FILM FESTIVALS

FILM FESTIVALS
I often get asked to recommend festivals that are open to 'help, I don't quite fit!' type films, so here's a page that aims to address that demand. The good news is - depending on how you look at it I suppose - that there seems to be an explosion in the number and variety of such festivals. Each has its own criteria for selection, so an award winner at one event may be rejected by another - and vice versa.

My list is by no means exhaustive. It's Eurocentric. I've tried to give a brief impression of the festivals that I've managed to get to.

Be aware of the submission deadlines which can sometimes be up to 5 or 6 months ahead of the festival itself. In general, US festivals will charge a submission fee, and with a few notable exceptions, European festivals are free to enter. DVD normally requested for preselection, but watch out for that PAL/NTSC standards difference. And for region encoding with DVD.

My personal rules of engagement for film festivals are as follows: (a) do not to submit films when you are drunk (b) try not to care whether or not your work is selected (c) do NOT follow up with abusive emails if your work is turned down (d) be generous, loving, selfless, thoughtful and determined in all that you do

For a really comprehensive database of festivals (including events like the 'International Festival of Hang-Gliding Films'), make sure to check out the British Council's BRITFILMS site. You can search by country, genre, date and format which is really useful for targetting your work accurately. If you're living in the UK, you should also send your film to the British Council itself as they select a number of films a year for distribution to festivals.

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MESSAGE TO FILM FESTIVALS
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE HAVE THE COURTESY TO NOTIFY FILM MAKERS OF THE OUTCOME OF YOUR SELECTION! IT IS TOTALLY ARROGANT OF YOU TO LEAVE US GUESSING. YES, WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF ENTRIES - BUT YOU'RE A FILM FESTIVAL, THAT'S WHAT YOU DO! HIRE MORE STAFF! CREATE JOBS! CULTURAL INDUSTRY A GO-GO! THANK YOU TO THOSE FESTIVALS WHO DO NOTIFY. WE LOVE YOU.

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TOTALLY SUBJECTIVE GUIDE TO SOME FILM FESTIVALS!

ANN ARBOR (Michigan, USA) March
Shorts, animation & experimental.

Interesting one. Up until very recently they screened only celluloid films. The reason for this is that they aligned themselves rigourously to the notion of 'undergound cinema' which for many years was typified by the work of 16mm film makers. Now they're open to experiments in digital, too. The great 'pedigree' of previous participants includes the likes of Warhol, Brakhage, Anger, Ono etc. I was there and had a great time, stayed with a lovely local family (cheers to the Maio's!) and won a prize ... hard cash from a local Mexican fast food joint called TIO's - hurry along and buy their stuff!

ENCOUNTERS (Bristol, UK) November
Shorts & animation.

'The UK's most important short film festival'  The Guardian

This is where short film makers meet the 'top professionals' which sounds like potential hell, but then I'm just an awkward sod.  The selection of films is thorough and if you're aiming to get your feet onto the rungs of that wobbly ladder that is known as 'the industry', then this is definitely a very good place to start. Bristol's interesting too, even though The Albert in Bedminster no longer exists.

BRITSPOTTING (Berlin, Germany) April
Shorts, animation and experimental.

British & Irish Independent Film Festival in Berlin! Exceptionally energetic festival team bring love, smiles and inspiration to their guests. Broad, balanced programme gives a good overview of the state of film making in the UK and Eire.  Awards for Best Feature, Best Documentary, Best Short and Best Animation. Parties and hospitality a high priority. Recommended!

BRNÌNSKÁ ŠESTNÁCTKA (Brno, Czech Republic) October
Shorts, animation & experimental.

This one's been running for 43 years and appears to be mainly for narrative shorts (film & video), but they're open to films which push the boundaries. This is another one that sadly I've not managed to get to ... the website has some great pictures of the main venue, resplendent in its old Eastern European (New European?) brutalism.

CAMBRIDGE FILM FESTIVAL (UK) July
Shorts, experimental, animation.

