Finding your way

As a filmmaker, two things are very important: making films, obtaining funding and showing the film to the rest of the world out there! Around the globe there are so many great festivals and events that it is easy to lose track of what is happening. Among everything that is going on, it can be difficult to realistically assess which festival is the right one for your film.

Because of that CineSud Magazine started publishing monthly articles with the most interesting and promising international film festivals that you can submit to the following months. Next to that we give an overview of interesting funding options in the heart of the Netherlands, Belgium as well as Germany.

Film Festivals

Cinema du Réel

Submission deadline: November 8
Festival dates: March 13 - March 22

The festival mixes documentaries, essays and experimental films in selections that reflect a diversity of genres and different forms of cinematic approach to the world. It has become one of the rare festivals to highlight heritage films and look back at the different genres, but at the same time it also creates a dialogue between these and contemporary creation. [Read more]

Aspen Shortsfest

Submission deadline: November 1
Festival dates: March 31 - April 5

Aspen Shortsfest is an Oscar-qualifying film festival recognized as one of the premier short film festivals in North America. The five Oscar-qualifying categories include Animation, Comedy, Documentary, Drama and Short Short. Shortsfest Oscar success stories include, Fauve (2018), nominated for Best Live Action Short Film, Weekends (2018) and One Small Step (2019), nominated for Best Animated Short Film, and Bw=ear Story (Chile), winner of the Best Animated Short Film Oscar in 2016. [Read more]

Berlinale

Submission deadline: November 8 (for features), November 15 (for shorts)
Festival dates: February 20 - March 1

The Berlinale is a unique place of artistic exploration and entertainment. It is one of the largest public film festivals in the world, attracting tens of thousands of visitors from around the globe each year. For the film industry and the media, the eleven days in February are also one of the most important events in the annual calendar and an indispensable trading forum. [Read more]

Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Submission deadline: November 15
Festival dates: January 15 - January 20

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is a non-profit arts and educational organization. Over the past 34 years, SBIFF has become one of the leading film festivals in the United States – attracting 95,000 attendees and offering 11 days of 200+ films, tributes and panels, fulfilling their mission to engage, enrich, and inspire people through the power of film. [Read more]

Funding

Dutch Deadlines

Netherlands Film Fund:
- KORT! (November 26)

Belgian Deadlines

Flemish Audiovisual Fund:
- Filmfonds: Fictie 3 (November 6)
- Filmfonds: Documentaire (November 12)
- Filmfonds: Animatie (November 14)
- Internationale promotiesteun (November 22)

German Deadlines

Medienstiftung NRW:
- Production Distribution / Sales (November 21)

Are you up-to-date?

You don't want to miss any deadlines or activities from the region? Then check agenda & deadlines.