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

#101
The Israeli Television Academy Awards, established in 2003, celebrate excellence in Israel’s television industry.
#102
The Izmir International Short Film Festival is one of Turkey's premier platforms for showcasing short films from around the globe.
#103
The Jerusalem Film Festival (JFF), founded in 1984 by Lia Van Leer, is one of Israel's premier international film events, held annually in Jerusalem.
#104
The Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival (IDFF) is a leading annual event held every October in Jihlava, Czech Republic.
#105
The José Ignacio International Film Festival (JIIFF), founded in 2011, is a celebrated annual event in José Ignacio and Pueblo Garzón, Uruguay.
#106
Kaboom Animation Festival, established in 2019 through the merger of KLIK Amsterdam Animation Festival and Holland Animation Film Festival, is the Netherlands' foremost event dedicated to celebrating the art of animation.
#107
The Kraków Film Festival is one of Europe’s oldest film events, spotlighting documentary, animated, and short feature films, held annually in Kraków, Poland.
#108
The LA Shorts International Film Festival, founded in 1997 by Robert Arentz, is one of the largest and longest-running short film festivals in the world.
#109
The Leeds International Film Festival (LIFF), established in 1987, is the largest film festival in England outside of London.
#110
The Kortfilmfestival Leuven, established in 1995, is Belgium's leading short film festival, held annually in the historic city of Leuven.
#111
Founded in 1946, the Locarno Film Festival has long been a cornerstone of European cinema. Known for its eclectic programming, the festival features feature-length narratives, documentaries, shorts, avant-garde works, and retrospectives, offering a platform for diverse cinematic voices.
#112
The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF), founded in 1983 by Visual Communications, is Southern California’s largest film festival showcasing films by and about Asians and Pacific Islanders.
#113
The Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) was established in 1997 by actor Edward James Olmos and co-founders Marlene Dermer, Kirk Whisler, and George Hernandez.
#114
The Manchester Animation Festival (MAF), established in 2015, is the UK's largest event dedicated to the art of animation.
#115
The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF), established in 1952, is one of the world’s oldest film festivals, following Venice (1932), Cannes (1939), and Berlin (1951).
#116
The Millennium Docs Against Gravity Film Festival, originally known as Warsaw Doc Review, was founded in 2004 and has grown to become Poland's largest documentary film festival.
#117
The Morelia International Film Festival (FICM), founded in 2003, is an annual event held in the second week of October in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.
#118
Mountainfilm, founded in 1979 in Telluride, Colorado, is an annual documentary film festival held every Memorial Day weekend.
#119
The Movies that Matter Festival, initially known as the Amnesty International Film Festival, is an annual international film and debate event held in The Hague.
#120
The Nashville Film Festival (NashFilm), originally founded as the Sinking Creek Film Celebration in 1969, is one of the United States' oldest and most respected film festivals.

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