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FESTIVAL
Event Date: January 18, 2026
LA International Art Film Fest - Los Angeles, California
6801 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90028
United States
LA International Art Film Fest and the realm of arthouse cinema with annual screenings of films in Hollywood at the Marilyn Monroe Theatre of Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute!
LA Art Film Fest is an IMDb qualifying competition and an annual screening event in association with the LA Art Film Institute. Every year, the finalists of the festival are screened in our live events. The fest is devoted to the discovery, promotion and screening of art films of all genres from all over the world. The competition will award and recognize film projects and artists working on a variety of genres in drama, documentary, animation, experimental, etc.
Our intention is to promote and screen indie art films from all over the globe through various theatres and platforms based in LA. The festival was founded by a team of programmers, agents, directors, producers and writers from US, France, Spain, Canada and Mexico.
Dive with us into the captivating history and defining characteristics of arthouse films, a genre that continues to challenge, inspire, and reshape our understanding of cinema. Our intention is to support, discover, promote and screen emerging and established names in the film industry.
Event Date: March 25, - 29, 2026
American Documentary And Animation Film Festival and Film Fund - Palm Spring-CA
The American Documentary and Animation Film Festival and Film Fund (AmDocs) is one of the largest documentary and animation festivals in the United States, held in beautiful Palm Springs — just a short drive from the media capital of Hollywood. This internationally recognized event celebrates excellence in documentary, animation, and music video storytelling across both short and feature formats.
Recipients of the festival’s qualifying awards become eligible for consideration in the Documentary Short Film and Animated Short Film categories of the Academy Awards®, without the standard theatrical run, provided their films meet Academy rules.
In conjunction with the festival, the American Documentary Film Fund supports U.S. filmmakers through competitive grants for start-up and finishing funds, helping visionary works reach completion.
With over 95% of its program drawn from film submissions, AmDocs proudly champions authentic voices from around the world — where reality meets imagination.
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Event Date: April 9 – 18, 2026
Cleveland International Film Festiva
2510 Market Ave
Cleveland, Ohio 44113-3434
The 50th Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) will take place April 9-18, 2026 in person at Playhouse Square in downtown Cleveland, OH.
CIFF is excited to return to the beautiful and iconic Playhouse Square - the largest performing arts district in the U.S., outside of New York City. All Festival details (including dates, format, and venues) are subject to change.
CIFF50 will consist of hundreds of films, post-film conversations and Q&As with filmmakers, balloting, and over $70,000 in cash awards.
CIFF is committed to offering screening fees or travel assistance for all feature films accepted into the Festival along with nightly networking opportunities for ALL guest filmmakers. We are happy to report that CIFF continues to be one of the few Academy Award®-qualifying festivals in the world for all three categories of shorts films—live action, animated, and documentary. CIFF accepts films of any runtime, any genre, and from every country. CIFF is also happy to once again offer submission waivers to any CIFF alum (1 per person) whose current film meets the CIFF50 requirements.
The CIFF audience is a microcosm of the city of Cleveland, ranging from middle, high school, and college students, to young families, to seniors. As such, our Screening Team is a microcosm of our audience - a diverse volunteer committee of over 150 film enthusiasts, ranging from industry professionals to local film students. Each submitted film is screened in full by at least three Screening Team judges, who are also required to submit written constructive feedback for each film they watch. Any paid submission is eligible to receive this feedback post-festival, regardless of selection.
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Event Date: April 12 – 19, 2026
Beverly Hills International Film Festival = Los Angeles, California
The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute
7936 Santa Monica Boulevard
West Hollywood, California 90046 - United States
The Beverly Hills International Film Festival® is where Hollywood legacy meets global innovation. Now celebrating 26 years of cinematic excellence, BHFF is dedicated to championing bold storytelling, elevating visionary filmmakers and screenwriters, and creating unforgettable moments at the intersection of art, culture, and industry.
