2026 Academy Awards Qualifying Film Festival List

Here is the Qualifying Film Festival List for the upcoming Academy Awards.

2026 Academy Awards Qualifying Film Festival List Top Entries

#42
CINANIMA – International Animated Film Festival of Espinho is one of the oldest and most prestigious animation festivals in the world.
#44
The Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival is the largest global film festival dedicated to short films.
#45
The Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF), founded in 1977, is one of the largest and most prominent film festivals in the United States.
#46
The Cork International Film Festival (CIFF) is Ireland’s oldest and one of its most prestigious film festivals, established in 1956.
#47
CPH:DOX – Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival is one of the world’s premier festivals dedicated to documentary filmmaking.
#48
Curtas Vila do Conde is a renowned international film festival dedicated to short films, held annually in Vila do Conde, Portugal.
#49
The Dallas International Film Festival (DIFF) is an annual celebration of global cinema held in Dallas, Texas.
#50
The deadCENTER Film Festival is a celebrated annual event in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, dedicated to independent cinema.
#51
The DMZ International Documentary Film Festival (DMZ Docs), established in 2009, is an annual event held in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
#52
Doc Edge, also known as the Documentary Edge Festival, is New Zealand’s premier documentary film festival.
#53
DOC NYC, established in 2010, is the largest documentary festival in the U.S., showcasing over 300 films annually and serving as a critical platform for nonfiction storytelling.
#54
Docaviv is Israel’s premier documentary film festival, held annually in Tel Aviv since its establishment in 1998.
#55
Doclisboa is an internationally renowned documentary film festival held annually in Lisbon, Portugal.
#56
Docville is a renowned annual documentary film festival held in Leuven, Belgium.
#57
The Drama International Short Film Festival is one of Greece’s most prestigious platforms for short films.
#58
The Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) is Africa’s longest-running and one of its largest film festivals.
#59
The Edmonton International Film Festival (EIFF) is a celebrated annual event showcasing innovative independent and international films, offering a platform for emerging and diverse voices in cinema.
#60
EnergaCamerimage is a prestigious international film festival that celebrates the art and craft of cinematography.

2026 Academy Awards Qualifying Film Festival List Top Entries

#21
The Beirut Shorts International Film Festival (Beirut Shorts) is an annual event dedicated to celebrating short films.
#22
The Bengaluru International Short Film Festival (BISFF) is a prominent annual event dedicated to celebrating the art of short filmmaking.
#23
The Berlin International Film Festival, commonly known as Berlinale, is one of the world's most prestigious film festivals, renowned for its artistic excellence and political relevance.
#24
The Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, established in 2003, is the largest documentary film festival in the American West, showcasing over 150 nonfiction films and supporting filmmakers worldwide.
#25
The BitBang International Animation Festival, established in 2014, is a premier event held annually in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
#26
The BlackStar Film Festival is an annual event celebrating the visual and storytelling traditions of the African diaspora and global Indigenous communities.
#27
Bogoshorts is an annual international film festival held in Bogotá, Colombia, dedicated to celebrating the art of short filmmaking.
#28
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is a world-renowned British institution dedicated to celebrating excellence in film, television, and video games.
#29
The BronzeLens Film Festival (BLFF) is an annual event held in Atlanta, Georgia, dedicated to celebrating the work of filmmakers of color.
#30
The Brussels Short Film Festival (BSFF) is an annual international event dedicated to celebrating the art of short filmmaking.
#31
The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) is an annual event held in Bucheon, South Korea, dedicated to celebrating genre cinema, with a special focus on fantasy, horror, science fiction, and thrillers.
#32
The Busan International Short Film Festival (BISFF) is one of Asia's premier platforms dedicated to celebrating short films.
#33
The Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) is one of the oldest and most prestigious film festivals in the Arab world, founded in 1976.
#34
The Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) is a premier annual event in Calgary, Canada, established in 2000 to celebrate cinematic excellence and promote both Canadian and international films.
#35
The Camden International Film Festival (CIFF) is a renowned annual event held in Camden, Maine, dedicated to showcasing innovative non-fiction storytelling.
#36
The Canadian Screen Awards (CSA) is the premier awards event celebrating excellence in Canadian film, television, and digital media.
#37
The Cannes Film Festival, established in 1946, is one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals, renowned for showcasing groundbreaking films and celebrating artistic excellence in global cinema.
#38
The Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival (FICCI) is the oldest film festival in Latin America, founded in 1959.
#39
The Chicago International Children’s Film Festival (CICFF) is one of the largest and most prestigious film festivals dedicated to children and young audiences worldwide.
#40
The Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America, founded in 1964 by Michael Kutza.

Affiliate Disclosure:

Filmmaker Journey participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. When you click product links and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps fund our free rankings and resources.

Join the community.

Subscribe for fresh news, resources, and exclusive content you won't find anywhere else.

Log In

OR