2026 ENTRY RULES AND REGULATIONS
GENERAL
TLVFest acknowledges that most of the submissions are made by independent filmmakers, who are making their films without financial support, therefore there are modest submission fees.
HOW TO ENTER
Submit fully-completed entry form.
ENTRY MATERIALS
All entries must include the following:
(1) An official TLVFest “Entry Form” properly completed and submitted;
(2) A link to the film with password (vimeo.com for example) – entries in any other format will not be accepted.
MULTIPLE ENTRIES
Each entered work must be accompanied by its own entry form and by a separate vimeo link.
ELIGIBILITY
Entrants must fully comply with the following Entry Rules & Regulations, including deadline(s) and entry material requirements, selected film requirements and premiere requirements:
(1) The film should be of LGBTQI+ interest or depict main LGBTQI+ characters;
(2) Submitted works must be Israeli premiere.
(3) Submitted works must have their world premiere during 2024-2025
(4) Non-English language films must display English subtitles;
KEY DATES AND DEADLINES
April 9, 2026 – Submissions open
July 31, 2026 – Submissions close
Selected movies will be notified via email by the end of September 2026
The 21th TLVFest - Tel Aviv International LGBTQ+ Film Festival will take place on October 22nd - 31st 2026.
Please note: TLVFest does not send notifications to entries which have been declined.
IF YOUR WORK IS SELECTED
You must comply with the following requirements by the date(s) designated by the Festival:
(1) You will submit a properly completed online official TLVFest “Entry Form”;
(2) To respect the festival tickets buyers, after the release of the program, The movie cannot be pulled or canceled.
(3) Your acceptance of an invitation to screen at TLVFest is final. The filmmaker cannot withdraw his/her participation after accepting an official invitation.
(4) By entering a submission you acknowledge responsibility for obtaining any and all clearances necessary to exhibit your film at TLVFest Film Festival and hold harmless TLVFest Film Festival and its affiliates against any claim arising out of the exhibition of your film at TLVFest;
(5) You are responsible for delivery of the exhibition copy of the invited work(s) in one of the Exhibition Formats specified below:
Feature film formats: DCP, Quicktime Prores 422HQ (If the film has a DOLBY-E audio track or surround sound, please note so), 35mm film, Blu-Ray (please inform us regarding the frame rate – 24, 25 or 29.97 FPS)
Short Films can be exhibited in DCP, Prores 422HQ (If the film has a DOLBY-E audio track or surround sound, please note so).
Due to our limited capacity to project 16mm, the Festival reserves the right to request that works originally in that format be provided to us in other formats.
Films which are not in English must provide English subtitles.
(6) You are responsible for delivery of the exhibition copy to the address designated by the Festival. The Festival will arrange for, and cover the cost of, the return-shipping of the exhibition copy after the conclusion of the Festival. We recommend shipment via courier in order to track the delivery of your entry;
FESTIVAL PROGRAMMING
TLVFest programmers will determine the most appropriate section of the festival’s program in which to screen the works that they have selected.
Competition Categories:
World Narrative Features (50 minutes or more)
Open to works from all regions, must be an ISRAELI premiere.
Eligible for: Best Narrative Feature, Honorable Mention for Narrative Feature.
World Documentary Features (50 minutes or more)
Open to works from all regions, must be an ISRAELI premiere.
Eligible for: Best Documentary Feature, Honorable Mention for a Documentary Film.
Shorts (narrative and documentary – under 40 minutes)
Open to works from all regions, must be an ISRAELI premiere.
Eligible for: Best Narrative Short, Honorable Mention for International Short Film.
Shorts will play either in a program of short films, or prior to a feature film.
Israeli Shorts (narrative and documentary – under 40 minutes)
Must be an ISRAELI premiere.
Eligible for: Best Israeli Short, Honorable Mention for Israeli Short Film.
Panorama
Open to works from all regions, Must be an ISRAELI premiere.
Eligible for: Audience Award
By submitting your entry form, acknowledge that if your movie was selected to TLVFest 2026 edition it is impossible to cancel the screening for any reason
By submitting your entry form, you are providing your consent to TLVFest to screen your film, if selected, at the festival. Should your film be selected, TLVFest will send you an acceptance notification and expects an acknowledgement in reply. In cases where no acknowledgement is received, TLVFest will consider your online entry form as providing your permission to screen the film.
