【Rights, Responsibilities, and Damages】

1. Applicants warrant that their submitted work does not infringe upon any third-party copyrights, portrait rights, trademark rights, or any other rights whatsoever.

2. Should any disputes, damages, claims, etc., arise with third parties due to the submitted work, the applicant shall resolve them at their own responsibility and expense. The organizer shall not be liable except in cases of intentional misconduct or gross negligence.

3. Should the organizer suffer damages due to disputes under the preceding paragraph, the entrant shall be liable to compensate the organizer for such damages.


【Publicity and PR Use】

1. Stills, trailers, and portions of the film (generally within 2 minutes) may be used solely for the film festival and related PR purposes.

2. The work will not be sold, used in third-party advertisements, or utilized for any other commercial purposes.


【Handling of Personal Information】

1. Personal information obtained during submission will be used solely for festival operations, selection notifications, screening coordination, award notifications, and related purposes.

2. Except as required by law, personal information will not be provided to third parties without the entrant's consent.


【Obligations After Selection】

Entrants of selected works shall comply with the following:

1. Submit screening materials and any required related materials by the date specified by the organizer.

2. Attendance at the opening and closing ceremonies during the festival period is mandatory.

3. Should any violation of these application guidelines or the application/event terms and conditions be discovered after selection, the organizer reserves the right to revoke the selection or award.


【Schedule Changes/Cancellation (Force Majeure)】

The festival schedule, venue, or screening format may be changed or canceled due to natural disasters, government directives, or other unavoidable circumstances. Please be advised in advance.


【Other】

* For nominated works and participating production teams, a travel expense subsidy of ¥20,000 per work will be provided to one person per work. (Travel expense receipts and an invoice must be submitted after the festival concludes. A standard invoice template will be emailed.)


【Agreement】

By completing the application process, applicants are deemed to have agreed to all terms and conditions of this call for entries and the festival's application and event regulations.