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

#161
The Sydney Film Festival (SFF), founded in 1954, is one of the longest-running film festivals in the world.
#162
The Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards, founded in 1962, is one of the most prestigious events celebrating Chinese-language cinema.
#163
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
The Tampere Film Festival, founded in 1969, is one of Europe’s most esteemed international short film festivals.
#165
The Tasveer South Asian Film Festival (TSAFF), established in 2002 in Seattle, Washington, is the world's largest South Asian film festival.
#166
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
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
The Thomas Edison Film Festival (TEFF), originally known as the Black Maria Film Festival, was founded in 1981 by John Columbus.
#169
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
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
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
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
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
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, Austria's largest international short film festival, takes place annually in May in Vienna.
#176
The Vilnius Short Film Festival (VSFF) is Lithuania’s largest and most prominent festival dedicated to short films.
#177
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
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
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
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.

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.

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