Festival Submission is open to all short films (maximum length of 30 minutes) applying any animation techniques. Only films completed after 1 January 2024, will be accepted.
International Animation - Early Bird: 10 June, 2026
International Animation Deadline: 10 July, 2026
Singapore Student Animation Deadline: 10 August 2026
Incomplete or late submissions will not be accepted.
Submission Fee
Similar to last year, we have a modest submission fee of $5 SGD for film entries to International Animation category. Submission for Singapore Student Animation category will remain free. Early Bird submissions made by 10 Jun 2026 will also be free.
As a not-for-profit, volunteer-run organization, we have always prioritized keeping the festival affordable and accessible – especially for young and emerging filmmakers. This small fee will support the long-term sustainability of the festival and help us continue growing while staying true to our mission of championing young creative voices. We remain deeply committed to fostering a supportive platform for new talent, and this contribution will help us work towards creating a better experience for our filmmakers and audience.
Submission Procedure
Please submit your films on FilmFreeway at https://filmfreeway.com/CartoonsUnderground. One form is required for each film. The Festival only accepts online preview screeners (e.g. Vimeo, Youtube), with or without passwords.
Competition Selection
This year's festival will be an in-person edition and selected films will be screened at our physical venue in Singapore. A Pre-Selection Committee will review the film submissions and the final film programme selection will curated by the Festival's Programme Director. The Festival will inform the person submitting the film by email if it has been selected, at the same time requesting material necessary for publicity and screening. Following this notification, written requests can be made to withdraw a film from the programme. The Festival does not pay screening fees to the selected films. The selected film list will be announced on the official website 1 month before the Festival.
Screening Copy
Digital file with the following technical specification:
QuickTime or MPEG4, Compression: H264 or ProRes422 HQ, Resolution: 1920x1080
Films with dialogues or narrations in languages other than English need to have embedded English subtitles in the screening copy.
Jury and Awards
Members of the Jury are proposed by the Festival Director. The ‘Best Film’ and ‘Best Singapore Student Film’ awards will be decided by the Jury members, and the ‘Audience Choice’ will be voted by the festival attendees. A ‘Special Jury Prize’ for the International Competition and a 'Special Achievement Prize' for the Singapore Student Films Competition will be awarded according to the Jury’s discretion.
Publicity and Broadcast
The Festival has the right to use all materials related to the submission, including a film excerpt up to 10 per cent of the total length of the film, which will not exceed more than 3 minutes. They will only be used for the promotion of the Festival in TV and web programs, interviews and reports.
Rights and Responsibilities
By submitting, each applicant declares to be the author or rights owner of the submitted film(s) and to own all the literary, dramatic and musical rights guaranteeing Cartoons Underground against any claims, conflicts and legal action concerning the presentation of the film. All preview screeners of the films will be included in the Festival’s library. The Festival reserves the right to use the films for strictly non-commercial, educational purposes.
Acceptance of Terms
Participation in the Festival, and its film submission process, implies acceptance, without reservation, to the terms of the present regulations. An entry form is valid without a signature. In case of any question or problem, please contact programme@cartoonsunderground.com.
