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: 17 July 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
Diffusion Summer Festival (Canada): LINK
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
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
Deadline in April
Arkipel - Jakarta International Documentary and Experimental Film Festival (Indonesia): LINK
Filmadrid Festival Internacional de Cine (Spain): LINK
International Screendance Award Interfaccia Digitale (Italy): LINK
The Film-Makers' Cooperative New Year/New Work Festival (USA): LINK
Winnipeg Underground Film Festival (Canada): LINK
Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival (Japan): LINK / second deadline
Filmadrid Festival Internacional de Cine (Spain): LINK
International Screendance Award Interfaccia Digitale (Italy): LINK
The Film-Makers' Cooperative New Year/New Work Festival (USA): LINK
Winnipeg Underground Film Festival (Canada): LINK
Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival (Japan): LINK / second deadline
Deadline in May
25 FPS Festival (Croatia): LINK
CosmiX Experimental Cinema Festival (France): LINK
Emami Art Experimental Film Festival (India): LINK
Festival des Cinémas Différents et Expérimentaux de Paris (France): LINK
FICUNAM (Mexico): 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
CosmiX Experimental Cinema Festival (France): LINK
Emami Art Experimental Film Festival (India): LINK
Festival des Cinémas Différents et Expérimentaux de Paris (France): LINK
FICUNAM (Mexico): 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
International Short Film Festival Brno16 (Czechia): LINK
Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival (Germany): LINK
Pinkscreens Queer Cinema Festival (Belgium): LINK
Saint Petersburg International Experimental Film Festival (Russia): LINK
SET Film Festival (UK): LINK
Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival (Germany): LINK
Pinkscreens Queer Cinema Festival (Belgium): LINK
Saint Petersburg International Experimental Film Festival (Russia): LINK
SET Film Festival (UK): LINK
Deadline in July
8fest Small Gauge Film Festival (Canada): LINK
Experimenta (India): LINK
Grafixx Festival (Belgium): LINK
Images Festival (Canada): LINK / zero fee only for students
Rhizome DC Film & Video Open Call (USA): LINK
Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation - Sight/Geist (USA): LINK
Simultan Festival (Romania): LINK
Small File Media Festival (Canada): LINK
Stuttgarter Filmwinter — Festival for Expanded Media (Germany): LINK
Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival (Taiwan): LINK
Experimenta (India): LINK
Grafixx Festival (Belgium): LINK
Images Festival (Canada): LINK / zero fee only for students
Rhizome DC Film & Video Open Call (USA): LINK
Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation - Sight/Geist (USA): LINK
Simultan Festival (Romania): LINK
Small File Media Festival (Canada): LINK
Stuttgarter Filmwinter — Festival for Expanded Media (Germany): LINK
Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival (Taiwan): LINK
Deadline in August
Addis Video Art Festival (Ethiopia): LINK
Attaque[e]r Le Visible - Videoaktion (Germany): LINK
Busan International Video Art Festival (South Korea): LINK
IFFI-Goa (India): LINK
Light Matter Experimental Film and Media Arts Festival (USA): LINK
Muestra de Cine de Lanzarote (Spain): LINK
Projet Betula Screening Series (France): LINK
Attaque[e]r Le Visible - Videoaktion (Germany): LINK
Busan International Video Art Festival (South Korea): LINK
IFFI-Goa (India): LINK
Light Matter Experimental Film and Media Arts Festival (USA): LINK
Muestra de Cine de Lanzarote (Spain): LINK
Projet Betula Screening Series (France): LINK
Deadline in September
accordi @ DISACCORDI - International Short Film Festival (Italy): LINK
Hamburger Kinoforum Kinohafen (Germany): LINK
Liminal Archive (Japan): LINK
Punto de Vista Festival (Spain): LINK / 5€ fee
The San Francisco Underground Short Film Festival (USA): LINK
Vega de Agua Experimental Film Showcase (Spain): LINK / 2€ fee
Hamburger Kinoforum Kinohafen (Germany): LINK
Liminal Archive (Japan): LINK
Punto de Vista Festival (Spain): LINK / 5€ fee
The San Francisco Underground Short Film Festival (USA): LINK
Vega de Agua Experimental Film Showcase (Spain): LINK / 2€ fee
Deadline in Оctober
Bad Video Art Festival (Italy): LINK
DETOUR Low-budget & Experimental Cinema (Portugal): LINK
Filmfest Schleswig-Holstein (Germany): LINK
Mono No Aware (USA): LINK
PXL THIS 35 Toy Camera Film Festival (USA): via email - pfsuzy@aol.com, LINK
PRISME #8 – Argentique du futur (France): LINK
Traverse Vidéo (France): LINK
DETOUR Low-budget & Experimental Cinema (Portugal): LINK
Filmfest Schleswig-Holstein (Germany): LINK
Mono No Aware (USA): LINK
PXL THIS 35 Toy Camera Film Festival (USA): via email - pfsuzy@aol.com, LINK
PRISME #8 – Argentique du futur (France): LINK
Traverse Vidéo (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
Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival (Japan): LINK / first deadline
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
Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival (Japan): LINK / first deadline
No Set Deadline / On A Rolling Basis
Celluloid Now / The Chicago Film Society (USA): LINK
SFO Museum’s Video Arts Program (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
SFO Museum’s Video Arts Program (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
Past Opportunities (might still be available)
aCinema Summer Series (USA): LINK 1 + LINK 2
Alternative Film Video (Serbia): LINK
Chicago Film Symposium (USA): LINK
CIRCA Prize (UK): LINK
Écran Libre New Media Festival (Canada): LINK
ESMoA Video Art + Film Festival (USA): LINK
Experimental Loop International Video Art Festival (USA): LINK
Festival Márgenes (Spain): LINK
International Poetic Film Showcase Maldito Festival (Spain): LINK
NOMSIZ (Uzbekistan): LINK
Proceso de Error - Festival Internacional de Video Experimental (Chile): LINK
Third Horizon Film Festival (USA): LINK
Videobardo International Videopoetry Festival (Argentina): LINK
Alternative Film Video (Serbia): LINK
Chicago Film Symposium (USA): LINK
CIRCA Prize (UK): LINK
Écran Libre New Media Festival (Canada): LINK
ESMoA Video Art + Film Festival (USA): LINK
Experimental Loop International Video Art Festival (USA): LINK
Festival Márgenes (Spain): LINK
International Poetic Film Showcase Maldito Festival (Spain): LINK
NOMSIZ (Uzbekistan): LINK
Proceso de Error - Festival Internacional de Video Experimental (Chile): LINK
Third Horizon Film Festival (USA): LINK
Videobardo International Videopoetry Festival (Argentina): LINK