Since 2019, the winner of the Audience Award of the National Competition is selected for the European Short Film Audience Award (ESFAA): a tour of Audience Awards from 10 European short film festivals (Brussels Short Film Festival, Curtas Vila do Conde International Film Festival, Lviv International Short Film Festival Wiz Art, Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival Bristol, Interfilm International Film Festival Berlin, ALCINE – Festival de Cine de Alcalá de Henares, Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, Tampere Film Festival, Short Waves Festival, Go Short International Short Film Festival Nijmegen).
Since 2018, the Brussels Short Film Festival is an Oscars® Qualifying Film Festival.
The winners of the Great Prize of the International and the National Competitions will be eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film/ Live Action Short Film category of the Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules.
The festival dates: April 23 – May 3, 2025
The submission deadline: January 31, 2025.
FIAPF, Academy Qualified Film Festivals upcoming deadlines with short film competitions that are not on the Filmfreeway:

Raindance Film Festival
Submit

Cannes Court Metrage
Submit

Brussels Short Film Festival
Submit

International Short Film Festival Oberhausen
Submit

ANIMATOR INTERNATIONAL ANIMATED FILM FESTIVAL
Submit

Sundance Film Festival
Submit

LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL
Submit

Annecy film festival
Submit

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
Submit

Tribeca Film Festival
Submit

Shanghai International Film Festival
Submit

Melbourne International Film Festival
Submit

Winterhur Film Festival
Submit