New York Film Academy (NYFA) has compiled one of the most accurate and current film festival databases available. Many of these are annual events and entry deadlines are usually one or two months prior to festival exhibition dates. Most film festivals have entry fees or other requirements for submissions and, as such filmmakers should inquire about submission guidelines before sending unsolicited work.
If you’re interested in your festival being added to the list or in any potential collaboration with NYFA, please take a moment to fill out our film festival inquiry form.
Canada
Ottawa International Animation Festival
Antimatter: Festival Of Underground Short Films & Video
International Festival Of Films On Art
Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival
The Blue Mountain Film Festival
Cabbagetown Short Film & Video Festival
Calgary International Film Festival
International Short Film Festival
Cinefest Sudbury International Film Festival
Cinemania French Film Festival
COMMFFEST Global Community Film Festival
DOXA Documentary Film Festival
Edmonton International Film Festival
Fantasia International Film Festival
Filmi South Asian Film Festival
Darryl’s Hard Liquor and Porn Comedy Film Festival
Hot Docs (Canadian International Documentary Festival)
Imagine Native Film + Media Arts Festival
Dawson City International Short Film Festival
North by Northeast Film Festival
Pile of Bones Underground Film Festival
ReelHeART International Film Festival
Reelout Queer Film + Video Festival
Reel Youth Touring Film Festival
Rendezvous with Madness Film Festival
Montreal International Documentary Film Festival
Festival du Cinéma International en Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Toronto After Dark Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
U of T Film Festival
Vancouver International Film Festival
Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival
Vancouver Island Short Film Festival
Vancouver Jewish Film Festival
Vox Popular Media Arts Festival
Windsor International Film Festival
The St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival
CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival
USA
Cinema At The Edge Film Festival (CATE)
Dragon Con Independent Film Festival
Williamsburg Independent Film Festival
All American High School Film Festival
Texas Independent Film Festival
African American Women In Cinema Film Festival
Action/Cut Short Film Competition
Architecture and Design Film Festival
International Student Media Festival
Arpa International Film Festival
Dallas International Film Festival
African Film Festival New York
stsstin Gay And Lesbian International Film Festival
America’s Low Budget Superstar
Action On Film International Film Festival
Aperture Asia Pacific International Ethnographic Documentary Festival
Wild Rose Independent Film Festival
Ashland Independent Film Festival
Asian American International Film Festival
Asian American Film Lab 72 Hour Shootout
Athens International Film + Video Festival
Atlanta Underground Film Festival
Austin Film Festival & Conference
Arizona International Film Festival
Bare Bones International Film & Music Festival
San Francisco Sex Workers Film & Arts Festival
Beaufort International Film Festival
Online New England Film Festival
Berkshire International Film Festival
African-American Film Marketplace
Bosnian-Herzegovinian Film Festival
Boulder International Film Festival
Boston International Film Festival
Boston Latino International Film Festival
Boston Underground Film Festival
Bronx International Film Festival
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
International Buddhist Film Festival
Buffalo International Film Festival
California Independent Film Festival
Camden International Film Festival
Cinema at the Edge Independent Film Festival (CATE)
Colorado Environmental Film Festival
Charleston International Film Festival
Chicago International Film Festival
Chlotrudis Short Film Festival
Columbus International Film & Video Festival
Chicago International Children’s Film Festival
Valencia International Film Festival Cinema Jove
Cinema St. Louis International Film Festival
The Claremont 5 Second Film Festival
Cleveland International Film Festival
Southwest Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
NBC Comedy Short Cuts
Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival
Chicago Underground Film Festival
Chinese American Film Festival
Columbia University Film Festival
DC Shorts Film Festival
Downtown Film Festival Los Angeles
NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA)
DOCUTAH International Film Festival
Durango Independent Film Festival
Roger Ebert’s Overlooked Film Festival
Connecticut LGBT Film Festival
PAGE International Screenwriting Awards
Brouhaha Film & Video Showcase
Eureka Springs Indie Film Festival
The Explorers Club Polar Film Festival
US International Film & Video Festival
Rhode Island International Film Festival
Milwaukee Underground Film Festival
Iron Mule Short Comedy Screening Series
Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival
Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival
San Francisco Frozen Film Festival
Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
BigPictureCon Film & Technology Conference
Gasparilla International Film Festival
New York International Children’s Film Festival
Ocean Awareness Student Contest
Great Lakes International Film Festival
Greenwich International Film Festival
