These past few weeks, we have been very busy with the strategic planning of new short films and starting their distribution for 2019. There are also several festivals with deadlines closing soon that can be considered for submission this November.
When starting distribution, most of the time, Class A festivals are chosen, but you must be very aware of the difficulty of being programmed in these festivals. Additionally, they require world and international premieres, which can result in your short film being on hold for several months, awaiting a response.
In this regard, the Berlin Film Festival closes submissions next week, a good opportunity to opt for a festival of this category. The next is Cannes, which takes place in May, followed by Locarno in early August and Venice, in late August and early September.
Therefore, if you are going to start distributing your short film now, you can review other options. There are festivals that value both international and world premieres and currently have open calls. These festivals are also very important in the international circuit, and many of them qualify for Oscars and Goyas.
Here are 5 festivals you can consider to start your distribution strategy now, which also includes Berlin. In all cases, the short films must have been produced this year and have submission fees, which is already very common in festivals of a certain category:
#1 Berlinale
The submission period for short films in Berlin is open until November 15, the only Class A festival on this list. There are two options to participate with your short film in Berlin: the Generation section and Berlinale Shorts.
The Generation section is dedicated to young audiences and accepts both short and feature films. In the case of short films, they must have a maximum duration of 20 minutes.
The short film section itself is Berlinale Shorts, which does allow a longer duration, up to 30 minutes. Both sections accept international and world premieres. Although it is preferable to reserve the world premiere. It takes place from February 7 to 17.
Both sections are open to documentary, experimental, and fiction short films, with a programming tendency towards more experimental cinema.
The submission fee is €75, which has increased from €60 in previous years. In any case, there are discounts for schools and distributors submitting several films.
#2 Krakow Film Festival
Krakow is one of the most important festivals in the world, with a history of almost 60 years. It has a documentary section and another specific for short films of all genres.
There are two submission deadlines: November 30 for short films produced before October 31, and January 31, 2019, for later productions.
To participate in the festival, short films must be at least a Polish premiere, but a world premiere is also valued, so try to reserve it as much as possible. Short films must have a maximum duration of 30 minutes, and there is a submission fee for both deadlines of about €10.
It takes place from May 26 to June 2, 2019, which are challenging dates to reserve a world premiere, which is why it is so highly valued and can increase your chances of being selected, provided your short film fits the programming line. Keep in mind that documentary has a special prominence in this festival.
#3 Tribeca
The late deadline is now open, and although it is the most expensive deadline with a cost of $60, you can still submit to the festival. Tribeca requires a New York premiere, but values USA and especially international and world premieres. Therefore, it is a good option to consider if you have some budget.
The programming is based on thematic sessions, so it is not easy to know its editorial line well. Short films with a maximum duration of 40 minutes, of all types, including fiction, documentaries, and experimental cinema, can participate. If your film is longer than 40 minutes, it is considered a feature film.
It should be noted that student short films have a special discount of about $20. Just a couple of years ago, the submission for these short films was free.
Submissions can be made through their own platform, via this link, or through Withoutabox, but since this platform has already announced its closure, I think it is better to use their own form.
#4 Cartagena de Indias Film Festival
It is one of the oldest Ibero-American festivals, with almost 60 years of history. The submission period is open until December 5.
The premiere requirement is also national, but an international premiere is valued, making it a good option to premiere your short film. The submission cost is about $30 in the Onda Corta section, where Ibero-American short films can participate and which qualifies for the Oscars. It has other sections for national and Cartagena de Indias short films.
The festival takes place from March 6 to 11.
#5 Melbourne International Film Festival
Melbourne’s only competitive section is precisely for short films. The feature film programming is out of competition, which allows it to showcase the most important feature films of the year.
The early deadline is now open until November 30, with 70 Australian dollars, about $50.97 and €44.37, making it one of the festivals with the highest fees in the circuit. The submission closing date is March 29, with a cost reaching 110 Australian dollars (€80.10 and €69.73).
The premiere requirement is in the Australian state of Victoria, but like the rest of the festivals, it would be good to reserve the Australian and especially the international premiere. It takes place from August 2 to 19, so if you start now, it is really difficult to achieve an international premiere, but it is an option to consider. The short film competition also qualifies for the Oscars and Goyas.
Submissions can only be made through Withoutabox. We will see what happens next year and if they change platforms, or create their own online form. For now, you have to create an account if you choose to participate in this festival.
Plan Your Festivals
Among these five festivals, you could send it to Berlin as it is the first to take place. If you were selected, you would have to consider that you would lose options for the other festivals, but you could continue in the selection process, as the minimum premiere requirements are not so restrictive.
To help you plan your distribution, here are these festivals in order of celebration:
- Berlinale – February 7 to 17
- Cartagena de Indias – March 6 to 11
- Tribeca – April 24 to May 5
- Krakow – May 26 to June 2
- Melbourne – August 2 to 19
I hope these options are useful for November. If you have any questions or want to share your experiences at any of these festivals, see you in the comments.