Bold. Interactive. International.

The launchpad for first-time and emerging filmmakers. Step forward and share your work with the world.

Your audience is waiting.

Founded in 2016, the Berlin Student Film Festival (BSFF) is a nonprofit festival dedicated to showcasing student and emerging filmmakers from around the globe. BSFF is the only student film festival in Berlin with a truly international audience, offering early-career filmmakers a serious platform for visibility and recognition beyond their own campuses.

BSFF champions new voices, original perspectives, and future-facing storytelling. While we value strong craft and cinematic entertainment, we prioritize films that challenge ideas, spark dialogue, and reflect the questions shaping the next generation of filmmakers.

The festival is committed to access, opportunity, and global exchange, creating meaningful pathways for students and recent graduates to connect with peers, audiences, and the wider film community.

We look forward to being part of your creative journey and giving your story the international stage it deserves.

A kulturspace Production
BSFF is part of a wider portfolio of cultural initiatives produced by kulturspace. More than a creative branding consultancy, kulturspace is a way of thinking. We work through creative collaboration with designers, storytellers, and digital innovators worldwide to create experiences that resonate and empower.

Awards & Prizes

BSFF welcomes submissions for the following categories:
Best AI-Assisted Film

Best Animation

Best Cinematography

Best Costume Design

Best Diversity & Inclusion Film

Best Documentary

Best Editing

Best Female Director

Best LGBTQ+ Film

Best Music Video

Best Poster Design

Best Scenography & Set Design

Best Social Impact Film

Best Sound Design

Best Trailer

Best Visual Effects

Awards
BSFF winners also stand a chance to win a range of prizes, including cash, internships, filming equipment, and other incentives. This is in addition to the international exposure from our live and digital screenings, social media publicity, BSFF newsletters, and the use of the official BSFF laurel.

The BSFF Trophy
A lot of careful thought and planning went into the design of this unique mixed media trophy. We wanted it to be symbolic and look cool on any deserving shelf, which was no mean feat. The result of that process: a striking award made of cement and bronze.

The cement symbolizes staying grounded as you progress in your career while serving as a reminder of where you started. The bronze on the other hand will patina over time, a fitting metamorphosis in tandem with your journey as an emerging filmmaker.

Other Prizes
BSFF winners also stand a chance of winning a range of prizes such as cash, internships, filming equipment and other incentives. This is in addition to the international exposure via our live and digital screenings, social media publicity, BSFF newsletters and usage of the official BSFF laurel.

Rules & Terms

SUMMARY FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE BERLIN STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL (BSFF)
These Terms & Conditions are written to be clear and readable. We are not trying to hide anything in dense legal language or trick anyone into agreeing to terms they may later regret. Our goal is to protect both participating filmmakers and BSFF, now and in the future.

Berlin Student Film Festival (BSFF)
Produced by kulturspace deutschland e.V., a registered German nonprofit association (eingetragener Verein).
All rights reserved.

ELIGIBILITY
BSFF is an international student film festival, and filmmakers from all countries are welcome to participate.

Applicants must:

Be students, recent graduates, or first-time/emerging filmmakers

Be of legal age in their country of residence at the time of submission

Obtain written consent from a legal guardian if the applicant is a minor

Additional requirements:

All music and copyrighted materials must be properly licensed

Films not in English must include English subtitles

Submissions must comply with all applicable laws of the applicant’s country of residence

The following are not eligible to submit:

Employees, board members, contractors, or volunteers of BSFF or kulturspace deutschland e.V.

Jury members and their immediate household members

Entities under common control with the above

By submitting a film, you confirm that you meet all eligibility requirements.

BSFF IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

APPLICATION OF THESE TERMS
These Terms & Conditions govern all film submissions to BSFF. In the event of any inconsistency between these Terms and any other BSFF communication, these Terms shall prevail.

Questions may be directed to:
hello@berlinstudentfilmfestival.com

SUBMISSION AGREEMENT
By submitting a film, the Applicant confirms that:

All necessary rights, permissions, licenses, and releases have been obtained

The Applicant has authority to submit the film on behalf of all rights holders

The Applicant has read, understood, and agreed to these Terms

BSFF reserves the right to disqualify any submission that does not comply with these Terms, without refund of submission fees.

SUBMISSION PLATFORM, DEADLINES & FEES
All submissions must be made via FilmFreeway

Submission deadlines and fees are listed on the BSFF FilmFreeway page

All submission fees are non-refundable

Incomplete or improperly submitted entries will not be considered.

Only one version of a film may be submitted. If multiple versions are uploaded, only the first received version will be reviewed.

SELECTION PROCESS
All eligible films submitted by the deadline will be considered.

Selection decisions are made at the sole discretion of BSFF and are final. BSFF is not obligated to provide feedback or explanations regarding selection decisions.

Applicants will be notified via the email address provided at submission. Applicants are responsible for ensuring their contact details are accurate and monitored.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & LEGAL WARRANTIES
The Applicant represents and warrants that:

The film is original or properly licensed

The film does not infringe copyright, trademark, privacy, or publicity rights

The film is not subject to legal dispute

No agreements exist that would prevent exhibition at BSFF

The Applicant has full authority to grant the rights described herein

Applicants agree to indemnify and hold harmless BSFF, kulturspace deutschland e.V., and their officers, staff, partners, and representatives from any claims arising from the submitted film.

ANTI-PIRACY & SECURITY
BSFF takes reasonable precautions to protect submitted films. Access is limited to authorized personnel. However, by submitting a film, the Applicant releases BSFF from liability for unauthorized access, copying, or loss beyond BSFF’s reasonable control.

GRANT OF LICENSE
The Applicant retains full ownership of the film.

By submitting, the Applicant grants BSFF a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to:

Screen the film as part of BSFF

Use excerpts, stills, trailers, and credits for promotional and archival purposes

Display the film on BSFF platforms strictly for festival-related use

This license applies only to non-commercial, festival-related activities.

Applicants must approve FilmFreeway download requests to remain eligible for selection.

The license may be revoked in writing unless the film has already been selected, shortlisted, or awarded, in which case the license becomes irrevocable for archival and promotional purposes.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Awards may include trophies, certificates, or other recognition of nominal monetary value.

Additional awards may be announced during the festival cycle.

PUBLICITY RELEASE
By participating, Applicants grant BSFF the right to use:

The submitted film

Filmmaker name and biography

Stills, clips, and promotional materials

for editorial, promotional, and archival purposes without additional compensation.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
To the fullest extent permitted by law:

BSFF shall not be liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages

BSFF’s total liability shall not exceed €100

GOVERNING LAW & DISPUTE RESOLUTION
These Terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Any disputes shall be resolved in the courts of Berlin, Germany, unless mandatory consumer protection laws require otherwise.

FINAL PROVISIONS (Yes, This Is the “Small Print”)
This agreement is non-transferable without written permission

If any provision is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain valid

This agreement remains in effect without renewal

Clear. Fair. Serious. No tricks.