Ice Plate Winter Film Festival (2)

Festival start: 19 December 2026      Festival end: 20 December 2026

An international winter film festival in Russia’s Tyumen Region. The second edition welcomes films and audiovisual works from around the world across 15 competition categories. 19–20 December 2026.

Ice Plate is an international winter film festival bringing films and audiences together in Russia’s Tyumen Region. Its second edition takes place on 19–20 December 2026 in Tyumen, Tobolsk, Yalutorovsk and Ishim.

We welcome filmmakers from around the world, from first-time directors and students to established independent voices. The competition spans 15 categories, including narrative and documentary shorts and features, series pilots, animation, children’s films, experimental work, music videos and new audiovisual formats.

We are interested in distinctive perspectives, thoughtful storytelling and filmmakers willing to try something different. There are no restrictions on production year or premiere status, and films already available online are eligible.

Entries are considered by the selection committee and jury for the Grand Prix, category awards and special distinctions. Award winners receive digital certificates. A separately curated programme of films will be presented at in-person festival screenings; competition selection does not automatically guarantee a public screening.

Submissions open on 18 October and close on 30 November 2026. The official selection will be announced on 5 December. International entries are welcome through Festhome.

Cold outside. Cinema inside.

The festival presents a Grand Prix and jury awards across its competition categories:

• Best Narrative Short
• Best Narrative Feature
• Best Series Pilot
• Best Documentary Short
• Best Documentary Feature
• Best Animated Film
• Best Children’s Film
• Best Student Film
• Best Micro-short Film
• Best Experimental Film
• Best Vertical Film
• Best AI Film
• Best Web Show
• Best Music Video
• Best Mobile Content

The jury may also present special awards or mentions. Categories may be combined, with notice to entrants, if there are too few suitable entries, and the jury may decide not to present a particular award.

1. FESTIVAL

The second edition of Ice Plate Winter Film Festival takes place on 19–20 December 2026 in Tyumen, Tobolsk, Yalutorovsk and Ishim, in Russia’s Tyumen Region. The organiser is Tyumen Film Studio LLC. Venues, the programme and screening schedules will be published on the official website.

2. ELIGIBILITY AND CATEGORIES

Completed films and audiovisual works from any country and production year are eligible. There is no premiere requirement. Films already available online may be submitted.

Entries must be submitted by a filmmaker, rights holder or authorised representative. A parent or legal guardian must act on behalf of a minor. Entrants are responsible for accurate information and for all necessary permissions relating to the work, including music, images and other third-party materials. Works must comply with applicable law.

Competition categories:
1. Narrative Short
2. Narrative Feature
3. Series Pilot
4. Documentary Short
5. Documentary Feature
6. Animated Film
7. Children’s Film
8. Student Film
9. Micro-short Film
10. Experimental Film
11. Vertical Film (9:16)
12. AI Film
13. Web Show
14. Music Video
15. Mobile Content

Narrative and documentary shorts must run for 52 minutes or less; narrative and documentary features must run for more than 52 minutes. The Series Pilot category accepts completed pilot episodes, including narrative, documentary and animated series. Student entries must identify the educational institution. AI Film entries must describe the technologies used and how they were applied.

Films in languages other than Russian must include English subtitles. Russian subtitles are optional. Entrants must provide a proposed age rating and flag any content relevant to planning public screenings.

3. DATES

Submissions open: 18 October 2026.
Early deadline: 1 November 2026.
Regular deadline: 15 November 2026.
Late and final deadline: 30 November 2026.
Official selection / notification date: 5 December 2026.
Festival dates: 19–20 December 2026.

For Festhome submissions, the closing date, time and time zone displayed by Festhome apply. Competition results will be announced at the end of the Festival. The selection committee may begin reviewing entries before submissions close.

4. SUBMISSION AND MATERIALS

Submit through Festhome at https://festhome.com/. Each work should be submitted once through one submission channel.

Provide the title, category, running time, production year and country, synopsis, filmmaker and entrant details, contact information, language and subtitle information, and an accessible screener with a password if required. Supply any additional materials requested by the platform. Screeners must remain accessible until 20 December 2026.