An approachable and intimate festival with a growing shorts section called SHORT FUSION which screens an interesting collection of thematically-linked works. Cambridge itself is very flat and full of bicycles and dominated by the University, which means that there's an awful lot of very English-looking pale young men reading Wordsworth in the queue for the bus. So I fitted in a treat, & when you fall down, at least you know that there's no further to fall.

CHICAGO UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL (Chicago, USA) August
Shorts, animation & experimental.

'10 Years of Defiantly Independent Cinema' say they, and I've no reason to doubt it.  Chicago has wonderful elevated subway trains, a rich music scene and a hotel called the 'Tip Top Tap'. And a few other things.

CINEMASPORTS(Worldwide) Please see website for dates

Murch says about Cinemasports, "Something emerges that's not contained in any of the films..."

CLERMONT FERRAND (France) February
Shorts.
 
Magnifique, I suspect, if you can manage to get your film into this highly competitive festival. From the UK each year they pick a dwarf's handful of films. Hasn't stopped me trying though, partially because their online application procedure is really easy to use and if you DO get a film in, it then gets a look-in on Cannes, Oscars, blah-di-blah, world fame & dominance, death by car crash in LA or in bathtub or in swimming pool, buried in Paris or Vegas, thank you, goodnight, but please buy the merchandise.

CORK FILM FESTIVAL (Eire) October
Shorts.
 
I often sent my films here and they never took them. It's a shame - from what I hear it's fantastic. I don't bother sending them any longer. They can call when they're ready. Was at one time sponsored by Murphy's Stout, complete with Special Award for a Black & White Film (get it?) - but no more. However, I doubt it's become a teetotal event. Please take my film.

COURTisane Festival of Short Film, Video and New Media (Belgium) May

COURTisane explores the vast territory of narrative and non-narrative short film, video and new media. We programme titles by professional filmmakers, artists or students and look for talent, individuality, courage, simplicity and inspiration in the broad range of Belgian and international production.

COURTisane puts out links between different methods of visual language; goes beyond compartmentalisation.

We invite a curious public to enjoy daring short film and video programmes, a thematic video and media art exhibition and live performances – in collaboration with the Vooruit arts centre and (K-RAA-K)3 platform for today’s music.

CUCALORUS (USA) March
"The Cucalorus Film Festival is a five day celebration, offering a glimpse into the exciting and eclectic art of filmmaking. Each festival attracts works and audiences from all over the world, bringing people together to discuss the ever changing art. The festival is held every spring in Wilmington, North Carolina, a historic port city and growing film community on the eastern coast of the United States. Dedicated to independent filmmakers, Cucalorus strives to provide a professional showcase for challenging and exciting work from a wide range of filmmakers. The annual event is focused on providing a relaxed environment, where young and old filmmakers come together to discuss the art. Cucalorus is non-competitive, with no hefty cash prizes, offering instead a healthy dose of southern hospitality and a few films to write home about". 

I feel it's important to mention also that Wilmington is where 'Dawson's Creek' is shot, and that part of the festival's guest service is a tour of the studios - if you're into that kinda thing! Also, the festival is run by the smiliest man I have ever had the pleasure to meet in my lifetime.

DRESDEN FILMFEST (Germany) April
Shorts, animation & experimental.
 
I love this festival, this city and everyone who works there. The new experimental section is a great development. Send your short films and make sure to attend. And an old steam ship is thrown in and they do a great Cuba Libre. (This festival is changing dramatically - a victim of its success? Please let me know! feed me right back!)

DRESDEN SCHMALFILMTAGE (Germany) November
Exclusively Super 8mm Films.

A dedicated team of Super 8mm enthusiasts present various programmes of shorts including experimental work and retrospectives. The theme for 2004 was SOUND.

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (Scotland) August
Shorts, animation & a curated experimental programme.
 
I worked there, got an award there, live in its host city and have become increasingly intimate with its very guts, so it's unlikely that I'm the most objective judge of this festival. The choice is vibrant and confidently curated which makes for bold screening choices ie including a few difficult films that don't play to the stalls. New strands are also being developed with the 'art-based' Black Box programmes. Film makers are made to feel special and welcome and the festival is the right size to find youself happily 'networking' without realising that that's what you're doing. Edinburgh itself is fantastic. The down side is that it's one of very few European Festivals that charges for the submission of shorts - £25, no less!  But this does not stop folk sending their films, so it's the logic of the market.

