The COVID-19 pandemic has shattered lives but, at the same time, it has made us get closer to one another and find solidarity in life. Nothing reflects this solidarity, this acceptance of diversity, this co-existence of various beliefs and opinions, more than the world of cinema, media and, visual arts.
Films, scripts, tv shows and music videos all play their parts in making our current life more bearable and they can show us how to be human beings, how to cherish each and every moment and opportunity in life and how to love one another.

Here at the Japan International Film Festival, we celebrate and highlight various experiments and experiences in the worlds of cinema, media, and visual arts, and we are trying to provide a platform for artists of all backgrounds to come together and share their narratives. We sincerely hope that by gathering the greatest talents in independent cinema/media, we can provide our audience (and fans) a chance to have a sublime experience.

Submit your work and be a part of our community and share your story with the world!

Awards & Prizes

We offer awards for the following categories (you can look at the right side of the page to see the categories individually and submit for 1 or more of them):

Best Short Film
Best Feature Film
Short Documentary
Feature Documentary
Best Animation
Student Film
Best Director
Best Female Director
First Time Filmmaker
Best Cinematography
Best Comedy
Best Horror
Best Music Video
Best Script
Best Actor/Actress
Experimental Main Competition
Best Editing
Best Poster
Best Soundtrack

Rules & Terms

For the time being, we hold 'Online Screenings' for each edition of our festival. However, this screening is not mandatory and we can make an exception for filmmakers who do not wish their films to be screened.
Our online screening will be held on our website in a secure manner (with exclusive passwords).

Rules:

To be a part of the festival, you must submit to the categories found on the right side of the page. We can only process the submissions that are submitted via FilmFreeway.

Please carefully review the categories you're interested in, because the submission fee is non-refundable.

All non-English films must have an 'English' subtitle, as we are an international festival and have an international audience.

Submitters can update their films/shows (to update links or information) until the event date.

By entering your film/show/music video for consideration to our festival, you authorize that your work is cleared for festival exhibition and accept full legal responsibility for the intellectual property. We won't hold the rights to films and we won't be responsible for any problem with the intellectual property of your works.
96 Reviews
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  • 岐海儿 张

    In this festival, I won the award of the script unit, and I will never forget this experience. Thanks.

    September 2023
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  • Fabrizio Fuochi

    special place, special people, special festival. A great honor to have chosen Planetary Rebellion as the winner, it has an even deeper meaning for me, as I consider Japan as a second home. Big thanks to Chiasa Sakurai and the great staff. Al the best Fabrizio Fuochi

    July 2023
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  • Luca Centoni

    Amazing Film Festival with great quality and very good organization

    July 2023
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  • Nadia GUO

    Thank you for the "Best Female Director" award, this is the second best director I received from Japan IFF and I feel back home with great pleasure. Thank you for all the support and I will absolutely come back with my new work in the short future.

    July 2023
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