FESTIVAL VISION: “The cultural dialogue in all its aspects with emphasis on diversity and inculsionis our main ambition to create solidarity in society.”

WE OFFER ACCOMMODATION FOR FILMMAKERS IN THE COMPETITION DURING THE FESTIVAL AT OUR PARTNER HOTEL.

The jury members will be present at the festival and we will discuss each film in the presence of the filmmakers, jury members and other professional guests.

****TALENT FILM LAB****
International filmmakers can submit their next film project to the "TALENT PROGRAM" of LINZ ISFF 2024. Selected projects can participate in the SHORT FILM LAB and develop their next short film projects under professional guidance for a pitch session and compete for a co-production fund. As part of the 2024 Talent Program, participants will gather in a 4-days residency during CANNES film festival to attend the most important film market of the world. After completing this 4-days course in CANNES FILM FESTIVAL, the online courses will continue for three month, and participants in this course will be prepared to pitch their project at the Linz ISFF 2024 and other film events. After completing the online courses, participants will be guests at the Linz International Short Film Festival 2024 in Austria and will compete for the co-production fund. The produced films of all talents will be screened at Linz ISFF 2025.
After being admitted, you have to pay a fee to participate in the short film Lab.
For more information please check the website: https://www.linzisfilmfestival.com/de/talent-academy-2024/

Solidarity with UKRAINE
***To support Ukrainian filmmakers in this difficult time. The festival does not charge a fee for submission. Please email us if you need a waiver code for submission. ***

***Make sure you submit your film in the correct category to take advantage of the student, Austrian, Middle Eastern, and African film discounts! Each film can only be submitted in ONE category.

***Linz ISFF 2024***
In order to provide more opportunities for Middle Eastern, African, South and central American filmmakers to present their work due to their limited access to the mainstream, and to promote local cinema, the Linz ISFF does not charge a fee for Middle Eastern, African, central and South American films, and also for AUSTRIAN films. A discount is also available for student films.

Linz ISFF presents films in three competition sections as well as in Special Programs. Submitted films can cover any topic:

Fiction- international short fiction films max 30 minutes
Documentary- international short documentary films max 30 minutes
Animation - international short animations max 20 minutes

The LINZ INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL was founded in 2018 with the aim of supporting young, talented filmmakers in their qualitative work and giving them the opportunity to present their creations in a professional setting. The thematic focus is on diversity and “independent films” with strong characters and plots, creative and entertaining narratives.

With hundreds of independent short films on 5 festival days, the festival throws a spotlight from the screens in Linz, beyond the borders of Europe, into the wide world and underlines the lively interest of the international short film scene for the festival as well the location of Linz. The focused and multifaceted supporting program is enhanced by a diverse range of discussions, night-lines, and workshops for filmmakers and other guests.

With the help of numerous, motivated film enthusiasts and the CLOSEFILM Association, the festival founders Parisa Ghasemi & Ashkan Nematian managed the first festival edition 2018, which immediately met with great approval. 800 submissions for the first edition, from which 114 favourites from around 40 countries were selected, speak for themselves and for the diversity of the festival. In 2019 we received around 800 submissions from 75 different nations, and 2020 we pleased receiving more than 3400 submissions from 121 countries for our online edition of the festival, and 2021 Linz ISFF has received 1050 films, 1141 submissions in 2022, and 2200 submissions in 2023.

From the very beginning, the Linz ISFF has made an important contribution to the Linz cultural scene, creating a productive environment for local artists and filmmakers as well as space for collaborative artistic exchange. In the long term, the festival aims to support filmmakers in building up an international network.
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We invite films from countries such as Latvia , Moldova , Slovakia , Bosnia , Macedonia and eastern Asian Countries like Malaysia , Thailand , Indonesia , or Southern and central American like Venezuela, Equador, Peru , Colombia or Bolivia to submit to Linz ISFF 2023.

