Submissions open for the 20th anniversary edition of Vilnius Short Film Festival
Vilnius Short Film Festival, the only festival in Lithuania qualifying for the Oscar® and European Film Awards, is announcing an open call for submissions for its 20th anniversary edition. Filmmakers from Lithuania and around the world are invited to submit their newest short films to the National and International competitions. The Festival will take place from January 20 to 26, 2027, in Vilnius and other Lithuanian cities.
One of the largest festivals in the Baltic states dedicated exclusively to short films, Vilnius Short Film Festival presents over 100 short films each year, divided into competitive and special programs. The International Competition features up to 35 works from around the globe, while the National Competition showcases around 12 films by Lithuanian filmmakers. During the festival, an international jury will select the best films from each competition and award one film with the festival’s top prize, the Grand Prix. The films also compete for the following distinctions: an Oscar® (Academy Award) nomination – granted exclusively to the Grand Prix winner – and the title of Vilnius Short Film Festival Candidate for the European Film Awards in the European Short Film category.
Vilnius Short Film Festival programming team consists of film director, screenwriter, and educator Andrius Blaževičius, film scholar, film critic and curator Mantė Valiūnaitė, and film journalist and member of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Ieva Šukytė.
The festival accepts films from every country (except Russian Federation), of various types, genres and themes produced after January 1, 2025, and not exceeding 30 minutes in duration. . Films are eligible for the National Competition if they are produced or co-produced by Lithuania, or, in the case of films produced outside Lithuania, if the director is a citizen of Lithuania. The festival requires that all films participating in the competition have a Lithuanian premiere.
Film submissions are accepted via the “Short Film Depot” platform: the early submission deadline is 31 May. During this period, the submission fee is 7 Eur, and from 1 June, it will be 14 Eur. Registration for the International Competition will remain open until 15 July, and for the National Competition – until 15 August. To support Ukrainian filmmakers, the festival offers fee waivers for films originating from Ukraine or produced by a Ukrainian creative team. Filmmakers eligible for this waiver should reach out to the organizers via email at programming@filmshorts.lt.
Submissions can only be made via the www.shortfilmdepot.com platform: here. Regulations: here.
The festival is organised by the Lithuanian Short Film Agency LITHUANIAN SHORTS, partially funded by the Lithuanian Film Centre, Vilnius City Municipality and the ES Creative Europe MEDIA.