Festivals

Animation (And Other Film) Festivals That Accept Long Short Films (2006 Update)

ZF Team 15 February 2024 Last Updated: 30 April 2026

Collage from recent long animation shorts

It is always difficult to fit in when your animation short is simply too long -not because of creative vanity, but simply because your story requires it. Animation and (short) film festivals are notoriously picky and suspicious about including animation shorts longer than 20 minutes in their programmes. If anything else, it makes the lineup of the same festivals smaller in comparison.

Still, long animation shorts have found their way into the festival circuit. Think of the 26-minute, pixilated 'Electra' by the Oscar-nominated Daria Kashcheeva; and the Polish animation short 'Zima' (Winter) by Tomasz Popakul, another festival hit and 26-minute film (and 2024 Oscar-qualified). The Bulgarian/Canadian 27-minute film by Theodore Ushev, The Physics of Sorrow' (which won the 2020 Annecy Cristal for best short film) is another case in mind. And, more recently, the 33-minute Estonian/French film 'Luna Rossa' by Priit and Olga Pärn.

The following list details the animation and (short) film festivals that accept animation short of 25 minutes or longer (which means that if your film is shorter, it can still enter). This is no 'insider's' list - but if you need further advice, you can always use our festival consultancy service (our self-advertising :). The list is an enumeration of the festivals, sorted by the month they usually take place throughout the year -it simply implies that they accept longer films, not that they necessarily select them. But based on previous coverage, we know that a number of those festivals do programme longer shorts.

NB1: The majority of animation and (short) film festivals listed here have a separate, feature film component. If your animation film is of feature-length (50+) you can consult our coverage of the same festivals individually and their respective page.

NB2: We tried to include (whenever possible) the specific festival competitions in which longer shorts are usually programmed. In the absence of such info (or in the case of multiple categories), we left it blank -but you can still navigate both to the festival's page and our own coverage for further info.

Last, but not least, here's our current Next Deadlines segment; to familiarize yourselves with the updated deadlines of all animation festivals (including the ones that don't accept longer shorts), and programme your submissions.

Good luck with your long animation short!

January

INDIEJÚNIOR – INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S AND YOUTH FILM FESTIVAL OF PORTO (Portugal)
IndieJúnior´s International Competition
Accepts animation shorts up to 45 minutes
IndieJúnior – International Children’s and Youth Film Festival of Porto at Zippy Frames

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL (USA)
Short Film Grand Jury Prize, Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction, Short Film Jury Award: US Fiction, Short Film Jury Award: Animation, Short Film Jury Award: Non-fiction
Accepts animation shorts under 50 minutes

February

SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL (USA)
Accepts animation shorts with no restrictions
ANIMA: THE BRUSSELS ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL (Belgium)
Accepts animation shorts with no restrictions
Anima: The Brussels Animation Film Festival at Zippy Frames

ANIMAC INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL OF CATALONIA (Spain)
Accepts animation shorts with no restrictions
ANIMAC International Animation Film Festival of Catalonia at Zippy Frames

BERLIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (Germany)
Golden Bear - International Shorts Competition
Accepts animation shorts up to 30 minutes
CLERMONT-FERRAND INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL (France)
International Competition - National Competition
Accepts animation shorts up to 40 minutes (international competition) - 59 minutes (national competition)
Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival at Zippy Frames

Anima Festival 2025 Opening Night

March

LANTERNA MÁGICA INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL (Brazil)
Accepts animation shorts up to 25 minutes
Lanterna Mágica International Animation Festival at Zippy Frames
KABOOM ANIMATION FESTIVAL (The Netherlands)
Accepts animation shorts up to 30 minutes excluding credits
Kaboom Animation Festival at Zippy Frames
ANIMATION DINGLE (Ireland)
Accepts animation shorts of all animation genres under 30 minutes
Animation Dingle at Zippy Frames

CINÉ COURT ANIMÉ - ANIMATION FESTIVAL OF ROANNE (France)
International Competition, National Competition
Accepts animation shorts under 30 minutes
Ciné court animé - Animation festival of Roanne at Zippy Frames

MONSTRA - LISBON ANIMATION FESTIVAL (Portugal)
Long Shorts Competition
Accepts films between 15 and 40 minutes.
Monstra - Lisbon Animation Festival at Zippy Frames
NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FILM FESTIVAL (USA)
Short Film Animation, Short Film Documentary
Accepts animation shorts under 40 minutes
New York International Children's Film Festival at Zippy Frames
TOKYO ANIME AWARD FESTIVAL (Tokyo)
Accepts animation shorts under 30 minutes
*Any animated films longer than 30 min. but less than 60 min. shall be applied to the category of Feature Animation first. The TAAF office will contact the applicant later to notify which category is appropriate for the film.*
Tokyo Anime Award Festival at Zippy Frames
TRICKY WOMEN / TRICKY REALITIES ANIMATION FESTIVAL (Austria)
Accepts animation shorts with no restrictions
Tricky Women / Tricky Realities Animation Festival at Zippy Frames

Monstra Festival 2025

April

SUDAN INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL - APEDEMAK (Sudan)
Accepts animation shorts under 40 minutes
Sudan International Animation Festival - Apedemak 2024 at Zippy Frames
ATHENS ANIMFEST (Greece)
Accepts animation shorts (short, student, experimental, Greek) up to 30 minutes
Athens Animfest at Zippy Frames
ANIMOCJE INTERNATIONAL ANIMATED FILM FESTIVAL (Poland)
International Competition, Music Videos Competition, Films for Children and Young Adult Competition
Accepts animation shorts up to 30 minutes
Animocje International Animated Film Festival at Zippy Frames

