STIFF – Student International Film Festival is now calling on all student and debutant filmmakers to submit their films for the 8th festival edition which will take place from 4th to 7th of November 2021 in Rijeka, Croatia.

Works entering the competition program must be original, student-created films or debutants films of all genres: fiction, documentary, animation and experimental films. All the works need to be up to 60 min in length and completed after 1st of January 2018. The films must be in English or with English subtitles and must be submitted via FilmFreeway platform. The deadline for registration and delivery of materials is May 30th, 2021.

STIFF festival accepts films of all thematic preoccupations, but this year special attention will be given to the BODY. What is the relationship of a body with the moving image? How does culture inscribe meaning into bodies? Does our body connect us to the world or separates us from it? Have we overcome the body taboos? When is our body an instrument of knowledge, interaction, and intimacy with the world, and when is it a space of discomfort and restriction?

The festival jury will award Best Fiction Film, Best Documentary, and Best Animated Film while our audiences will award one film of their choice. Special mentions might be given to the outstanding talents from the fields of directing, production, acting, screenwriting, cinematography, editing, production design, sound design and score composing.

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STIFF is Croatia’s first International Film Festival dedicated entirely to student films. Established by the SKC Rijeka (Student Cultural Center) and organized in collaboration with Filmaktiv – the purpose of the festival is strengthening the student film and video industry by allowing an insight into the work of other fellow student filmmakers, encouraging the development of new ideas and establishing international collaborations in the field of media production. During six successful years, the festival screened over 350 most recent student fiction, documentary, animated and experimental films from all around the world. STIFF’s main goal is to present the best of the student film production from all around the world and help them get their audiences. It strives to educate audiences about the quality of work of emerging filmmakers.

STIFF is supported by the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, City of Rijeka, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and University of Rijeka.

Awards & Prizes

Festival jury will award:
• Best Fiction Film
• Best Documentary
• Best Animation
• An audience award will be given to the Best Film
• Special mentions might be given to the outstanding talents from the fields of directing, production, acting, screenwriting, cinematography, editing, production design, sound design and score composing…

Rules & Terms

• All entries must be original, student created films or Debutant Film (the first film made after finishing film school)
• All the works for the competition category need to be produced after 1st of January 2018.
• By submitting your work you certify that you hold necessary rights for the presentation of this film at STIFF
• There is no limit to the amount of films that a filmmaker, producer or film school may submit.
• Fiction, documentary and animated student films up to 60 min. in length are eligible for the competition category.
• In order to be admitted, the materials must be in English or presented with English subtitles (embedded).
• If selected you will be required to additionally submit a .srt document with your dialogue list in English.
• Films must be submitted via FilmFreeway and screeners must be password protected and not available for public online stream.
• Once a film has been submitted for participation it cannot be withdrawn.
• The Festival does not pay screening fees as it is a non-profit festival.
• The deadline for registration and delivery of materials is May 30th, 2021.
• STIFF has a no refund policy and reserves the right not to return any submission fees once the film is successfully submitted through FilmFreeway.