Submissions are now closed for the 2025 festival on FilmFreeway. Submitters of long films please note we will ask for a “broadcast length” version (52 minutes).
Ethnografilm is a Director's festival, held each April at Club De L'Etoile, next to the Arc de Triomphe in the center of Paris.
Directors please note that unless sufficient screen time is available, we will ask for a "broadcast length" version. This is typically 52 minutes.
All non-fiction films are eligible for the festival.
At our last festival 90% of the directors were there to discuss films, meet colleagues, drink wine, and initiate new collaborations! Our bar and gallery are the perfect place to watch films again, argue fine points, ask and answer questions from other directors.
“Ethnographic” films are not simply about far away people and places. We particularly solicit movies about modern life as well as remote corners of the planet!
Nonfiction filmmakers are the primary audience for Ethnografilm. Last year one director said "I nominate this for the best festival in the world. The place and the atmosphere are so fantastic." The previous year two filmmakers got engaged! Please send us an email if you particularly want to come to Paris. http://ethnografilm.com
Best Quotes from attending directors:
From someone who had screened at Cannes: What I love about Ethnografilm is the absence of snottiness.
My favorite festival in all the world! It was fantastic: thought provoking, diverse, delicious…
I had such a wonderful time last week and it is no exaggeration to say that participating in the festival has been a highlight of my life.
One of the most rewarding experiences of my career.
From an international relations specialist: I learned more about international relations than at our main professional academic convention!
From a theatre staff member: We love your festival so much…the theatre comes alive!
From someone who spent all day working on his laptop just outside the screening room:
The atmosphere here is just so much better than anywhere else, even though I have a deadline and can’t watch films!
You have provided inspiration that I will continue to think on throughout the year and as I approach my next projects.
Fantastic festival. You did an amazing job. I really enjoyed every single film I saw, and that was around 20 films.
The best festival I have ever been to.
What a great team spirit great ambience great films great people.
Everything was perfect, the location, the amazingly friendly and supportive team of festival organisers, the wide array of interesting and, at times, inspiring films, the opportunities to chat with the interesting and, at times, inspiring directors, the wine.
Without doubt memorable and exceptional.
Wonderful festival – very friendly and full of lovely little touches such as the paintings.
Ethnografilm is a model for what can be accomplished when a professional organizing team supports a strong creative vision. Filmmaker, 2014.
Just being able to sit in that space and enjoy a glass of wine and conversation with the filmmakers was delightful.
I screened at the last two Cannes festivals but the press was the target audience. Ethnografilm is for the filmmakers.
This festival is very non-French.
(We had no idea what this meant...but he said it was because there was no entrance fee!)
Best theatre on Planet Earth.
Your film on the main screen in Paris!
Our awards include the Pomme de Canard award (self-nominated) to the director who experienced the biggest mishap in the making of their film and the Bad Bunny Award, also known as the Palme de Lapin, awarded for a film of less than 30 seconds featuring our chocolate Easter bunny.
