Overview
The Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival is the world's largest event dedicated to short films. Organized by the association Sauve qui peut le court metrage, it takes place annually in late January to early February in Clermont-Ferrand, central France. In terms of audience and professional presence, it is the second largest film festival in France after Cannes.
The 48th edition ran January 30 to February 7, 2026, screening over 500 short films across 72 programs. The festival recorded 168,000 admissions and selected 137 competition films from 8,826 submissions spanning 50 countries. The 47th edition in 2025 set a record with 173,000 admissions and welcomed more than 4,100 accredited professionals at its Short Film Market.
The festival runs four competition sections: National, International, Lab, and XR (Extended Reality). Alongside the competitions, the festival programs panoramas, retrospectives, themed selections, and country or regional focuses. The 2026 edition featured a Southeast Asian panorama and welcomed Franco-Vietnamese filmmaker Tran Anh Hung to the international competition jury, where he gave a masterclass.
The festival is at the heart of a broader ecosystem managed by Sauve qui peut le court metrage, which operates year-round from La Jetee. The association runs the Auvergne Film Commission and a Resource Center with a world-unique collection dedicated to short films. It is also developing La Cite du Court, a hub for exhibition and preservation, scheduled to open in 2028.
Submission Process and Fees
Submissions are made through the festival website. The festival accepts submissions for its National, International, and Lab competitions.
Key deadlines (typical schedule):
- International Competition: early October (e.g., October 3 for the 2025 edition)
- National Competition: early October
- Lab Competition: early October
- Films completed after January 1 of the relevant year are eligible
- Maximum duration: 60 minutes
- Accepted formats: DCP, Blu-ray, HD digital file
- Genres: fiction, documentary, animation, experimental
The Pop-Up section highlights digital creation. Films for Pop-Up are chosen from National Competition submissions that meet specific criteria. Films must be produced after October 1 of the prior year, available on YouTube, under 60 minutes, and fiction or experimental in live-action format. No separate submission is required for Pop-Up.
The XR Competition is the newest competition strand, added to showcase extended reality works.
Key Sections
- National Competition - French short films (fiction, documentary, animation, experimental) under 60 minutes. The 2026 edition selected 51 French films or co-productions with France in this section.
- International Competition - short films from around the world. The 2026 edition selected 18 French co-productions in this section alone.
- Lab Competition - experimental and digital creation, showcasing works that combine genres, techniques, and artistic disciplines. The 2026 edition included 8 French co-productions.
- XR Competition - extended reality works, the newest competitive section. The 2026 edition featured 4 French co-productions.
- Panoramas and Special Programs - non-competitive selections including themed programs, country focuses (Southeast Asia in 2026, Lebanon in 2025), and retrospectives.
- Young Audience Screenings - films for children and adolescents.
- Short Film Market - the industry platform running alongside the festival, attracting over 4,100 professionals. Includes a video library, networking events, Euro Connection co-production forum, and Talents Connexion.
Awards and Prizes
The festival awards prizes across all four competition sections. Key awards include:
- Grand Prix National Competition - best French short film (2026: Intersecting Memory by Shayma' Awawdeh; 2025: Genealogy of Violence by Mohamed Bourouissa)
- Grand Prix International Competition - best international short film (2026: Bleu Heart by Samuel Suffren; 2025: Unspoken by Damian Walshe-Howling)
- Grand Prix Lab Competition - best experimental short (2026: God is Shy by Jocelyn Charles)
- Special Jury Prize - awarded in National and Lab competitions
- Best Animation Award (2025: I Died in Irpin by Anastasiia Falileieva)
- Best Actor Award (National Competition)
- Canal+ Award - acquisition prize for international short films
- Prix Special du Jury - jury special prize in International Competition
- Student Jury Prizes - awarded by student juries in National, International, and Lab competitions
- Audience Award - selected by festival audiences
Additional awards include the Fernand Raynaud Laughter Prize, the CNC Talent prize, the Procirep Prize for production companies, and the Special FX Award.
What Filmmakers Should Know
For short filmmakers: Clermont-Ferrand is the single most important festival for short film worldwide. Selection puts your work in front of the largest concentration of short film buyers, programmers, and sales agents. The Short Film Market runs concurrently, giving selected filmmakers direct access to industry professionals.
For French filmmakers: The National Competition is the primary platform for French short films. Winning the Grand Prix National is one of the highest honors for a French short filmmaker. The Procirep Prize recognizes production companies, making it valuable for producers.
For international filmmakers: The International Competition is the primary entry point. The Canal+ Award includes a television acquisition, providing both revenue and broadcast exposure. The festival receives thousands of submissions, making selection highly competitive.
For experimental filmmakers: The Lab Competition is dedicated to works that combine genres, techniques, and artistic disciplines. This section has inspired many other festivals to create similar experimental competitions.
For industry professionals: The Short Film Market is the world's leading short film industry event. It features a video library with thousands of titles, the Euro Connection co-production forum, and Talents Connexion meetings. Over 4,100 professionals attended in 2025.
