International Road Movie Festival (IRMF) is a 4-day competitive film festival to be held October 22–25, 2026 in Pilsen, Czech Republic.

IRMF welcomes films from around the world, both from emerging storytellers and professional filmmakers. We encourage submissions from a range of genres including features, documentaries, shorts, student films, and animations. The festival is particularly interested in road movies that embrace the ideas of adventure, traveling and exploring new cultures.

Location
The festival takes place in the center of Pilsen, the European Capital of Culture. Pilsen is less than an hour drive from Prague Airport.

Program
IRMF presents artistically significant films that celebrate human diversity and enrich our understanding of different cultures. IRMF is dedicated to discovering new voices from around the world. Sidebar program includes workshops, masterclasses, concerts and (of course) after parties.

Mission
Our mission is to draw attention to and raise the profile of films, that celebrate cultural diversity and bring joy and wonder. We believe that a story driven by an authentic voice has the power not only to inspire, enlighten and entertain but also to awake new ideas, break boundaries and bring new levels of understanding.

Awards & Prizes

The 2026 edition of IRMF will present Awards in the following categories:

• FEATURE - Audience Award for Best Feature Film

• DOCUMENTARY - Audience Award for Best Documentary Film

• SHORT - Audience Award for Best Short Film

The Audience Awards are IRMF’s people’s choice awards, and the winners reflect the most popular films at the Festival.

Rules & Terms

RULES AND GUIDELINES FOR 2026 SUBMISSIONS

The following is an explanation of the Rules and Guidelines governing the submissions of a film to the 2026 edition of the International Road Movie Festival (IRMF). Submission of a film implies unconditional acceptance of the Rules & Guidelines. If you have any questions, please contact Ondrej Biba: ondrej@irmf.pro

1. International Road Movie Festival accepts submissions for films in the following categories: Feature, Documentary, Short, Animated, and Student Film.

2. All non-English language films must be subtitled in English. We do accept a pre-screening version of the film without subtitles. However, if your film is selected for the competition we do require English subtitles, (ideally in a form of .SRT file with time codes) even if the spoken language is English.

3. The Entrant/s submitting the film must hold all legal rights for the submission, as well as all necessary clearances for public exhibition. Films selected cannot be withdrawn from the festival program after its announcement. The Filmmaker retains all submission and intellectual property rights.

4. Filmmakers are allowed to submit more than one film for the Festival provided that each film is submitted separately and meets IRMF guidelines. The festival Program board may deny participation to any film unable to meet the technical requirements for a public screening of good quality.

5. The producer of the submitted film(s) grants IRMF the rights to: (a) Exhibit the film in the International Road Movie Festival and to be considered as part of the festival regional tour. (b) Include images and a section of the production for promotional purposes. IRMF does not pay screening fees at this time.

6. All films screened at 2026 International Road Movie Festival must have been completed within 3 years of the entry closing date.

7. Work in progress or rough cuts: Rough cuts of films will be considered as long as the completed version will be ready by August 5, 2026. If your film is a rough cut, please label it as such and list what needs to be completed.

8. All decisions regarding award winners are considered final and incontestable. The winner is entitled to use of festival laurels on a poster and all marketing material.

9. We retain the right to change the date and venue of the festival under special circumstances. All filmmakers will be informed about any changes through our online platforms.

10. Successful applicants to the Festival will be notified through the contact information provided in FilmFreeway. Applicants will be required to submit screening copies and English subtitles with time codes within two (2) weeks of the date of the notice. IRMF does not pay screening fees at this time.
27 Reviews
Overall Rating
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  • Jack Rath

    The festival was a wonderful experience in the historically and culturally rich city of Pilsen—beautifully organized, with a thoughtfully curated selection of films and Q&A’s. We’re especially grateful to the team for their generosity, enthusiasm and the warm welcome.

    October 2025
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  • Oleg Yakovlev

    Hi! Thank you so much for inviting me! It was a pleasure to be there.
    And the venue — the old railway station — is so amazingly perfect for the Festival!
    Hope to be there again!

    October 2025
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  • Holger Wimmer

    Love it, great place, great people. :)

    October 2025
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  • Fredrik Erixon

    Love it and Pilzen is great :-)

    December 2024
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  • Anna Tóth

    IRMF was a fantastic experience. Professional organization, great location, superb programs. Nice people.
    I wish them to submit as many films as possible from all over the world. Thank you for the invitation. Thank you for the experience.
    Since the Finále Plzen festival, we know that they can organize a festival in Pilsen. The IRMF is a worthy brother of the Finalé festival.

    October 2024
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