The call for applications to Berlinale Talents 2027 – the talent development programme of the Berlin International Film Festival – has opened. Berlinale Talents is aimed at filmmakers, series and XR content creators with with an existing track record of work. Every year in February, Berlin becomes the home for filmmakers and industry representatives alike who attend the Berlinale programme sections and the European Film Market to present their latest work. With links to both the business and artistic components of the festival, the Summit of Berlinale Talents is a six-day onsite event in presence of everyone invited (12th-17th February 2027).

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Anima 2027, the Brussels Animation Film Festival, has opened the call for entries to its selection programmes for the 46th edition of the festival. The Festival seeks to promote animated films from all over the world and encourage dialogue between professionals, filmmakers and the public. The winner of the Anima 2027 Grand Prix will automatically be included on the Academy Award® longlist in the Best Animated Short Film category. British short films selected in one of our competitions are also eligible for the BAFTA Award for Best Short Animation.

Read more about Anima 2027 – Brussels Animation Film Festival on Contest Watchers.

Ten Scary Minutes – the horror movie making contest is about to open for entries for 2026 as part of its 14th annual event. You are invited to create a ten minute or less, horror movie. With the exceptional video recording capabilities of smartphones, the advent of high quality POV cameras, (at this time 360 immersive video is not supported), and the many user-friendly video editing options like I-Movie, Movie Maker etc., the organizers decided to have a little fun and challenge you to a horror movie contest. The challenge — you create a short, (up to), ten minute horror movie. It may be Gothic scary, like Hitchcock, shock scary, mock scary or outright B-movie campy! The idea is to take that cool smartphone or action cam, use your imagination and have a little fun! The prize, for first place? A whopping $500 US bucks, (just enough for pizza and beverages), the social “cred” of being tech savvy-cool and maybe your production goes viral. Who knows? Maybe you will be the next movie horror master!

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The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards have officially opened for entries for their 2027 edition. Filmmakers from around the world are invited to submit their short films for free. Now in their fifth year, the Awards continue to grow, offering emerging filmmakers an opportunity to showcase their work on a global stage, build industry connections and develop their craft through an exclusive industry program.

Read more about Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2027 on Contest Watchers.

The International Uranium Film Festival invites filmmakers worldwide to submit their best work for the 2027 edition. The festival accepts productions exploring the complex themes of nuclear power, radioactivity, and the use of radioactive elements, including uranium. From Hiroshima to Fukushima: nuclear war and atomic bomb tests, nuclear disasters like Three Mile Island, Chernobyl or Fukushima, uranium mining, the use of depleted uranium weapons, nuclear waste, radioactive contamination, nuclear medicine, films about nuclear scientists like Marie Curie, Enrico Fermi, Otto Hahn or Albert Einstein. The festival is competitive. The best films receive the Uranium Film Festival trophy.

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Pictoplasma Berlin 2027 is calling for animation submissions for the “Characters In Motion” international screenings. High-grade Characters in animation, narration, music visuals, experimental work or motion graphics, from any part of the world, are eligible. All entered animated short films (experimental, narrative, non-narrative, commissioned, or student films) submitted before February 1 will be considered for the 23rd Pictoplasma festival selection, scheduled to take place in Berlin in May 2027.

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ÉCU – The European Independent Film Festival is calling for submissions for the 22nd edition of the festival. As one of the world’s most recognized independent film festivals in the world, ÉCU embraces innovation and creativity and allows directors in competition to showcase their films to audiences who love and appreciate independent cinema. The Festival is competitive and focuses on original and independent works that demonstrate quality, creativity and innovation across fourteen categories.

Read more about ÉCU 2027 – 22nd European Independent Film Festival on Contest Watchers.