San Antonio Cinefestival
Hamptons International Film Festival
Harlem International Film Festival
The High Desert International Film Festival
Hell’s Half Mile Film & Music Festival
NYC PictureStart Film Festival
International Horror & Sci-Fi Film Festival
H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival – Los Angeles
Human Rights Watch International Film Festival
Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
Los Angeles International Underground Film Festival
Iowa City International Documentary Film Festival
Independent Film Festival of Boston
International Family Film Festival
International Youth Silent Film Festival
Illinois International Film Festival
ImageOut: The Rochester LGBT Film and Video Festival
Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles
Atlanta International Documentary Film Festial
Indie Memphis: The Soul of Southern Film Festival
Oakland International Film Festival
Indianapolis International Film Festival
Bayou City Inspiration Film Festival
Iowa Independent Film Festival
International Student Film Festival Hollywood
Israel Film Festival (Los Angeles)
Independent Television Festival
St. Louis Jewish Film Festival
Tampa Bay Jewish Film Festival
Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival
Jersey City International Television & Film Festival
Josiah Media Festival (Urban 15)
The Johns Hopkins Film Festival
Juggernaut: Chicago’s Sci-Fi and Fantasmi Short Film Festival
Jukebox International Film Festival
International Christian Film Festival
Kansas International Film Festival
Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee
KIDS FIRST! Film and Video Festival
Los Angeles Animation Festival
Los Angeles International Children’s Film Festival
Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival
Los Angeles International Short Film Festival
The Lower East Side Film Festival
The Long Island Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
George Lindsey UNA Film Festival
Long Beach International Film Festival
Long Island International Film Expo
Malibu International Film Festival
SLO International Film Festival
Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
Miami International Film Festival
Maine International Film Festival
Milwaukee International Film Festival
MIX NYC: New York Lesbian & Gay Experimental Film Festival
Minneapolis / St. Paul International Film Festival
Moondance International Film Festival
MY HERO International Film Festival
Myrtle Beach International Film Festival
High Desert Shorts International Film Festival
NSAEN Online International Film Festival
New York Chinese Film Festival
Reality Bytes Independent Student Festival
New Jersey International Film Festival
New Jersey Jewish Film Festival
Cape May New Jersey State Film Festival
North Jersey Human Rights Film Festival
No Dance Film & Multimedia Festival
Northwest Film and Video Festival
African Diaspora International Film Festival
The New York City Horror Film Festival
New York City Short Film Festival
New York City Independent Film Festival
New York International Independent Film & Video Festival
Ohio Independent Film Festival
The Other Venice Film Festival
Outfest Los Angeles LGBT Film Festival
Out On Film: Atlanta’s LGBT Film Festival
“Pan African, African-American Film Festival”
PBIFF Student Showcase of Films
Palm Beach International Film Festival
ScriptFest – The Great American Pitchfest
Providence Festival of New Latin American Cinema
Platform International Animation Festival
Pocono Mountains Film festival
Polish Film Festival Los Angeles
Palm Springs International Film Festival
Portland Underground OnlineFilm Festival
Fort Worth Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival
Rainier Independent Film Festival
Real to Reel Film & Video Festival
Reeling: The Chicago LGBT International Film Festival
Reel Life Disability Film Festival
Reel Expressions International Youth Film Festival (Spark Media Project)
Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival and Lecture Series
Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival
Rome International Film Festival
Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIFF)
RiverRun International Film Festival
River’s Edge International Film Festival
Riverside International Film Festival
Rochester International Film Festival
Sacramento Film and Music Festival
Sacramento International Film Festival
Santa Barbara International Film Festival
Scottsdale International Film Festival
San Diego International Children’s Film Festival
San Diego Jewish Film Festival
San Diego Latino Film Festival
Seattle International Film Festival
Sedona International Film Festival & Workshop
Portland Lesbian & Gay Film Festival
San Francisco Black Film Festival
San Francisco International Film Festival
San Francisco Independent Film Festival
San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
SF Shorts: San Francisco International Festival of Short Films
ShockerFest International Film Festival
Shriekfest Horror/SciFi Film Festival
S.N.O.B.(Somewhat North of Boston) Film Festival
Sonoma International Film Festival
Southern Circuit – Tour of Independent Filmmakers
Spokane International Film Festival
Sunscreen Film Festival – Los Angeles
South By Southwest Film Festival
Syracuse International Film Festival
MPLS Underground Film Festival
Teaneck International Film Festival
NextFrame: International Student Film Festival
A3F International Short Film Festival
