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Film Festivals & Tips

Read more about how important film festivals are for your film, what we can do for you and check up on upcoming ‘festival submission deadlines’.

still from Krazy House (Flip van der Kuil & Steffen Haars, NL 2024)

still Krazy House (Flip van der Kuil & Steffen Haars, NL 2024)

Festivals

Film festivals are important opportunities for the film industry to discover the most recent films on offer and to learn about films that are in production. Being selected for a festival creates publicity and awareness for a film – the so-called buzz which helps to sell a film.

Being selected for a festival and winning awards, raises a film’s market value. These achievements serve as a hallmark, a certification of quality. The moment a film is selected for a festival is the best possible time to launch the film internationally. Usually, festival exposure increases the odds of selling the film.

Every film is unique! Inevitably, this means the best international route for each film is unique too. Which festival is potentially the best launching pad for which film, depends on the film, the year and the film’s momentum. Various factors determine these choices, including genre, subject matter, director, etc. That is why we always recommend getting in touch with us at an early stage if you want to discuss and set out your festival strategy with us.

To which festival should I send my film?

Obviously, the option of submitting a film to a festival depends on when the film is actually finalised. In addition, it’s also important that the film is suited to a particular festival’s programme.

To determine which festivals are appropriate for your film, it’s important to start planning for festivals at an early stage and to decide where you would ideally like your film to have its international premiere. If you’re aiming for Berlin, Venice, Toronto or Cannes, you might have to wait until these festivals announce their selections before you can continue submitting to other, smaller festivals.

Also, not all films will benefit from being selected for one of the abovementioned major festivals if the film isn’t in competition or screened as part of the main programme. You may do better to choose to screen your film in competition at a smaller festival, where the film will receive more exposure.

The SEE NL team is eager to help you set out your festival strategy. It’s a good idea to get in touch with us at an early stage, i.e., before the film is finished. We are in ongoing contact with festivals and festival programmers all around the world and we can bring new Dutch (co)productions to their attention.

Nothing is as changeable about film festivals as their submission deadlines, so keep a close eye on this. Deadlines are usually set about three months before festivals start.

The later you submit your film to a festival, the lower your probability of being selected. The slots fill up, so the later you submit your film, the more slots will already have been filled. In other words, it makes sense to submit your film as early as possible.

Submission deadlines

To give you a helping hand, we have compiled a list of the most important film festivals that have upcoming submission deadlines… this will enable you to get started right away. Looking for more? Please visit filmfreeway.com for a wide range of festivals. If you have any questions about specific festivals, don't hesitate to contact us! Be aware that scam festivals exist. Film journalist Cesar Majorana made a podcast about scam festivals for Eye and VPRO (in Dutch).

Deadlines in September

Victoria Film Festival

Victoria (BC), Canada
05/02/2027 – 14/02/2027
Deadline: 05/09/2026

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Turin International Film Festival

Turin, Italy
24/11/2026 – 02/12/2027
Deadline: 06/09/2026

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Park City Sundance Film Festival

Park City, United States
21/01/2027 – 31/01/2027
Deadline: 21/09/2026

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Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival

Clermont-Ferrand , France
29/01/2027 – 06/02/2027
Deadline: 24/09/2026

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Ann Arbor Film Festival

Ann Arbor, United States
24/03/2026 – 29/03/2026
Deadline: 30/09/2026

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Deadlines in October

Austin Film Festival - South by Southwest - SXSW

Austin, United States
15/03/2027 – 21/03/2027
Deadline: 01/10/2026

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Brussels Cartoon and Animation Film Festival - Anima

Brussels, Belgium
19/02/2027 – 28/02/2027
Deadline: 02/10/2026

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Gothenburg International Film Festival

Gothenburg, Sweden
29/01/2027 – 07/02/2027
Deadline: 15/10/2026

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Berlin International Film Festival - Berlinale

Berlin, Germany
10/02/2027 – 21/02/2027
Deadline: 21/10/2026

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Deadlines in November

Oporto International Film Festival - Fantasporto

Oporto, Portugal
07/04/2027 – 25/04/2027
Deadline: 10/01/2026

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Paris International Festival of Documentary Films - Cinema Du Reel

Paris, France
19/03/2027 – 27/03/2027
Deadline: 01/11/2026

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Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival - cph:dox

Copenhagen, Denmark
10/03/2027 – 21/03/2027
Deadline: 03/11/2026

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Tampere International Short Film Festival

Tampere, Finland
10/03/2027 – 14/03/2027
Deadline: 03/11/2026

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Aspen International Short Film Festival - Shortsfest

Aspen, United States
06/04/2027 – 10/04/2027
Deadline: 13/11/2026

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Durham Documentary Film Festival - The Full Frame

Durham, United States
01/04/2027 – 04/04/2027
Deadline: 15/11/2026

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Malmö International Children's and Young People's Film Festival - BUFF

Malmö, Sweden
13/03/2027 – 19/03/2027
Deadline: 15/11/202

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Stuttgart International Animated Film Festival - Trickfilm Festival

Stuttgart, Germany
27/04/2027 – 02/05/2027
Deadline: 15/11/2026

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São Paulo International Documentary Film Festival - It's All True

São Paulo, Brazil
08/04/2027 – 18/04/2027
Deadline: 30/11/2026

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Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival

Thessaloniki, Greece
04/03/2027 – 14/03/2027
Deadline: 30/11/2026

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Deadlines in December

New York International Children's Film Festival

New York, United States
26/02/2027 – 14/03/2027
Deadline: 01/12/2026

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San Francisco International Film Festival

San Francisco, United States
22/04/2027 – 02/05/2027
Deadline: 02/12/2026

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Munich International Documentary Film Festival - Dok.Fest

Munich, Germany
05/05/2027 – 16/05/2027
Deadline: 15/12/2026

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Nyon International Documentary Film Festival - Visions Du Réel

Nyon, Switzerland
09/04/2027 – 18/04/2027
Deadline: 15/12/2026

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