Set in the heart of one of the world’s most iconic cities, our mission is to spotlight powerful voices from around the globe—connecting them with influential leaders, creative collaborators, and new audiences. We’re more than a festival; we’re a movement of creativity, opportunity, and impact.
Through eight days of world-class screenings, industry panels, red carpet premieres, and glamorous celebrations, BHFF offers a launchpad for careers and a stage for stories that matter. Join us and be part of the future of film—in Beverly Hills, where legends are honored and new voices rise.
As we mark our 26th Anniversary, we invite filmmakers, screenwriters, and the broader Beverly Hills community to join us in celebrating the timeless beauty of film, art, and culture in this globally celebrated city
Event Date: April 30, 2026
DOXA Documentary Film Festival - Vancouver, BC
DOXA Documentary Film Festival
110-750 Hamilton St
Vancouver, BC V6B 2R5
DOXA is Western Canada's largest documentary film festival, presented by The Documentary Media Society, a non-profit, charitable society devoted to presenting independent and innovative documentaries to Vancouver audiences.
The society exists to educate the public about documentary film as an art form through DOXA Documentary Film Festival, a curated and juried festival comprised of public screenings, panel discussions, industry forums and educational programs. The 25th annual DOXA Documentary Film Festival will take place April 30 thru May 10, 2026.
DOXA aims to pay all independent filmmakers selected through the submission process a screening fee and/or assist with travel/accommodations to attend the festival.
DOXA takes place in beautiful British Columbia, Canada on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations.
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Event Date: May 21 -25, 2026
122 South Oak Street
Telluride, CO 81435
United States
Using the power of film, art and ideas, Mountainfilm inspires audiences to create a better world. Held every Memorial Day weekend (May 21–25, 2026), the festival brings together a community of filmmakers and change makers, showcasing documentary films that celebrate adventure, activism, social justice, environment and indomitable spirit. We accept and screen feature and short films on a broad range of subjects. We are always interested in work that focuses on mountains (both symbolic and physical), mountain culture, and mountaineering, but we also showcase films about people who are dedicated to changing the world.
Mountainfilm promotes and encourages diversity behind the camera.
If you have questions about the submission process, be sure to check out the Frequently Asked Questions and detailed Submission Guidelines on the Mountainfilm website.
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Event Date: May 29 - June 7, 2026
Brooklyn Film Festival
26 Bergen Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
The 29th BFF will be staged indoors at Windmill Studios in Greenpoint and at Wythe Hotel Cinema in Williamsburg (venues TBC). The festival will also be shown online 24/7, where all the selected films will play non-stop for ten days (TBC). For the latest news on this matter, please check our website: www.brooklynfilmfestival.org.
Although we are a fully inclusive organization and any filmmaker can potentially participate to our competitive festival, discovering and promoting independent filmmakers at their first or second film is at the very center of our year-round efforts.
BFF’s mission is to provide a forum to advance public interest in indie film; to support every year a new generation of filmmakers with a unique vision; to draw worldwide attention to Brooklyn as a center for cinema; and to promote artistic excellence and the creative freedom of artists without censure.
BFF is a festival for and by independent filmmakers. The organizers bring to this annual event 28 years of festival experience. BFF accepts submissions in six categories: Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, Short Narrative, Short Documentary, Experimental, and Animation.
Event Date: June 27, 2026
Cannes Film Awards
Cannes
𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 is international film festival with 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐌𝐃𝐛 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐫 a 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 for film distributors and film professionals. Our festival ranks among the best film festivals for directors' first and second films. We offer you space to promote your film, you, your production and much more. Our goal is to raise awareness and promote the various aspects of international cinema in all its forms. We want to introduce to the world new film directors who will one day stand at the Oscars.
