The 9th annual French Riviera Film Festival (FRFF) will recognize and celebrate short-form content created for film, television, Web and all digital platforms. In the glamorous South of France setting, FRFF invites filmmakers from around the globe to participate in the two-day festival that includes screenings, awards ceremony, and closing gala party. FRFF will place the spotlight on the best short-form filmed content during the time period of the annual Festival de Cannes. A prestigious jury panel will select Best Drama Short, Best Comedy Short, Best Documentary Short, Best Animation Short, Best Experimental Short, Best Lifestyle Short, Best Fashion Short, Best Music Video, Best Female Filmmaker Award, Best Director Award, Best Actor Award, Best Actress Award, Best Activism Short, Best Micro Short Award, Best AI Award, Industry Excellence Award, and Lifetime Achievement Awards . Attendees and participants will include filmmakers, industry executives, celebrities, media, and influencers.

Best Drama Short
Best Comedy Short
Best Documentary Short
Best Animation Short
Best Experimental Short
Best Lifestyle Short
Best Fashion Short
Best Music Video
Best Sci-Fi/Horror Short
Best Activism Short
Best Micro Short (1 minute - 10 minutes)
Best AI Award
Best Director Award
Best Actor Award
Best Actress Award
Best Student Film
(NEW) Best Commercial
(NEW) Best Screenplay
Industry Excellence Award
Lifetime Achievement Award

– Submissions are accepted through FilmFreeway.
– Entry fees are non-refundable.
– Applicant can submit more than one film to the festival.
– Each submission requires an entry fee.
– Content submitter must be 16 years of age or older.
– Submissions must be the intellectual property of the submitter, and/or their team. No proxy submissions.
– All short films are eligible to submit with production dates from May 1, 2023 forward.
– Content cannot exceed 40 minutes in length.
– Please choose the genre that best represents your series even if your series can be classified under more than one category.
– Duplicate submissions under a different category are allowed, but a separate submission form and payment must be made.
– Entries that are not in English must have English subtitles.
– By submitting to FRFF, you confirm that you hold the rights to (or are authorized to use) any and all audio and video in your short film.
– FRFF will not be held responsible for any claims stemming from the failure of the creator/submitter to properly obtain the rights to material submit and/or screened.
– All decisions made by FRFF are final.
– By participating in the FRFF, each participant agrees to hold FRFF and its employees, directors and representatives harmless from any and all losses, damages, rights, claims and actions of any kind in connection with the event or resulting from acceptance, possession or use of any prize.
– Entrant grants FRFF the right to use the name, logo, and content of content for awards presentations, highlight reels and promotional material.
– FRFF reserves the right to amend guidelines, selection criteria, awards, screening, and activities if necessary.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Elijah Knight

    A great experience for me!
    Very kind professional hosts and a way for me to meet like minded people.

    Thank you.
    E

    June 2026
  • Richard Thompson

    Wonderful organization and communication!! I was pretty disappointed not to be able to attend, but airfare prices at this time... :-(

    Thank you for selecting my animated short film, King Karno!

    I am honored to have won the award for Best Animation.

    June 2026
  • Ginger Johnston

    The French Riviera, Cannes, great films, paired with a wonderful group of creatives! Perfect. Thank you to all who made this possible.

    May 2026
  • Stacey Simon

    The French Riviera Film Festival was truly a wonderful experience and an absolute honor to be part of. I was incredibly grateful for the Official Selection and Special Mention recognition for my short film Believe In Love.

    Although I was unable to attend in person in Cannes, the festival team made me feel very included throughout the event. Following along through their beautiful social media updates, screenings, and festival coverage from the South of France was such a joy and made the experience feel very special even from afar.

    The festival showcases a diverse and talented international lineup of filmmakers and creates a classy, elegant, and supportive platform for independent cinema. Communication from the team was warm, professional, and thoughtful throughout the entire process.

    A heartfelt thank you to Nicole and the entire French Riviera Film Festival team for this beautiful opportunity and recognition. I would absolutely recommend this festival to filmmakers around the world!

    May 2026
  • Amber Nelson

    Fabulous event in the heart of Cannes!

    May 2026