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

#81

Hiroshima Animation Season

The Hiroshima International Animation Festival (HIAF) is one of the most prestigious animation festivals in the world.

#82

HollyShorts Film Festival

The HollyShorts Film Festival is a premier short film event in Hollywood, showcasing innovative works and providing a platform for emerging talent to gain recognition in the film industry.

#83

Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival

Hot Docs is the largest documentary film festival in North America, held annually in Toronto, Canada.

#84

Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival

The Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival (HSDFF) is one of the most celebrated documentary film festivals in North America, and it holds the distinction of being the longest-running all-documentary festival in the region.

#85

Huesca International Film Festival

The Huesca International Film Festival, founded in 1973, is one of the most celebrated festivals in Spain dedicated to the art of short filmmaking.

#86

The Hong Kong International Film Festival

The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), established in 1976, is one of Asia’s oldest and most prominent film festivals.

#87

Imaginaria Film Festival

The Imaginaria Film Festival is an annual event held in Conversano, Italy, dedicated to celebrating the art of animated films.

#88

International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam

The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) is one of the most prestigious documentary film festivals globally.

#89

imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival

The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival is the largest Indigenous film and media arts festival in the world, held annually in Toronto, Canada.

#90

In The Palace International Short Film Festival

In The Palace International Short Film Festival is an annual event held in Bulgaria, dedicated to promoting short films, new media, and digital arts.

#91

Indy Shorts International Film Festival

Established in 2018, the Indy Shorts International Film Festival is an annual six-day summer event in Indianapolis, Indiana, dedicated to showcasing the art of short films.

#92

Interfilm International Short Film Festival Berlin

The Interfilm International Short Film Festival Berlin is one of the most prestigious short film festivals in Europe.

#93

International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK)

The International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK) is an annual event held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, organized by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy.

#94

International Documentary Festival Sheffield

Sheffield DocFest, established in 1994, is a premier international documentary festival held annually in Sheffield, England.

#95

International Festival of Documentaries and Short Films of Bilbao – ZINEBI

The International Festival of Documentaries and Short Films of Bilbao, commonly known as ZINEBI, is a prestigious annual festival held in Bilbao, Spain.

#96

International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film (DOK Leipzig)

DOK Leipzig is the oldest documentary film festival in the world and one of the most prestigious platforms for documentary and animated films globally.

#97

International Short Film Festival Oberhausen

The International Short Film Festival Oberhausen is one of the most renowned short film festivals globally, established in 1954 in Oberhausen, Germany.

#98

Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur

The Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur is Switzerland’s premier short film festival and a key event in the European film calendar.

#99

Irish Film & Television Awards (IFTA)

The Irish Film & Television Awards (IFTA) are presented annually by the Irish Film & Television Academy to honor outstanding achievements in Irish film and television.

#100

It’s All True – International Documentary Film Festival

The It’s All True – International Documentary Film Festival (É Tudo Verdade - Festival Internacional de Documentários) is Latin America’s premier documentary film festival.

Top Picks

RØDE VideoMic GO II Helix | Ultra-Compact....

$109.00

Sony WH-1000XM5 Premium Noise Canceling....

$278.00

SmallRig Shoulder Rig Kit, One-Touch Quick Release....

$389.99

More Deals>>

2026 Academy Awards Qualifying Film Festival List Top Entries

#121

New Hampshire Film Festival

The New Hampshire Film Festival (NHFF), launched in 2001 as the New Hampshire Film Expo, has grown into a flagship cultural event for New England.

#122

New Orleans Film Festival

The New Orleans Film Festival (NOFF), founded in 1989 by the New Orleans Film Society, is an annual cultural celebration held every mid-October.

#123

New York International Children’s Film Festival

The New York International Children’s Film Festival (NYICFF), established in 1997 by Eric Beckman and Emily Shapiro, is North America’s largest film festival dedicated to young audiences.

#124

Nordisk Panorama Film Festival (Five Nordic Countries)

The Nordisk Panorama Film Festival, founded in 1990 by Filmkontakt Nord, is a leading annual event dedicated to showcasing Nordic short and documentary films.

#125

The Norwegian Short Film Festival

The Norwegian Short Film Festival (Kortfilmfestivalen) is Norway's largest and only Academy Award®-qualifying short film festival, showcasing Norwegian and international short films, documentaries, and music videos.

#126

OFF – Odense International Film Festival

The Odense International Film Festival (OFF), established in 1975, is Denmark’s oldest and most prestigious film festival dedicated exclusively to short films.

#127

Ottawa International Animation Festival

The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF), founded in 1975 by the Canadian Film Institute, held its inaugural event in 1976, marking the first major animation festival in North America.

#128

Out On Film, Atlanta’s International LGBTQ Film Festival

Out On Film, founded in 1987 by Rebecca Ranson and other community leaders, is one of the oldest and most respected LGBTQIA+ film festivals in the United States.

#129

Palm Springs International ShortFest

The Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films, widely known as ShortFest, is an annual celebration of short films held in Palm Springs, California.

#130

The Pan African Film & Arts Festival

The Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF), founded in 1992 by Danny Glover, Ja'net DuBois, and executive director Ayuko Babu, is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting cultural understanding among people of African descent through the exhibition of films and arts.

#131

Premi David di Donatello – David di Donatello Film Awards

The David di Donatello Awards, founded in 1955 by Italo Gemini, stand as Italy’s most prestigious film honors, often referred to as the Italian equivalent of the Academy Awards.

#132

Premios Platino del Cine Iberoamericano

The Platino Awards, officially known as Premios Platino del Cine Iberoamericano, were established in 2013 to celebrate and promote excellence in Ibero-American cinema.

#133

Provincetown International Film Festival

The Provincetown International Film Festival (PIFF), founded in 1999, is a celebrated annual event held in Provincetown, Massachusetts, each June.

#134

Raindance Film Festival

The Raindance Film Festival, founded in 1992 by Elliot Grove, is the largest independent film festival in the UK, dedicated to showcasing and promoting independent films from around the world.

#135

Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival

The Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival & Lecture Series, founded in 1997 by African Voices magazine and Long Island University's Brooklyn Campus, is the first Brooklyn-based festival dedicated to supporting films produced, directed, and written by women of color.

#136

REGARD – Saguenay International Film Festival

REGARD – Saguenay International Short Film Festival, commonly referred to as REGARD, was founded in 1996 by Éric Bachand, a recent art graduate from the University of Quebec in Chicoutimi.

#137

Rio de Janeiro International Short Film Festival – Festival Curta Cinema

The Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival, also known as Festival do Rio, is an annual event established in 1999.

#138

RiverRun International Film Festival

The RiverRun International Film Festival, founded in 1999, is an annual spring event in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, showcasing a rich diversity of films from around the world.

#139

Run&Shoot Filmworks – Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival

The Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF), founded in 2002 by Floyd and Stephanie Rance, is an annual event held in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts.

#140

St. Kilda Film Festival

The St Kilda Film Festival, founded in 1983, is Australia’s longest-running short film festival and a premier event for celebrating Australian short films.

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.

2026 Academy Awards Qualifying Film Festival List

2026 Academy Awards Qualifying Film Festival List Top Entries

Top Picks

More Deals>>

2026 Academy Awards Qualifying Film Festival List Top Entries

Affiliate Disclosure:

Join the community.

Log In

OR