FIFAM : Animated Short Film Competition 2026 Rules
Metz International Animation Film Festival (FIFAM) is looking for worldwide independent animated short movies. The selected ones will be screened during the Festival, among previews of great animation films, and will compete for several prizes.
Admission to the competition :
This competition is open to student films, graduation films, amateur self-produced films, or films made during workshops with minors.
Films made by minors have to be submitted by their legal guardian or the institution where the film has been made.
Your Animated Short film should not exceed 15 minutes, no specific theme required, and from any nationality.
Only short films produced and finished by January 1st, 2025 are allowed to register.
Films that have already been selected previously in this Festival are not allowed to register.
Use of AI :
Generative AI tools may be used in any part of the film without completely replacing any department (either writing, art direction, music, etc).
The use of AI tools have to come along with an original artistic purpose.
General terms :
Registering is free.
Films have to be sent by September 30th 2025.
A submitted film has to be original and should not constitute a violation of any copyrights. By submitting a film, you assert that you comply with all laws and copyrights of all parts of the film.
By submitting a film, you accept these rules, and declare that your film does not contravene neither to intellectual property nor to industrial property. You declare that your film does not contravene to honor and privacy of people depicted or involved in the movie.
Filmmakers assign rights to exhibit motion pictures and stills to the Festival. It concerns free public screening, as well as promotional materials (teaser, social media, prints…)
Screenings :
Public screenings will occur in January and February 2027. Animated short Films will be shown in Official Selection, during specially dedicated screenings in a theater, open-air and into non-dedicated places (such as schools, associations...)
We keep a special place for bests films : they will be displayed just before major movies of the Official Selection.
The organization may display non-selected films in dedicated “out of competition” screenings.
An authorization for this specific case will be asked to the filmmakers
Specific days and screening modalities will be announced later.
Jury :
The organization will name a jury of professionals and students. They will watch, analyze and select movies that will be awarded. Decisions are final, and subject neither to discussion nor to claims.
Awards and Prizes :
First Jury Prize 1000€
Second Jury Prize 500€
Sponsor prize packages for specific categories will be later announced.
The Organization Commitee may add special awards if it seems required, even if they are not listed in these rules.
Cash Prize may be subject to French Taxation, and to all applicable taxation in the country of residence of the award-winning filmmaker.
Technical requirements :
The Short Film
Video
We require at least format 1, but you can also send us format 2 if available :
Format 1 : .mp4 or .mov (codec h.264) / 1080p jusqu'à 4k / data rate up to 100 mb/s
Format 2 : Apple ProRes 422
Audio
(Formats 1 et 2) : AAC / PCM stereo 2.0
Subtitles
The video file must be free of subtitles. If the film language is not French, you have to send us a .srt file, french if available, or english. In the latter case, we will translate it if the movie is selected.
The organization reserves the right to adapt the video file in order to guarantee a good quality of screening.
Other materials :
At least :
2 stills of the movie
If available :
Poster
Teaser
EPK
Personal Data :
We collect a few personal data to ensure the smooth functioning of the competition, the registration of movies, and the announcement of the event.
Any personal data collected will be used only for the purpose of FIFAM 2027, in a non-commercial way.
According to the General Data Protection Regulation (GPDR) in France and European Union, you have rights on your personal data. You can :
Access to your personal data
Require modification of your personal data if it is incorrect, or incomplete
Require the suppression of your personal data.
To exercise your rights, or if you have any question about the use of your personal data, you can contact us by mail at ffanimation@laligue57.org, in French, or in English.
We committed ourselves to protect your personal data and use it in a secure and transparent manner, in accordance with GPDR.