Over the years we have hosted films by 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐍𝐭𝐢 (Shortlist Oscar), 𝐄𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐝 (Oscar Nominee), 𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢 𝐌. 𝐔𝐧𝐤𝐨𝐯𝐬𝐤𝐢 (Sundance Nominee), 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐚 (Cairo Nominee), 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐥 (Raindance Nominee) and many other authors which later got recognized by major awards, along with filmmakers with their first films, students and independent producers. Among the submitted projects were films that were shown on 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐱, 𝐇𝐁𝐎 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞. Therefore, our festival is an excellent opportunity to show the world your talent.
In the last four years since the festival was founded, we have organized 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝟏𝟎 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, organized a 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 for filmmakers and 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬. More than 100 films had their 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬.
𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝟏𝟓,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟏𝟔𝟎 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 to our festival have already placed their trust in our hands. Of these, 167 filmmakers won and 507 projects made it to the Official Selection.
The festival collaborates with experts in the field of European film art. We believe that we will bring you a lot of joy and happiness from winning and at the same time it will guide you in advancing your professionality. Our festival cooperates with and addresses several global 𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬, 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐕𝐎𝐃 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬.
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Event Date: August 6 – 23, 2026
Melbourne, Victoria 3001
Australia
MIFF is a not-for-profit organisation that has been continuously running since 1952, making it the leading film festival in Australia and one of the world’s oldest film festivals, alongside Cannes and Berlin. Presenting a curated global program of innovative screen experiences and the world’s largest showcase of exceptional Australian filmmaking, MIFF is an accessible, iconic cultural event that provides transformative experiences for audiences and filmmakers alike.
MIFF’s vision for the future builds on the festival’s role at the centre of Melbourne’s cultural life and, in particular, its success in generating both social and economic capital for Melbourne and Victoria. Complementing MIFF’s highly anticipated festival program is MIFF's renowned industry program that includes an investment fund (the Premiere Fund) and the director’s development program (Accelerator Lab). MIFF’s finance market (37°South) brings the national and international screen industry to Melbourne during the festival and celebrates Melbourne as a centre for screen business. MIFF also supports emerging arts and culture writers through its annual Critics Campus program, and takes the film festival experience to regional Victoria through the MIFF Regional program.
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Event Date: September 9 – 13, 2026
1006c Bloor Street West
Toronto, Ontario M6H 1M2
Canada
The mission of the Toronto Independent Film Festival is to screen the best of low-budget independent film from around the world. The Toronto Indie is a celebration of talented filmmakers working on shoestring budgets.
The Toronto Indie runs every September and offers a fantastic opportunity for undiscovered filmmakers to showcase their achievements in a space where all the key players of the film industry have gathered.
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Event Date: September 17 – 20, 2026
Camden, ME 04843
United States
Founded in 2005 and recognized as one of the top documentary film festivals in the world, the Camden International Film Festival (CIFF) gathers boundary pushing storytellers and industry leaders from around the world for a four day celebration of non-fiction cinema.
CIFF is an experience as unique as the films we exhibit. Hosted on the rugged coast of Maine, the Festival Weekend is packed with a hearty roster of filmmaker Q&As, interactive installations and networking sessions - with plenty of opportunity for surprise and discovery. At CIFF, the emphasis is on building relationships - between filmmakers, industry, and audiences.
In CIFF’s program, you’ll find films, performances, and installations that move the documentary artform’s conversations two steps forward. We’re interested in films that explore cinema’s potential, engage in urgent conversations, and are rooted in the perspectives of thoughtful, unique creators.
CIFF is a program of the Points North Institute, the launching pad for the next generation of nonfiction storytellers. Points North is the home to a number of artists programs, including the Points North Fellowship and Pitch, the Points North Forums, and 1-on-1 meetings between industry professionals and exciting new creators. We provide emerging filmmakers with opportunities for professional development and creative inspiration.
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Event Date: September 30 – October 4, 2026
465 St-Jean, Bureau 900
Montreal, Quebec H2Y 2R6
Canada
Founded in 2005 and recognized as one of the top documentary film festivals in the world, the Camden International Film Festival (CIFF) gathers boundary pushing storytellers and industry leaders from around the world for a four day celebration of non-fiction cinema.
