THE FESTIVAL
1. The aim of ARFF is to showcase emerging talents in genre cinema. The selection will feature the best of genre films: science fiction, horror, fantasy, thriller, etc. Fictional or animated short movies that are strange or closely aligned with genre film will be considered for selection. Movies that don't respect these criteria will be automatically disqualified.
2. The 7th edition of ARFF will take place end of October (dates TBC) in Namur (Belgium).
THE SUBMISSION
3. The deadline for submission is Saturday, 15 August , 2026.
4. The official selection will be announced on Saturday, September 5, 2026.
5. Once a movie has been submitted, it cannot be withdraw from the selection process.
6. Submissions must include:
- Film title;
- Running time;
- Country;
- Production end date;
- Director's name;
- Production company's name;
- Poster in HD;
- A synopsis in French or English;
- A minimum of two promotional images in HD;
- A link to the movie in HD password protected or not ;
- The kind of Premiere
Incomplete submissions will not be considered.
7. We accept films from any production year. Maximum running time is 20 minutes, including credits.
8. Movies must be in their original version. If the spoken language is not French, subtitles in French or English must be provided, even if the spoken language is English.
9. We accept short films that have already been screened at other festivals or are available online. We do not require exclusivity for screenings in our festival. However, if the movie has not been screened in Belgium at the time of submission and is selected for another festival in Belgium between submission and selection, please inform us. Please also let us know about the premiere of your film (worldwide, international, European, Belgian).
10. If submitting more than one film, a separate completed entry is required for each title.
11. All short films submitted will compete for several awards. See awards section for more details.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
12. Selected movies must be sent in DCP format by Sunday, October 11, 2026, at the latest, to avoid cancellation. We only accept unencrypted DCP in the following formats:
- 2K-DCI: 1998x1080p or 2048x858p.
- Audio: from stereo to 5.1.
13. The transportation (to and from) of the films will be at the expense, risk, and liability of the participants.
DIRECTOR ATTENDANCE
14. The festival does not cover expenses related to the transport, accommodation, or stay of guests related to selected movies. However, if the director attends the festival, they will receive a pass granting access to all screenings.
INSURANCE
15. The festival will not purchase insurance for the loss, theft, or damage of selected film copies, whether during transportation, storage or screening.
EXPLOITATION
16. Participants grant ARFF permission to use screenshots for promotional purposes. They also allow ARFF to reproduce a sample, not exceeding 2 minutes, for promotional purposes on television or the internet, or to create a teaser.
LEGAL NOTICE
17. Participation in the festival implies your agreement to adhere to the current rules. In case of conflict, only the French version of this regulation will be considered, and only the Belgian Court of First Instance will have jurisdiction.
18. All submissions not adhering to these terms will be rejected.
20. Rejected submissions will not be refunded
