A regularly updated database of film festivals, awards and residencies for documentary and experimental filmmakers & video artists with free submissions.
Please note! Open calls are grouped by deadline month, but organisers often change application deadlines or festival dates, so please CHECK THE DETAILS WELL IN ADVANCE!
Latest update: 23 March 2026
Deadline in January
Bangkok Experimental Film Festival (Thailand): LINK
Film Under Severe Experiment (Croatia): LINK
FluxusMuseum Prize For Experimental Video (Greece): LINK
International Short Film Festival Oberhausen (Germany): LINK
Jeonju International Film Festival (South Korea): LINK
Sehsüchte International Student Film Festival (Germany): LINK
Film Under Severe Experiment (Croatia): LINK
FluxusMuseum Prize For Experimental Video (Greece): LINK
International Short Film Festival Oberhausen (Germany): LINK
Jeonju International Film Festival (South Korea): LINK
Sehsüchte International Student Film Festival (Germany): LINK
Deadline in February
Great Lakes Listening Series (USA): LINK
Kinoskop – Analog Experimental Film Festival (Serbia): LINK
Montreal Underground Film Festival (Canada): LINK
Kinoskop – Analog Experimental Film Festival (Serbia): LINK
Montreal Underground Film Festival (Canada): LINK
Deadline in March
EXiS Experimental Film and Video Festival (South Korea): LINK
New Horizons International Film Festival (Poland): LINK
Videoex Experimental Film & Video Festival (Switzerland): LINK
Winnipeg Underground Film Festival (Canada): LINK
New Horizons International Film Festival (Poland): LINK
Videoex Experimental Film & Video Festival (Switzerland): LINK
Winnipeg Underground Film Festival (Canada): LINK
Deadline in April
Filmadrid Festival Internacional de Cine (Spain): LINK
The Film-Makers' Cooperative New Year/New Work Festival (USA): LINK
WNDX Festival of Moving Image (Canada): LINK
The Film-Makers' Cooperative New Year/New Work Festival (USA): LINK
WNDX Festival of Moving Image (Canada): LINK
Deadline in May
25 FPS Festival (Croatia): LINK
aCinema Summer Series (USA): LINK 1 + LINK 2
Diffusion Summer Festival (Canada): LINK
Festival des Cinémas Différents et Expérimentaux de Paris (France): LINK
Jakarta International Documentary and Experimental Film Festival (Indonesia): LINK
Lausanne Underground Film & Music Festival (Switzerland): LINK / 1€ fee
Media City Film Festival (Canada, USA): LINK
Queer Lisboa & Queer Porto (Portugal): LINK
Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin (France, Germany): LINK
VISIO – European Programme on Artists’ Moving Images (Italy): LINK
aCinema Summer Series (USA): LINK 1 + LINK 2
Diffusion Summer Festival (Canada): LINK
Festival des Cinémas Différents et Expérimentaux de Paris (France): LINK
Jakarta International Documentary and Experimental Film Festival (Indonesia): LINK
Lausanne Underground Film & Music Festival (Switzerland): LINK / 1€ fee
Media City Film Festival (Canada, USA): LINK
Queer Lisboa & Queer Porto (Portugal): LINK
Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin (France, Germany): LINK
VISIO – European Programme on Artists’ Moving Images (Italy): LINK
Deadline in June
Busan International Video Art Festival (South Korea): LINK
CIRCA Prize (UK): LINK
Emami Art Experimental Film Festival (India): LINK
Festival Márgenes (Spain): LINK
International Short Film Festival Brno16 (Czechia): LINK
International Poetic Film Showcase Maldito Festival (Spain): LINK
Kaaffilm International Short Film Festival (Italy): LINK / Late submissions in July are paid
Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival (Germany): LINK
Muestra Internacional de Videoarte y Cine Experimental Intermediaciones (Colombia): LINK
CIRCA Prize (UK): LINK
Emami Art Experimental Film Festival (India): LINK
Festival Márgenes (Spain): LINK
International Short Film Festival Brno16 (Czechia): LINK
International Poetic Film Showcase Maldito Festival (Spain): LINK
Kaaffilm International Short Film Festival (Italy): LINK / Late submissions in July are paid
Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival (Germany): LINK
Muestra Internacional de Videoarte y Cine Experimental Intermediaciones (Colombia): LINK
Deadline in July
Celluloid Now / The Chicago Film Society (USA): LINK
ESMoA Video Art + Film Festival (USA): LINK
Grafixx Festival (Belgium): LINK 1 + LINK 2
Images Festival (Canada): LINK / Submissions will close on July 31, 2025 or when 1000 submissions have been received; zero fee only for students
International Screendance Award Interfaccia Digitale (Italy): LINK
Pinkscreens Queer Cinema Festival (Belgium): LINK
Proceso de Error - Festival Internacional de Video Experimental (Chile): LINK
Rhizome DC Film & Video Open Call (USA): LINK
Simultan Festival (Romania): LINK
Stuttgarter Filmwinter — Festival for Expanded Media (Germany): LINK
Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival (Taiwan): LINK
Vienna International Film Festival (Austria): LINK / The Viennale’s festival program mainly consists of films participating BY INVITATION.
