In this edition of our monthly column you will find interesting festival- and funding options with submission deadlines in August. Have a look!

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! Around the globe there are so many great festivals and events that it is easy to lose track of what is happening. It can be difficult to realistically assess which festival is the right one for your film.

That's why 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

Sundance Film Festival

Submission deadline: August 6 (early)
Festival dates: January 20 - January 30

The Sundance Film Festival brings together the most original storytellers and the most adventurous audiences for its annual program of dramatic, documentary, and short films; New Frontier films, performances, exhibitions, and virtual reality experiences; episodic storytelling; lively filmmaker conversations and panel discussions; and dynamic music events. Since 1985, hundreds of films launched at the Festival have gained critical recognition and reached worldwide audiences eager for fresh perspectives and new voices. [Read more]

London Short Film Festival

Submission deadline: August 9 (late)
Festival dates: January 14 - January 23

Each January, the festival hosts ten days of short form, conversation and multidisciplinary curation. We present between 250-500 British and international films each edition, collaboratively programmed down from 5000+ open submissions, alongside Special Events and an industry offering of workshops, panels and discussion for filmmakers and workers. Each edition, we award cash prizes to the UK and international short films screening in our annual competition, and are a BAFTA-affiliated festival, enabling accepted UK filmmakers to apply for the 2022 BAFTAs. [Read more]

Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Submission deadline: August 20 (early)
Festival dates: March 2 - March 12

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is an eleven day event held in the seaside city of Santa Barbara, California (90 minutes north of Los Angeles). SBIFF is proud to present a diverse slate of more than 200 films to over 90,000 film enthusiasts. Our audience is a unique combination of film industry professionals, local, regional and International attendees, and a large student population. [Read more]

Big Sky Documentary Film Festival

Submission deadline: August 31 (regular)
Festival dates: February 18 - February 27

The Big Sky Documentary Film Festival is the premier venue for non-fiction film in the American West. Big Sky offers an ideal setting for filmmakers to premiere new work and develop lasting relationships with fellow filmmakers and industry. The festival draws an audience of 20,000 and film entries from every corner of the globe to a uniquely intimate mountain town setting with local Montana flavor.

The festival hosts over 200 visiting artists, presents an average of 150 non-fiction films and offers a variety of exciting events throughout downtown Missoula, Montana. In addition to screenings, Big Sky hosts DocShop, a five-day industry event that includes panels, master classes, workshops, and the Big Sky Pitch session. [Read more]