The Max Sir International Film Festival is a global platform dedicated to showcasing art-focused films, bringing together filmmakers from around the world. The festival highlights art documentaries, short films, animations, AI-made movies, full-length films, scripts and theater-related productions, offering a unique space for artistic storytelling.

The competition includes several categories for filmmakers and those who are passionated about art, creativity, and theater:

- Narrative Short Film

- Documentary Short Film

- Animation

- AI-Generated Short Films – Innovative films created with artificial intelligence tools.

- Theater Showcases – Recorded theater performances or excerpts promoting stage productions.

- Full-length films - up to 200 minutes works.

- Cinema in Schools – A special category supporting educational screenings in Ukrainian schools (details below).

- Art-focused films for worldwide promotion - showcasing the process of artistic creation, painting, and visual arts.

About the Festival:

Now in its 4th year, the Max Sir International Film Festival has grown into an internationally recognized event:

* First Edition (Costa Rica): Over 3,000 filmmakers from 143 countries – the most popular film festival in the country.

* Second Edition (Ukraine): Hosted in Lviv Art Palace, attracting 6,000 filmmakers from 160+ countries.

* Second Edition (Continuation): 100 Schools around all Ukraine hosted film screenings and creative cinema workshops.

*Third Edition (Ukraine): Hosting in Uzhhorod Castle involving international filmmakers, holding and exhibition of artists together with the founder of the film festival Max Sir.

* Fourth Edition: this is your chance to promote your work worldwide, submit your work

** Cinema in Schools – Bringing Films to the Next Generation

The "Cinema in Schools" initiative, powered by the Max Sir International Film Festival, introduces high-quality global cinema to 100 schools across Ukraine, from major cities to frontline villages. Our mission is to provide children with educational and cultural experiences, offering moments of escapism and peace during wartime.

Why submit to this category?

- Your film will be translated and subtitled into Ukrainian.

- You will receive a .srt subtitle file and an official certificate of participation.

- You will be recognized for your cultural contribution to Ukraine’s younger generation.

Why Submit to Max Sir International Film Festival?

- Global exposure – Your work will reach audiences from over 167 countries.

- Prestigious recognition – Our festival is among the most popular art-focused film events worldwide and MSIFF have got a governmental award stating that this festival is "Top 10 festivals of the country"

- Support meaningful causes – Be part of an initiative that brings cinema to schools and communities in need.

Submit your film today on FilmFreeway and become part of MSIFF artistic community!

Awards & Prizes

As a participant in our festival, you'll gain access to our exclusive web platform, connecting you with a thriving filmmakers' community and industry professionals. Enjoy expert-led workshops on cinematography, scriptwriting, and other key filmmaking disciplines.

🏆 Winners of our competitive categories will:

✔ Get the opportunity to create their own masterclasses on our platform.

✔ Compete for a prestigious award crafted by Max Sir and estimated in 2000 US Dollars

✔ Receive certificates of achievement and an exciting gadget prize as well as certificates for cultural contribution to the country

✔ Be featured in an exclusive interview, including a published article and video recording.

✔ Gain international exposure as the interview will be showcased not only in Ukrainian media but also on our official media platform.

✔ Receive official merch of the Max Sir International Film festival stating the name of the director and the name of the movie.

We’re honored to have you as part of this festival and can't wait to see your talent shine!

Rules & Terms

To ensure a smooth submission process, please review the following rules and requirements:

1. Eligible Films:
We accept short films (up to 35 minutes) and feature films (up to 90 minutes)

2. Copyright & Music Rights:
Filmmakers must own or have the rights to all music and audio used in their films.

3. Subtitles Requirement:
All non-English films must include English subtitles for accessibility.

4. Screening & Distribution:
By submitting, filmmakers agree to have their films screened at the Max Sir International Film Festival, if selected for the program.

5. Submission Format & Platform:
All films must be submitted in digital format via FilmFreeway.

6. Submission Deadlines:
Entries must be received before the festival deadlines mentioned on our submission page.

7. Year of Production:
Films from any year are eligible for submission.

8. Official Selection vs. Showcasing:
Being an official selection does not guarantee screening on the festival’s red carpet events. However, selected films will be featured in other festival programs, such as the Cinema in Schools initiative, where they will be screened for students across Ukraine.

9. Non-Refundable Fees:
Submission fees are non-refundable.

10. Thank You for Your Participation
We appreciate your contribution to the Max Sir International Film Festival and look forward to seeing your work.
96 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Sea-Hoon Jeon

    Unfortunately, the festival did not provide me with a laurel or any materials that could verify the screening of my film. There is also no information on their website or social media confirming that my film was selected. I find this very disappointing.

    December 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you for your review. We are located in Ukraine and now we have 2 hours of electrecity per day, our team works really hard to be able to cover all necesities. Our director will personally contact you to provide you with all mentioned things

  • Melle Windig

    Congratulations on this amazing festival. We could not attend but the communication was great and it looked awesome on social media. Special thanks for awarding our short student stop motion animation Cell Buddies, we are very honoured with this. And finally a special mention for your cinema in schools project. That is totally awesome.

    September 2025
    Helpful
  • John Kalning

    Thanks for the support! The event looked like a lot of fun, wish I could have attended!!!
    Neural Punks

    September 2025
    Helpful
  • Margot Bond

    Participating in the Max Sir International Film Festival was an incredible experience! The atmosphere of the festival combines true professionalism with a genuine passion for cinema. The organizers showed exceptional attention to every participant — from communication to the event itself.

    The film selection and programming were particularly impressive: inspiring, diverse, and opening new perspectives for international cinematic exchange. The organization was excellent, and the respectful attitude towards filmmakers created the feeling that every project is truly valued and appreciated.

    I am deeply grateful to the entire team of the Max Sir International Film Festival for the opportunity to be part of this event. This is a festival I can wholeheartedly recommend to any filmmaker — here, your work will be genuinely recognized and find its audience.

    September 2025
    Helpful
  • Mykola Shkoda

    Thanks for including "The Cleaner" on this festival! See you again next year!

    September 2025
    Helpful