CIFF is an experience as unique as the films we exhibit. Hosted on the rugged coast of Maine, the Festival Weekend is packed with a hearty roster of filmmaker Q&As, interactive installations and networking sessions - with plenty of opportunity for surprise and discovery. At CIFF, the emphasis is on building relationships - between filmmakers, industry, and audiences.
In CIFF’s program, you’ll find films, performances, and installations that move the documentary artform’s conversations two steps forward. We’re interested in films that explore cinema’s potential, engage in urgent conversations, and are rooted in the perspectives of thoughtful, unique creators.
CIFF is a program of the Points North Institute, the launching pad for the next generation of nonfiction storytellers. Points North is the home to a number of artists programs, including the Points North Fellowship and Pitch, the Points North Forums, and 1-on-1 meetings between industry professionals and exciting new creators. We provide emerging filmmakers with opportunities for professional development and creative inspiration.
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Event Date: October 14 – 19, 2026
1606 Alcaldesa Street
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
United States
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences® has named the Santa Fe International Film Festival as a qualifying festival in the category of Short Films. Winners of the Best Narrative Short, Best Animated Short, and Best Documentary Short awards may qualify to enter the Academy Awards® provided the films otherwise comply with the Academy rules.
"Superbly curated programming" says Variety. SFiFF is a creative center for film in Santa Fe, allowing filmmakers to connect with industry and distributors. SFiFF showcases emerging and established filmmakers by screening features and shorts in one of the greatest art cities in the world. SFiFF provides over $100k in cash and prizes, filmmaker travel stipends, juried awards, and all-access passes to the festival.
SFiFF has been named one of MovieMaker Magazine’s 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee in 2025. “SFiFF gives back to its thriving film community in every sense — from programs for students to some of the most generous prize packages of any festival in the world," says Tim Molloy, Editor-in-Chief of MovieMaker. "It's a great way to link up with distributors and to learn from masters like Catherine Hardwicke, and we're certain that anyone who visits Santa Fe will find it as artistically inspiring and rejuvenating as we do.
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Event Date: October 21 – 25, 2026
Parajanov-Vartanov Institute
Los Angeles, California
United States
Presented by the renowned Parajanov-Vartanov Institute, DOC LA - Los Angeles Documentary Film Festival - screens and awards outstanding films by students, emerging filmmakers and established masters of American and World cinema, and furthers the mission of the institute’s annual awards established in 2010.
In addition to Documentaries, we also program Fiction, Animation, Experimental and Music Videos in an official section of the festival STORYTELLA. We are also enthusiastic about unusual, strange and unclassifiable films as the institute that presents the festival is named after the revered nonconformists Sergei Parajanov (1924-1990) and Mikhail Vartanov (1937-2009), who overcame censorship, persecution and low budgets, and earned praise for their daring point of view from many of cinema’s greatest luminaries, such as Godard, Coppola and Tarkovsky, and inspired the likes of Madonna and Lady Gaga. The festival’s programmer is their disciple and UCLA alum Martiros Vartanov who was a juror and a curator at festivals in Los Angeles, Amsterdam and Busan, and worked on the restoration of the masterpiece The Color of Pomegranates.
Parajanov-Vartanov Institute and DOC LA awardees, alums and guests include (Oscar) Academy Award ® winners Martin Scorsese, Emma Thompson, Werner Herzog, Marion Cotillard, Susan Sarandon, Helen Mirren, Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep, Sean Penn, Jeff Bridges, as well as Emilio Rivera, Usher, Ice-T, Joe Berlinger, Errol Morris, Ross Kauffman, Jem Cohen, Alfred Molina, William Baldwin, Angela Bassett, Mark Ruffalo, Pierce Brosnan, Dennis Quaid, Liam Neeson, Christoph Waltz, John Malkovich, Keith David, Michael Weatherly, Michelle Rodriguez, Woody Harrelson, Gerard Butler, Jamie Lee Curtis, Seth Rogen, Moby, Stefania Spampinato, Steven Ogg, Angourie Rice, Matilda De Angelis, Alana Haim, Virginie Ledoyen, Dave Stewart, Jeremy Renner, Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Saroyan, French icon Jean Vigo, Olympic Gold medalist Allyson Felix, and members of Grammy winning rock bands Smashing Pumpkins, Korn, and System Of A Down.