EERIE HORROR FILM FESTIVAL (Eerie, PA, USA) October
Horror - features, shorts, experimental.

"The Eerie Horror Film Festival is clearly shaping up to become the foremost launching pad for the best in contemporary horror. As a fan, I was blown away by the consistently high quality of the films I saw at the festival. As a filmmaker, I was overwhelmed by the warm welcome I got from the organizers of the fest and the people of Erie. The Eerie Horror Fest is a great reminder of how original and innovative horror movies can be."
Jimmy Hemphill Director ("Bad Reputation")

"Eerie" was the final fest for my film, I had no idea I was saving the best for last! Greg's vision for this fest is clear - to provide a halfway house for his Horror-militia composed of dedicated fanatics, rising filmmakers, and Horror film legends. If you love Horror, the Eerie Horror Film Fest is the place to be."
Scott Wilkins Director ("All I Did Was Die")

EUROPEAN MEDIA ART FESTIVAL (Osnabruck, Germany) April
Experimental shorts, animations, installation and new media.

This is a brilliant, highly recommended. Very friendly, it's almost a family event! The installations are set up in a church, most dramatic. Good varied selection of short films and animations too, and some really interesting retrospective and information programmes. They'll cover a couple of nights in a hotel, and they used to pay an attendance fee if you turn up in person. Not sure if they do still. There's a cafe near the Lagerhalle (the fest's main venue) which does the most lovely, very German breakfast with a boiled egg in a wee nest like thing and slices of different hams and cheeses and a variety of breads and Kaffee dabei. Alles zusammengeklappt. It's enough to make you weep, before you go for a dip in the Art Deco Russian Army Swimming Pool.

FESTIVAL DES CINÉMAS DIFFÉRENTS DE PARIS (Paris, France) July
Experimental.
 
"Exclusively dedicated to the different and experimental cinema and organized around an international program as well as an open « carte blanche », the festival des Cinémas Différents de Paris is not competitive. It offers once a year the chance to witness the impulse of creativity and the opportunity to view an exhibition of films and videos, mainly French but also foreign".

HAMBURG INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL (Germany) June
Shorts, animation, experimental.

This is a lively festival in a great quarter of a brilliant city. It takes itself less seriously than Oberhausen which makes it more fun. I've always been made to feel very welcome here. When I showed my film TAKE ME HOME (in short, me whizzing top speed naked through disused buildings and landscapes), the audience was deathly quiet apart from a two year old girl who giggled her head off all the way through. It was brilliant, I'd found my true audience ...

IMAGES FESTIVAL (Toronto, Canada) Deadline: early November
For 16 years, the Images Festival has exhibited and encouraged the work of artists producing film and video outside of mainstream commercial production and distribution systems and aesthetic conventions. Images is committed to
an expanded concept of film and video practice: alongside its film and video screenings, the festival embraces a wide variety of practices, including performances, installations and new media. In addition to the international
competition programs drawn from submissions to the festival, Images includes artists' retrospectives, national and regional cinema spotlights, and special curated programs.

IMPAKT (Utrecht, Netherlands) June
'Innovation and cross-over in audiovisual art'.

Quite distinct from the Rotterdam Film Festival, focussed much more on artist projects and new media experiments. Nice scale. Very friendly people indeed, made many connections here.

INDIEFEST (Chicago) August
Indiefest celebrates the “vision without compromise” attitude and spirit of the independent filmmaker.  A competitive showcase of the best independent films and videos, a well-known screenwriting competition, a film and script market and a ten-day party. Indiefest brings the world’s film community to the beautiful city of Chicago. 

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF NEW FILM (Split, Croatia) October
Shorts, animation, experimental, new media.
 
