Overview
The Tehran International Short Film Festival (TISFF) is one of the oldest and most significant short film festivals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Founded in 1983 and organized by the Iranian Youth Cinema Society (IYCS), the festival is held annually in October in Tehran. The 43rd edition will take place October 19 to 24, 2026.
TISFF is officially recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as an Academy Award qualifying festival. The Grand Prix winner of the International Competition automatically qualifies for Oscar consideration in the Best Short Film category. This status places TISFF among a select group of approximately 200 festivals worldwide whose top prize carries direct Oscar eligibility.
The festival receives over 10,000 submissions from more than 100 countries each year. For the 42nd edition (2025), 10,200 short films from 145 countries were submitted. International submissions are accepted through FilmFreeway, FestHome, and ShortFilmDepot, with no submission fee charged to international filmmakers.
Iran has one of the world's most prolific short film traditions. TISFF is the primary platform for this community. The festival operates within Iran's regulatory framework, and international filmmakers should be aware that content restrictions apply.
Submission Details
TISFF accepts international submissions through FilmFreeway, FestHome, and ShortFilmDepot. Key details for the 43rd edition (2026):
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Submission Platforms | FilmFreeway, FestHome, ShortFilmDepot |
| International Submission Deadline | July 5, 2026 (may be extended to late July) |
| Notification Date | Late September 2026 |
| Festival Dates (43rd edition) | October 19 to 24, 2026 |
| Eligibility Window | Films completed after January 1, 2025 |
| Maximum Runtime | 40 minutes (fiction, documentary, animation); 20 minutes for experimental |
| Submission Fee | Free for international submissions |
| Subtitle Requirement | English subtitles required |
| Accepted Categories | Fiction, Animation, Documentary, Experimental, AI (Artificial Intelligence) |
International submissions are processed separately from the national (Iranian) section. Iranian films in the international section are evaluated by the National Section Selection Committee and may be added to the International Competition upon their recommendation.
Competition Sections
- International Fiction Competition - narrative short films up to 40 minutes
- International Documentary Competition - nonfiction short films up to 40 minutes
- International Animation Competition - animated short films up to 40 minutes
- International Experimental Competition - experimental short films up to 20 minutes
- AI (Artificial Intelligence) Competition - films incorporating AI technology in their creation
- Emerging Horizons Award - first or second short fiction films by filmmakers from the MENA region, up to 40 minutes
The national section (Iranian Cinema) runs as a separate competition with its own categories and prizes, including fiction, documentary, animation, and experimental sections. The national section also includes a special Book and Cinema (Adaptation) section for adapted screenplays.
Awards and Prizes
International Competition
- Grand Prix - trophy, diploma, and $3,000 USD
- Best Fiction Film - trophy, diploma, and $1,000 USD
- Best Documentary - trophy, diploma, and $1,000 USD
- Best Animation - trophy, diploma, and $1,000 USD
- Best Experimental Film - trophy, diploma, and $1,000 USD
- Emerging Horizons Award (Silk Road countries) - trophy, diploma, and $500 USD
- Best AI Film - trophy, diploma, and $500 USD
National Competition (Iranian Cinema)
- Best Film (Iranian Cinema) - Golden Leaf and 1,000,000,000 IRR (to producer)
- Best Fiction Director - Golden Leaf and 800,000,000 IRR
- Best Documentary - Golden Leaf and 800,000,000 IRR
- Best Animation - Golden Leaf and 800,000,000 IRR
- Best Experimental Director - Golden Leaf and 800,000,000 IRR
- Best Screenplay - Golden Leaf and 650,000,000 IRR
- Best Adapted Screenplay - Golden Leaf and 600,000,000 IRR
- Best Editing - Golden Leaf and 600,000,000 IRR
- Best Cinematography - Golden Leaf and 600,000,000 IRR
- Audience Award - Golden Leaf and 400,000,000 IRR
The Grand Prix winner qualifies for Academy Award consideration in the Oscar Best Short Film category. This is the most significant practical benefit of the festival for international filmmakers, as Oscar qualification can transform a short film's distribution and career trajectory.## Festival History
TISFF was founded in 1983 by the Iranian Youth Cinema Society (IYCS), one of the largest film education organizations in Iran. The festival was established to identify and promote notable short films at national and international levels.
Over four decades, the festival has grown from a national showcase into an internationally recognized event. The Academy Award qualifying status was granted in recognition of the festival's programming quality and its role in the global short film ecosystem. The 42nd edition in 2025 received 10,200 submissions from 145 countries.
The 43rd edition in 2026 is directed by Behrouz Shoaeibi and introduces the AI (Artificial Intelligence) competition category, reflecting the festival's effort to engage with emerging production technologies.
What Filmmakers Should Know
For International Short Filmmakers
TISFF offers free international submissions with no entry fee, which is unusual for a festival of this scale. Combined with its Academy Award qualifying status, this makes TISFF one of the highest-value submission targets for short filmmakers globally. There is no financial risk to submitting, and a Grand Prix win carries direct Oscar eligibility.
