Open Call – International Experimental Film Festival 2025
The 3rd International Experimental Film Festival (IEFF) – 2025
organized by the Institute for Experimental Arts
“The future of film is female and experimental. We need to destroy and reconstruct cinema itself.” – Maya Deren
About the Festival The 3rd International Experimental Film Festival is an international encounter dedicated to experimental film art, announcing its call for submissions. The festival will take place in Greece, creating a dynamic space for screenings, installations, performances, conferences, film concerts, and workshops. The festival seeks to expand the possibilities of film beyond traditional formats and spaces, creating a zone of creative contagions between cinema and the visual arts, historical works and current production, analog and digital, filmmaking and critical thinking.
“I make films to prevent myself from disappearing. Each frame is an act of resistance against the prescribed narratives.” – Chantal Akerman
Our Vision of Experimental Cinema Experimental cinema is a free, radical, and purposeful cinema that responds to the aesthetic, political, or philosophical need to see and explore cinematic horizons, away from large industries and hegemonic formulas of creation. It is through experimental cinema that we find authentic ways to create audiovisual art.
“Experimental film is not just about breaking rules – it’s about proving those rules never really existed.” – Barbara Hammer
We celebrate a cinema that breaks the narrative, and most of all visual, bounds to which we’re used. A cinema that elaborates on film medium to its fullest, by including even the most extreme possibilities. A cinema that confronts, disrupts, and reimagines. As John Cage said it well: “an experimental action is one the outcome of which is not foreseen” – the cinema we’re looking for is a cinema of the unpredictable.
“The experimental is political. Every frame can be an act of rebellion.” – Agnès Varda
FESTIVAL MISSION
The 3rd IEFF continues to be the pioneering space in the exhibition of experimental content in cinema, which seeks to show excellence and innovation in the independent production of the film world. We celebrate aesthetic diversity, new narratives, and new media and formats; a program that reveals the complexity of social, cultural, and artistic phenomena. We understand experimental cinema as a divergent cinema that vanishes the boundaries with art, emphasizing the experimental modes of creation.
“In experimental cinema, we find the freedom to imagine different futures and to remember different pasts.” – Trinh T. Minh-ha
Special Focus for 2025
- Feminist Experimental Practices
- Gender and Technology
- Body Politics in Digital Age
- Queer Experimental Narratives
- Decolonial Experimental Cinema
- Eco-feminist Approaches to Film
- Cross-disciplinary Collaborations
- Digital/Analog Hybrid Works
- Experimental AR/VR Projects
ABOUT
The Institute The Institute for Experimental Arts was founded in 2008 in Athens, Greece as a non-profit platform of creative expression and research in the fields of theater, performance art, digital media, installation, poetry and art theory. The Institute is committed to existing as an open meeting point for poets-writers, directors, actors, theater engineers/technicians, performance artists, photographers, video artists and the writers who develop new analytical tools on contemporary art, media & communication.
CRITICAL DISCOURSE
The festival will always see the development of the cinematic language with critical thinking, regardless of the terms ‘cinema industry’ or independent cinema. For this reason, the 3rd IEFF will bring a critical discourse through curatorial programs, symposium, and public lectures to broaden the knowledge of the ever-changing cutting-edge cinema aesthetics.
“Cinema is not neutral. Experiment is our way to fight back.” – Sally Potter
SUBMISSION CATEGORIES
We accept all works that fit into the experimental film category and all its sub-genres including:
- Found footage
- Essay film
- Expanded cinema
- Experimental animation
- Abstract film
- Experimental documentary
- Video art
- Virtual reality
- Direct animation
- Any other experimental approaches
There are no genre, topic or length restrictions.
The 3rd IEFF features Avant-Garde and Experimental films of any length.
IMPORTANT REQUIREMENTS
+ All films with dialogue must have ENGLISH or GREEK subtitles
+ Submissions without subtitles will be considered incomplete
+ Films that have screened before are eligible
AWARDS
We believe in culture as a pluralistic and intangible value. The awards assigned by our diverse jury are purely symbolic. Selected films will be judged by an exceptional jury and seen by a vast audience of film lovers.
Golden Arrow Awards Categories
- Best Film
- Best Short Film
- Best Director
- Best Original Screenplay
- Best Music
- Best Performance
- Best Picture
Submission Deadlines and Fees Deadline:
August 15, 2025
Submission fee: 25 euro per video or media project
Program Announcement: October 2025
Contact Information For any questions: theinstitutecontact@gmail.com
RIGHTS
The International Experimental Film Festival reserves the right to use small portions and stills of accepted films for promotion of events.
