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

#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.

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2026 Academy Awards Qualifying Film Festival List Top Entries

#161

Sydney Film Festival

The Sydney Film Festival (SFF), founded in 1954, is one of the longest-running film festivals in the world.

#162

Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival

The Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards, founded in 1962, is one of the most prestigious events celebrating Chinese-language cinema.

#163

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival

The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF), founded in 1997, has grown into one of Northern Europe's largest and most prestigious film festivals.

#164

Tampere Film Festival

The Tampere Film Festival, founded in 1969, is one of Europe’s most esteemed international short film festivals.

#165

Tasveer South Asian Film Festival

The Tasveer South Asian Film Festival (TSAFF), established in 2002 in Seattle, Washington, is the world's largest South Asian film festival.

#166

Tehran International Short Film Festival (Iran)

The Tehran International Short Film Festival (TISFF), founded in 1983, is one of Iran's most prestigious and longest-running film festivals, dedicated exclusively to short films.

#167

Thessaloniki International Documentary Film Festival

The Thessaloniki International Documentary Film Festival (TIFF), founded in 1960 as the Week of Greek Cinema, has evolved into one of Southeastern Europe's premier film festivals.

#168

Thomas Edison Film Festival

The Thomas Edison Film Festival (TEFF), originally known as the Black Maria Film Festival, was founded in 1981 by John Columbus.

#169

Tirana International Film Festival

The Tirana International Film Festival (TIFF), established in 2003, is Albania’s premier film festival, showcasing innovative works across genres, bridging cultures, and celebrating global cinematic excellence.

#170

Toronto International Film Festival

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), established in 1976, is one of the largest and most influential film festivals, renowned for showcasing global cinema and predicting awards season success.

#171

Tribeca Film Festival

The Tribeca Film Festival, founded in 2001, is a multidisciplinary event celebrating storytelling across film, television, VR, and gaming, revitalizing Lower Manhattan's culture and economy post-9/11.

#172

Uppsala International Short Film Festival

The Uppsala International Short Film Festival, established in 1982, is Sweden's premier event for short films and one of Europe's most prominent short film festivals.

#173

Urbanworld Film Festival

The Urbanworld Film Festival, founded in 1997 by Stacy Spikes, is one of the largest internationally competitive festivals dedicated to celebrating multicultural storytelling across cinema and media platforms.

#174

Venice Film Festival

The Venice Film Festival, founded in 1932, is one of the world’s oldest film festivals, showcasing international cinema and hosting world premieres, including films that dominate awards season.

#175

Vienna Shorts – International Film Festival

Vienna Shorts, Austria's largest international short film festival, takes place annually in May in Vienna.

#176

Vilnius Short Film Festival

The Vilnius Short Film Festival (VSFF) is Lithuania’s largest and most prominent festival dedicated to short films.

#177

Visions du Réel, International Film Festival

Visions du Réel, originally founded as the Nyon International Documentary Film Festival in 1969, is one of the world’s leading platforms for documentary cinema.

#178

Warsaw International Film Festival

The Warsaw Film Festival (WFF), founded in 1985 by the Film Discussion Club "Hybrydy" under Roman Gutek, has grown into one of the most prominent cultural events in Poland and Eastern Europe.

#179

Woodstock Film Festival

The Woodstock Film Festival, founded in 2000, is an Oscar-qualifying event in New York's Hudson Valley, renowned for celebrating independent filmmaking and fostering innovative storytelling through diverse programming.

#180

Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival

The Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival (YIDFF), established in 1989, is Asia's first international documentary film festival and one of the longest-running documentary festivals in the world.

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2026 Academy Awards Qualifying Film Festival List

2026 Academy Awards Qualifying Film Festival List Top Entries

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