Sleeping Owl Film Festival (6)

Festival start: 21 December 2025      Festival end: 21 December 2025

Sleeping Owl Film Fest event which aims to discover and recognize new talents from all over the world. It was created in order to support short filmmakers providing a critical evaluation of their work.

What makes a short film a great film it's not how ambitious the story is, but the way the story is being told. The ingredients to have a great short film are a great script, directing,camerawork, lighting and editing.

There are a lot of films that are interesting, but have a careless sound. Every filmmaker must care about the sound before the shooting, it's one of the most important cinematic elements. Catch great actors, not models! It's another advise we provide so that stories can be told in a real way, not in a theatricality way.

Best Drama Short

Best Comedy Short

Best Horror Short

Best Thriller Short

Best Romantic Short

Best Trailer

Best LGBT Short

Best Action Short

Best SCI-FI Short

Best Animation Short

Best Documentary Short

Best Experimental Short

Best Student Short

Best Mobile Short

Best Silent Short

Best 1-Minute Short

Best Music Video

Best Web Series

Best Director

Best Cinematography

Best ScreenWriter

Best Editor

Best Acting (Male)

Best Acting (Female)

Best First Time Director

Best Female Director/Filmmaker

Best Screenplay

1. All non-English language films must have English subtitles.​

2. Short films must be submitted via online submission partner​

3. Short films may not exceed 40 minutes in length.

4. Short films submitted under the "1-Minute Short" category may not exceed 1 minute in length (without credits).

5. All entries submitted under the "Silent Short" category must have no dialogues / voice-over.

6. We have no production year barrier.

7. There is no limit on the number of films that each director or producer can submit.

8. Student I.D. is required for entries under the “Student Short” category.

9. All entries must have a synopsis, trailer, a Poster and a Press kit with proper Cast Crew Discription.

10. All entries will be notified about the selection via email.

11. The jury will decide the nominees and the award winning short films in each category. Some categories may not get any nomination if the short films do not match with the selection criteria.

12. Nominees will get our official laurels.

13. Winners will get our official laurels and a digital certificate.

14. The directors and producers of the films submitted declare that they hold the rights of all intellectual forms of expression of third parties contained in their films.

15. All directors and producers give us the right to screen their short films.

16. All directors and producers allow us to use press materials and trailers from their films for promotional purposes.

17. Entries can be disqualified if they don't match with our submission rules.

18. Entry fees are non-refundable.

19. The event organizers can change the rules and terms anytime.

20. The submission of the short films results in acceptance of this regulation.