We actively encourage submissions from women, non-binary, and gender non-conforming filmmakers, as well as creators from underrepresented communities. Our commitment to diversity extends to our jury selection and programming decisions.
“The revolution will be filmed experimentally.” – Su Friedrich
The 3rd International Experimental Film Festival is a project of the Institute for Experimental Arts, celebrating the radical potential of cinema to transform our understanding of art, society, and ourselves.
The Cisterna Film Festival is an international short film festival held in Cisterna di Latina, Italy, in July. It is organized by the Cultural Association MOBilitazioni Artistiche with the artistic direction of Cristian Scardigno.
From 2015 the Cisterna Film Festival screened international and national premieres, from the major festivals (Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance, Clermont-Ferrand) and winners of the most important national and international awards (Oscar, David, Cesar, Goya).
Since 2017, the festival has hosted a “Focus” section dedicated to specific country. In 2017, Poland inaugurated it, with the support of the Polish Institute in Rome, and in 2018 it was the turn of Ireland, with the collaboration of the Irish Film Festa and the Irish Embassy. In 2019 there was a Focus on Germany, with the support of German Films and German Embassy in Rome and in 2021 the Focus on Greece with the collaboration of Drama International Short Film Festival, an European Film Awards qualifying festival. In 2022, the CFF screened shorts from Croatia with the support of Croatian Audiovisual Centre. Last year, the Festival hosted short-films from Palestinian authors, in collaboration with the Consulat Général de France a Jérusalem and the Palestinian Ministry of Culture.
The festival annually hosts key figures from the show business and organizes collateral events such as book presentations, workshops dedicated to teenagers and photography exhibitions.
www.cisternafilmfestival.com
VinartFest es un evento artístico multidisciplinar en torno a la cultura del vino y su simbología que celebrará su quinta edición en mayo del 2025 en un entorno rural manchego como es Ventas de Alcolea, una pedanía casi despoblada entre las provincias de Albacete y Cuenca.
VinartFest quiere ser un punto de encuentro para expresiones artísticas diversas, reunidas en torno a un mismo hilo conductor: el poder creativo y evocador del vino y su cultura.
El Festival se articula en torno a un doble objetivo: poner en valor la riqueza cultural que posee el mundo del vino, así como dinamizar culturalmente una zona del medio rural manchego que ha ido quedando despoblada y es el reflejo de la denominada "España vaciada". El festival es una iniciativa de la asociación sin ánimo de lucro, Asociación Cultural de Ventas de Alcolea.
Como parte del festival, la Asociación Cultural de Ventas de Alcolea, ha convocado el V Certamen de Microrrelato, Fotografía y Cortometrajes VinartFest 2025, que se unirán al resto de actividades que se programarán en el marco del Festival.
We are an International Short Film Festival, which works in the Dissemination and promotion of Venezuelan cinematography, Latin American and worldwide in four countries simultaneously;
And of all its cultural scope. Try to show cinematographic works that entertain, but above all, that exert an influence education in children, youth and the general population.
OUTDOOR CINEMA FESTIVAL.
Non-traveling film festival that takes place annually thinking about the exhibitions to Covid-19 distancing and free face to Covid-19.
The second edition has free entries and submissions for Angolan territory only.
The general regulation defines the rules for registration, selection, exclusion, winners,
awards and honorable mentions.
The International Short Film Festival Psarokokalo is an annual festival held in Greece since 2007. The festival aims to provide a showcase for the work of new filmmakers from around the world and to promote the diversity and richness of the short film. The festival is part of a project aiming to research, promote and develop the art of filmmaking. The festival program includes screenings of short films from Greece and abroad as well as audiovisual events, lectures, masterclasses, exhibitions, and live concerts. The quality of its screenings, lectures, exhibitions have managed to make it a reference point for cinephiles, filmmakers, professionals, and new artists. Each year the activities of the festival expanded, receiving more participation from different countries and getting bigger support from filmmakers and professionals. The festival aims to travel across borders to develop a spirit of friendship and cooperation with international festivals and filmmakers from all over the world. Psarokokalo International Short Film Festival is run by Kyklos a nonprofit organization based in Athens whose purpose is to promote actions relating to cinema and public awareness of environmental issues. ‘Kyklos’ in Greek means cycle and the vision of the cycle is the respect for fundamental rights including freedom equal opportunities and cultural diversity
ONE SHOT INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
The information concerning further development will be posted on the festival's FB page: https://www.facebook.com/oneshotfest The festival's FB page and work e-mail kadrrope@gmail.com are available for questions and clarifications.
"One Shot" promotes independent film production in Armenia. Submitted films have no limitations in shooting format. Films can be shot on cell phones, film and HD cameras. Competition has three categories: "One Minute - One Shot", "Short Movies" and "Cinema Without Border". There are special programs and panel discussions too.
