Discover a world of opportunities to showcase your short documentary film with these diverse and dynamic film festivals spanning the globe.
You’ve just completed your latest short documentary film. Wondering how to find an audience for it? In this article, you’ll find a roundup of film festivals to consider for your short documentary’s festival strategy.
Of course, major generalist film festivals always make room for short films: Cannes Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, Sundance Film Fesitval, and others. While short films often stand in the shadows of feature films at these events, they still provide excellent platforms for screening and lend credibility to both your film and your future career.
Similarly, you can explore the world’s major documentary festivals, many of which also offer significant space for short documentary selections: IDFA, Visions du Réel, CPH:DOX, Hot Docs, Sheffield Docfest, DOK Leipzig, etc.
Here’s a list of festivals dedicated to short films:
- Aspen Shortsfest – Held in Colorado, USA, Aspen Shortsfest is one of the most prestigious short film festivals globally.
- Athens Short Film Festival – Held in Greece, this festival celebrates short filmmaking with screenings, workshops, and networking events, providing opportunities for filmmakers to showcase their work and connect with industry professionals.
- Atlanta ShortsFest – Based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, this festival showcases short films from around the world, with a focus on promoting diversity and inclusion in filmmaking.
- Boston Short Film Festival – This festival in Massachusetts, USA, features a diverse program of short films across various genres, providing opportunities for filmmakers to showcase their work and connect with audiences in the vibrant city of Boston.
- Bengaluru International Short Film Festival – Held in India, this festival celebrates short filmmaking with screenings, workshops, and networking events, providing opportunities for filmmakers to showcase their work and engage with audiences.
- Busan International Short Film Festival (BISFF) – Based in South Korea, BISFF is one of Asia’s premier short film festivals, showcasing a wide range of short films from around the world.
- Canberra Short Film Festival – Held in Australia, this festival celebrates short filmmaking with screenings, workshops, and networking events, providing opportunities for filmmakers to showcase their work and connect with industry professionals.
- Chicago International REEL Shorts Film Festival – Held in Chicago, USA, this festival celebrates short filmmaking with a program of screenings, workshops, and networking events, providing opportunities for filmmakers to connect with industry professionals and audiences.
- Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival – Held in France, it’s one of the world’s most prestigious short film festivals.
- ClujShorts – This festival in Romania celebrates short filmmaking with screenings, workshops, and networking events, providing opportunities for filmmakers to showcase their work and connect with industry professionals.
- Cairo International Short Film Festival – This festival in Egypt celebrates short filmmaking with screenings, workshops, and networking events, providing opportunities for filmmakers to showcase their work and engage with audiences.
- Dam Short Film Festival – Hosted in Nevada, USA, this festival celebrates short filmmaking with screenings, workshops, and networking events.
- Emerging Filmmakers Night (EFN) – This event based in the UK provides a platform for emerging filmmakers to showcase their short films and connect with industry professionals and audiences.
- Flickerfest International Short Film Festival – Based in Sydney, Australia, Flickerfest is one of Australia’s most respected short film festivals.
- Glasgow Short Film Festival – Located in Scotland, this festival is dedicated to showcasing the best new short films from around the world.
- Go Short – International Short Film Festival Nijmegen – Based in the Netherlands, Go Short is one of the leading short film festivals in Europe.
- Hamburg International Short Film Festival (IKFF) – Located in Germany, IKFF is one of the longest-running short film festivals globally.
- Indy Shorts International Film Festival – Hosted by the Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis, USA, Indy Shorts celebrates short films from around the world.
- International Short Film Festival Oberhausen – Held in Germany, it’s one of the oldest and most respected short film festivals globally.
- Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur – Based in Switzerland, this festival celebrates short filmmaking with a diverse program of screenings and events.
- Izmit International Short Film Festival – Held in Turkey, this festival celebrates short filmmaking with screenings, workshops, and networking events.
- LA Shorts International Film Festival – This festival in Los Angeles is one of the largest short film festivals in the world.
- Leiden International Short Film Experience (LISFE) – Located in the Netherlands, LISFE is dedicated to showcasing innovative and thought-provoking short films.
- London Short Film Festival – This festival in the UK celebrates short filmmaking with screenings, workshops, and networking events.
- Ljubljana International Short Film Festival – Held in Slovenia, this festival celebrates short filmmaking with a diverse program of screenings and events.
- Macau International Short Film Festival – This festival in Macau celebrates short filmmaking with screenings, workshops, and networking events.
- Palm Springs International ShortFest – Located in California, this festival is one of the largest showcases for short films in North America.
- PÖFF Shorts (Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival) – Taking place in Estonia as part of the larger Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, PÖFF Shorts showcases a wide range of short films from around the world.
- Regard – Saguenay International Short Film Festival – Based in Quebec, Canada, Regard is one of the largest short film festivals in Canada.
- Rio de Janeiro International Short Film Festival – This festival in Brazil showcases a diverse selection of short films from Brazil and around the world.
- São Paulo International Short Film Festival (Curta Kinoforum) – Held in Brazil, this festival celebrates short films from Brazil and around the world.
- Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia – Based in Tokyo, it’s one of Asia’s largest short film festivals.
- Tampere Film Festival – Based in Finland, it’s one of the oldest short film festivals in the world, focusing solely on short films.
- Vienna Shorts – Held in Austria, Vienna Shorts is one of the leading short film festivals in Europe.
- West Chester International Short Film Festival – Held in Pennsylvania, USA, this festival celebrates short filmmaking with screenings, workshops, and networking events.
- Yerevan Short Film Festival – This festival in Armenia celebrates short filmmaking with screenings, workshops, and networking events.
This list provides a diverse range of options for showcasing your short documentary to audiences worldwide. Whether you’re a seasoned filmmaker or just starting out, these festivals offer invaluable opportunities for exposure and networking.
Explore our curated list of major film festivals worldwide along with their dates for 2024 right here!