BRIGHTON INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL (United Kingdom)
Accepts animation shorts between 15 - 40 minutes
Accepts student animation of any duration
Brighton International Animation Festival at Zippy Frames

FESTIVAL NATIONAL DU FILM D'ANIMATION (France)
Student Short Films, Professional Short Films,
Accepts animation shorts up to 45 minutes
Festival national du film d'animation at Zippy Frames

FILMFEST DRESDEN (Germany)
Accepts animation shorts up to 30 minutes and German Competition up to 40 minutes
Filmfest Dresden at Zippy Frames

GO SHORT FESTIVAL (The Netherlands)
Accepts animation shorts up to 30 minutes
Go Short Festival at Zippy Frames

GLAS ANIMATION FESTIVAL (USA)
Accepts animation shorts up to 45 minutes (2025 edition)
Glas Animation Festival at Zippy Frames

RIGA INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 2ANNAS (Latvia)
International Short Film Competition, International Mid-Length Competition
Accepts animation shorts up to 30 minutes, and mid-length films from 30 up to 60 minutes
Riga International Short Film Festival 2Annas at Zippy Frames

May

ITFS STUTTGART INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ANIMATED FILM (Germany)
International Competition, Young Animation Competition for Student Films, Trickstar Nature Award, Tricks for Kids
Accepts animation shorts up to 30 minutes
ITFS Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film at Zippy Frames
ANIFILM INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ANIMATED FILMS (Czech Republic)
International Competition of Short Films
Accepts animation shorts up to 59 minutes
Anifilm International Festival of Animated Films at Zippy Frames
ANIMAYO FESTIVAL (Spain)
Accepts animation shorts up to 30 minutes
Animayo Festival at Zippy Frames
ANIMATRICKS ANIMATION FESTIVAL (Finland)
Accepts animation shorts up to 30 minutes
Animatricks Animation Festival at Zippy Frames
CHILEMONOS INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL (Chile)
International Animated Short Film Competition, Latin American Animated Short Film Competition (Including Chile), International School Short Film Competition, Latin American School Short Film Competition (Including Chile)
Accepts animation shorts up to 30 minutes
Chilemonos International Animation Festival at Zippy Frames
GOLDEN KUKER INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL (Bulgaria)
Best Short Animated Film Competition
Accepts animation shorts up to 45 minutes
Golden Kuker International Animation Film Festival at Zippy Frames
"HERO" INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH (Russia)
Accepts animation shorts under 35 minutes
"Hero" International Film Festival for Children and Youth at Zippy Frames
PALM SPRINGS INT'NL ANIMATION FESTIVAL (USA)
Accepts animation shorts with no restrictions
Palm Springs Int'nl Animation Festival at Zippy Frames
SOMMETS DU CINÉMA D'ANIMATION (Canada)
Short films, music videos, short educational films, and ads
Accepts animation shorts under 30 minutes
Sommets du cinéma d'animation at Zippy Frames
VIENNA SHORTS FESTIVAL (Austria)
Accepts animation shorts up to 30 minutes
Vienna Shorts Festival at Zippy Frames

Anifilm Festival 2025 Outdoor Screening photo

Anifilm Festival 2025 Outdoor screening (photo: Eva Kořínková a René Volfík)

June

ANIMAFEST ZAGREB (Croatia)
Short Film Competition, Student Film Competition, Films for Children Competition, Croatian Film Competition
Accepts animation shorts up to 40 minutes
Animafest Zagreb at Zippy Frames
ANNECY INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL AND MARKET (France)
Accepts animation shorts up to 59 minutes
Annecy International Animation Film Festival and Market at Zippy Frames
FEST ANČA INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL (Slovakia)
Best Animated Short, Best Student Animated Short, Best Animated Short for Children, Best Animated Music Video
Best Slovak Animated Short
Accepts animation shorts under 30 minutes
Fest Anča International Animation Festival at Zippy Frames
TIAF- TBILISI INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL (Georgia)
Short Film Competition
Accepts animation shorts up to 59 minutes
TIAF- Tbilisi International Animation Festival at Zippy Frames
TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL (USA)
Best Animated Short, Best Documentary Short, Best Narrative Short
Accepts animation shorts under 40 minutes (including documentaries, narratives, animation, experimental films, and music videos)

Animafest Zagreb 2025 group photo

Animafest Zagreb 2025 Award Ceremony

July

ANIMATOR FESTIVAL (Poland)
International Animated Short Film Competition, Polish Animated Short Film Competition
Accepts animation shorts up to 40 minutes
Animator Festival at Zippy Frames
ANIBAR INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL (Kosovo)
International Animation, Student Animation, Balkan Animation, Human Rights Competition
Animated Music Videos Competition, Kids and Teen Competition
Accepts animation shorts under 30 minutes including credits
Anibar International Animation Festival at Zippy Frames
INSOMNIA INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL (Russia)
Accepts animation shorts with no restrictions
Insomnia International Animation Film Festival at Zippy Frames
SUPERTOON INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL (Croatia)
Short Animated Films (Grandtoon), Animated Films for Children (Planktoon), Animated Music Videos (Supertune), Student Short Animated Films (Studentoon)
Accepts animation shorts up to 30 minutes
Supertoon International Animation Festival at Zippy Frames