When we plan festival distribution, especially in the United States and at European festivals, we always take the Oscar lists, the Goyas, and many other institutions as a reference, such as FIAPF, Mélies, Cartoon, etc.
It is a correct and necessary strategy, especially given the number of festivals worldwide.
But you must be careful; you cannot forget that there are many other festivals that are worthwhile but do not appear on any of these lists.
Many of them have extensive experience and have managed to create an important community of directors and producers around them, in addition to carrying out many other activities that justify a visit.
In my monthly review of festivals to close the entries for the films we have in distribution, I have selected three festivals held in Europe that close their call for entries in the coming days, before July 15.
They take place in France, Lithuania, and Germany.
Festival Tous Courts
It has been held in Aix-en-Provence for 36 years, being one of the oldest and most important short film festivals in France. It has an international competition, which is the main axis of the festival. The requirements for this section are very clear: short films up to 30 minutes made since January 2017.
As a complement to this competition, the fourth edition of the experimental film competition and the 20th edition of a short film market are also held.
It is also common in French festivals of this size to organize other activities that complete the exhibition, such as a workshop for young authors, a screenplay competition, round tables, and parallel sections.
It is held from December 4 to 8 and the deadline for submitting short films is next July 15. You can only register through filmfestplatform.com and if you enter their website, keep in mind that only the French version of the new call for entries is updated.
Riga International Film Festival 2ANNAS
This is the most important short film festival in Latvia and is celebrating its 26th edition. It also takes place at the end of the year, like Tous Courts, in this case from November 26 to December 2.
This festival has an orientation towards more experimental cinema, admitting both short and medium-length films up to 60 minutes. It also has a competition for films for children, which is becoming increasingly common.
The regular deadline ends on July 15 with a fee of $5; the late deadline is August 15 with a fee that doubles to $10. It should be noted that it values the Latvian premiere, although it is not a strict requirement.
You can register your film on three different platforms: Festhome, Filmfreeway, and Withoutabox.
Kasseler DokFest
It has also been held for many years; the 35th edition is now open for this German festival that takes place in the German city of Kassel, a center of contemporary art thanks to Documenta, the largest contemporary art exhibition in the world, which is held every 5 years. The last edition took place in 2017.
The fact of sharing a venue seems to determine DokFest’s editorial line towards experimental cinema, documentaries, and new technologies. It admits all types of lengths, from short films to medium-length and feature films.
Therefore, it is a good opportunity for the distribution of medium-length films.
The registration deadline ends very soon, on July 8. Registration is not done through platforms, but only with an online form on the festival’s own website.
Register for these festivals now
Due to the proximity of the registration deadline, I advise you to register as soon as possible; only one of them has registration fees, but they are truly very affordable:
- Kasseler DokFest – July 8 – Free
- Tous Courts – July 15 – Free
- 2ANNAS – July 15 – $5 fee
I hope this post helps you get to know these festivals, but above all to broaden the focus of your distribution strategy; do not limit yourself to the festivals you see on the lists. There are many other opportunities for your film, sometimes slightly less crowded, but also very interesting.
Best of luck with the distribution of your film!