Physical Cinema Festival is a celebration of short art films, installations and sometimes documentaries from various art disciplines. We have no restrictions on creation date with that said we are welcoming films that reflect a mature artistic voice and a refined, professional execution.

Taking place over 10 days in Reykjavík, Iceland, the festival also extends its reach internationally through year-round collaborations and screenings.

Our main program is held every other year in partnership with the Stockfish Film Festival in Reykjavík, allowing us to present a larger, curated selection of work. In the alternating years, we offer a more intimate lineup of special programs.

We welcome works-in-progress and are especially interested in innovative approaches to film—such as listening cinema, live music with film screenings, and other experimental formats. During the festival, you’ll also find outdoor and indoor projections scattered across the city, bringing moving images to unexpected places.

At its core, Physical Cinema Festival is an open platform—ready to explore and challenge the boundaries of film, video, and sound. If you're creating something that takes us on a creative journey, this is the festival for you.

Awards & Prizes

In certain years, Physical Cinema Festival features special awards, grants, or sponsorships—little surprises we love to offer when the stars align.

At its heart, though, PCF is all about giving film artists a platform to amplify their voices, in whatever form that takes.

We do our best to support filmmakers beyond the festival itself, offering opportunities for international networking and helping extend selected programs to partner festivals around the world. Because good work deserves to travel.

Rules & Terms

GENERAL RULES

Submission Format
Open call submissions are made via FilmFreeway. Outside that, it's a curatorial festival.
Films must be available for screening in high resolution for cinema
(via downloadable link or online screener).

Eligible Works
We accept creative short films, video installations from any art forms that can be connected to physical cinema, art films where the movement in front or behind the camera happens. We dont care how people move but what moves them.

Every other year we select short creative art documentaries, meaning documentaries about human existence or “why we need art…” in one way or another.

There is no restriction on production date—we welcome both recent and older works.

Works-in-progress and new narratives (such as listening-cinema, live music with film, or performance-based screenings, relations btw. Sound and image) are also encouraged.

Language
Films not in English must include English subtitles.

Submission Fees
Submission fees are non-refundable, and submission does not guarantee selection.

Screening Rights
By submitting your film, you grant the Physical Cinema Festival the right to screen your film during the festival and in related programs, including partner festivals and international showcases (only with prior notification and in full collaboration with the artists).

Selection Process
All submissions are reviewed by our programming team. Selection decisions are final.

If selected, filmmakers will be contacted with further details regarding format delivery and promotion.

Promotion & Publicity
By submitting, you agree that we may use short excerpts, stills, or descriptions of your film for promotional purposes related to the festival (e.g. website, social media, printed program).

Awards & Grants
In selected years and occasions we have special awards, grants or sponsorships may be offered. These are not guaranteed and will be announced as applicable.

💡 ADDITIONAL NOTES
We’re particularly interested in production quality, innovative, experimental, and artistically bold works. Surprise us!

Selected works may be invited to international partner screenings as part of our extended programming network in full conversation with individual artists.