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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 June

Mill Valley Film Festival

San Francisco, United States
01/10/2026 – 11/10/2026
Deadline: 01/06/2026

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Adelaide Film Festival

Adelaide, Australia
14/10/2026 – 25/10/2026
Deadline: 02/06/2026

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Venice International Film Festival

Venice, Italy
02/09/2026 – 12/09/2026
Deadline: 04/06/2026

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Venice Film Festival - Giornate degli Autori

Venice, Italy
02/09/2026 – 12/09/2026
Deadline: 15/06/2026

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San Sebastián International Film Festival

San Sebastian, Spain
18/09/2026 – 26/09/2026
Deadline: 16/06/2026

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New York International Documentary Film Festival - DOC NYC

New York, United States
11/11/2026 – 29/11/2026
Deadline: 18/06/202

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Venice International Film Critics Week

Venice, Italy
02/09/2026 – 12/09/2026
Deadline: 19/06/2026

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Espinho International Animation Film Festival - Cinanima

Espinho, Portugal
06/11/2026 – 22/11/2026
Deadline: 21/06/202

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Chicago International Film Festival

Chicago, United States
14/10/2026 – 25/10/2026
Deadline: 30/06/2026

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Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival

Jihlava, Czech Republic
23/10/2026 – 01/11/2026
Deadline: 30/06/2026

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Mannheim-Heidelberg International Film Festival - Mannheim Meetings

Mannheim-Heidelberg, Germany
05/11/2026 – 15/11/2026
Deadline: 30/06/2026

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Mar del Plata International Film Festival

Mar del Plata, Argentina
05/11/2026 – 15/11/2026
Deadline: 30/06/2026

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Deadlines in July

Telluride Film Festival

Telluride, United States
04/09/2026 – 07/09/2026
Deadline: 01/07/2026

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Leipzig International Festival for Documentary and Animated Film - DOK Leipzig

Leipzig, Germany
26/10/2026 – 01/11/2026
Deadline: 01/07/2026

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Poznañ International Young Audience Film Festival - Ale Kino!

Poznañ, Poland
22/11/2026 – 29/11/2026
Deadline: 02/07/202

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Florence International Film Festival of Social Documentaries - Festival dei Popoli

Florence, Italy
31/10/2026 – 08/11/2026
Deadline: 04/07/2026

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Tokyo International Film Festival

Tokyo, Japan
26/10/2026 – 04/11/2026
Deadline: 07/07/202

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Busan International Film Festival

Busan, Korea
16/09/2026 – 25/09/2026
Deadline: 08/07/202

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Winterthur International Short Film Festival

Winterthur, Switzerland
03/11/2026 – 08/11/2026
Deadline: 12/07/2026

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Sitges International Film Festival of Catalonia

Sitges, Spain
08/10/2026 – 18/10/2026
Deadline: 16/07/2026

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Thessaloniki International Film Festival

Thessaloniki, Greece
05/11/2026 – 15/11/2026
Deadline: 17/07/2026

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Rome International Film Festival

Rome, Italy
14/10/2026 – 25/10/2026
Deadline: 30/07/2026

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Warsaw International Film Festival

Warsaw, Poland
09/10/2026 – 18/10/2026
Deadline: 31/07/2026

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São Paulo International Film Festival - Mostra

São Paulo, Brazil
15/10/2026 – 29/10/2026
Deadline: 31/07/2026

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Vienna International Film Festival - Viennale

Vienna, Austria
22/10/2026 – 03/11/2026
Deadline: 31/07/202

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Deadlines in August

Leuven International Short Film Festival

Leuven, Belgium
27/11/2026 – 5/12/2026
Deadline: 15/08/2026

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Palm Springs International Film Festival 07/01/2027 – 18/01/2027

Palm Springs, United States
07/01/2027 – 18/01/2027
Deadline: 31/08/2026

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Black Nights Film Festival - PÖFF

Tallinn, Estonia
06/11/2026 – 22/11/2026
Deadline: 24/08/2026

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Valladolid International Film Festival - Seminci

Valladolid, Spain
23/10/2026 – 31/10/2026
Deadline: 04/08/2026

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