****AWARD *****

BEST SHORT FICTION AWARD
Sponsored by VDFS

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY AWARD
Sponsored by VDFS

BEST SHORT ANIMATION AWARD
Sponsored by Residency

BEST AUSTRIAN FILM AWARD
Sponsored by ADA RAY KOLIK FILM EPD

BEST DIRECTING
Sponsored by Closefilm

BEST SCREENPLAY
Sponsored by Closefilm

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Sponsored by DedoLight

BEST EDIT
Sponsored by Silverstack

BEST SOUND-DESIGN
Sponsored by Ambient

BEST ACTING
Sponsored by Closefilm

Gender equality Co-production Fund

TALENT Co-production Fund

* The prizes could be changed every year.


****INTERNATIONAL, AUSTRIAN COMPETITION****
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Please take into consideration that all the films from Austria, the Middle East, Africa, and every other country will participate in the international competition. However Austrian films will automatically be considered the best Austrian film too.

By submitting your film in each category, the film will automatically be considered for the online festival too.

1.FORMATS: All (except the vertical formats)
Please note, however, that submissions must be sent on an online secured screener and, if selected, filmmakers are required to provide a screening file.

*Linz ISFF accepts No VERTICAL format.

2.GENRE: All
All genres of non-commercial shorts are accepted. No music videos.

*Linz ISFF accepts No music videos.

3.PRODUCTION COUNTRY: All
Submissions will be considered in two categories:
Austrian, and International as Official Competition. Eligibility for each category will be determined by the festival based on the following criteria: Director’s nationality, film location, the language of the film, the nationality of casts’ and source of funding.

*Austrian films should submit in Austrian competition, but their film will be considered for all international awards of the festival too.

4.RUNNING TIME: Under 30 minutes.

*Running time includes end credits should be under 30 minutes.
*Animation films could be between 1-20 minutes.

5. YEAR OF PRODUCTION: AFTER 2023
The film must have been produced after January 1, 2023, for all competitions. The festival committee will determine the production date of your film based on the copyright year listed in the end credits.

6. PREMIERE: Not screened on Internet, Not broadcast-ed on TV
Films that have screened on the internet or shown theatrically or been broadcast on television in Linz prior to the Festival or are available on DVD or VOD are not eligible for competition.

*It is NOT mandatory for films to premiere at Linz International Short Film Festival. We would like to celebrate a primere of your film in Linz.
*By submitting your film in each category, you agree that your film will automatically be considered for the online festival as well.

7.ENGLISH SUBTITLE: Required
Required for submissions with a language other than English. Also for GERMAN films, we need an English subtitle.

*English subtitles for submissions with the English language would also be encouraged.

8. MULTIPLE ENTRY: Possible.
You may submit multiple entries but must fill out a separate entry form and pay an entry fee for each.

9. COMPETITION
The festival presents films in three competition sections as well as in Special Programs. The film can be submitted to one of three competitions. The festival reserves the right to assign the film to a category that is different from the category it has been submitted to originally.

*Please submit films with Austria as at least one country of production, or with an Austrian director or producer to the Austrian competition. Austrian films will automatically be considered for the best Austrian film too. The competitions are:

Fiction- international short fiction films
Documentary- international short documentary films
Animation - international short animations
Best Austrian Film

10.SCREENING COPIES
1. Accepted formats
Mp4, MOV,
2. A backup file must be submitted along with the screening copy.
3. The screening copy must arrive at the festival office no later than the 15th July 2021.
4. If the film has dialogue or text that is not in English, the film must be submitted with English subtitles.
5.The selected filmmakers are not awarded financial compensation for participating in the competition.

11.ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
In addition to a screener file you are asked to at least submit the following*
1. At least one film still (300 dpi)
2. Poster of the film
3. A Trailer up to one minute in this format: MP4 HD 1920 1080
4. Director's filmography
5. 100 words description of the film
5. A list of previous screenings of the submitted film, including awards
6. Main credits
7. Information about previous screenings in Austria
*film still, trailer, poster, and the info you send may be used on our Website and social media, to promote the festival and your films.

