IMPORTANT: Our Sprouts Film Festival 2026 call for submissions ONLY accepts fiction or hybrid films (not documentaries) that are either
1) shorts/mid-lengths/features/VR-experiences that could be categorised as Ecocinema
or
2) debut features that are distinctively Queer (QUEER SHORTS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE)

>> Please read carefully our Rules & Terms to find out if your submission is eligible. Only films submitted through FilmFreeway, not through email, are taken into consideration. We don't have the capacity to respond to inquiries about the status of your submission. Please respect our notification date March 23. * Free waivers are NOT available. Please refer to the information at DISCOUNTS for available discount codes.

In 2007 a new cinema was added to the rich cultural landscape in Amsterdam, NL. Studio/K is a unique cultural centre in that it is fully run by approximately fifty dedicated students. It is from this breeding ground that in 2022 the Sprouts Film Festival came to be. Initiated by a group of passionate colleagues that were extremely frustrated by how slow the fight against climate change was (and still is) progressing. After four successful editions our seed for change has turned into our own Foundation Sprouts Film Festival. Returning once again to our festival heart Studio/K for the fifth edition in June 2026. Our ambition to become the leading Dutch film festival for green content and diverse new talent by 2026 is very much taking shape.

The yearly Sprouts Film Festival showcases cinema of the future by focussing on three parallel competitions, all of which are solely made up of FICTION and HYBRID films. We at Sprouts believe in the power of imagination and therefore fiction is in our festival DNA.

Our Debut Competition is made up of socially critical debut films. As students and aspiring system changers we know how difficult it can be to get your foot in the door. Through presenting fresh and unreleased gems to Amsterdam's international audience we hope to help further kick-start new talent. Our Eco Competition is made up of fiction feature films with a strong environmental focus. It is through ecocinema that we hope to strengthen our voices and motivate people to start acting now. As an extension of our Eco Competition we bring short environmental stories to Amsterdam through our Eco Shorts Competition.

After our festival dates the film selection will go On Tour to cinemas and cultural institutions outside of Amsterdam. But Sprouts is more than just film. Two of our central pillars are the Eco EXPO, consisting of commissioned artworks that question our relationship with the more-than-human, and audio visual performances, that spark a closer connection to our lived environment.

// In 2025 three submitted shorts were selected for the festival: Would You Still Love Me If I Was A Sticky Frog? (which won the jury award), In mijn tijd, and Turbine.

Awards & Prizes

We hand out three honorary awards every edition:

>> Jury Award - Debut Competition
>> Jury Award - Eco Competition
>> Jury Award - Eco Shorts Competition

*the jury is allowed to give special mentions

Rules & Terms

RULES | THEMATIC
- Your short, mid-length, feature or VR-experience is a work of fiction or a hybrid film. We do not accept documentary form.
- We at Sprouts work with a very broad definition of ecocinema, as long as ecology is at the heart of your film. A by no means exhaustive list of possible themes; ecology, environmentalism, sustainability, climate activism, (collapsing) ecosystems, queer ecology, ecofeminism, indigeneity, animal-human relation, ecocide, rural-urban, elemental etc.
- A queer debut feature should engage with issues around LGBTIQ+ communities and rights, and should be relevant in terms of queer representation.
- Your film has the potential to warn, inspire, educate and/or move (to action) our audience.

* We highly encourage female directors, directors of colour and directors that are part of the LGBTIQ+ community to submit their work, since Sprouts Film Festival finds it crucial to represent the film industry in its entirety.
** We are also especially on the lookout for films by Dutch makers

RULES | TECHNICAL
- The film is completely finished
- The film is available as a DCP
- The film has English subtitles
- The film is produced between 2024 and 2026
- Ideally the film has not been theatrically shown in the Netherlands prior to June 1, 2026
- A short/mid-length is no longer than 50 minutes, a feature is 51+ minutes

TERMS
- Submissions close on March 8, 2026
- We will inform you of our decision by March 23, 2026
- Due to limited staff we do not provide you with feedback
- If selected, your film will receive at least one physical screening in Amsterdam, NL
- If selected, you will receive a screening fee and an official festival laurel
- Due to the ecological nature of our festival, inviting cast and/or crew to physically attend is rare

DISCOUNTS
You may be eligible for a 50% discount if your submission meets one of the following criteria:
- Is your film a Dutch student production?
- Is the main production country one of the following Creative Europe MEDIA Category C/D countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, or Slovakia?
- Is the main production country located in Africa, Asia, or South America?

If any of the above applies, please contact thomas@sproutsfilmfestival.com to request your discount code. Free waivers are NOT available.
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  • Begaly Nargozuev

    Thank you
    Sprouts Film Festival for the fact that our film Mountain Wagtail passed the official selection and participated in the competition program.
    Thanks to Thomas for communications.
    Thank you for paying us to show our film.
    Best regards, Begaly Nargozu

    June 2024
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