Psarokokalo Διεθνές Φεστιβάλ Ταινιών Μικρού Μήκους (17)

Inicio Festival: 10 julio 2026      Fin Festival: 17 julio 2026

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

Best Film International Fiction
Best Animation
Best Documentary
Best film Architecture & Environment
Best Greek Short Film
Best Film With Emphasis on Diversity
Special Mention "Irini"
Best Screenplay
Best Actress / Best Actor

PSAROKOKALO INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR PARTICIPATION

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The undersigned, the authorized representative of the project named below (hereafter called the "Project") to Kyklos Non- Profit (hereafter called the “Institute”) for consideration for the 2026 Psarokokalo International Short Film Festival (hereafter called the “Festival”), hereby acknowledges the following:

Article 1
The International Short Film Festival Psarokokalo is organized by Kyklos Non-Profit every year in Greece and in a series of parallel destinations of screenings and activities. The festival aims to provide a showcase of the work of new filmmakers from around the world and to promote the short film. The festival’s program includes screenings of International and Greek short films, as well as audiovisual events, seminars, workshops and exhibitions. It also includes educational activities that aim to promote filmic literacy and empower the culture and interest of the audience towards European audiovisual works, including the great audiovisual and cinematic heritage of Europe, welcoming new audiences.

Article 2
1. Entry requirements
Any type of film (fiction, animation, documentary, experimental) can be submitted to the selection committee.
All non-English films must have English subtitles.
Accepted screening formats: DCP and QuickTime files.
Films of 40 minutes or less are eligible.
Films already submitted to previous editions are not accepted, even in a new version.
Industrial or commercial films are not accepted.All the Festival venues are not currently equipped for 5.1 sound and digital projection (DCP).

2. The festival considers for the international competition in total only films that have been completed after January 2025. We give priority to films completed within 12 (twelve) months prior to their screening at the Festival. (July 2025).

3.. Preview screener
Only files uploaded on the platform will be taken into consideration.

Article 3
The undersigned warrants and agrees, on behalf of the undersigned and each of the Project’s Owners, that the Institute has made no claims, representations or guarantees, and has provided no assurances, in relation to the internal process utilized by the Institute with respect to selection of projects for inclusion in the Festival, and that the submission of the Project neither imposes nor creates any obligation or responsibility on the part of the Institute, the Festival, or any Psarokokalo Related Parties to provide the undersigned, the Project’s Owners, or any Project- related parties with comments, feedback or other information pertaining to the viewing or consideration of the Project by the Institute for possible inclusion in the Festival.
The undersigned warrants and agrees, on behalf of the undersigned and each of the Project’s Owners, that by submitting the Project to the Institute, the Institute and all persons employed by, contracted by, or otherwise directly associated with the Institute are deemed to have been granted the irrevocable right to view and/or download all digital assets associated with the Project, including, but not limited to, any representation of the Project in the form of video files, still images, assets streamed via the Internet, and/or all other assets and information provided by the Applicant on the application. All digital assets referenced above shall remain active and accessible by the Institute until the conclusion of the Festival on July 14nd, 2026. Any dissemination of these materials, incidental or otherwise, shall not be the responsibility of the Institute or any Psarokokalo Related Parties.
The undersigned represents that if the undersigned is younger than the legal age to enter into contracts in the state of the undersigned’s principal place of residence, the Institute has been provided with signed, written consent from the undersigned’s parent or legal guardian.

Article 4
Entry procedure and selection
Participants must enter their films via the online submission website platform.
The following material must be attached to the online submission:
- 2 still from the film (either color or black and white depending on the film – no poster, no pictures of a film set or crew), which can be used in any publication
- 1 photo of the director(s)
- 1 list/transcript of the dialogue in the original version and English translation
- 1 uploaded video file of the film.
The transfer of a video file for preview purposes requires an entry fee.

Withdrawal of Selected Films
Following the Notification Date, any film officially selected for inclusion in the Festival shall not be subject to withdrawal by the applicant or any related party. The act of selection shall constitute a binding agreement between the participant and the Festival, and any withdrawal request shall be automatically denied.

Festival deadlines:
- Αpril 17, 2026for films
The list of the selected films will be available on the Festival's website.

Article 5
Shipping of festival screening copies of selected films
The hard disk drive with DCP and QuickTime files of selected films must be sent to the Festival office preferably by EMS (TNT, DHL, FedEx) for reception no later than Αpril 17, 2026.
Shipping costs and return expenses will be covered by the participants.

