CITTADOR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (5)

Inizio del Festival: 27 novembre 2026      Festival si chiude: 06 dicembre 2026

Cittador International Film Festival in Vienna is a festival for independent films. It takes place annually over a week and presents international, European, and Austrian feature and short films. CIFF understands film as an expression of a personal vision and promotes independent films outside the mainstream. Another important aspect is the diversity of all genres that CIFF celebrates and showcases.

The Cittador International Film Festival accepts feature films up to 120 minutes and short films up to 30 minutes running time. CIFF is aimed at all filmmakers who love inspiring, high-quality, captivating, original, and imaginative films.

1. AWARDS

FEATURE-Length Film

- Best Feature Film, Best European Short, Best Austrian Short

- Best Action Film, Best Animated Film, Best Arthouse Film, Best Comedy Film, Best Coming-of-Age Film, Best Documentary Film, Best Drama Film, Best Environmental Film, Best Experimental Film, Best Family Film, Best Fantasy Film, Best Feminist Film, Best Historical Film, Best Horror Film, Best Inspirational Film, Best LGBTQ+ Film, Best Mystery Film, Best Romance Film, Best Sci-Fi Short, Best Thriller Film


SHORT Film

- Best International Short, Best European Short, and Best Austrian Short

- Best Action Short, Best Animated Short, Best Arthouse Short, Best Comedy Short, Best Coming-of-Age Short, Best Documentary Short, Best Drama Short, Best Environmental Short, Best Experimental Short, Best Family Short, Best Fantasy Short, Best Feminist Short, Best Historical Short, Best Horror Short, Best Inspirational Short, Best LGBTQ+ Short, Best Mystery Short, Best Romance Short, Best Sci-Fi Short, Best Thriller Short


SPECIAL AWARDS FOR FEATURE-LENGTH FILM AND SHORT FILM

Emerging Director Award, Remarkable Screenplay Award, Acting Art Award, Cinematography Art Award, Outstanding Editing Award, Momentous Film Music Award, Sound Design Art Award


2. JURY STATEMENT
The CIFF jury has made it its task to view each film several times and evaluate it carefully. The result of the evaluation process is a short public jury statement for each award-winning film. Each jury statement will be published on the Cittador IFF website and in the Festival Catalog. The jury statement can be reused as a quotation for promotional purposes with the source reference.


3. LAUREL
All films selected regardless of the award will receive their official Cittador IFF laurel in digital form within one month of the jury's decision.


4. CERTIFICATE
All award-winning feature and short films (only Best-of-Award) will receive a printed Cittador certificate during the award ceremony. Filmmakers who are unable to collect their printed Cittador certificate in person will receive it by mail within one month after the event.

The selected films that have received a status other than "Best-of-Award" will receive a Cittador certificate exclusively in digital form within one month of the event.1. AWARDS
FEATURE-Length Film
- Best Feature Film, Best European Short, Best Austrian Short
- Best Action Film, Best Animated Film, Best Arthouse Film, Best Comedy Film, Best Coming-of-Age Film, Best Documentary Film, Best Drama Film, Best Environmental Film, Best Experimental Film, Best Family Film, Best Fantasy Film, Best Feminist Film, Best Historical Film, Best Horror Film, Best Inspirational Film, Best LGBTQ+ Film, Best Mystery Film, Best Romance Film, Best Sci-Fi Short, Best Thriller Film

SHORT Film
- Best International Short, Best European Short, and Best Austrian Short
- Best Action Short, Best Animated Short, Best Arthouse Short, Best Comedy Short, Best Coming-of-Age Short, Best Documentary Short, Best Drama Short, Best Environmental Short, Best Experimental Short, Best Family Short, Best Fantasy Short, Best Feminist Short, Best Historical Short, Best Horror Short, Best Inspirational Short, Best LGBTQ+ Short, Best Mystery Short, Best Romance Short, Best Sci-Fi Short, Best Thriller Short

SPECIAL AWARDS FOR FEATURE-LENGTH FILM AND SHORT FILM
Emerging Director Award, Remarkable Screenplay Award, Acting Art Award, Cinematography Art Award, Outstanding Editing Award, Momentous Film Music Award, Sound Design Art Award

2. JURY STATEMENT
The CIFF jury has made it its task to view each film several times and evaluate it carefully. The result of the evaluation process is a short public jury statement for each award-winning film. Each jury statement will be published on the Cittador IFF website and in the Festival Catalog. The jury statement can be reused as a quotation for promotional purposes with the source reference.

