Berlin Short International Film Festival

BSIFF was created to promote independent filmmaking from all around the world.
We’re looking for short works with original storytelling to promote their authors.
Berlin Short unites creators and viewers of all ages, nationalities and races.

Short films as a distinct form of filmmaking art requires to reveal all ideas and passion of film creators within intended rules of this genre. High standards of short films creating distinguish them among all types of films which makes it even more special.

BISFF tries to emerge short films from the shadow of feature films industry. We hope that our mutual efforts will help to expand influence of this genre and give it all deserved credit and attention.

We really hope you enjoy competing in this event and get the best experience from it. We wish you good luck in this festival journey.

First offline event will be screened at Berlin Wall as symbol of Liberty and Freedom of thought and vision.

BSIFF has seasonal structure. This means that every 3 months we’re selecting winners for each of categories and from this winners we’re selecting 6 works that will run in our offline event.

Offline participants will be notified with invitation every season.

VENUE: Berliner Mauer / Berlin Wall
13-18 AUGUST

All our Official Selection films will receive the Official Laurel.
Winners of Best Short Film, Best Drama, Beat Director, Best Cinematography, Best Experimental will be screened at our 5-Day Annual Live Event, where we will announce the winning films and also the Audience Award (Cash Prize). Annual winning films will receive their Certificate of Achievement.
OFFICIAL COMPETITIONS

NARRATIVE SHORT
FOREIGN SHORTS
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
ANIMATION SHORTS
NEW FILMMAKERS SHORTS
EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS
STUDENT SHORTS
HORROR SHORTS
MUSIC VIDEOS
COMEDY SHORTS
BEST PHOTOGRAPHY

ADDITIONAL AWARDS

Best Producer
Best Director
Best Student Director
Best Actress
Best Actor
Best Acting Ensemble
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Best Production Design
Best Sound Design
Best Original Score
Best Screenwriting

Rules & terms:

In order to submit a film, you must own the rights or have permission from the owner
Formats accepted for exhibition: Digital H264, DCP and 1080 or 2K .mov Files (and Blu-ray back-up if requested). Entries must be submitted as online screeners via FilmFreeway. Secure Vimeo screeners are welcome. Please link such screeners on FilmFreeway.

Films must be presented in their original language with English language subtitles. If we discover a foreign-language submission is missing subtitles, we will attempt to email the submitter for an update. If the submitter fails to provide working subtitles by the final submission deadline, the project will be considered incomplete and will be disqualified without refund of submission fees.

Each submission must be accompanied by a submission fee paid in full and a working screener in order to be considered.

Students must present a valid Student ID in order to receive our student discount.

Works in progress may be submitted, but are juried in the same pool as all other submissions.

Artists can submit the film in multiple categories in order to become multi-award films. Still, the decision about the selection is strictly determined by our judges' team and no selection is guaranteed.

Submitting your movie, you authorise BERLIN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL to use, distribute and share the film poster, trailer, synopsis and movie stills on our social media.

The maximum duration allowed is 45 minutes for shorts.

A copy will be requested for the Live Events with English and/or German subtitles.

If your work is selected to be screened at our Annual Live Event, you must provide subtitles in German.

Due to the ongoing global pandemic situation, physical screening in front of a live audience the date and place of the annual event can be moved.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • I'm so happy to be the winner of "Best acting Ensemble" and "Best Producer" awards

    March 2023
  • Max Puglisi

    Great Festival, honored to be awarded as Best director in competition. Thank you very much

    March 2023
  • Thank you so much for hosting us! We were thrilled and honored to be part of Berlin Short Film Festival!

    January 2023
  • I am delighted that my animated short film "Princess Toja" has won an award and been selected for the film Festival! Looking forward to it

    January 2023
  • Sina Nazarian

    Thank you for the support & recognition of arthouse cinema.

    I'm truly honoured to have received the Best Producer and Best Editing Award for WHERE I'M FROM.

    Thank you,
    Sina Nazarian
    Filmmaker
    whereimfromfilm.com

    December 2022