Past Winners
The 2026 edition (48th) awarded across four competition sections:
- Grand Prix National: Intersecting Memory (dir. Shayma' Awawdeh, France/Palestine, 2025) - a documentary about occupied Hebron during the Second Intifada, weaving childhood memories with collective memory. The Palestinian filmmaker was ovationed by the audience at the Cocteau hall.
- Grand Prix International: Bleu Heart (dir. Samuel Suffren, Haiti/France, 2025) - an elderly Haitian couple waits for a call from their son who left for the American dream. Also screened at Cannes Directors' Fortnight. Sales handled by Square Eyes.
- Grand Prix Lab: God is Shy (dir. Jocelyn Charles, France) - produced by Remembers studio. Nominated for the Cesar in its category.
- Special Jury Prize National: Bread and Games (dirs. Lea Tarral and Judith Longuet-Marx)
The 2025 edition (47th) winners:
- Grand Prix National: Genealogy of Violence (dir. Mohamed Bourouissa, France, 2024) - a film about police identity checks and institutional humiliation. Also won the Special FX Award. Produced by Division and Mohamed Bourouissa Studio.
- International Grand Prix: Unspoken (dir. Damian Walshe-Howling, Australia, 2024) - set in 1979 Sydney during Croatian independence protests. Also won the Audience Award at Annapolis Film Festival. A series adaptation was moving forward after the Clermont-Ferrand win.
- Best Animation: I Died in Irpin (dir. Anastasiia Falileieva, Czech Republic/Slovakia/Ukraine, 2024) - an animated documentary about fleeing Kyiv to Irpin during the Russian invasion. Premiered at Annecy 2024. Won the Best Short Film award at the 29th Riga International Short Film Festival 2ANNAS.
- Special Jury Prize International: Mercenaire (Canada) - about an ex-convict working at a slaughterhouse.
Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up
- Bleu Heart (dir. Samuel Suffren, 2025) - won the Grand Prix International at Clermont-Ferrand 2026. Also selected for Cannes Directors' Fortnight. Sales by Square Eyes. Suffren's earlier film Dreams Like Paper Boats premiered at Sundance 2024.
- Unspoken (dir. Damian Walshe-Howling, 2024) - won the International Grand Prix at Clermont-Ferrand 2025. The win helped advance a series adaptation. Also won Best Short Film at CinefestOz.
- I Died in Irpin (dir. Anastasiia Falileieva, 2024) - won Best Animation at Clermont-Ferrand 2025. Premiered at Annecy 2024. Screened at over 60 festivals. Uses charcoal animation to depict fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
- Genealogy of Violence (dir. Mohamed Bourouissa, 2024) - won the Grand Prix National at Clermont-Ferrand 2025. Examines police identity checks as invisible violence. Bourouissa is a contemporary artist exhibited internationally.
- Avant que de tout perdre (dir. Xavier Legrand, 2013) - competed at Clermont-Ferrand 2013. Legrand developed it into his feature Custody (2017), which won the Cesar for Best Film and the Silver Lion at Venice.
- Le Jour a vaincu la nuit (dir. Jean-Gabriel Periot, 2013) - won the Grand Prix at Clermont-Ferrand 2013. Periot went on to direct A German Youth (2015), which screened at Berlin.
Submission Tips Specific to This Festival
Clermont-Ferrand receives over 8,000 submissions for approximately 137 competition slots. The selection rate is under 2 percent, making it one of the most competitive short film festivals in the world.
Filmmakers should identify which competition fits their work. The National Competition is restricted to French films. The International Competition is open to all nationalities. The Lab Competition targets experimental works. Films must be under 60 minutes and completed after January 1 of the relevant year.
The Pop-Up section offers an additional pathway for French fiction and experimental films on YouTube. No separate submission is needed, as films are chosen from National Competition submissions.
For industry visibility, the Short Film Market is as important as the festival. Even if your film is not selected for competition, submitting to the market's video library can put your work in front of buyers.
Films that have premiered at other major festivals are not penalized. The 2026 International Grand Prix winner Bleu Heart had already screened at Cannes Directors' Fortnight. The 2025 Best Animation winner I Died in Irpin had premiered at Annecy.
Industry Reputation Notes
Clermont-Ferrand is the undisputed leader among short film festivals worldwide. In terms of audience (170,000-plus admissions) and professional attendance (4,100-plus at the market), it surpasses all other short film festivals. It is the second largest film festival in France after Cannes.
Compared to Tampere Film Festival (Finland), which is FIAPF-accredited with a stronger Nordic and Baltic focus, Clermont-Ferrand has a larger market component and broader international reach. Compared to Oberhausen (Germany, founded 1954), which has a stronger experimental tradition, Clermont-Ferrand programs a wider range of genres and has a larger audience.
The Short Film Market is the primary global marketplace for short film acquisition. It includes the Euro Connection co-production forum, which has facilitated numerous international co-productions. The market's video library is the largest of its kind, making it an essential stop for buyers and programmers.
Watch
See Also
For active children's film festivals in Europe, see the Oulu International Children's and Youth Film Festival. For short film festival opportunities, see the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival. For French cinema and European film markets, read International Film Markets. For broader festival circuit planning, read Film Festival Strategy.