The festival accepts films up to 40 minutes (20 minutes for experimental), which is more generous than many short film festivals that cap at 30 minutes. Films must have been completed after January 1, 2025, and must have English subtitles.
Content restrictions apply. Films that violate Iranian cultural regulations will not be programmed. This includes content depicting sexual content, alcohol consumption, or material deemed critical of Islamic values. Filmmakers should assess their film's compatibility with these restrictions before submitting.
For Iranian Short Filmmakers
TISFF is the most important domestic short film platform in Iran. The national competition awards substantial cash prizes in Iranian rials, with the Best Film prize at 1,000,000,000 IRR. The festival also serves as a selection mechanism for the Fajr International Film Festival's short film program.
Iranian filmmakers submit through the festival's domestic platform at festival.iycs.ir, not through FilmFreeway. The national section has its own deadlines, which typically close in early July.
Practical Considerations
The festival covers accommodation for selected directors attending in person. Travel to Tehran requires a visa, which can take several weeks to arrange. The Grand Prix cash prize of $3,000 USD is paid in US dollars, unlike the national competition prizes which are paid in Iranian rials.
The festival does not have an attached film market. Its value for international filmmakers is in the Oscar qualifying status, the competition exposure, and the access to the Iranian and MENA region short film community.
Past Winners
2025 (42nd edition) International Competition:
- Grand Prix: The Cannon (dir. Martin Seeger, Chile). Qualifies for Academy Award consideration.
- Best Fiction: Baozhda (dir. Keran Abukasimu, China)
- Best Animation: Winter in March (dir. Natalia Mirzoyan, Armenia)
- Best Documentary: My Name Is Oil (dir. Igor Smola, Azerbaijan)
- Best Experimental: A Visualization of a Cut (dir. Claudia Munksgaard-Palmqvist)
- Emerging Horizons: Whispering Rocks (dir. Mohammad Tarahhomi, Iran)
- Best AI Film: The Valley (dir. Juan Zabal, Argentina)
2025 National Competition:
- Best Film: Life for All (dir. Mohsen Asdeghpour)
- Best Directing and Audience Award: Goodbye Trash (dir. Bahram and Bahman Ark)
Notable past Grand Prix winners: Meryam Joobeur (Tunisia), Tomasz Baginski (Poland), Ashvin Kumar (India), Piotr Domalewski (Poland), Constant Mentzas (Canada)
Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up
TISFF has a track record of identifying filmmakers who later achieve Academy Award recognition. Several past winners and alumni have gone on to Oscar nominations or wins.
- Brotherhood (Meryam Joobeur, 2018) won the TISFF Grand Prix and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film at the 92nd Oscars (2020).
- The Cathedral (Tomasz Baginski, 2002) won the TISFF Grand Prix and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 75th Oscars (2003).
- In the Shadow of the Cypress (Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani, 2024) - TISFF alumni directors won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 97th Oscars (2025), the first Oscar win for Iranian filmmakers.
- Fauve (Jeremy Comte, 2018) - TISFF alumni director was Oscar-nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 91st Oscars (2019).
- Everything Will Be Okay (Patrick Vollrath, 2015) - TISFF alumni director was Oscar-nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 88th Oscars (2016).
Submission Tips Specific to This Festival
The free international submission makes TISFF a no-cost entry point for Oscar qualification. Filmmakers should target the section that matches their film: fiction, documentary, animation, experimental, or the new AI category. The Emerging Horizons Award is restricted to first or second short fiction films by filmmakers from MENA and Silk Road countries, offering a less competitive pathway for regional filmmakers.
Content restrictions are the most important consideration. Films depicting sexual content, alcohol consumption, or material deemed critical of Islamic values will not be programmed. Filmmakers should assess compatibility with Iranian cultural regulations before submitting.
The 40-minute runtime limit (20 for experimental) is more generous than many short film festivals that cap at 30 minutes.
Industry Reputation Notes
TISFF is one of the oldest short film festivals in the MENA region, founded in 1983. Its Academy Award qualifying status places it among approximately 200 festivals worldwide whose top prize carries direct Oscar eligibility. The 42nd edition received 10,200 submissions from 145 countries.
Compared to Clermont-Ferrand (the world's largest short film festival), TISFF is smaller in industry market activity but offers Oscar qualification and access to the Iranian and MENA short film community. The festival does not operate a film market. Its industry value lies in Oscar qualification, competition exposure, and access to the Iranian short film network.
Watch
See Also
Calculate your total festival submission costs and projected return using the Festival ROI Calculator. For Iranian cinema and Middle Eastern film markets, see International Film Markets. For festival circuit planning and Oscar qualification strategy, see Film Festival Strategy. For the Fajr International Film Festival, Iran's major feature film festival, see Fajr International Film Festival. Submit through TISFF on FilmFreeway or visit the official website.
