Ghent International Short Film Festival

Ghent International Short Film Festival recognizes the important role short films have in cinema, storytelling, and culture. The festival discovers, supports and develops new talent in filmmaking, providing a platform for emerging and established filmmakers from around the world. The Ghent International Short Film Festival is a new annual event that aims to screen up to 100 short films.

We are open to all genres, including narrative, documentary, animated, underground, experimental films and music videos. For our 90 minute special 'Kids Proof' screening we're also in search for innovative films that are suitable for kids between 8 and 12 years old (could be animated, documentary, live action, experimental).

Connecting industry and audiences, the festival celebrates the creativity, diversity and impact of short film. There will be unmissable evening screenings where audiences can watch the best new short films from upcoming talent, and opportunities to network with the industry. So whether you are a filmmaker looking to launch or develop your career, an industry professional wanting to stay ahead of the game or a film lover wanting to soak up the festival atmosphere by watching great films, the Ghent International Short Film Festival is the place to be.
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The Ghent International Short Film Festival is a young festival, but comes well connected. The organization behind the festival already runs the world famous Viewpoint Documentary Film Festival which originated in 1994 and Europe's most obscure film festival Obskuur (since 2020).

Through its partnership with The Bigger Screen it offers great networking opportunities with established film festivals such as the Boston Short Film Festival, Hong Kong Arthouse Film Festival, Venice Film Week, to name a few.
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The Ghent International Short Film Festival will take place at different locations in Ghent, Belgium in March 2025.

‘OFF ON’ SELECTION
Next to our physical screenings we’ll also be screening online with the special OFF ON SELECTION. The OFF ON Selection will go online one week prior to the opening of the physical part of the festival and will stay online until the last day of the festival. Viewers will be able to watch, but not download your film. If needed we can geo-block your film to our region.
We’re open to any genre (narrative, web series, made for tv, documentary, experimental …) and especially any duration (which is always an issue for the physical part of the festival). Selected filmmakers will receive all official selection perks (The Tarkovski Grant, The Producer’s Night nomination, …) and are in the running for any of the award titles. When you submit your film for consideration to both a physical section and the Off On Selection it is possible to be selected for both, but this is of course not guaranteed. Filmmakers that submit their film only to any of the other sections (so any other than the Off On Selection) will not be selected for an online screening.

- A 'Climate Neutral Film Event', powered by TreePlan.org.
- An official festival partner of The Producer's Night Los Angeles (producersnight.com)

Proud partner of The Bigger Screen
Ghent International Short Film Festival is supported by The Bigger Screen, an organization that aims to make film as an art form more accessible and more inclusive. A short overview of their projects:

- Supporting Film Festivals: Film festivals are not only a place to share films, but they are a safe haven for film makers to connect, share, and learn. The Bigger Screens supports and engages with over 25 respected international film festivals from mainstays like the 61st Ann Arbor Film Festival and the Brussels Independent Film Festival to emerging events such as the Venice Film Week and The Producer’s Night Los Angeles. These events bring filmmakers and filmgoers together, providing that place to connect and engage in a comfortable setting, away from Hollywood glitz and glamour.

- Connecting Cultures Program: Each year, The Bigger Screen selects at least ten countries and grants filmmakers from those areas the ability to submit their work free of charge to partner festivals all over the world. This opens the door of film exposure to those who may not otherwise be able to enter. As we support inclusivity and shareable films, this program exemplifies our mission. Check out https://www.connectingculturesprogram.com to see if your country is included in this year’s program and submit your work for free.

- Local Filmmakers Program: To encourage rising talent, we lowered the festival submission fee to local talent and even made it for free when submitted before the Extreme Early Bird Deadline. This provides a great opportunity for local filmmakers to enter the international film scene. Think global, act local, right?

- The Tarkovski Grant: All selected filmmakers will receive The Tarkovski Grant, a film festival submission fee waiver package with an average value of about $500. This not only saves you a lot of money, but it also recognizes your work as something to watch for during the selection procedure, making a selection with another partner film festival more likely - but of course, never guaranteed. The Tarkovski Grant supports hundreds of filmmakers each year in their challenging journeys as independent filmmakers, by promoting existing films, no matter the genre, style or length.