The festival team may request missing information, clarification of rights or a working screener by a stated deadline. Unresolved issues may result in rejection or removal from the competition.

Filmmakers selected for a public screening must provide a suitable screening copy by the deadline and to the technical specifications supplied by the festival team. Correspondence will use the contact details in the submission or Festhome.

5. FEES AND REFUNDS

The festival entry fee is the amount displayed on Festhome for the selected category and submission period. Platform and payment charges are shown at checkout. No additional mandatory finalist fee is charged for submissions made through Festhome.

Payment covers submission and consideration. It does not influence artistic decisions and does not guarantee selection, an award or a public screening. Fees for different submission periods do not change the assessment criteria.

Non-selection or the absence of an award does not, by itself, mean that the paid submission service was not performed. If an entrant withdraws before the service is completed, any refund is calculated under applicable law, taking into account documented costs directly related to the entry. Mandatory refund and other legal rights remain unaffected. Festhome’s applicable terms govern platform payments and refunds insofar as they do not conflict with those rights. If the Festival is cancelled, festival entry fees paid through Festhome will be refunded in accordance with Festhome’s terms and applicable law.

6. SELECTION, SCREENINGS AND AWARDS

The selection committee and jury consider originality, artistic coherence and quality of execution. Jury members must disclose conflicts of interest and must not assess works they have helped create or promote. Individual reviews and reassessment of artistic decisions on request are not provided.

The competition final and the public screening programme are curated separately. Selection, payment and an award do not, by themselves, guarantee a public screening. The programme depends on venue capacity, available screening time and technically suitable copies. Entrants will be notified separately if their work is programmed for a screening.

Awards include the Grand Prix, category awards and possible special prizes or mentions. Categories may be combined, with notice to entrants, if there are too few suitable works. The jury may decide not to present a particular award. Winners receive digital certificates. Physical prizes are provided only where specifically announced. Collection or shipping arrangements, costs and timing are agreed separately. International shipping is not included. Travel and accommodation are at the entrant’s expense unless otherwise agreed in writing.

7. RIGHTS

Copyright remains with the rights holders. By submitting and accepting these rules, an authorised entrant grants the organiser a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence limited to:

• necessary technical copies and private viewing by the selection committee and jury from submission until 20 December 2026;

• non-commercial public screenings of selected films at Festival events in the Tyumen Region on 19–20 December 2026;

• reproduction, distribution and publication of the supplied poster, stills, trailer and description of a selected work, with appropriate credit, worldwide for Festival announcements, catalogues and reports for three years from submission.

Publication of a complete film online, screenings after the Festival and any use outside these limits require a separate agreement. This licence does not override remuneration required by law. The festival team may suspend use of disputed materials while substantiated rights claims are investigated. Entrants must provide evidence of their authority when requested and remain responsible for infringements they commit, as provided by law.

8. PERSONAL INFORMATION AND CHANGES

Entrant information is handled under the published Privacy Policy and applicable law. Where separate consent is required, it is obtained separately from acceptance of these rules. Advertising consent is not a condition of participation. Contact details, passwords and unpublished working materials are not made public. Information and images relating to filmmakers, teams and event participants are used only where there is an appropriate legal basis.

Practical circumstances may require changes to venues, schedules or individual event formats. The festival team will publish changes and notify affected entrants. A format change does not extend the licence: online screening of a complete film requires separate permission.

New terms do not retrospectively increase payment obligations or reduce agreed commitments for an accepted entry without a legal basis or the entrant’s agreement. Mandatory rights and remedies remain unaffected. The version accepted at submission applies, together with any changes lawfully agreed later.

9. CONTACT

Organiser: Tyumen Film Studio LLC.
Festival office: 7 Krasina Street, Office 206, Tyumen, Tyumen Region, 625003, Russia.
Email: iceplatefest@gmail.com
Website: https://iceplatefest.com/

For enquiries or claims, include the entrant’s name, work title, relevant facts, requested resolution and a reply contact. The organiser will reply within 10 calendar days, unless another mandatory legal deadline applies. Entrants retain the right to seek legal remedies. Matters not covered by these rules are governed by applicable law.