Film by the Sea is the fourth biggest film festival of the Netherlands with over 40,000 admissions annually. The festival focuses on book adaptations and French language films, but also presents a Panorama section of international festival favourites and avant-premieres, as well as a small selection of documentaries. A special program is devoted to films from the province of Zeeland. Film by the Sea takes place in the seaside city of Vlissingen, in the southwest of the Netherlands. The 26th edition runs from September 12 until 21, 2025.

* Film and Literature Award
* Career Achievement Award
* International Student Jury Award
* Youth Jury Award
* Audience Award
* Zeeuwse Film Prijzen

Applications for the upcoming edition of Film by the Sea can be made until July 1, 2025. Please note that Film by the Sea upholds a restrictive policy regarding unsolicited applications. We have a ‘Best of the Fests’ programming policy, i.e. the majority of the selected films have previously screened at major international film festivals such as Berlin and Cannes.

We call upon makers to apply in the following categories:

* Book adaptations (feature length, Dutch and international)
* Zeeuws Licht (Feature films and documentaries of filmmakers from the province of
Zeeland and/or thematically linked to Zeeland (feature length and short)
* Dutch fiction films and documentaries (feature length)
* Documentaries and fiction films with a maritime theme (feature length)
* Panorama (feature length fiction films only)

Please note:
- Other than films from Zeeland we do not select short films or student films
- All submitted films should have been completed in January 2024 or thereafter
- Feature length films have a minimum length of 50 minutes
- Short films (from Zeeland) have a maximum length of 49 minutes
- Films that do not fit into the above mentioned categories will not be considered

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Probably one of the best festivals in The Netherlands. Lovely cinema, great Q&A afterwards. And the fact that Jan Doense and his team at the festival made it possible for the Darius Brubeck Quartet to perform after the screening was wonderful!

    October 2024
  • I had a lovely time at Film by the Sea! It always feels like returning home, with a nice location close to the sea. Thanks for having me and my film in the Zeeuws Licht competition :)

    September 2024
  • Bram Roza

    One of the best film festivals in The Netherlands.

    September 2024
  • Joel van As

    A superb festival with incredibly supportive staff. Thank you once again for screening our film Ich bin Wiete - it was an absolute pleasure.

    September 2024
  • Nathalie Pleunis

    As a visitor and a film maker I can only put in writing how different and wonderful this film festival is. Location is the key here, and also the way the festival is being programmed makes it a one of a kind every year. Special thanks to Bo van Scheyen who made Zeeuws Licht a success.

    September 2024