| **Festival** | **City** | **Submission Deadlines** | **Festival Dates** | **Submission Fee** | **Attendee Ticket Cost** | **Categories** | **Accepted Formats** | **Details** | **Awards** | | -------------------------- | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------ | ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Cannes** | Cannes, France | Shorts: Mar 3, 2026Features: Mar 14, 2026 | May 12–23, 2026 | Free | €5,750–€9,500 (gala); free open-air screenings | Official Selection, Un Certain Regard, Directors’ Fortnight, Critics’ Week, La Cinef | Shorts: ≤15 minFeatures: ≥60 min | Premiere required outside country of origin; subtitles required if not English/French; submit via official site | Palme d'Or, Grand Prix, Jury Prize, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, Caméra d'Or, Short Film Palme d'Or | | **Venice** | Venice, Italy | Shorts: May 31, 2026Features: Jun 13, 2026 | Aug 26–Sep 5, 2026 | €80–€250 | €15–€100 depending on screening type | Venezia 80, Orizzonti, Immersive, Classics | Shorts: ≤20 minFeatures: ≥60 min | Premiere required; submit via official Venice portal; must be completed after Sep 7, 2025 | Golden Lion, Grand Jury Prize, Silver Lion (Best Director), Volpi Cup (Best Actor/Actress), Special Jury Prize, Orizzonti Awards, Luigi De Laurentiis Award for a Debut Film | | **Toronto (TIFF)** | Toronto, Canada | Early: Mar 28, 2026Final: May 9, 2026 | Sep 3–13, 2026 | $50–$155 CAD | $25–$50 (regular), $75–$150 (premium) | Shorts, Features, Docs, Primetime | Shorts: ≤40 minFeatures: ≥60 min | Premiere preferred; submit via FilmFreeway; must be completed after Sep 5, 2025 | People's Choice Awards (Overall, Documentary, Midnight Madness), Platform Prize, Amplify Voices Awards, FIPRESCI Prize | | **Sundance** | Park City, UT, USA | Shorts: Jul 14–Sep 1, 2026Features: Jul 28–Sep 20, 2026 | Jan 22–Feb 1, 2027 | $60–$120 | $35 per screening; passes $275–$900 | U.S. & Int’l Features, Docs, Shorts, Episodic | Shorts: ≤50 minFeatures: ≥50 min | Must be completed after Jan 1, 2026; submit via FilmFreeway; premiere status preferred | Grand Jury Prizes (U.S. Dramatic/Documentary, World Cinema), Audience Awards, Directing Awards, Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, Special Jury Prizes | | **Berlinale** | Berlin, Germany | Shorts: Nov 13, 2025<br><br>Features: Oct 30, 2025 | Feb 12–22, 2026 | €75–€175 | €9–€20 (standard), €11 on Audience Day | Competition, Shorts, Panorama, Forum, Generation | Shorts: ≤30 minFeatures: ≥60 min | Films must be recently completed; premiere required; submit via Berlinale portal | Golden Bear, Silver Bears (Best Director, Best Actor/Actress, Jury Prize), Teddy Awards, Crystal Bears (Generation), Berlinale Documentary Award | | **SXSW** | Austin, TX, USA | Early: Aug 27, 2025Final: Oct 2, 2025 | Mar 12–18, 2026 | $65–$115 | $1,095–$1,895 (badge); single tickets available | Features, Shorts, TV, XR, Music Videos | Shorts: ≤40 minFeatures: ≥40 min | Submit via SXSW portal; DCP format required; premiere status not mandatory | Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, Short Film Awards, Audience Awards, SXSW Innovation Awards | | **Telluride** | Telluride, CO, USA | Apr 15–Jul 1, 2026 | Sep 4–7, 2026 | $45–$95 | $390–$4,900 (passes); limited single tickets | Features, Shorts, Student Films | Shorts: ≤59 minFeatures: ≥60 min | Must be completed after Jul 1, 2025; premiere required; submit via official site | Silver Medallion (career achievement), Special Medallion, Student Prints, Calling Cards, Great Expectations | | **Tribeca** | New York, NY, USA | Early: Sep 18, 2025Final: Dec 18, 2025 | Jun 4–15, 2026 | $50–$140 | $25–$50 per screening; passes available | Features, Shorts, TV, Immersive | Shorts: ≤40 minFeatures: ≥40 min | Submit via Tribeca portal; premiere status preferred | Founders Award (Best U.S. Narrative), Best International Narrative, Best Documentary, Audience Awards, Tribeca X Awards | | **Palm Springs ShortFest** | Palm Springs, CA, USA | Early: Jan 15, 2026Final: Mar 15, 2026 | Jun 16–22, 2026 | $50–$70 | $13–$15 per screening; passes available | Short Films | Shorts: ≤40 min | Submit via FilmFreeway; premiere status not mandatory | Best of the Festival, Best Animated Short, Best Documentary Short, Audience Awards, Jury Awards |