The Alhambra Theatre Film Festival
The Los Angeles Fear + Fantasy Film Festival
Spooky Movie International Horror Film Festival
Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
Tulipanes Latino Art & Film Festival
San Francisco Transgender Film Festival
Translations: The Seattle Transgender Film Festival
Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival
Twin Rivers Multimedia Festival
Urban Mediamakers Film Festival
United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF)
VC FILMFEST: The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
Vermont International Film Festival
White Sands International Film Festival
Women’s International Film Festival South Florida
Women’s Voices Now Online Film Festival
International Wildlife Film Festival
Winter Film Awards Indie Film Fest
Washington Jewish Film Festival
Austria
Diagonale Festival of Austrian Films
Internationales Film Festival Innsbruck
Festival Der ‘Neue Heimat Film’
Viennale – Vienna International Film Festival
Belgium
Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival
International Love Film Festival
Festival International du Film Francophone de Namur
Bulgaria
Sofia International Film Festival
Croatia
Split Film Festival – International Festival of New Film
Czech Republic
International Festival of Science Documentary Films
Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival
One World – International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival
Denmark
Copenhagen International Film Festival
Odense International Film Festival
Estonia
Finland
Helsinki International Film Festival
France
Paris Human Rights International Film Festival
Annecy International Animation Film Festival
Festival du Film Italien de Villerupt
Festival des Cinémas d’Asie de Vesoul
Festival International du Cinéma Méditerranéen de Montpellier
Paris Festival for Different and Experimental Cinema
Festival International du Court Métrage à Clermont-Ferrand
ÉCU The European Independent Film Festival
Cannes International Film Festival
Festival du Cinéma Américain de Deauville
Festival International du Film de la Rochelle
Marseille International Film Festival
International Wildlife Film Festival
Festival Europeen du Film Court de Brest
Festival International du Film d’Amiens
Festival International du Films de Femmes
Festival International de Programmes Audiovisuels
Festival du Film Court de Villeurbanne
Festival de cinéma de Douarnenez
Premiers Plans Festival D’Angers
Rennes Metropole Film Festival
Germany
Achtung Berlin – New Berlin Film Award
Around Films International Film Festival
Berlin International Film Festival
International Leipzig Festival for Documentary & Animated Film
International Documentary Film Festival Munich
EMERGEANDSEE Media Arts Festival
Femme Totale – International Women’s Film Festival
Filmfest Dresden – International Short Film Festival
Internationales Filmfest Emden-Norderney
Internationales Filmfest Oldenburg
Kasseler Dokumentarfilm- und Videofest
Lesbisch Schwule Filmtage Hamburg
International Festival of Animated Film Stuttgart
Essener Video Rodeo Kurzfilmfestival
International Short Film Festival Oberhausen
Indisch Film Festival Stuttgart
Internationales Kinderfilmfestival
Black International Cinema Berlin
Internationales Frauen Film Festival
KALIBER35 Munich International Short Film Festival
Internationale Kurzfilmwoche Regensburg
Sehsüchte Internationales Studentenfilmfestival
Up And Coming International Film Festival Hannover
Greece
Athens International Film Festival
International Short Film Festival in Drama
Thessaloniki International Film Festival
Herzegovina
Hungary
Titanic – Budapest International Film Festival
Ireland
Audi Dublin International Film Festival
Italy
Castelli Animati – International Animated Film Festival
MystFest – Festival Internazionale del Giallo e del Mistero
Pordenone Silent Film Festival
Festival Internazionale del Corto in Sabina
Festival Internazionale del Cinema di Salerno
Federation Internationale Cinema Television Sportifs
First Hermetic International Film Festival
Identitaria International Food&Wine Film Festival
International Tour Film Festival
Venice International Film Festival
Rome Independent Film Festival
Salento International Film Festival
Taormina International FIlm Festival
Torino Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
Kosovo
Dokufest – International documentary and short film festival
Macedonia
FEST – Belgrade International Film Festival
Manaki Brothers – International Cinematographers’ Film Festival
MakeDox – Creative Documentary Film Festival
Monaco
Sportel – World Sports Content Media Convention
Netherlands
Holland Animation Film Festival
International Film Festival Rotterdam
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam
Leiden International Film Festival
Norway
Haugesund Norwegian International Film Festival
Bergen International Film Festival
Minimalen Shorts Film Festival
Tromso International Film Festival
Poland
CAMERIMAGE: International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography
Euroshorts: European Short Film Festival
Sopot International Film Festival
Portugal
Bragacine: International Independent Film Festival
Cinanima Animated Film Festival
Curtas Vila do Conde (Vila do Conde Short Film Festival)
Fantasporto – Oporto International Film Festival
FEST – New Directors | New Films Festival
Festroia International Film Festival
Romania
Transilvania International Film Festival