ESMoA Video Art + Film Festival (USA): LINK
Grafixx Festival (Belgium): LINK 1 + LINK 2
Images Festival (Canada): LINK / Submissions will close on July 31, 2025 or when 1000 submissions have been received; zero fee only for students
International Screendance Award Interfaccia Digitale (Italy): LINK
Pinkscreens Queer Cinema Festival (Belgium): LINK
Proceso de Error - Festival Internacional de Video Experimental (Chile): LINK
Rhizome DC Film & Video Open Call (USA): LINK
Simultan Festival (Romania): LINK
Stuttgarter Filmwinter — Festival for Expanded Media (Germany): LINK
Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival (Taiwan): LINK
Vienna International Film Festival (Austria): LINK / The Viennale’s festival program mainly consists of films participating BY INVITATION.
Deadline in August
8fest Small Gauge Film Festival (Canada): LINK
Altered Images Fest (UK): LINK / £3 fee
Attaque[e]r Le Visible - Videoaktion #6 (Germany): LINK
Chicago Film Symposium (USA): LINK
Light Matter Experimental Film and Media Arts Festival (USA): LINK
Muestra de Cine de Lanzarote (Spain): LINK
Projet Betula Screening Series (France): LINK
Videobardo International Videopoetry Festival (Argentina): LINK
Altered Images Fest (UK): LINK / £3 fee
Attaque[e]r Le Visible - Videoaktion #6 (Germany): LINK
Chicago Film Symposium (USA): LINK
Light Matter Experimental Film and Media Arts Festival (USA): LINK
Muestra de Cine de Lanzarote (Spain): LINK
Projet Betula Screening Series (France): LINK
Videobardo International Videopoetry Festival (Argentina): LINK
Deadline in September
Écran Libre New Media Festival (Canada): LINK
Experimental Loop International Video Art Festival (USA): LINK
Kinesthetic Cinema at Wexner Center for the Arts (USA): LINK
Punto de Vista Festival (Spain): LINK / 5€ fee
The San Francisco Underground Short Film Festival (USA): LINK
Experimental Loop International Video Art Festival (USA): LINK
Kinesthetic Cinema at Wexner Center for the Arts (USA): LINK
Punto de Vista Festival (Spain): LINK / 5€ fee
The San Francisco Underground Short Film Festival (USA): LINK
Deadline in Оctober
Budapest Art Weekend Screening (Hungary): LINK
DETOUR Low-budget & Experimental Cinema (Portugal): LINK
Filmfest Schleswig-Holstein (Germany): LINK
NOMSIZ (Uzbekistan): LINK
PXL THIS 35 Toy Camera Film Festival (USA): via email - pfsuzy@aol.com, LINK
PRISME #8 – Argentique du futur (France): LINK
DETOUR Low-budget & Experimental Cinema (Portugal): LINK
Filmfest Schleswig-Holstein (Germany): LINK
NOMSIZ (Uzbekistan): LINK
PXL THIS 35 Toy Camera Film Festival (USA): via email - pfsuzy@aol.com, LINK
PRISME #8 – Argentique du futur (France): LINK
Deadline in November
Dresdner Schmalfilmtage (Germany): LINK - code 27SFT for free submission
Experiments in Cinema (USA): LINK
Proyector Festival de Videoarte (Spain): LINK
Video Art Miden (Greece): LINK
Experiments in Cinema (USA): LINK
Proyector Festival de Videoarte (Spain): LINK
Video Art Miden (Greece): LINK
Deadline in December
Ebertplatz FriesTV (Germany): LINK
European Media Art Festival (Germany): LINK
goEast Festival of Central and Eastern European Film (Germany): LINK
Punto y Raya Festival (Bulgaria): LINK
Taiwan International Documentary Festival (Taiwan): LINK
European Media Art Festival (Germany): LINK
goEast Festival of Central and Eastern European Film (Germany): LINK
Punto y Raya Festival (Bulgaria): LINK
Taiwan International Documentary Festival (Taiwan): LINK
No Set Deadline / Several Deadlines
Alternative Film Video (Serbia): LINK
FICUNAM (Mexico): LINK
SFO Museum’s Video Arts Program (USA): LINK
Third Horizon Film Festival (USA): LINK
Underdox Filmfestival (Germany): LINK - submissions can be done informally by sending an online link of the submitted film to info@underdox-festival.de
Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival (Japan): LINK - several deadlines between December and May
FICUNAM (Mexico): LINK
SFO Museum’s Video Arts Program (USA): LINK
Third Horizon Film Festival (USA): LINK
Underdox Filmfestival (Germany): LINK - submissions can be done informally by sending an online link of the submitted film to info@underdox-festival.de
Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival (Japan): LINK - several deadlines between December and May
