As the new year kicks off, it brings with it hundreds of opportunities to add completed or in-progress works to the film festival pipeline. It can be hard to figure out which festival might best suit your project’s timeline, or even its specific length or genre. The folks at MovieMaker Magazine have kindly listed “50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee,” and we’re here to further assist by selecting a handful of their more under-the-radar events, as well as a few big ones you might have heard of.
Each film festival has its own advantages and charms, and while the sheer variety can be intimidating, keeping an eye on each event’s deadlines and mission statements might just help you decide where your next film belongs.
HollyShorts Film Festival
Deadlines: June 2, 2025
Like NFFTY, HollyShorts in Los Angeles also has a screenplay contest. However, the event, which runs August 7–17, is more famous for its Oscar- and BAFTA-qualifying short film competition. A successful platform festival, 17 of its alumni were recently shortlisted across the Academy Awards’ three short film categories: live action, animation, and documentary.
Now in its 21st year, the event boasts prestigious Hollywood screening locations like the TCL Chinese Theatres, with an audience consisting of industry professionals. The fest accepts submissions as late as June 2, providing plenty of time to finish works in progress—or even to plan and get started.
Female Eye Film Festival
Deadlines: Jan. 31–April 11, 2025
Based in Woodbridge, Ontario, the 23rd edition of the Female Eye Film Festival (or FeFF), which accepts films directed by women, begins July 16. Established as a nonprofit, its mission as a woman-centric, trans-inclusive festival is “gender equity, inclusion, and diversity” within filmmaking. It seeks to achieve that goal by fostering an intimate, welcoming atmosphere, making it a great place to network (and to qualify for the Canadian Screen Awards!). While its early bird deadline passed in October, its regular deadline is Jan. 31, with extended deadlines on March 31 and April 11.
FeFF’s Script Development Program is open to people of any gender, with a preference for stories about women. Meanwhile, its wide berth of film sections award women-directed films in categories dedicated to Canadian, international, documentary, animated, and experimental works—both shorts and features alike—which casts an impressively broad net over the kinds of entries it accepts.
Hot Spring Documentary Film Festival
Deadlines: July 15, 2025
Now in its 34th year, the Oscar-qualifying Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival in Hot Springs, Arkansas, is the oldest nonfiction film festival in North America. Although its early bird deadline is Feb. 1, regular submissions offer plenty of lead time as they remain open until July 15. The fest itself kicks off October 10.
With its juries of international filmmakers, journalists, and industry leaders—judging both American and international entries—the festival creates a sense of occasion around its proceedings. However, its numerous prizes (for both short and feature films) are decided not just by juries, but critics and audiences, allowing different kinds of works from varying sensibilities and points of view the opportunity to stand out.
RELATED: 5 Questions to Ask When Selecting Film Festivals to Apply To
Cannes Film Festival
Deadline: March 3 and March 14, 2025
The Cannes Film Festival needs little introduction. The two-week summer event in the south of France is among the most famous of its kind. Its 78th bow at the iconic Promenade de la Croisette, set for May 13–24, will play host to glamorous, highly acclaimed talent from across the globe, and a whole list of prestigious films that—like previous years—will likely dominate the awards conversation.
The final deadline for features is March 14 and March 3 for short films. Notably, submitting a short film to Cannes is free of charge, though the festival does limit the duration of its entries to 15 minutes. That said, there are few better places for emerging directors to showcase their work—and to subsequently network with the widest possible cross-section of the filmmaking world given the numerous pavilions dedicated to dozens of different countries.
Austin Film Festival
Deadlines: March 25–July 8, 2025
The emergence of Austin as a major production hub has also ensured a sturdy festival scene, with its own unique culture and a proclivity for genre bents. The Texas capital is home to over 30 such events, making the now three decade–old Austin Film Festival—formerly the Austin Heart of Film Screenwriters Conference—a major pit stop. Its early bird deadline is March 25, with extended deadlines through July 8.
This year, the week-long, Oscar-qualifying festival begins Oct. 23, with a continuing mission to “further the art and craft of storytelling by inspiring and championing the work of writers, filmmakers, and all artists who use written and visual language to tell a story.” The event’s Writers Conference is a unique draw, with hundreds of experienced panelists from across film and television—and even theater productions and podcasts. Meanwhile, its script and movie competitions are divvied up by genre, from comedy to horror to sci-fi, and focus on works with a strong but specific voice.
Toronto International Film Festival
Deadlines: March–May 2025
In early September, downtown Toronto transforms into a hub for global cinema to kick off TIFF. The two-week event features everything from experimental shorts to major feature film premieres, and it’s where the big studios gather to showcase much of the work they’re releasing through the rest of the calendar year.
This year also marks the 50th edition of TIFF, a festival whose over 300,000 attendees, 200 features, and 60 shorts make it one of the largest and most celebrated fests in the world. It even includes a five-day industry conference, which features numerous talks with seasoned professionals. The submission window opens in early March each year, while its late deadlines are usually in May.
Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival
Deadlines: June 1, 2025
Established in 2007, the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival in Cardiff, Wales, isn’t just a BAFTA-qualifying film fest; it’s home to the largest short film prize in the world. Its eponymous Iris Prize is accompanied by a £40,000 grant, as well as the opportunity to make your next LGBTQ+ short film in the Welsh capital.
Accepting submissions until June 1 (with a 100% fee waiver for Iris alumni), the festival, running Oct. 13–19, features not just short and feature film prizes, but prizes for male, female, and nonbinary actors. What’s more, the best shortlisted British films will stream on Channel 4, the U.K.’s biggest free streaming service. The festival is also set to begin a national tour for its winning films with its 2025 edition, offering filmmakers the chance to exhibit their work at locations all over the U.K.
Venice International Film Festival
Deadlines: February–June 2025
Much like Cannes, the Venice International Film Festival is associated with glitz, glamour, and pristine artistry—though that doesn’t mean it won’t embrace change. Now in its 82nd year, the late-August festival has, since 2017, also been home to the Venice Immersive section dedicated to VR storytelling, which showcases several dozen boundary-pushing works each year.
The deadlines for the festival, which haven’t been announced yet, tend to extend from early February to mid-June each year, with the short film and Venice Immersive cutoffs usually scheduled for May. In recent years, Hollywood studios and streamers have had an increased presence in the island city, ensuring that the distinguished event remains home to major red carpet premieres, while also platforming innovative storytelling across its many sections.
Sundance Film Festival (2026)
Deadlines: July–September 2025
The 2025 Sundance Film Festival kicks off Jan. 23 in Park City (with some screenings in the nearby Salt Lake City), but that shouldn’t stop you from planning for next year. The festival’s 49th edition in 2026 (albeit the 41st to use the “Sundance” name) could be its last in the snowy Utah mountains, with Boulder, Colorado, and Cincinnati, Ohio, on deck as potential replacements. But no matter where it ends up, the Robert Redford–created festival is likely to remain the premier destination for American indies, shorts, and more low-key studio fare.
While the event begins in late January, its deadlines tend to extend from late July to late September. The fest accepts U.S. and international shorts and features—both narrative and documentary—but it’s also home to episodic programs for shows that run both over and under 60 minutes in length, making it a stellar platform for TV breakouts, too. Sundance has also notably been one of the few major festivals to fully embrace streaming during and after COVID-19 shutdowns, with filmmakers having the option to showcase their works nationwide during the festival for maximum exposure.
