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 25th edition runs from September 8 until 17, 2023.

Awards & Prizes

* Film and Literature Award
* Career Achievement Award
* International Student Jury Award
* Youth Jury Award
* Audience Award
* Zeeland Film Awards

Rules & Terms

Applications for the upcoming edition of Film by the Sea can be made until July 1, 2023. 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)
* 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
- Films that do not fit into the above mentioned categories will not be considered