Article 6
Technical requirements for digital files of selected films screened at the Festival
The finalists will be able to submit their material through online sharing services (such as WeTransfer, Dropbox etc.) by using exclusively festival.psarokokalo@gmail.com as e-mail reference. The files should preferably be in mp4 or mov format, with H264 encoding.
DCPs must be delivered to us with no KDM encryption key and with a version in QuickTime 1080p (video codec H264/ MPEG-4 AVC; audio codec AAC; bitrate of 10Mb/s or more) or Pro Res 422.

Article 7
Publication authorization
All the texts, data, and photos transferred by participants to Psarokokalo via platform during online submission will be used for reference in various online and offline bilingual publications (including Festival catalog, Short Film Market catalog, website, video library screens). This material may be translated, corrected, or edited prior to publication. Under the terms of the present regulations, all participants give Psarokokalo free permission to publish and use this material for the above purposes.

Article 8
Guarantees
Participants declare that they hold all of the copyrights, intellectual property rights and all other types of rights, or the authorizations required, for the film to participate in the national, international or Lab competition and for all other rights granted to Psarokokalo under the terms of the present regulations. Consequently, participants guarantee Psarokokalo against any and all claims, demands, suits, and actions taken against it by third parties on any grounds whatsoever. Participants undertake to guarantee, compensate and hold harmless Psarokokalo against any expenses, in particular expenses and fees related to court proceedings, and direct or indirect damage, as well as any sentences imposed on Psarokokalo or payment resulting from a settlement signed with the plaintiff. In addition, participants are reminded that failure to hold the rights and authorizations required for the film to participate in the national, international or Lab competition and for all other rights granted to Psarokokalo as referred to in the present article, may result in the application of criminal and civil penalties as provided by the law.

Article 9
Short Film Market
All the films submitted for selection will be listed in the Short Film Market catalog, regardless of the fact that a film has been officially selected or not. Please see under Short Film Market regulations.

Article 10
Other sections
Participants agree that films entered for the International Competition might be selected for other sections that are part of the Festival’s official selection: Young Audience, Eco Perspectives, Architecture Day and more.

Article 11
Television broadcasting and the Internet
Participants give Psarokokalo free permission to reproduce and broadcast clips of the selected films presented in the Festival on terrestrial, digital, cable, satellite and ADSL television channels and on Internet sites. These clips are limited to 10% of the total duration of any film and cannot exceed the three minute duration. They can only be used as part of stories covering the Festival, TV or Web programs and interviews and/or promotional trailers or advertising for the Festival current or future editions. Permission for using these clips is granted for a one-year period, starting on the date of submission of the film on platform , and is renewable by tacit agreement, unless terminated by recorded delivery mail at least two (2) months before its term.

Article 12
Archiving and viewing of films in Psarokokalo
Since its creation Psarokokalo has always conducted a mission of preservation of the short film heritage. To this effect, all the video recordings submitted for selection are stored and archived by Psarokokalo, who may have to transfer them on new current or future (digital or other) formats for improved storage purposes. Participants give Psarokokalo free permission to implement, as part of its mission of preserving the short film heritage, the free, individual consultation of the films archived in Psarokokalo for a period of 10 years starting on the date of submission of the film on platform and renewable by tacit agreement unless terminated by recorded delivery mail at least two (2) months before its term.

Article 13
Prolongation of the Festival
Films selected for being presented at the Festival may be made available for free, individual viewing in the local libraries of Psarokokalo Community to which the Resource Centre is attached. Participants give Psarokokalo free permission to make a video montage of excerpts of several films selected in the Festival (especially prized and award-winning films) and broadcast it on any format for Festival promotional use in Hellas and abroad, for a period of one year starting on the date of submission of the film on platfom, and renewable by tacit agreement, unless terminated by recorded delivery mail at least two (2) months before its term.

Article 14
Purchase of films
Psarokokalo may ask the producer for the right to acquire a copy of any film selected, and especially prize-winning films, from the Psarokokalo Short Film Festival. Psarokokalo undertakes to use these films exclusively for its own strictly cultural, non-commercial purposes.

Article 15
Non-specified cases and disputes Psarokokalo or its representative will settle all non-specified cases within the terms of the present regulations and may allow special dispensation regarding justified and specific requests.

Article 16
Miscellaneous
Participation in the Festival implies acceptance without reservation of all the terms outlined in the present regulations. Psarokokalo or its representative reserves the right to cancel any submission or take any suitable measure in the event of a breach of regulations or in response to any behavior disturbing the course of the Festival. In case of litigation, only the Hellas courts shall be competent and have jurisdiction.

