Filem'On is an international film festival that welcomes young audiences from 2 to 16 years old, in more than 10 different venues in Brussels and Ghent (Belgium) during 11 days in autumn. Yearly, Filem'On selects about 130 films from all over the world, based on the festival's mission to offer its young audience films that cannot be found in mainstream cinemas. To inspire and connect professionals in the children film industry, Filem'On organizes an international exchange conference during the festival.

Filem'On is member of ECFA, CIFEJ and participates at EFA YAA.

Awards & Prizes

Filem'On works with two national children's juries and and an international teen jury, composed of members from different countries and backgrounds. The juries reward the winning films with their own Filem'On Kids and Teen Jury Award!

The ECFA Award is given by professionals who are members of ECFA Association. There are roughly 20 feature films and 50 short films in competition.

Here is a list of all the awards:

ECFA Feature Award
ECFA Documentary Award
ECFA Short Film Award
CIFEJ Award
Belgium Short Film Award
Nationale Loterij Award
Distribution Award
TV Award
Press Award
Teen Screen Award
Kids Award
Audience Award

Rules & Terms

Guidelines for the selection process:

- All submitted films must be accessible for a young audience between 2 and 16 years old.
- Films in competition must be from June 2024 until June 2025
- All submitted films must be available for the festival from 22.10 until 05.11.2025
- All submitted films must have English subtitles.
- To take part in the competition, your film has to have its Belgian premiere at Filem'On. Exception - For competition categories such as Press Award and Belgian Short Film Award, a première in Brussels is enough.

Please note that entries are free for European short films and Belgian student films!

Screening fees and invitation of the talents:

- The filmmaker, producer or distribution company receives no screening fee from Filem'On for films selected for competition.

- Feature films in competition with a Belgian premiere: One representative (from Europe) will be offered 2 nights of accommodation and a free accreditation pass for all screenings, conferences and masterclasses. The travel costs of European guests are covered by the organization.

- Short films, other then Belgian, in competition: One representative will be offered 2 nights of accommodation and a free accreditation pass for all screenings, conferences and masterclasses. The travel costs are not covered unless extra funding from Embassy or from another service is provided.

Some films will be selected within the frame on Filem'On on Tour and will be screened in Ghent, Brussels, Antwerp, Kortrijk, Leuven...

- All costs of inbound and outbound physical shipping of the DCP are covered by Filem'On, unless it goes to another Festival; in such case we pay one way.
Our fed ex account is used . Digital shipping must be free of charges.

Screening-formats :

- Short film files need to be sent digitally in high quality H264 or mp4 and DCP format
one with clear feed and another with English subtitles.

- Feature films must be admitted in DCP format and Apple ProRes (422 HQ) file as back-up. We need an open DCP or DCP with DKDM to put our own subtitles in.

- The English subtitles must be delivered in .srt format with the correct timecodes 24ps or 25ps.

Guidelines for delivery process :

- All detailed information about the film has to be available on FilmFreeway.
- A synopsis has to be provided in English: For feature films 400 characters.
For short films 120 characters.
- A high quality still of the film has to be provided: JPEG 300dpi.
- All films need to be provided with English subtitles and a separate srt-timecode file.
- A trailer of the film in .mp4 format is a plus.
8 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Gisela Chicolino

    A festival like it is really a necessary one. Please keep working on generating this exquisite programming for the audiences.

    December 2021
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  • Calliopi Villy Kotoula

    Great festival, great hospitality, great networking great value and quality! I hope to all filmmakers to have a chance in the future to participate in this festival!!!! I've being there and I I'm so blessed that I was participating to Filem'On!

    November 2021
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much Calliopi! It was a pleasure to have you at the festival!

  • Sarah Baur

    A fabulous festival, with lovely people and an interesting selection. I'm very proud my film YANA was part of the 2020 edition.
    This year the festival was online, so there wasn't much opportunity to network, but of course, that's not the festival's fault.
    Highly recommend the festival to all filmmakers working for young audiences.

    November 2020
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  • Sara Bonaventura

    This year the festival went online very last minute due to COVID restrictions. They still managed to stay in touch, worked on promotion and communication, moved the festival online. Just a pity the physical festival did not take place, since they had planned interesting talkies and activities, besides arranging accommodation and all.

    November 2020
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  • Annabel Vine

    Film'Om is getting so much right in finding films for young people.

    May 2020
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