Event Date: October 29 – November 5, 2026
1801 Salina St.
Austin, Texas 78702
United States
At Austin Film Festival, our mission is simple: champion writers and filmmakers. As an Academy-recognized Oscar® Qualifying festival, we are proud to spotlight emerging and established voices on a global stage. As the “Writers Festival” for over 32 years, AFF celebrates the storytellers behind the worlds, characters, and perspectives that shape great cinema.
Each year, our film competition continues to grow as we serve as a launchpad into an ever-evolving industry.
What truly sets AFF apart is the combination of a world-class film festival and a world-renowned Writers Conference.
Filmmakers who screen with us experience much more than the usual mix of screenings and parties. They spend their days in packed panels, workshops, and networking sessions that create nonstop opportunities for learning, connection, and career growth.
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Event Date: October 22 – 26, 2026
1215 Prytania Street
Suite 371
New Orleans, LA 70130
United States
The Oscar-qualifying New Orleans Film Festival is one of the largest and most well-respected film festivals in the country, serving audiences numbering upwards of 25,000, hosting as many as 350 filmmakers, and providing cash awards and prizes valued at over $100,000. The festival has been a mainstay on MovieMaker Magazine’s list of the “50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee” since 2012, as well as a regular on the magazine’s list of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World.
NOFF believes in paying artists for their work, and all filmmakers in our lineup—shorts and features alike—receive a screening fee, provided that they supply the festival with all required assets, including closed captions for their film.
AUDIENCE STATISTICS
- In 2025, the average audience size for each film was 141, with an average of 70 in-person attendees per film and 59 virtual viewers. In 2024, the average audience size for each film was 161, with an average of 76 in-person attendees per film and 85 virtual viewers.
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Event Date: November 3 – 8, 2026
350 King Street West
Toronto, Ontario M5V 3X5
Canada
The Female Eye Film Festival (FeFF) is a competitive international women directors’ film festival established in 2001, as a not-for-profit organization. FeFF is big on audience engagement and networking. An audience Q&A follows each screening. Festival delegates receive a VIP All Access Pass to the festival (screenings, script development, industry panels, tributes, workshops, and the closing awards ceremony). The Female Eye, noted for its intimate atmosphere and accessibility,
attracts film enthusiasts, emerging and internationally recognized directors, screenwriters, seasoned industry professionals, celebrities, and decision-makers in the film and television industry.
The Female Eye serves to bridge the gap between the written and media arts which includes the FeFF Photo Exhibit. We produce a robust Industry Initiatives Program consisting of panels, masterclasses, workshops, script development, live pitch competition and networking sessions. Annually, FeFF honors an Honorary Director and Honorary Maverick with a Best in the Biz Tribute, an “intimate conversation with” and award presentation.
FILMS must be directed by a women or female-identifying. The Script Development Program is open to both men and women. Priority is given to scripts that feature a female protagonist. Our competitive Script Development Program is a three-tier program comprising the Good to Go, a closed-door session with decision-makers for screenwriters with scripts that are “good to go”; the Script-Reading Series, where main scenes are read by ACTRA members before a live audience and industry guests who provide feedback to the writers.
Voted one of the “Top 50 film festivals in the world worth the entry fee” by Movie Maker magazine for 12 consecutive years (2013–2024). FeFF is an accredited festival by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television and a Telefilm Talent to Watch partner. In 2024, FeFF, in partnership with the The Writers Lab (NYC) and the Firecracker Department launched the first Lab in Canada.