Russia
International Kansk Video Festival
Festival of Festivals: St. Petersburg International Film Festival
Sochi Open Russian Film Festival
Moscow International Film Festival
Serbia/Montenegro
Belgrade International Film Festival
Slovakia
Art Film Fest: Slovakia International Film Festival
Slovenia
Ljubljana International Film Festival
Spain
Alcine – Festival de Cine de Alcalá de Henares
L’Alternativa: Barcelona Independent Film Festival
Valencia International Film Festival
Barcelona Jewish Film Festival
Latin American Film Festival of Huelva
Environmental International Film Festival
Young Filmmakers Festival of Granada
International Film Festival of Gijon
International Film Festival of Huesca
International Women’s Film Festival of Barcelona
Latin American Film Festival of Catalonia
Marbella International Film Festival
Barcelona International Audiovisual Barcelona Festival
San Sebastian International Film Festival
Valladolid International Film Festival
International Festival of Documentary and Short Film Bilbao
Sweden
Lund International Fantastisk Film Festival
Norrkoping Film Festival Flimmer
Uppsala International Short Film Festival
Stockholm International Film Festival
Switzerland
2300 Plan 9 Strange Movie Nights
Locarno International Film Festival
Festival du Film des Diablerets Montagne
International Animation Film Festival Baden
Festival International de Film de Fribourg
Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur
Lausanne Underground Film & Music Festival
Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival
Turkey
Ankara Uluslararası Film Festivali
Istanbul International Short Film Festival
International Istanbul Film Festival
Ukraine
MOLODIST Kyiv International Film Festival
United Kingdom
Aesthetics Short Film Festival
BAFTA: British Academy of Film and Television Arts
Bradford International Film Festival
Chichester International Film Festival
Dead by Dawn – Horror Film Festival
Deaf Film and Television Festival
Edinburgh International Film Festival
Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival
In Place of War: CREATE Film Festival
Italian Film Festival in Scotland
London Latin American Film Festival
Leeds International Film Festival
BFI Flare: London LGBT Film Festival
Open City Documentary Festival
Portobello Film Festival London
SCI-FI-LONDON: The London International Festival of Science Fiction and Fantastic Film
Screentest – The National Student Film Festival
Sheffield Doc/Fest: Sheffield International Documentary Festival
Australia
A Night of Horror Film Festival
Byron Bay International Film Festival
Canberra International Film Festival
Fantastic Planet Film Festival
Human Rights Arts & Film Festival
Melbourne International Film Festival
Melbourne Documentary Film Festival
Over The Fence Comedy Film Festival
Revelation Perth International Film Festival
China
Shanghai International Film Festival
Hong Kong
Hong Kong International Film Festival
Hong Kong Jewish Film Festival
India
International Film Festival of India
International Film Festival of Kerala
Pune International Film Festival
Navi Mumbai International Film Festival
Indonesia
Bali International Film Festival
Japan
IAFOR Documentary Film Award & Festival
Nara International Film Festival
Skip City International D-Cinema Festival
Hiroshima International Animation Festival
Tokyo International Film Festival
Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festival
Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival
Nepal
Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival
New Zealand
New Zealand International Film Festival
Philippines
Philippine Independent Film Festival
Singapore
Singapore International Film Festival
South Korea
Jeonju International Film Festival
Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival
Busan International Film Festival
Taiwan
Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival
Taiwan International Documentary Festival
Taiwan International Ethnographic Film Festival
Thailand
Burkina Faso
Pan-African Film Festival of Ouagadougou
Egypt
Cairo International Women’s Film Festival
Israel
The Tel Aviv International Documentary Film Festival
Haifa International Film Festival
Tel Aviv International Film Festival “SPIRIT”
Pakistan
60 Second International Film Festivalf
Rwanda
South Africa
Cape Town International Film Festival
Durban International Film Festival
Swaziland
Tanzania
Zanzibar International Film Festival
Uganda
Queer Kampala International Film Festival (QKIFF)
United Arab Emirates
Argentina
Mar Del Plata International Film Festival
Anima, Córdoba International Animation Festival
Buenos Aires Festival Internacionale De Cine Independiente
Bahamas
Bahamas International Film Festival
Bermuda International Film Festival
Brazil
Mostra Internacional de Cinema
Rio de Janeiro International Short Film Festival
Belo Horizonte International Short Film Festival
It’s All True International Documentary Film Festival
Sao Paulo International Short Film Festival
Cayman Islands
Cayman International Film Festival
Colombia
Festival de Cine Corto de Popayán
Cuba
Festival Internacional del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano
Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic Global Film Festival
Mexico
International Low and No Budget Film Festival
Festival Internacional de Cine de Guanajuato
Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara
Festival Internacional de Cine de Morelia