CiNEAST Film Festival “CiNEFES!” is an independent film festival held in Tokyo, Japan, celebrating the power of storytelling through film.

CiNEFES! aims to create a space where filmmakers, actors, and audiences can encounter films—and one another—in a way that feels unique to this festival. Rather than simply screening films, we value the experience of watching them together in a theater, sharing reactions in real time, and creating moments of connection through cinema.

The upcoming edition will be held on April 17–18, 2027, at the Small Hall of Curian (Shinagawa City General Civic Center) in Tokyo, Japan.

The festival includes domestic screening sections, audience award voting for domestic programs, post-screening talks, and opportunities for交流 between filmmakers, performers, and viewers. For international submissions, CiNEFES! presents a non-competitive International Showcase.

Selected international films will be screened to a Japanese audience as part of the festival program. If possible, selected filmmakers may participate through an in-person appearance or a short video message.

Films in languages other than English must include English subtitles at the time of submission, and selected films must provide an English SRT file for screening preparation. Japanese subtitles may be created in-house by the festival based on the submitted English SRT.

Travel and accommodation support is not provided.

CiNEFES! is designed not only as a screening event, but as a place where films, filmmakers, and audiences can genuinely meet.

Awards & Prizes

Audience Award

Rules & Terms

CiNEAST Film Festival “CiNEFES!” – International Showcase

1. Section Type

The International Showcase is a non-competitive, curated screening section of CiNEAST Film Festival “CiNEFES!”.
No awards or prizes are presented for this section.

2. Event Dates

The upcoming edition of the festival will be held on April 17–18, 2027, at the Small Hall of Curian (Shinagawa City General Civic Center) in Tokyo, Japan.

3. Categories

International submissions are accepted in the following categories:

International Showcase – Short (up to 15 minutes)
International Showcase – Mid (15–30 minutes)

Please note: for in-person screening, films 15 minutes or less will be prioritized.
Films between 15 and 30 minutes will be selected in a limited number.

4. Eligibility
Submissions are open to international films only via FilmFreeway.
Domestic submissions from Japan are handled separately through the festival’s official website.
Films must not exceed 30 minutes, including credits.
The submitter must hold all necessary rights for festival screening.
5. Language & Subtitles
Films in languages other than English must include English subtitles at the time of submission.
Submissions without English subtitles may be disqualified.
If selected, filmmakers must provide an English SRT subtitle file by the festival’s requested deadline.
6. Screening Materials (If Selected)

Selected filmmakers must provide the following by the requested deadline:

Screening file
Format: MP4 / H.264
Preferred resolution: 1920×1080
Audio: 48kHz
English subtitle file
English SRT is mandatory
Press materials
1–3 stills
Synopsis
Credits

The festival may create Japanese subtitles in-house based on the submitted English SRT for screening in Japan.

7. Filmmaker Participation

If possible, selected filmmakers may participate through an in-person appearance or a short video message.

8. Travel & Accommodation

The festival does not provide travel or accommodation support.

9. Fees

Submission fees are non-refundable.

10. Selection

All submissions are reviewed by the festival team.
Selection decisions are final.

11. Rights

By submitting, the entrant confirms that they have the legal right to submit the film and authorize its screening at the festival.
Japanese subtitles will generally be created in-house by the festival based on the submitted English SRT for screening in Japan.

12. Delivery Deadlines

If selected, all required materials must be delivered by the deadlines specified by the festival.
Failure to provide the required materials, including the English SRT, may result in removal from the screening lineup.

13. Entry Fees and No-Waiver Policy

Please note that all entry fees are mandatory; we do not grant any fee waivers or discounts to ensure equal opportunity for all applicants.