The Filmara Showcase is a cinephile-oriented annual festival of exceptional independent short films from around the world—for international filmmakers who want their work seen, engaged with, and rewarded as they very much deserve.

At the end of the year, the 12 standout films—chosen by our jury – are elevated to the Filmara Showcase, a premium screening event to be hosted in the tropical island of Sri Lanka in December 2026.

With prizes, laurels and certificates on the table for the awardees, we’re looking for the most powerful, original short films by both emerging and established filmmakers– so it doesn’t matter if you’re an old hand or a fresher. We just want well-crafted films that have an unheard-of story to tell about a different part of the world; unique stories that have the potential to spark meaningful conversation and forge connections between alternate social realities; bold films that explore human emotion and innovative cinematic expression simultaneously.

Hosted in Colombo, Sri Lanka, these top twelve filmmakers can cross this highly-sought-after holiday destination off their travel bucket lists, while another 360 selected films are offered an opportunity to stream on our platform.

This festival brings together filmmakers, audiences, and creatives to a central destination for a shared cinematic experience that goes beyond just a screening— it’s bound to be a magical night to remember for every cinephile in the region.

Awards & Prizes

Films selected for the showcase would receive official laurels and certificates.

AWARDS

Best Short Film
Best Director
Best Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Audience Choice Award

In addition, 360 films from the selection pool will be offered an opportunity to stream on our streaming platform

Rules & Terms

Please read the following carefully before submitting. By submitting to the Filmara Showcase, you acknowledge that you agree to the terms below.

1. Eligibility

- Films must be short films between 5 minutes to 45 minutes (recommended under 40 minutes).
- All genres, except AI generated films, are accepted, including narrative, documentary, animation, and experimental work.
- Films must be completed works at the time of submission.
- Films must have been produced after January 1st, 2020.
- Films should not be publicly available for free viewing (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo public links).

2. Technical Requirements

- Minimum resolution: 1080p (Full HD).
- Accepted formats for screening: MP4 / MOV
- Audio must be clear and properly mixed.
- Films not in English must include mandatory English subtitles (hardcoded or provided as required).

3. Rights & Ownership

- Filmmakers must hold full rights to all content within the film.
- By submitting, you confirm that all necessary permissions, copyrights and licenses have been obtained.
- Filmmakers retain full ownership of their work.

4. Selection Process

- Films are selected throughout the year until the final deadline in November.
- Selection is based on quality, originality, and audience engagement potential.
- Submission does not guarantee selection.
- Selected filmmakers will be contacted via Filmara.

5. Materials & Promotion Rights

- Filmara may use trailers, stills, posters, and short clips for festival promotional purposes.
- Full films will not be distributed outside the festival without the filmmakers’ explicit permission.

6. Disqualification

- Filmara reserves the right to remove or disqualify any film if:
rights are not properly cleared
- fraudulent activity or artificial engagement is detected
- submission materials are misleading or incomplete
- any terms are violated

7. General Terms

- Filmara reserves the right to adjust terms, scheduling, programming, and event structure where necessary.
- Submission fees (if applicable) are non-refundable.
- Submission implies acceptance of all rules and terms listed above.