IMPORTANT! Unfortunately we do not offer fee waivers.
Please note that enquiries about fee waivers will not be responded to.

OFF is Denmark’s most courageous and most adventurous short film festival. We always offer a varied and experimenting film programme garnered with thought-provoking off-screen experiences, debates, workshops, concerts and much more.

Every year in August, film enthusiasts from all over the world have the opportunity of catching an exceptional selection of Danish and international short films in Odense that would otherwise never reach the big screen.

International Competition:
Best International Short Award (Oscar qualifying)
Soapbox Award
Artist Award

Danish Competition:
Best Danish Short Award (Oscar qualifying)
FilmFyn Storyteller Award
Best Danish Acting Performance Award

Animation Competition:
Best Animation Short Award - Børge Ring Award (Oscar qualifying)
Best Danish Animation Short Award

Documentary Competition:
Best Short Documentary Award (Oscar qualifying)
Best Danish Documentary Award

Youth Jury Competition:
The Youth Jury Award

Audience Competition:
Audience Award
Youth Audience Award

European Film Awards:
A jury will select a film from one of the competitions to be qualified for an EFA Award.

SUBMISSION
1. Deadline 18th of March 2025
2. Submission must be done via filmfreeway.com
3. Early-bird deadline 1st of January: 10 Euro/film
4. Regular deadline 1st of March: 15 Euro/film
5. Late deadline 18th of March: 20 Euro/film
6. NO waivers or refunds

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
1. All genres are welcome
2. Maximum length 25 minutes (24/25 frames per second)
3. Completed in 2024 or 2025
4. Work in progress is accepted (Final cut, but missing elements in post-production such as mix or grading is accepted).
5. Films can only be submitted once – no resubmissions from previous editions
6. Premiere not required
7. Online digital submission only. Films for pre-screening must be uploaded via FilmFreeway.
8. Low-quality copies are accepted for selection screening, but cinema screening formats must be high-quality – HD 720p or above
9. All films must have English subtitles also when the spoken language is English
10. No promotional films (e.g. educational, industrial, advertising, tourist films etc.)
11. Please be sure that you have all rights, concerning thirds parties, needed in order to participate at OFF

SELECTION
The organizers will appoint a selection committee that will be in charge of the final selection for the competition. The organizers may also authorize persons, whom they consider competent, to pre-select films for the selection committee or directly to the competition.
1. Final selection screenings in April 2025
2. Entrants will be notified of the selection results no later than the 8th of May 2025

IF YOUR FILM IS SELECTED
1. Upload of cinema screening format no later than June 2025
2. An e-mail specifying the technical requirements for cinema screening and a link for upload will be sent out. We accept ProRes 422, 422HQ and H264 file formats and 5.1 surround sound. Unfortunately we cannot screen DCP formats.
3. ALL films with dialogue must have hardcoded English subtitles. Also if the spoken language is English.
4. OFF is authorized to use a short excerpt (max. 2 minutes) of the film in a radio, TV or video programme presenting OFF - Odense International Film Festival
5. OFF is authorized to screen the film at OFFstream.dk, for a period of two weeks as a part of OFF25. OFFStream will be geo-blocked and limited to streaming in Denmark and all films will be password protected behind a payment wall.
6. Selected films may be considered for any award at OFF
7. All film and music rights and clearances must have been obtained by the filmmakers (in accordance with copyright laws)
8. You cannot withdraw your film from OFF after selection by the OFF-selection committee
9. OFF is authorized to screen winning films from OFF25 as part of a Best of OFF25-tour in selected cities in Denmark
10. Selected, Danish films will be screened on FilmFreeway before the festival by the Danish Film Academy as selection of the nominated short films for the Robert prize (Short fiction/Animation)

FESTIVAL SCREENINGS
1. All screenings at OFF will be distributed directly from a central secure server to the various cinema platforms.
2. The Festival reserves the right to refuse or cancel the screening of any film if advised by authorized technicians that the film is not of sufficient quality to ensure satisfactory public screening.
3. OFF does not offer a screening fee for selected films

JURIES AND PRIZES
1. The organizers will nominate an international jury, a national jury, an animation jury, and a documentary jury all consisting of three members, as well as a youth jury
2. The juries will award prizes to films in the festival’s five competition programmes.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Vladimir Tomic

    We had a great time and we Love OFF !!!

    September 2024
  • M&M Productions

    One of the best festivals for short films - in the world. Both for filmmakers and for the local audience. The whole city is invited in to the love of shorts and there is content and activities for all ages. And the OFF crew is so passionate it makes the whole experience great. We will be back!

    September 2024
  • The best and most welcoming festival with fantastic talks, film showings and networking opportunities in beautiful little Odense!

    September 2024
  • We're always delighted when we have clients selected at Odense as it's one of the most raved about festivals by filmmakers. They really do embrace attending filmmakers and their hospitality is fantastic, with a strong programme to boot.

    We had two clients screen at their 2014 edition:

    🎬 Seahorse Parents
    🎬 The Bunker

    September 2024
  • Fantastic festival. Will highly recommend to anyone who wants to showcase their short film.

    September 2024