Hi all-
I just updated the July listings with a variety of options for short and feature films. Please note that some festivals have a specific category for free entries. I have noted this in the postings. In some cases, it may require a waiver code and documentation, such as for the VA film festival. Festivals may have their own submission platforms, use film freeway or other platforms for submissions, or have email submissions.
best of luck,
{tmr}
Cinevo 2023 Short Film Grant Contest 7/1/23
We are excited to introduce to you to our first annual film grant competition. No submission fees required. Cinevo will be awarding a total of $20,000 in rental grants to students and professionals whose films are selected to win from fiction and nonfiction categories. Any subject matter can be submitted – journalistic, narrative, music video, branded content – but should serve as a proof-of-concept you’d use the award to accomplish.
Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival 7/1/23
We now invite all filmmakers, artists, distributors, producers, gallerists, universities and institutions to submit their most current works and projects to the 39th Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival. The entire film program as well as the works for the exhibition A jury nominates films from the program for the other festival awards. We do not charge an entry fee and pay – as far as possible – a screening fee for the films of the regular film program.
Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival (France) 7/3/23
Today, the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival is the world’s largest film festival dedicated to short films. In term of audience and professional presence, it is the second largest film festival in France after Cannes. (Submissions open in May, deadline based on previous years)
Women Over 50 Film Festival 7/4/23
Everyone is eligible to submit a film to Women Over 50 Film Festival. There’s no upper or lower age limit and it’s not only open to women. As long as your film centres on a woman over 50 or part of your core creative team is female and over 50, your film is eligible. Free submissions in student category.
Virginia Film Festival 7/05/23* free to VA filmmakers
Every Fall, the VAFF showcases celebrated new narrative and documentary features, independent and international projects, fresh perspectives on timeless classics, and local filmmakers from throughout Virginia. Virginia residents (including students at VA schools) are eligible to have their entry fee waived. In order to receive the VA resident fee waiver, the address you list in your submission must be in Virginia, and you must enter the code 2023VA36VAFFresd when you complete your submission on FilmFreeway (the code is good for one submission per applicant). Proof of current residency may be requested by VAFF and is required if submitting using this code.
International Women’s Film Festival “KIN” (Armenia) 07/10/23
***Free submission only for Armenian Films*** «KIN» (kin means “a woman” in Armenian), will be held in Yerevan. The festival’s goal is promote women’s creativity, establish a network between women filmmakers from different parts of the world and give hand to a better understanding of different cultures and each other. The purpose of the festival is to address through films issues of violence, inequality, discrimination and other problems related to women’s rights and gender problems. genres: Documentary, Short, Animation. Duration of the films had to be less than 40 min. Film Freeway Submission.
Schlingel International Film Festival 7/15/23
SCHLINGEL is an independent film festival with international competitions and various additional events. It takes place annually. We conceive ourselves as a platform for international children’s and youth films in Germany. The festival gives an overview of current international productions and aims at motivating distributors and TV stations in Germany to integrate these films into their programmes. Only Feature Film category is free to enter. Film Freeway.
International Kurzfilmtage Winterthur 7/16/23
Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur is Switzerland’s major short film festival, held annually in November. The six-day event is a popular public festival as well as an important hub for the international short film industry. Early submissions welcome.
Busan International Film Festival (Korea) 07/19/23
For the official selection of the 28th Busan International Film Festival, fiction films, documentaries, and animations that were produced after October 2022 are eligible for submission. Deadline is for Feature Film for films longer than 60 minutes.
Viennale 7/31/23
The Viennale International Film Festival Vienna – is a NON-COMPETITIVE FILM FESTIVAL. It is acknowledged by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF). The Viennale’s main program presents films of all genres and formats (presented in original version with English and/or German subtitles). The Viennale’s festival program mainly consists of films participating BY INVITATION. Please also note that in case of entries of short narratives (fiction films up to 40 minutes) the Viennale can only accept Austrian productions.
Farhang Foundation Short Film Festival 7/31/2023* opens May 2nd
The Festival caters to the art of short filmmaking that visualizes some aspect or aspects of Iranian “Heritage”, which includes the arts, culture, history, crafts geography, cuisine, and lifestyle. Calling on individuals from all backgrounds and walks of life to submit short films, less than 9 minutes in length, visualizing some aspect of Iranian art, culture, and heritage, that will inspire and spark the audience’s interest in learning more about Iranian culture.
NO ENTRY FEE FESTIVALS 
Thank you for doing this!