If you get invited to this, for God's sake go. The year I had a film there, I was given a Special Award for Film which I shared with Jean Luc Godard (I know, I know, it's like a kind of absurd dream). I wasn't there to pick up the prize. Mind you, no one told me that the film was even in the competition (but that's another issue). From what I hear, Split is beautiful, the people are beautiful and passionate about film, the food and wine are delicious and cheap, and if you're lucky enough to get a prize, it comes in the form of a wee solid silver medal with a Croation flag in a presentation box, like an OBE.

LEIPZIG INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL FOR DOCUMENTARY &  ANIMATED FILMS (Germany) October
"Leipzig's credo as the "recollection of images" should be regarded as recollection of the free spirit and free thought. This includes never simplifying or trivialising complexity. Leipzig remains committed to its tradition of examining German and European history. The Festival believes in the narration of history in stories which are surprising, moving, poetic & political."

This comes from the section of the website entitled 'Seven Good Reasons to Come to Leipzig'. There are many others: a place for genuine and sincere film makers; the unique combination of documentary and animation fans / makers; the city of Leipzig itself; the kind, accommodating staff & the excellent regional potato dishes coupled with one of the best busking tap dancers I've ever seen.

LES INATTENDUS (Lyon, France) January
A non-competitive film festival open to economically and artistically independant films that depart from standards set by the television and cinema industries. Selection will take into account the filmmaker's commitment, the singular and/or innovative nature of the intention and form of the film and the economic circumstances in which the film was produced. There is no set theme and no limitations on length, genre, or format. Film and video, individual and collective works, workshop and school productions, documentaries, experimental, narrative, art vidéos, animation..... are all welcome.

LONDON SHORT FILM FESTIVAL January

The projector with teeth returns!

2007’s submissions point to the UK’s filmmakers feeling amorous and messed up, meaning we’ve stretched to two romantic programmes Fucked Up Love and Love on the Road, with a new programme to cover the rise of films about fellas on the edge God’s Lonely Men, plus the welcome return of Teenage Britain.

As to our cover girl’s tattoo, the sentiment comes from our current earache over hungry commercial media channels banging on about the need for filmmakers to contribute “content”, where they could just as easily substitute the words “product” or “filler between adverts”.

Call us crazy but we want short films to blow our minds in packed cinemas with great projection and sound. So anonymous web-hits aren’t our thing, but if you fancy discussing what you see we’ll be in the bar.

You can visit our MySpace.

MADCAT WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (San Francisco & Berkeley, USA) September
MadCat showcases cutting-edge experimental and independent films and videos from around the globe. The only parameter is that the films are directed by women thus giving exposure to a vast range of women's stories.

MEDIAWAVE (Gyor, Hungary) April
Shorts, animation, experimental, music, theatre.

The MEDIAWAVE Festival began in 1991 as a competitive film festival, although from the beginning, its programme has included jazz and ethno concerts and different trends of contemporary arts in greater and greater extent. Today, the festival uses the title International Film and Music Festival, which indicates that it especially gives emphasis to these two genres. It is consistent with the fact that in the past few years, the festival has become one of the most significant jazz and ethno music festivals in Central East Europe, where 60-80 bands perform in a week, on 11 different locations of 5 countries.

MONTECATINI TERME SHORT FILM FESTIVAL (Italy) July
Shorts, experimental and animation.

It all started back in July 1949 when a group of Italian cinema lovers started a national competition for films made outside the industrial-commercial structures ...

MONTREAL INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL NEW CINEMA NEW MEDIA (Canada) October
Shorts, experimental, animation & new media.

A well respected festival in an exciting venue and city. Very friendly and well informed programmers. 
"In keeping with its aim of promoting cinema d’auteur, independent video, and creativity in new media, the FCMM is constantly on the lookout for new and original works. Innovation and exploration are the guiding principles of the FCMM’s programming".

OJAI FILM FESTIVAL (USA) October
Narrative shorts, animation, documentary and features.

" ...providing filmmakers, many of whom are just beginning their careers, with a supportive and enthusiastic audience for their creative efforts, and giving them access to film industry professionals who can offer guidance and other forms of career assistance ..."

ROTTERDAM INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (Netherlands) January
Shorts, animation, experimental, new media.
 