3. LAUREL
All films selected regardless of the award will receive their official Cittador IFF laurel in digital form within one month of the jury's decision.

4. CERTIFICATE
1. AWARDS

FEATURE-Length Film

- Best Feature Film, Best European Short, Best Austrian Short

- Best Action Film, Best Animated Film, Best Arthouse Film, Best Comedy Film, Best Coming-of-Age Film, Best Documentary Film, Best Drama Film, Best Environmental Film, Best Experimental Film, Best Family Film, Best Fantasy Film, Best Feminist Film, Best Historical Film, Best Horror Film, Best Inspirational Film, Best LGBTQ+ Film, Best Mystery Film, Best Romance Film, Best Sci-Fi Short, Best Thriller Film


SHORT Film

- Best International Short, Best European Short, and Best Austrian Short

- Best Action Short, Best Animated Short, Best Arthouse Short, Best Comedy Short, Best Coming-of-Age Short, Best Documentary Short, Best Drama Short, Best Environmental Short, Best Experimental Short, Best Family Short, Best Fantasy Short, Best Feminist Short, Best Historical Short, Best Horror Short, Best Inspirational Short, Best LGBTQ+ Short, Best Mystery Short, Best Romance Short, Best Sci-Fi Short, Best Thriller Short


SPECIAL AWARDS FOR FEATURE-LENGTH FILM AND SHORT FILM

Emerging Director Award, Remarkable Screenplay Award, Acting Art Award, Cinematography Art Award, Outstanding Editing Award, Momentous Film Music Award, Sound Design Art Award


2. JURY STATEMENT
The CIFF jury has made it its task to view each film several times and evaluate it carefully. The result of the evaluation process is a short public jury statement for each award-winning film. Each jury statement will be published on the Cittador IFF website and in the Festival Catalog. The jury statement can be reused as a quotation for promotional purposes with the source reference.


3. LAUREL
All films selected regardless of the award will receive their official Cittador IFF laurel in digital form within one month of the jury's decision.


4. CERTIFICATE
All award-winning feature and short films (only Best-of-Award) will receive a printed Cittador certificate during the award ceremony. Filmmakers who are unable to collect their printed Cittador certificate in person will receive it by mail within one month after the event.

The selected films that have received a status other than "Best-of-Award" will receive a Cittador certificate exclusively in digital form within one month of the event.

1. SUBMITTED FILM
Cittador IFF accepts short films with a running time of up to 30 minutes and feature films with a running time of up to 120 minutes, regardless of the year of production. The submitted film must have a minimum resolution of Full HD (1080p).


2. SUBTITLES
All films must have English subtitles – including films in English.


3. FEE
The submission fee is non-refundable. The film festival does not pay a fee for the screening of the winning films.


4. SHORTLISTING AND JURY´S DECISION
Due to the high number of submissions, Cittador IFF must send out a pre-selection notification. As soon as a film is shortlisted, the submitter will be notified by email.

The pre-selection process serves to verify the technical requirements for a potential screening. Shortlisted films must submit a screening-ready file within one week of the pre-selection notification – a video file in the highest possible resolution, but at least Full HD 1080p (DCP-ready).

Please note that the pre-selection notification does not constitute an official selection or any guarantee of screening.

The jury's final decision will be announced on the day of notification.


5. SCREENING
The film screenings will take place either live in the cinema or online. Only the winners of the Best-of Awards will be screened. On November 27, 2026, a selection of the award-winning short films will be shown in the cinema, while award-winning feature films and the remaining award-winning short films will be available online. The Cittador IFF will decide this at its own discretion. The full screening schedule will be published on the Cittador IFF website.


6. WITHDRAWAL
No festival fee will be refunded if the film is withdrawn.


7. TERMS
Submission period: December 22, 2025 – October 15, 2026

Shortlisting notification: October 20, 2026

Notification date: November 5, 2026

Event date: November 27 – December 6, 2026, live at

CineCenter Vienna and online on Cine.Cittador.com


8. DISCLAIMER
You confirm that you have obtained all necessary permissions to participate in the Cittador International Film Festival and that the film does not infringe the rights, including copyright, of any third party.


9. AGREEMENT
By submitting your film, you agree that the Cittador International Film Festival may use portions of your film (including trailers/teasers/film posters/film stills) for promotional purposes. By submitting to the Cittador International Film Festival, you agree to abide by all rules of the Film Festival and grant the Cittador International Film Festival unrestricted permission to screen the submitted film at the sole discretion of the festival. The festival has the right to refuse the film without giving any reason. The event date and location as well as the number of awards are subject to change.