A regularly updated database of film festivals, awards and residencies for documentary and experimental filmmakers & video artists with free submissions.
Latest update: 26 December 2025
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
New Horizons International Film Festival (Poland): LINK
Videoex Experimental Film & Video Festival (Switzerland): LINK
Deadline in April
Filmadrid Festival Internacional de Cine (Spain): LINK
The Film-Makers' Cooperative New Year/New Work Festival (USA): LINK
Winnipeg Underground Film Festival (Canada): LINK
The Film-Makers' Cooperative New Year/New Work Festival (USA): LINK
Winnipeg Underground Film Festival (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
