InScience – International Science Film Festival Nijmegen, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2025, is one of the largest science film festivals in Europe. The core of the program is a curated selection of the best science films of the year. InScience offers a dynamic six-day program featuring talks, debates, Q&As, networking events, immersive experiences, and art installations—all at the intersection of science and art.

Alongside a robust educational program and year-round On Tour screenings, InScience transforms the city of Nijmegen into a vibrant hub where filmmakers, scientists, and audiences come together to exchange new insights about the past, present, and future. Each year, the festival highlights a special theme. The theme for 2026 is LOVE.

* Free waivers are NOT available. Please refer to the information at point 3 for available discount codes.

Awards & Prizes

InSights – NTR Audience Award (€2,500 cash prize)
The InSights Competition showcases our major, traditional documentaries and forms the core of the festival program—science with a capital S. These films deepen our understanding of reality through masterful storytelling, shaping the dialogue between science and society in an inspiring and accessible way. The audience determines the winner of this prestigious award.

InLab – International Jury Award (Honorary Award)
The InLab Competition is the festival’s home for bold cinematic experimentation, both in form and content. These films challenge conventions and expand the boundaries of scientific storytelling through artistic expression. Featuring groundbreaking documentaries and fiction films, InLab embraces diversity in style, theme, and representation. Only Dutch premieres are eligible. The winner is selected by an international jury.

InShort – Student Jury Award (Honorary Award)
The InShort Competition focuses on short and medium-length films—concise yet powerful glimpses into scientific research and the world around us. These films distill complex ideas into accessible formats, offering fresh perspectives in a limited runtime. A student jury selects the winner.

Rules & Terms

1.1 RULES | CONTENT
- While we embrace a broad definition of what constitutes a science film, the subject matter must be clearly traceable to a scientific theme or topic.
- Only films released in 2025 or 2026 are eligible.
- Films made for television, episodic content, or YouTube videos are not eligible.
- Films that are freely accessible online within the Netherlands are not eligible.

* We especially welcome submissions that explore our upcoming annual theme: LOVE. Love should be the subject of investigation.
** We are particularly interested in films produced outside of Western Europe and North America (please refer to point 3 for available discount codes).
*** We strongly encourage Dutch filmmakers to submit their work (please refer to point 3 for available discount codes).
**** Next to the documentary form, we strongly encourage the submission of fiction/animation/hybrid/experimental.

1.2 RULES | TECHNICAL
- The submitted film must be the final version.
- The film must be available as a DCP (Digital Cinema Package).
- The film must include English subtitles.
- The film must have had (or will have) its world premiere in 2025 or 2026.
- Ideally, the film has not been theatrically shown in the Netherlands prior to March 3, 2026.
- Short films are under 30 minutes; mid-length films are between 30–50 minutes; feature-length films are over 50 minutes.

2. TERMS
- Submissions close on November 12, 2025.
- All submitters will be informed of the selection outcome by December 3, 2025.
- Each submitted film will be viewed by at least two members of our selection committee.
- Due to limited capacity, we are unable to provide individual feedback on submissions.
- If selected, your film will be given at least one physical screening in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
- Selected films will receive a screening fee and an official festival laurel.
- In light of our commitment to sustainability, in-person attendance by filmmakers or crew is the exception, not the rule.

3. DISCOUNTS
You may be eligible for a 75% discount if your submission meets one of the following criteria:
- Is your film a Dutch student production?
- Is the main production country one of the following Creative Europe MEDIA Category C/D countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, or Slovakia?
- Is the main production country located in Africa, Asia, or South America?

If any of the above applies, please contact thomas@insciencefestival.nl to request your discount code. Free waivers are NOT available.