"One Shot" International Short Film Festival is an open cinema platform. It was founded in 2003.
The founder president is Gagik Ghazareh. Founder organization: Armenian Center for Contemporary Experimental Art. Symbol of the festival represents a three-dimensional statue of ancient rock carving from Geghama mountain which is 5000 years old.
Film Festival “Seize the Film“ is focus on projections of films related to the topic of disability/at least one actor is disabled person and it has editions in Novi Sad (Serbia), Rijeka (Croatia), and Kotor (Montenegro).
In addition to screenings of films on the topic of disability, the Festival also has accompanying programs and post-production - Film Caravan, which includes screenings in cultural spaces, schools, other festivals and „Seize the film Kids“ - screenings of films suitable for children aged 7-12 (in Serbia).
The "Gulf of Naples Independent Film Festival" is an event intended to serve as an international showcase for films of various types and gender, in order to promote and spread the art, auteur and experimental films that are not released in cinemas playhouses, to foster dialogue between different experiences and to create a meeting point for the support of cinema culture.
Caostica is an International Shortfilm an Videoclip Festival that takes place in Bilbao (Basque Country) with these sections: Videozinema (Fiction Shortfilms), Animation and Videoclip (Music Video).
All prizes are given by a professional jury except of Bizarre Prize. The Caostica Association will award the Bizarre Prize to the participant whom best represents the fresh, innovative, quirky, irreverent, Martian, jokester, weird, risky, brave and daring spirit that characterizes this festival, regardless of the section in which he or she is registered.In addition to this the Festival will award a prize to the best film in basque language, independently of the section in which its signed up.
ELIPSIS Cinematographic Arts and Sciences International Meeting
is a project developed to propitiate the exchange of ideas, experiences and points of view, among students, filmmakers and researchers in the cinematographic field, with the intention of linking the academic and professional perspective in the seventh art within its diversity. The meeting integrates spaces specifically directed to academics or artist, as well as others designated for dialog and collaboration between them.
Two years have elapsed since the first lock-in that we will remember as a collective, which presupposes that humanity has learned to re/look and re/think the world it inhabits, or at least that is what we thought when we could not leave our homes. A look of hope and change mixed with a feeling that the world would end.
Today, after so much, we meet again, with more questions and with a new look to re/think our daily landscapes, what surrounds us? with what eyes are we seeing the world after the quarantine? Today we only have questions, uncertainties for the future: do you know what sounds surround you? what is your daily flora? The spaces we inhabit and the things we relate to.
The idea of this project was born from a filmed correspondence between friends, which allowed us, from a new sensibility, to tell each other our daily experiences and what we have felt during our quarantine.
This experience of creation from the intimacy, without pretensions or unnecessary artifices, but from the feeling and the desire to share, helped to discover the poetic potential of the environments that surround us.
The correspondences are based on the exchange of ideas that allow us to observe the world of the other. They allow us to discover the geographical universe that we inhabit and that unites us when we are motivated to share these sensations.
The filmed correspondences is a format that allows filmmakers, artists to tell in a very artisanal way their way of looking at the world.
The Latin American Film Week will take place over five consecutive days, officially hosted at the San Martín Cultural Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in November.
During the event, special activities will accompany the screenings:
International forum on distribution and exhibition
Debate among Latin American film critics
Since 2017, we have been creating spaces for meeting and discussion, working hard on audience development. We believe it is important for our audience to have a good experience at each event and to leave with a desire to continue watching Latin American cinema.
First edition of the experimental exhibition of the Northern Proposal, an avant-garde production movement that pushes the creative frontier through the experiment in narration and audiovisual creation.
An event that offers an exhibition space for all audiovisual creators interested in exhibiting their projects.
Faith in Film is a boutique film festival and screenwriting competition that takes place in historic downtown Tucson, an area rich in history and culture.
Our aim is to forge a film festival and screenwriting competition that will ultimately launch the careers of faith based writers and filmmakers and facilitate established artists in transitioning into faith based films; and to introduce faith based films to mass audiences, ultimately, giving them the same multi platform release schedules and revenue streams that traditional studio films and high end independent films enjoy; and to inspire, showcase, support, and develop writers and filmmakers of all faith’s to make great faith based films that leave others touched, moved and inspired; and filmmakers and distributors empowered to make and distribute more films with an element of faith.
Our screenplay competition accepts feature length scripts (up to 135 pages), short film scripts (up to 50 pages), stage plays, sitcom pilots, and dramatic television pilots.
