December deadlines

Hi all-
I am working on updates to the blog. As usual, I am finding festivals that now charge a small fee, so I have removed those. I recommend you support festivals either way- if the festival is doing an amazing job, you understand how it works and believe in it, and the focus matches that of your work. For this blog, the focus is festivals that don’t charge a fee, but there will be times you may want to submit work to festivals that do. My advice is to choose carefully either way, but yes especially cautious of brand new festivals that charge a very high fee, or charge you for “awards”, or charge you to screen your work.
best of luck,
{tmr}

It’s all true: International Documentary Film Festival  12/07/23
International. This film festival was created to support the genre of documentary films. 

Premios Quirino de la Animacion Ibero Americana 12/14/23
ONLY FOR ANIMATED FILMS MADE BY IBERO-AMERICAN FILMMAKERS.The Quirino Awards are born out of the necessity of recognizing the talent of the Ibero-American animation industry, generating links and networks between both sides of the ocean. Therefore, the event gathers the blooming Latin-American industry along with the Portuguese, Andorran and Spanish industries, building a true brotherhood to develop the great market that is Ibero-America together. Apart from recognizing the best Ibero-American animation works in ten categories, the Quirino Awards is the framework for the Co-Production and Business Forum. One hundred companies from twenty countries participate each year in B2B meetings.

Short of the Year 12/21/23
PROMOFEST opens the call for entries of SHORT OF THE YEAR – AUTUMN. Every season 5worwill be selected. The winner of each season will be awarded with 250 submissions to film festivals (for free) and will directly become one of the films selected for The Short of the Year. Submission is through click for festivals.

DOCUDAYS UA 12/22/23
We are looking for creative documentaries which open a fresh perspective on the contemporary world, films which analyze it, making an important contribution to the discussion of human dignity, freedom and equality. You can submit your film to three sections: the international feature competition DOCU/WORLD, the international short competition DOCU/SHORT and the national feature competition DOCU/UKRAINE, which present documentary films created in Ukraine or in co-production with Ukraine, as well as by Ukrainian filmmakers in collaboration with international production companies. Submissions through Film Freeway. Note: Films produced in Ukraine or in co-production with Ukraine can be submitted for free.

ANIFILM – International Festival of Animated Films 12/31/23
Anifilm, the Liberec International Festival of Animated Films, will take place from 7th to 12th May 2024 and will celebrate its 23rd edition. Submit your films and games now and help us to present the best independent and auteur animation! Traditionally, you can choose from the following competition categories: International Competition- Feature Film, Short Film, Student Film, Abstract and Non-narrative Animation, Music Video, VR Film, Computer Game national competition.  Czech Horizon- Short and Feature Film, Student Film Series, Music Video, Commissioned Work. You should know that – Anifilm is OSCAR® qualifying festival (for Best Animated Short Film) 

Fest Anca Internacional Animation Festival 12/31/23*free entry deadline*
Fest Anča International Animation Festival is unique in being the only Slovak multimedia festival focused on animated film targeted mainly at a mature audience. The festival aims to raise awareness about animated film as an autonomous art form, and to educate about its multiple types and aspects. This year’s call for entries is open via Film Freeway. 

Neisse Film Festival 12/31/23
It’s that time of year again! Starting immediately, films can be submitted for consideration. Eligible films for the competitions include feature films, documentaries or short films that were produced in 2023 and 2024 and which were produced or co-produced in one of the three neighbor countries: Germany, Poland and/or the Czech Republic. Submit with form on website or through Film Freeway.

goEast film festival 12/31/23
Starting on September 1, goEast invites Central and Eastern European filmmakers, producers and distributors to submit their feature films and documentaries (60 min or longer) for the 24th edition of goEast – Festival of Central and Eastern European Film. Submit via Eventival or Film Freeway. Links on website.

Skeleton Keyframe Animation Festival 12/31/23
Skeleton Keyframe is a unique YouTube channel and virtual film festival dedicated to the promotion of independent animation. Year-round, we collect film submissions right here on our website. Our favorite submissions are uploaded to our YouTube channel and considered for awards come the end of the respective submission season. Our 2023 submission season is NOW OPEN! If you’re interested in submitting your animated film for award consideration, click here. The Skeleton Keyframe Animation Awards show premieres live on our YouTube channel in February. During the live show, we announce the winning films in various categories – including a “best picture” for the overall best in show. Other award categories include best 2D animated film, best 3D animated film, and best stop motion animated film.

UPIKE Film & Media Arts Festival 12/31/23
The goal of the UPIKE Film and Media Arts Festival is to promote the art of filmmaking in Eastern Kentucky. We accept films from across the country and across the world from filmmakers of all ages. We like narrative, documentary, animated, experimental, youth films, features, and shorts. In addition to our competitive film screenings, we also hold a screenplay contest. We accept paid submissions for films and screenplays from across the world, but all submissions from Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia can be submitted for free. Additionally, students can submit to the early deadline (this is the early deadline) of all our categories for free. This includes elementary level students all the way up the grad students in college.