12. DISPATCH AND SHIPPING OF SCREENING COPIES
An ONLINE SERVER will be provided, to easily upload your film on Festival Computer.
Please note: Preview copies will not be returned, but stored in the Linz International Short Film Festival archive.

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RIGHTS

1. You guarantee that you own or otherwise control all of the rights to the film you submit to us and that you are entitled to transfer the rights to us as specified in this agreement.

2. By submitting the film, you guarantee that all (intellectual property) rights needed for screening during the Linz International Short Film Festival and other uses described in this agreement have been cleared.

3. By submitting the film you guarantee that the screening or other use of the film by Linz International Short Film Festival does not infringe rights held by third parties.

4. By submitting the film you agree to indemnify the festival against all third-party claims in connection with screening the film during Linz International Short Film Festival and other uses described in the terms. This includes covering any legal costs that might be incurred.

5. Screening: The festival is entitled to show the selected films during the duration of the festival any number of times at online and physical events.
*As a non-profit association, we pay no Screening-fee.

6. Best-of programs: If the film receives an award or nomination at Linz International Short Film Festival the festival reserves the right to show the film free of charge two times within a year from the festival as part of a best-of program to promote the films/filmmakers as well as the festival.

7. Press screeners & archive: You grant Linz International Short Film Festival the nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual and unlimited right to make copies of the film in order to make these copies available to the press or industry representatives only and to archive these copies. The festival guarantees to exercise this right within reason and always with the benefit of the filmmaker in mind. These copies will not be used for commercial screening purposes by any means.

8. Educational use: You grant Linz International Short Film Festival the nonexclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, and unlimited right to use the archived copies for noncommercial educational purposes.

9. Video Library: You grant the festival the nonexclusive and royalty-free right to include the film in the Video Library regardless of the selection status of your film. The Video Library is open to accredited national and international industry guests only; the films may be made available at screening booths or online. You furthermore grant the festival the right to share your contact information with interested industry guests.

10. Promotion: If your film is selected to be included in the program you grant Linz International Short Film Festival the nonexclusive, royalty-free right to show – online, via television or in cinemas, in a single form, or as part of a showreel – a trailer or excerpts of up to 1 minute of the film for advertising and promotion purposes.

11. Metamaterial: If your film is selected to be included in the program you grant Linz International Short Film Festival the nonexclusive, royalty-free, unlimited, and irrevocable right to publish submitted metamaterials such as (but not limited to) film stills (in an edited/altered form if necessary), the title and credits of the film, and the director’s name.

SEVERABILITY & ARBITRATION
12. If a provision of this agreement is or becomes illegal, invalid, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, that shall not affect:
A) the validity or enforceability in that jurisdiction of any other provision of this agreement; or
B) the validity or enforceability in other jurisdictions of that or any other provision of this agreement.

13. This agreement is governed by Austrian law. The place of arbitration shall be Linz, Austria, the language of the arbitration shall be German.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Christina Demenshina

    Thanks for selecting our documentary film "Super-Eva" to your wonderful film festival. Our team was very honored to represent the film in person during the festival. The communication with the festival team and the hospitality during the festival were really amazing. The Linz International Short Film Festival is small, but it is great for networking.

    January 2024
  • Thank you for selecting Late Winter! Beautiful experience and amazing festival!

    October 2023
  • It was a fabulous time in Linz meeting all the great directors, producers and the Linz Film Festival team. Thank you Parissa for everything and the amazing juries. Hope to meet you all again!

    November 2022
  • Filmes do Gajo

    Linz International Short Film Festival 2022 had one of the best (if not the best) and most consistent selection of films we've ever seen at a film festival. The members of the jury were awesome, intelligent and sensible people who made the q&a's some of the most interesting we've attended. It was easily the best q&a that we've ever participated in. We loved the questions and to be able to speak more in depth of our film. The festival directors and crew are incredible. It was a very happy experience.

    October 2022
  • It was such a great experience being in this lovely festival. All the production team is super nice and kind.

    October 2022