Our film festival accepts feature length films up to 140 minutes in length and short films (up to 45 minutes in length) in several categories. It is a celebration of filmmaking that allows artists and industry professionals at all levels to come, network, and showcase their work. For many filmmakers it will be the first time anyone has seen their work on the silver screen.
Faith in Film is a Cinema Public House production. We are a US based independent festival company that produces both live festivals and online festivals all over the world.
Third call of the first European festival of films generated using artificial intelligence (AI).+RAIN Film Festival is interested in the use of creative methodologies with AI in the service of storytelling. Beyond the visual dimension, this technology poses challenges in the ways of telling stories and also stresses concepts such as creativity and imagination. +RAIN Film Festival seeks to be the gateway to films that experiment with narrative language and these new technological approaches.
CALL FOR ENTRIES
16th Annual www.NewMediaFilmFestival.com
Honoring Stories Worth Telling
June 4-5-2025 Los Angeles
Content creators who submit, whether officially selected or not, have opportunities outside of the normal festival process. Everything from distribution, connections to other festivals, conferences, press opportunities and more.
Thinking about submitting? Here is what you should know!
• Emmys ® Consultant for one entry (we can broadcast)
• 25 Categories
• In competition for Grand Prize - $45,000 in Awards
• In competition for Best of Category & Audience Awards
• Judges from HBO, Marvel, Grammys, ATAS (Emmys) and more.
• Have opportunities outside of festival
• Top 3 Scripts get $1000.00 in Writing Industry Perks
• We are a UFFO code of practices Member
• Submit- Online, Public, Novice & Expert Content
• No cut-off date to when your project was completed.
• We accept projects whether or not you have distribution.
• We also have no festival exclusivity clauses - and you have FULL CREATIVE RIGHTS for your content.
• Your project is not only limited to one category. Make sure to check out all our categories and submit to the ones that fit your content. You must pay a new submission fee per each category.
• We accept content that has already been published online or made public
• We accept all formats.
In a world where technology is ever-evolving, it is a story that will satiate the soul of humans.
Not just any story, but stories worth telling.
The New Media Film Festival team works hard to produce a cutting-edge, fair, upscale festival devoted to upcoming and seasoned content creators that highlights and honors stories worth telling globally. www.NewMediaFilmFestival.com
If accepted into festival:
• Receive All Access Pass to festival
• Be part of the Q & A in your screening session (scripts included).
• Walk the Red Carpet for Press Interviews
• Be part of the VIP Soiree, honoring the nominees.
• Press in our monthly newsletter to 80,000.
• Be in competition for $45,000 in Awards – judges from Marvel, HBO, Emmys & more.
Join us:
• 1st Major Festival celebrating innovation, story, mediums & platforms
• Screenings with Q & A’s
• VIP Soiree-Red Carpet Press Junket
• Networking Lounge w/ actor headshot drop off
• Producer Panel & Pitching
• New Media Marketing Table (place one-take one)
• VR, International Art Exhibit, Musical Opener
CATEGORIES
3D, 360, AR, AI, 5D, Animation, Apps, Digital Comics, Documentary, Drone, Feature, Mobile/Tablet, Music Video, New Media, Pilots, Podcasts, Scripts, Shorts, Sniplers – 30 second pitch, SRC- Socially Responsible Content, STEAM, Student, Trailers, Virtual Reality, Web Series
Put your innovative work forward and join the unique community of content creators at New Media Film Festival® - submit today! www.NewMediaFilmFestival.com
What attendees are saying:
“A very unique curation of films, new media and scripts. And a very entertaining event. The hosts and show staff went out of their way to make sure this was a memorable and special event.” – Jim Wilmer
“New Media Film Festival is one of the best and best run in LA. With so many different platforms falling under "new media" it's refreshing to see a festival that understands that Content is King! And the Opening night VIP reception was a terrific networking opportunity that we took full advantage of.” - Steven Wishnoff
“Worth The Entry Fee”
- Movie Maker Magazine
“Makes The Cutting Edge Accessible”
– Huffington Post
“I thank NewMediaFF for what they’ve done for young filmmakers”
-Roger Corman
”The role of this fest is bringing the Best in New Media to the World”
-Festival World
“Stories that exemplify the power of the cinematic arts to inspire and transform” - Hero Complex
SUBMIT TODAY http://www.NewMediaFilmFestival.com/submit.php
Festival Ull Nu:
It is a space to encourage, spread and fertilize creativity, art, culture and young talent.
It is a meeting point, exchange and dialogue between young creators coming from all over the Pyrenees and professionals from the film and audiovisual industry.
It is an alternative, original and innovative leisure proposal that aims to promote and bring to Andorra new proposals and audiovisual trends.
It is a unique experience, a festival of cinema and audiovisual.
