Quick eligibility checklist, detailed terms underneath.
- Age of Director: 30 or younger
- Film length: 20 minutes or less
- Earliest possible date of film completion: Jan 1st, 2025
- Not a university / higher-education production
- No predominant use of generative AI
You can submit 1 project for free with the voucher "SchmecktMir"!
If you have any questions contact us at: office@schmecktfestival.com
IMPORTANT: Due to our festival's focus on young filmmakers, we will disqualify any submission without information about the age of the director(s)/filmmaker(s)!
1 ELIGIBILITY
1.1 Short Films
There are no limits regarding the country of production, the director’s/producer’s nationality or the genre of the film.
1.1.1 No Academic Productions
To keep the focus on self-initiated projects, films produced within a university framework — including access to institutional resources such as filming equipment and/or academic supervision by professors or course instructors — are not eligible for submission.
This exclusion applies only to higher education institutions. Primary and secondary schools are exempt from this criteria!
1.1.2 Filmmaker’s age
At the time the film was finished the director of the film was up to 30 years old. The director's age needs to be stated.
1.1.3 Length
The film length is 20 minutes or less.
1.1.4 Year of production
The film was finished in the previous year of the current call. This means the earliest valid completion date of films is January 1st, 2025.
1.1.5 Language
If the film has dialogue or text, English subtitles have to be provided. That also includes German as well as English language productions.
1.1.6 No use of AI
If the film has been predominantly created with the use of generative AI it is not eligible for submission.
2 DEADLINES & NOTIFICATION
2.1 The call for entries runs from the 12th of January 2026 until the 1st of April 2026 at 23:59 (CET).
2.2 The submitter will be notified of the selection status (accepted / rejected / shortlisted) until May 1st 2026.
2.3 If your film is selected you will receive further information about the screening time, screening copy and applicable deadlines.
2.4. The following material and information must be provided till May 10th 2025. If this is not done in time, the film will be removed from the screening program and a shortlisted movie will take its place.
3 SCREENING COPIES & ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
3.1. When your film gets selected you will receive more detailed information within the notification E-Mail about how and what files and information you have to provide to us.
3.2. Screening Copy: The notification E-Mail will inform you about accepted formats. If the film has dialogue or text, the film must be submitted with English subtitles. That includes German and English language productions as well. The festival does not pay rental fees, license fees or other such fees for submitted films that are selected to be screened in the short film competition.
3.3. Additional Material: In addition to a screening file you have to submit the following: three film stills (300 dpi, 2000 pxl wide), a 15 seconds film clip, director’s birthdate and finishing date of the film, short biography/info about the filmmaker(s) with selected filmography added, contact information and social media accounts (recommended for best advertising options), main credits (the same way it should be printed/communicated).
3.4. Providing the files: The notification E-Mail will inherit more information on how to provide the requested files.
4 RIGHTS
4.1 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.
4.2 By submitting the film, you guarantee that all (intellectual property) rights needed for screening during Schmeckt! and other uses described in this agreement have been cleared.
4.3 By submitting the film you guarantee that the screening or other use of the film by Schmeckt! does not infringe rights held by third parties.
4.4 By submitting the film you agree to indemnify the festival against all third-party claims in connection with screening the film during Schmeckt! and other uses described in the terms. This includes covering any legal costs that might be incurred.
4.5 Press screeners & archive: You grant us the nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual and unlimited right to make copies of the film in order to make these copies available to 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.
4.6 Promotion: If your film is selected to be included in the program you grant us the nonexclusive, royalty-free right to show – online, via television or in cinemas, in single form or as part of a showreel – excerpts of up to two minutes of the film for advertising and promotion purposes.
4.7 Meta material: If your film is selected to be included in the program you grant us the nonexclusive, royalty-free, unlimited and irrevocable right to publish submitted meta material such as (but not limited to) film stills, the title and credits of the film, and the director’s name.
5 SEVERABILITY & ARBITRATION
5.1 If a provision of this agreement is or becomes illegal, invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, that shall not affect:
5.1a the validity or enforceability in that jurisdiction of any other provision of this agreement; or
5.1b the validity or enforceability in other jurisdictions of that or any other provision of this agreement.
5.2 This agreement is governed by Austrian law. The place of arbitration shall be Vienna, Austria, the language of arbitration shall be German.