An amazingly comprehensive festival, one of the world's best. Very open minded and forward thinking programming, full of energy and inspiring ideas. Highly recommended and in a really interesting city, but at a freezing and windy time of year. Make sure to go to the TRAMHUIS bar which is where you can get into a good-natured (as with most things Dutch) fight with a local taxi driver and enjoy a landscape of even more unfired pottery complexions. Superb.

SIGN LANGUAGE CINEMA(Edinburgh & Glasgow, Scotland)
Shorts, experimental, animation.
 
Hey, I founded & directed of this one!  We'll see about future events. It was a showcase of films and videos by the deaf and hard of hearing, but the programme also includes works by hearing film makers that work with the deaf community and/or Sign Language. It also includes shorts which inspire regardless of who made them (ie we showed Svankmajer in 2003, and he ain't deaf - so far as I know ... anyone?). So if you've got a work that is accessible to a deaf audience (subtitled if there's dialogue, or perhaps it's without dialogue?), then send it in! 

"It was my first time in Scotland. But even if I can be considered a tourist I felt like a friend paying a visit. I had a great time in a lovely city. I enjoyed the unique selection of films which where hard on my head but good for my soul. It was a exiting oppurtunity to show my film in a context like this. I had very constructive feedback on my work by fellow filmmakers whose work I also appreciated". Philipp Schappert, Germany.

SLAMDANCE (Utah) January

Every year in January in Park City, Utah, the Slamdance Film Festival takes place at the same time as the Sundance Film Festival. The entire overall atmosphere in the town was excited and it was a welcoming place. Slamdance is a better starting film festival to try to enter since they mainly showcase films without theatrical distribution, with first time directors, and low budgets. But each film was unique and I wouldn't have missed it for anything. One of my personal favorites was "Four Eyed Monsters". Slamdance shows some of the most original films I've ever seen and is probably one of the best festivals in the U.S.
- Reviewed by Arlene Bozich, with thanks.

STUTTGARTER FILMWINTER (Germany) January
Shorts, animation, experimental, new media.

These kind and attractive looking people have been very supportive of my work so I love them dearly. I've not been, but they always boast of great parties in the snow which sounds heavenly. The Germans do film festivals really well on the whole, and this one seems to have its own distinct and growing reputation for experiment and investigation.

THE TIMES BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL (UK) October
Shorts, experimental and animation.

"The Times BFI London Film Festival showcases the best new films from around the world."
 
The EXPERIMENTA strand showcases the more 'out there' films, which is great, but I suppose I'd prefer to see these films in with the more 'conventional' shorts so that (a) the experimental films get a bigger audience (b) the 'man on the street' gets to endure some weird shit (c) I like a bit of sugar in my coffee (d) I like a bit of coffee in my sugar. Despite London sometimes feeling like the biggest, rudest and smelliest city in the Universe, the festival does manage to make its guests feel welcome and sought after, which is really, really, really important. So well done you.

By exploring subversive artistic methodologies and developing (counter-) conspiratorial strategies to uncover new forms of expression and digital discourse Conspire... will attempt to enter the increasingly prevalent yet ambiguous worlds of network induced narratives, cryptic environments and speculative inquiry ...

Together, transmediale and club transmediale invite the submission of works and projects that respond to these challenges, elaborate on the thematic outline of the combined festivals and correspond to a contemporary notion of art within digital culture.

ZEBRA AWARD (Berlin, Germany) June
Experimental & animated poetry films.

This is an interesting festival that focusses entirely on the notion of POETRYFILM. They're still making up their minds about what POETRYFILM actually is (or is not), and they are quite happy to be in a state of exploration and investigation - which I applaud. So if you have a work that in ANY RESPECT fits this very open category, just send it in!

ZINEBI (Bilbao, Spain) November
Shorts and animation.
 
A funny jumbled programme in the most incredible, velvet & gold city theatre. They put me up in a very nice hotel too, and I was very happy to be in Bilbao which is a magnificent place. Rather weak on the experimental side of things, but I think they're testing it out ... worth it for the tortilla alone.