Imagine Film Festival Amsterdam

Overview

Imagine Film Festival is the Netherlands' largest genre film festival, held annually over 10 days in late October and early November in Amsterdam. The 2026 edition runs from October 29 to November 8 at LAB111, De FilmHallen, and Hal West. The festival programs approximately 60 to 80 films spanning fantasy, horror, science fiction, anime, martial arts, and cult cinema, along with an expanded VR/AR and games program.

Imagine is a member of the Melies International Festivals Federation (MIFF), a network of 35 genre film festivals from 21 countries. The federation awards the Silver Melies (Melies d'Argent) at each member festival for best European fantastic feature and short film. Winners advance to the annual Melies d'Or competition for best European fantastic film overall.

For genre filmmakers in Europe, Imagine is one of three major regional platforms alongside Sitges (Spain) and Fantasia (Canada). The festival accepts open submissions via FilmFreeway. Submission fees are EUR 17.50 for shorts and digital works, and EUR 35 for features. The 2026 theme is "Ghost in the Feed," exploring anxieties around media technology across five historical stages from television to immersive technology.

Submission Fees and Deadlines

Imagine accepts submissions through FilmFreeway. The festival requires Netherlands premiere status: films that have screened at other Dutch festivals before Imagine are not eligible. Rough cuts and works in progress are accepted. Screeners must be in English or Dutch, or have English or Dutch subtitles.

Feature Films (60 minutes and longer)

Short Films (up to 30 minutes)

Digital Works (VR, Games, Interactive)

Submission fees are non-refundable. Films must have been completed in 2025 or 2026. Films that have been broadcast or are publicly available online before the festival ends are not eligible. Notification of selection is typically in mid-September.

Key Sections

• Feature Film Competition - genre features competing for the Silver Melies and jury prizes
• Short Film Competition - genre short films competing for the Silver Melies for shorts
• Expanded Program - VR, AR, games, and interactive installations exploring the fantastic universe
• Special Screenings - high-profile genre premieres and events
• Retrospectives - classic genre films and tributes to major genre directors
• Theme Program - annual thematic focus (2026: "Ghost in the Feed")
• Imagine Industry - professionals program including Imagine Project Platform and Imagine Fantastic Talents

What Filmmakers Should Know

Silver Melies Competition

The Silver Melies (Melies d'Argent) is awarded at Imagine on behalf of the MIFF to the best European fantastic feature film and the best European fantastic short film. Winning the Silver Melies at Imagine qualifies the film for the Melies d'Or competition, where all Silver Melies winners from member festivals compete for the overall best European fantastic film. This makes Imagine one of the most strategically important European genre festivals for filmmakers whose work is eligible for the European fantastic film category.

Short films must be 25 minutes or shorter to be eligible for the Melies competition. Feature films must be 60 minutes or longer.

Imagine Industry

Imagine Industry is the festival's professionals program, running during the first week of November. It includes two tracks:

• Imagine Project Platform - for experienced filmmakers working on their first or second genre feature. Projects must be in treatment or screenplay development with a director and producer attached. Four selected projects receive pitch training, feedback from international genre experts, and potential participation in the Frontieres International Co-Production Market in Montreal. Application deadline is mid-September.
• Imagine Fantastic Talents - for newer creators with a short film or web series in treatment or screenplay phase. Selected participants join a three-day talent development program. Application deadline is mid-September.

Both programs are primarily conducted in Dutch. Filmmakers working in English should contact the festival directly before applying.

Premiere Requirements

Imagine requires Netherlands premiere status. Films that have screened at other festivals in the Netherlands before Imagine are not eligible. Films that have been broadcast or are publicly streaming online before the end of the festival are also excluded. International premieres and world premieres are prioritized.

Eligibility

Films must be in the fantastic genre: fantasy, horror, science fiction, or related speculative fiction. The festival programs animation, documentary, and live-action work within the genre framework. Non-genre films are not considered.

Major Awards

• Melies d'Argent (Silver Melies) for Best European Fantastic Feature - jury prize, qualifies winner for Melies d'Or
• Melies d'Argent (Silver Melies) for Best European Fantastic Short - jury prize, qualifies winner for Melies d'Or
• Silver Scream Award - audience award voted by festival attendees via QR codes after screenings
• Black Tulip Award - jury prize for best fantastic feature (non-European category)
• Imagine Pitch Award - for best project pitch in the Imagine Industry program

Festival History

Imagine began in 1984 as "Weekend of Terror," a horror-focused screening event in Amsterdam. The event expanded into a full festival in 1991 under the name Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival (AFFF), programming a wider array of genre films including science fiction, fantasy, martial arts, and anime alongside horror.

The festival joined the European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation (EFFFF, now MIFF) in 1996, making it part of the network that awards the Silver Melies and Golden Melies prizes. In 2004, Imagine hosted the Golden Melies Gala, awarding the best European fantastic films across both feature and short categories.

The festival rebranded as "Imagine" in the 2010s to reflect its broader programming scope beyond traditional horror and fantasy. The Imagine Industry professionals program was added to support Dutch and European genre film development, with the Project Platform connecting filmmakers to international co-production opportunities.

Imagine has been held at LAB111 as its primary venue since the 2010s, with De FilmHallen and Hal West serving as additional screening locations. The festival typically programs a country or cultural focus each year alongside its annual theme.

See Also

Use the Festival ROI Calculator to weigh Imagine submission costs against potential deal value. Use the Festival Acceptance Odds Estimator to estimate your probability based on genre and tier. For genre festival circuit planning, read Film Festival Strategy. For understanding festival tier rankings, read Festival Tier Hierarchy. For submission platform comparison, read FilmFreeway vs Festivals vs Submittable.