Article 17
Jury - Prizes
The Festival Direction of the Psarokokalo ISFF will appoint the members of the Jury.
-The jury of the short films category from the 16th edition of Psarokokalo 2024 will consist of members from different countries with knowledge in the international film sector and active in world cinema. A maximum of 2 members will have Greek citizenship.
- The jury will consist of distinguished representatives: filmmakers, film professionals (directors of photography, editors, scriptwriters, etc.) actors and actors, producers, film festival programmers, film critics and representatives of the cultural sector.
- The jury will have the appropriate balance in gender, geography and type of representation of the subject.
- The members of the jury may not have any kind of connection with the films, nor with the companies producing or distributing or advertising the films competing in Psarokokalo ISFF either artistically or financially.
- Decisions must be taken by an absolute majority of all the members of the jury present.
- Each member of the jury is obliged to write a text for the publication of the festival, which will be published on the official website of the festival.
- The official languages of Psarokokalo ISFF and its jury are English and Greek.
The selecting commission and the jury reserve the right to attribute special mentions to the worthiest works.

Awards
Best Film International Fiction
Best Film International Animation
Best Film International Documentary
Best Film International Architecture & Environment
Best Greek Short Film
Best Film With Emphasis on Diversity
Special Mention "Irini"
Best Screenplay
Best Actress / Best Actor

Article 18
The International Short Film Festival Psarokokalo is not responsible for any loss of material before or after the end of actual event.

Article 19
The copy of the film submitted to the Festival along with the entry form and the promotional material will remain in the archives of the Festival and automatically become part of the library and the film market material of the Festival.

Article 20
The International Short film festival Psarokokalo reserves the right to project part of the films that have been sent, in and out of the area of the Festival, whenever it is needed for reasons of promotion of the Festival and not for commercial purposes.

Article 21
The International Short Film Festival Psarokokalo in the frame of its other activities, reserves the right to project the participating films beyond the specified date of the festival.

Article 22
The use of any recording device in the area of the Festival without the permission of the Organizing Committee is strictly forbidden.

Article 23
Parts of the event will be filmed. Members of the audience and participating artists that may appear in these parts have no claim from the Organizing Company.

Article 24
Kyklos Civil Non Profit Company reserves the right to cancel the festival due to circumstances beyond its control. The festival organizing team may decide to suspend or modify the event if necessary.

Article 25
In case of dispute, the Greek version of the regulations of the participation is considered as valid. Responsible for legal disputes are the Legal Courts of Athens.

Article 26
The dispatch of the signed entry form implies the complete and unconditional acceptance of the above regulations of participation.

Short Film Market Regulations
Registering a film to the Short Film Market offers the opportunity to ensure its visibility and promotion in the publications, reference and viewing tools that are made accessible to a number of key members of the industry and short film professionals. Registration to the Short Film Market is free.

The Psarokokalo Short Film Market is organized by Kyklos Non Profit Company alongside the Festival in the aim of facilitating economic activity and encouraging professional interaction in the short film sector. The Short Film Market is a unique venue for meetings, promotion and networking. Its digital video library is a formidable tool for scouting talents;
Some productions will be highlighted by origin or by theme to facilitate the use of the video library and the search for quality programs. Registration to the Market includes the following services:
- the film is included to the Short Film Market video library and its online extension via a secure server for a period of nine months (restricted to industry delegates referenced by the Psarokokalo Short Film Market);
- each film’s credited contact person and sales agent can access the track record and contact details of the professionals who saw their film, either using their codes from their Pro services account on the Psarokokalo Short Film Festival website, or upon request for codes to a limited Pro service access restricted to their film’s viewing track record.
- 1 free accreditation is granted to one person representing the film.

Article 27
Code of Conduct: Institute promotes an environment where bold, creative, and distinctive voices are celebrated. Institute is committed to allowing filmmakers, their teams and Festival attendees to experience the Festival free of harassment, discrimination, sexism, and threatening or disrespectful behavior. The Institute reserves the right to rescind an invitation to participate in the Festival for those who engage in such conduct.

The undersigned hereby acknowledges on behalf of all Project Owners that the undersigned has read and understood the Rules and Regulations for submitting a project to the Festival Psarokokalo

By completing the submission application for 2024 Psarokokalo Film Festival consideration, the undersigned, on behalf of the undersigned and all Project Owners, freely and voluntarily gives and expresses full and complete acceptance of all of the terms and provisions set forth in these Terms and Conditions. The parties acknowledge that no oral representations, inducements, promises or assurances of any kind, and no representations, inducements, promises or assurances not set forth in these Terms and Conditions, have been made to the undersigned or the Project’s Owners by the Festival, the Institute, or any Psarokokalo Related Parties.

Non-specified cases and disputes
Psarokokalo or its representative will settle all non-specified cases within the terms of the present regulations. Short Film Market registration implies acceptance without reservation of all the terms outlined in the present In case of dispute, the Greek version of the regulations of the participation is considered as valid. Responsible for legal disputes are the Legal Courts of Athens.

Contact: festival.psarokokalo@gmail.com