Festival start: 20 September 2023
Festival end: 30 September 2023
Movies from around the world - Festival in 3 countries, Austria, Hungary and Slovakia!
The 6th Blue Danube Film Festival (20-30 September 2023) will be placed in Vienna, Budapest and Bratislava, in the capitals of 3 countries.
The Blue Danube Film Festival is a film festival, which showcases independent films from all over the world. We encourage creativity and experimentation. We are open to all kinds of films. The Blue Danube Film Festival aims to inspire motivate a talented filmmakers from around the world, who is looking for new forms and explore the various society and human problems.
Films are evaluated by Jury within the context of the category through the filter of generally accepted filmmaking quality criteria (ie.: individual vision, production and aesthetic quality, structure, cinematography, direction, creativity, etc.).
We screen the selected films in Vienna and Budapest, as well as some of them in Bratislava.
You can watch movies in a pleasant, friendly environment. The Official Selection will be screened in cinema and Cultural Centre. Online only if allowed by the filmmakers.
The films will be screened with English subtitles.
Best Super Short Film - Prize Money + Certification
Best Documentary Film - Prize Money + Certification
Best Animation Film - Prize Money + Certification
Best Experimental Film - Prize Money + Certification
Danube Mermaid Award - Prize Money + Certification
All winners will receive Prize Money and Certifications and Gold Laurels, with the "WINNER" label to be used as the filmmaker sees fit for marketing and promotional purpose.
All the movies we choose will receive "Official Selection" laurels to be used for marketing and promotional materials as the filmmaker sees fit.
Special awards:
Depending on the nominating films in each category, the jury will award additional prizes, the "Best Director" or "Special Jury Award" awards. The special awards winners will receive certification.
The Student Jury will also award the best film by category.
Total prize money: 900 USD. (Short - 400 USD, Animation - 100 USD, Documentary - 100 USD, Super Short - 100 USD, Experimental - 100 USD, Danube Mermaid- 100 USD.)
1. Blue Danube Film Festival accepts all forms and genres, produced after January 2021. All films must have English subtitles. Films that have already participated in the previous Official Selections of Blue Danube Film Festival will not be eligible for the competition.
2. Blue Danube Film Festival only accept digital submissions of HD quality (720p or better).
3. The total length of the Super Short movies is maximum 5 minutes, of the Short movies is from 5 minutes to 40 minutes, and the movies in other categories are maximum 40 minutes.
4. In the Danube Mermaid category can only films by female directors from the following 10 countries along the Danube: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine. All genres and themes are allowed.
5. Each filmmaker can submit several projects, but each production must be accompanied by a separate entry and fee.
6. All fees are non-refundable.
7. The filmmaker shall certify to have full rights. They are responsible for acquiring copyrights, licenses and releases for media used in their films. The filmmaker will indemnify the organizers of the Festival against all claims, demands, costs, damages, expenses (including legal fees), proceedings and losses resulting from the screening of the film at the Festival or from claims by any third parties.
8. Films submitted must not strengthen the racial, ethnic, religious, gender or politic conflicts, incitement to offenses or other violations of law or must not be pornographic. Applicants whose films does not meet these requirements can be excluded from the competition by the Organizers.
9. By submitting their film, filmmaker gives Blue Danube Film Festival the right to post their posters, trailers, website and social media links on our website. If the filmmaker wants to keep his movie private, we will only mention the movie title, director and a movie poster (if one is available).
10. The Festival treats all submissions with utmost care and confidentiality. The filmmaker agrees that if his film is selected for public or online screening, the Festival can download it for screening. The filmmaker does not ask any financial compensation for the screening.
11. Official Selection movies can be viewed in cinema, Cultural Centre (Vienna, Budapest, as well as some of them in Bratislava). Online only if allowed by the filmmakers.
12. All selected films and winners will receive the laurels and certificates via email. Money prizes will be sent by transfer.
13. The selected films can be screened by BDFF maximum 2 times after the Festival.
14. The jury's decision is final.
15. The Festival reserves the right to make any necessary changes in regulations or scheduling.
Danube Mermaid
Short Films 40'<
Fee-8%
PRO 18%
Early4.5€4.14€
3.69€
12 Apr 23
Standard4.5€4.14€
3.69€
10 May 23
Late4.5€4.14€
3.69€
07 Jun 23
Extended4.5€4.14€
3.69€
14 Jul 23
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
14 Jul 23
Save up
0.81€
Submit
Danube Mermaid Film - max. 40 minutes, only female directors In the Danube Mermaid category can only films by female directors from the following 10 countries along the Danube: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine. All genres and themes are allowed.
Experimental
Short Films 40'<
Fee-8%
PRO 18%
Early9.5€8.74€
7.79€
12 Apr 23
Standard9.5€8.74€
7.79€
10 May 23
Late9.5€8.74€
7.79€
07 Jun 23
Extended9.5€8.74€
7.79€
14 Jul 23
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
14 Jul 23
Save up
1.71€
Submit
Experimental Film – max. 40 minutes
Animation
Short Films 40'<
Fee-8%
PRO 18%
Early9.5€8.74€
7.79€
12 Apr 23
Standard9.5€8.74€
7.79€
10 May 23
Late9.5€8.74€
7.79€
07 Jun 23
Extended9.5€8.74€
7.79€
14 Jul 23
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
14 Jul 23
Save up
1.71€
Submit
Animation Film - max. 40 minutes
Documentary
Short Films 40'<
Fee-8%
PRO 18%
Early9.5€8.74€
7.79€
12 Apr 23
Standard9.5€8.74€
7.79€
10 May 23
Late9.5€8.74€
7.79€
07 Jun 23
Extended9.5€8.74€
7.79€
14 Jul 23
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
14 Jul 23
Save up
1.71€
Submit
Documentary Film - max. 40 minutes
Super Short
Short Films 5'<
Fee-8%
PRO 18%
Early9.5€8.74€
7.79€
12 Apr 23
Standard9.5€8.74€
7.79€
10 May 23
Late9.5€8.74€
7.79€
07 Jun 23
Extended9.5€8.74€
7.79€
14 Jul 23
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
14 Jul 23
Save up
1.71€
Submit
Super Short Film - 5 minutes or less
Short Film
Short Films >5' 40'<
Fee-8%
PRO 18%
Early9.5€8.74€
7.79€
12 Apr 23
Standard9.5€8.74€
7.79€
10 May 23
Late9.5€8.74€
7.79€
07 Jun 23
Extended9.5€8.74€
7.79€
14 Jul 23
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
14 Jul 23
Save up
1.71€
Submit
Short Film - less than 40 minutes and more than 5 minutes