Welcome to the 7th edition of the Meraki Film Festival in 2024. For this edition we will be in both Berlin (Germany) and Madrid (Spain)! Two cities, double the chance to be selected or even to be selected twice!

Our festival is inspired by the meaning of the word “Meraki“ and its relation to the process of creating films and screenplays.

The term “Meraki“ is reserved for projects that are a labour of love that have been borne out of absolute devotion during the creation process. If you have put your heart and soul into creating a film or screenplay than this is the Festival for you to celebrate your success and hard work.

It is a perfect event to show your work to a film-passionate and “connoisseur” audience. Our festival's philosophy is about promoting new opportunities for people to enjoy cinema where cinema is created. To show films that entertain and enlighten audiences, that transmit the passion their creators have put into their work through a big screen.

When you submit to us, you are also contributing towards planting trees with Grow My Tree. Thank you!

Amazing films and screenplays can be chosen for our official selection or as semifinalists. Both receive digital laurels to help spread their message!

The films and screenplays in our official selection can also win one or several of our varying awards. All award winners receive:

- Digital laurel
- Digital certificate of the award
- Digital certificate of one tree planted with Grow My Tree

Unfortunately, we can't offer cash prizes at this point.

Films that have dialogue must include English subtitles. Optionally, Spanish subtitles may also be included for submissions for our Madrid editions.

Films that are already publicly available online are considered for the Meraki Film Festival.

Screenplays in English and with up to approximately 120 pages are considered for the Meraki Film Festival.

The Meraki Film Festival committee reserves the right to determine the eligibility of any project. All submissions are screened and evaluated by the Meraki Film Festival Selection Committee. Their decisions are final and confidential.

The Festival reserves the right in its sole discretion to reject or disqualify any ineligible entries, without issuing a refund.

In the event of a film or screenplay being withdrawn from the festival, the Meraki Film Festival will not be liable to refund any submission fee or to return any materials submitted.

After a film has received official selection, the Festival is permitted to use excerpts from the film, up to a maximum of 30 seconds, nationally and internationally for promotional purposes.

For promotion of the entire selection and of each selected film, the Festival website and social media is allowed to use any photo or digital film clip (less than 30 seconds duration).

Applicants are solely responsible for obtaining all the necessary rights and permissions for third-party materials included in the film or screenplay, including but not limited to music, trademarks, logos, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights. The Meraki Film Festival expressly disclaims all liability or responsibility for any violations of the foregoing.

The Meraki Film Festival does not provide invitation letters for visa purposes.

Everyone who submits to us automatically opts in to ~4 emails/year with tips and discount codes for us and partner festivals. To opt out of these, email us at info@merakifilmfestival.com or unsubscribe through the link at the end of those emails. (We hope you enjoy the helpful info and resources!)

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Caravan Fantasia

    A very enthusiastic team and a festival made by passion for movies and the planet. Thanks for your efforts, we were happy to present tripleF*** at the venue in Berlin - and thanks for the really interesting Q&A and discussion!

    February 2024
  • We are very proud that you were present at the quality festival and our film won the special award of the jury.🙏💐

    April 2021
    Logo
    Response from festival:

    Hi, Behzad Alavi. Thank you for leaving this honest review. Congratulations once again on the special award. We wish you and Sousan Salamat all the best in life and in film!

  • igor lovato

    We are a family of film lovers trying to keep the art alive in Brazil. Our film was done totally independently with our savings money. Being part of the Meraki Film Festival was not only an honor but also proof that there are more like us around, struggling to keep the art alive, free, and strong. Thank you so much for renewing our hope!!!

    April 2021
    Logo
    Response from festival:

    Stories like yours move us. We feel honoured to have had the opportunity to watch your family's film, and are committed to doing our best to keep the art alive. Obrigada, Igor!

  • Carlo Avventi

    The Meraki Festival was attended by the composer of Sun Shine Moon, Birger Clausen. The atmosphere was very familiar and friendly. The communication with the festival was excellent. I would be very happy to present my next film at the festival.

    June 2020
    Logo
    Response from festival:

    Hi, Carlo. Thank you so much for sharing your film with us. We are glad that part of your team was able to attend the festival and that you enjoyed your experience with us. We look forward to watching your next film!

  • Pablo Hadis

    Excellent film festival! They program films from submissions and support independent filmmakers. The festival team was very helpful and even took the effort to organize a special event together with the screening of my film in Berlin to help with promotion. The screening was packed more than 100% with some people even sitting on the floor (yes, I did help with publicity as every filmmaker should, it’s a collaborative effort). Communication with the festival was always great and reliable, the organizers are very kind, experienced and treat filmmakers really well. Meraki is expanding fast, adding screening days and venues. I highly recommend it to fellow filmmakers.

    March 2019