)||( - Is the First International Short&Symbolic Art Film Festival (ISAFF). Our mission is to find great films. We're searching for good story and art. It may be Drama, Thriller, Comedy and etc. The only thing we're looking for is the feeling of something great after watching your film. We're looking for pure diamonds. We're looking for you.

YOUR FILM MAY NOT BE SYMBOLIC

YOUR FILM WILL BE CONCIDERED WITHIN 72 HOURS AND YOU'LL BE NOTIFIED ABOUT SELECTION.

Not selected films will be notified later.

ISAFF is IMDb-QUALIFYING Event!

Your work will be judged by multi-award winning professionals. ISAFF has bi-month structure. Every winner of bi-month edition in category ‘Best Short’ and 4 masterpieces will compete in year-round competition with live screenings and Q&A in famous Saint-Petersburg cinema 'Angleterre Cinema Lounge'. Best Short Film Winner will receive a review. 3 winners of Year-round competition will have opportunity to become a judge for next Year-Round edition and become a member of our team.

Because of aggression of Russia in Ukraine we've decided to make our festival in 2 countries : Russia and Georgia. So all selected for screening participants will be able to come to offline event.

Awards & Prizes

)||( Festival have bi-month nominees & winners. Every winner from bi-month competition will have Diplomas and 1-3 winners will be included in the Year edition. Each year 7 Diamonds & 26 masterpieces will be screened in the center of Russian culture - Saint-Petersburg and will compete for 3 Gran-Prix award:
Purest Diamond Trophy
Knowledge Award Trophy
Soul award Trophy
and special one:
Symbolic Award Trophy

Every 2 months we'll have winners from different categories.
The Awards by category:
Best Short Film (1 of 6 diamonds that will compete in Yearly competition)
Best Feature Film
Best Symbolic Film
Best )||(
Best Drama
Best Thriller
Best Comedy
Best Horror
Best Sci-Fi
Best Non-Dialogue Film
Best Dark Comedy
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Young Actor
Best Young Actress
Best Cinematography
Best Director
Best Color
Best Original Score
Best Original Soundtrack
Best Music
Best VFX
Best Costume Design
Best Animation
Best Documentary
Best Russian Film
Best Music Video
Best COVID Short
Best LGBTQ+ Film
Best Web-Series
Best Poster
Best Photography
Best SHort Screenplay

Every Bi-Month Winner will be able to order original trophy.

Rules & Terms

1.Film must not exceed 35 minutes (For those who are, there is special section "Best Feature Film". When submitting your film to additional categories you must submit to 'Best Feature Film' too.)
2.Non-English films must be subtitled in English.
3.Every Film must be submit via FilmFreeway
4.To submit a film, you must own the rights or have permission from the owner.
5.Entry fees are non-refundable.
6.Films with a completion date after January 2017, films with a completion date later than the previous year's festival dates will be given preference.
7.Festival have rights to change the Date of event.
8.)||( Fest cannot provide refunds for submissions that do not meet eligibility criteria or are otherwise deemed to be disqualified under these regulations.
9.)||( Fest can use trailer/teaser/film poster/stills or BTS for promotional purpose
10. Films that doesn't match category will be disqualified.
11. By submitting to )||( ISAFF you give festival permission to live screen your film in year-round programme, if your film will be the best of bi-month round.
12. By submitting your work, you agree to receive the newsletters, promos, invites and etc.

177 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Kurt Mayer

    We have never received an email or an answer from anyone (although our film was selected), not even sure if the email address works or if the festival exists at all...

    May 2023
    Helpful
    Logo
    Response from festival:

    check automated email from filmfreeway. Guess you have to turn it on in settings

  • Joseph Palmer

    The festival organizers communicate to festival participants very proficiently and are very responsive. Their appreciation of culture and artistic expression is clear, not only in their mission statement. This is also an IMDb qualifying festival which gives an award an additional value to that of the prestige of being selected. Great festival!

    May 2022
    Helpful
  • Ion Plangu

    A commendable effort made by the organizers under the present circumstances.
    A good opportunity to test the reception of the text in a cultural center imbued with a well established artistic tradition.

    January 2022
    Helpful
  • Christian Monnier

    Festival très sympa, merci beaucoup à toute l'équipe et pour notre prix.

    January 2022
    Helpful
  • Patricia Poulos

    It was wonderful to receive an 'Official Selection' .

    January 2022
    Helpful