Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival (MSPIFF)

Overview

The Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival (MSPIFF) is the largest annual celebration of international cinema in the upper Midwest. The 45th edition (MSPIFF45) runs April 8-19, 2026, screening over 200 films from more than 80 countries across 12 days in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The festival is one of the largest and longest-running film festivals in North America.

MSPIFF is operated by the MSP Film Society, a nonprofit organization that runs year-round programming at the St. Anthony Main Theatre complex. The festival screens features, documentaries, and short films across competitive and curated sections, with visiting filmmakers, panels, and special guests.

The Twin Cities' large Somali, Hmong, Latinx, and East African immigrant communities give MSPIFF a particularly diverse audience for world cinema. The festival has developed programming tracks that connect directly with these communities, including films from East Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.

Key Sections

• International Feature Competition - world cinema competing for jury prizes
• Short Film Competition - Academy Award-qualifying programs
• Documentary Competition - nonfiction features in competition
• US Documentary - American documentary films
• Emerging Visions - debut and second feature filmmakers
• Minnesota Spotlight - films by Minnesota filmmakers
• Special Presentations - curated non-competition screenings with visiting filmmakers

What Filmmakers Should Know

Submission Fees and Deadlines (MSPIFF45, 2026 Festival)

All submissions go through FilmFreeway. The submission portal opened July 15, 2025.

Minnesota filmmakers submit for free across all deadlines. This is a significant cost advantage for local filmmakers compared to other regional festivals.

Academy Award Qualifying Status

MSPIFF is an Academy Award-qualifying festival in its short film categories. Films that win the Best Short Film award at MSPIFF become eligible for Academy Award consideration in the short film categories. This makes MSPIFF one of the few festivals in the upper Midwest where a short film win can directly lead to Oscar eligibility.

Eligibility and Submission Requirements

• Films must be completed within the eligibility window (typically the preceding calendar year)
• Submissions must include an online screener (Vimeo link preferred)
• The festival accepts features, documentaries, and short films
• Minnesota filmmakers should indicate their residency status to qualify for free submission
• Notification of acceptance or rejection is sent by email by March 10, 2026

MSP Film Society Membership

MSP Film Society Members receive discounts on All-Access Passes, 6 Packs, and individual tickets. Members can reserve tickets in advance of the general public and do not pay online reservation fees. Membership supports the MSP Film Society's year-round programming and operations.

Major Awards

• Best Feature Film - jury prize for the International Feature Competition
• Best Documentary - jury prize for documentary competition
• Best Short Film - jury prize; Academy Award-qualifying
• Minnesota Spotlight Award - for outstanding work by a Minnesota filmmaker
• Audience Award - voted by festival audiences across feature, documentary, and short film categories
• Emerging Visions Award - for outstanding debut or second feature

Festival History

MSPIFF was founded in 1982 by the MSP Film Society (then known as the University Film Society). The festival grew from a small campus-based event into one of the largest film festivals in North America. The 2026 edition (MSPIFF45) marks the 45th anniversary, making it one of the longest continuously running film festivals in the United States.

The festival has been held at the St. Anthony Main Theatre complex on the Minneapolis riverfront for most of its history, with additional venues across both Minneapolis and St. Paul. The MSP Film Society operates year-round programming at St. Anthony Main, including limited runs of international and independent films, special series, and member events.

Over four decades, MSPIFF has built a sustained film culture in the Twin Cities. The festival's consistent programming of international cinema has made it a primary venue for Minnesota audiences to access world cinema that does not receive commercial distribution in the region.

See Also

For festival submission cost analysis, use the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator. For Midwest independent filmmaking strategies, see Independent Filmmaking Strategies. For festival circuit planning, see Film Festival Strategy. Submit through FilmFreeway or visit the official festival site for full rules and guidelines.